Bogus stimulus offer snags suspects

The federal stimulus project isn't going as far as offering free money for doing nothing, but some accused criminals must have thought they could get a free ride when undercover police told them to make their claims for some stimulus money.

Using the name of the fictitious "South Florida Stimulus Coalition," the Fort Lauderdale Police Department mailed letters to people wanted on warrants asking them to call an undercover phone line and make appointments to claim their money, according to a Reuters story.

The promise of economic stimulus checks was enough to lure 76 people to their arrests on a variety of charges, ranging from second-degree murder to gun possession, drug charges and failure to pay child support.