What does it take for criminals to put up a scam website these days, four minutes?

Honestly, if I just embedded an audio file of myself sighing heavily, and made that the entire post, I think you’d get my meaning. But I’ll go into a little more detail than that.

It’s ridiculous. Last fall they took advantage of the government’s “Stimulus Package,” because a lot of people only heard the word “stimulus” and instantly thought “that means I get another check!” Which it didn’t, by the way—shame on Washington for repurposing the same language. So the crooks started sending emails, making phone calls and setting up websites, asking for personal information to receive your “stimulus check.” And it worked.

Well, now they’re doing it with the “Cash for Clunkers” program we’ve been hearing about. That’s the program that gives you a certain trade-in on your old gas-hog car if you buy a new one with better fuel economy.

Already, there are fake websites telling you that you have to “pre-register” for your Cash for Clunkers rebate. These sites ask for your personal information.

You don’t have to pre-register for anything, and just like with your annual credit report, there is only one site to visit for Cash for Clunkers information: cars.gov.

If you’re getting your information from any other website, it is not official. If you are entering personal information, you are about to become a victim of identity theft.

There is a good, in-depth article on this latest scam here.