Increased interest in federal stimulus money is also raising concerns about con artists.
Glen Loyd with Wisconsin Consumer Protection says there are a growing number of websites that claim they can help people get federal grant money. Loyd says many of those are fake, but use President Obama's name or other federal identifiers to try and make themselves look legit.
Loyd says the easiest way to spot the fakes is if they ask you to pay an application fee. He says federal grant money is supposed to be free, and you should never have to pay to access the funds.
Consumer Protection is also urging people to watch out for claims that stimulus money can be wired to them directly. Loyd says any request for your bank account or social security number is a sure sign that it's an identity thief, not the federal government.
In tough financial times, there's a lot of anticipation for help. However, Loyd says people need to be careful.