I received a call from someone claiming to be with GF Institute in Kentucky. They said they could help me collect hard-to-find government grant money. What's the real story?

Within hours of your call, the Better Business Bureau received four more calls about GF Institute and the government grant offer. Obviously the company is calling into the Treasure Valley, trying to convince people the government is once again giving away money.

Let's go down the list of red flags. First, any company claiming to lead you to a pot of government gold is selling damaged goods.

The government does provide grants. However, the grants are not to build a house, pay off a house, cover a mortgage or go on vacation. One of the latest legitimate government grants is for about $5,000 to study migratory birds and how to protect habitat in specific regions of the country.

Next red flag: big money for nothing. Notice the average payout for the last example was $5,000. The fine print on the legitimate grant offering says the dollars must be matched.

If you want to study birds, you need to come up with at least $5,000 of non-government money as a match. And you must bring on a group of unique partners and collaborators, then write detailed, in-depth, agonizingly long reports.

All of that is typical of a legitimate government grant. You probably didn't hear that from GF Institute.

Finally, anyone wanting a percentage of the grant as a finder's fee presents a huge red flag. There's no cost for you doing some research and finding legitimate grants. The Internet is the place to go. Start searching the Web.

Bottom line:  Hang up fast on anyone guaranteeing you government grant money. Go to www.grants.gov and you'll find the government grants. The search is free, but there's a lot of work behind getting a legitimate grant.

I keep seeing Obama memorabilia for sale. Is there any value in the plates, coins and trinkets?

According to estimates by the New York Times, consumers have already spent perhaps as much as $200 million on Obamabilia. Obama memorabilia is also among eBay's top sellers. In December the company reported that more than 111,000 Obama-related items had already been sold on its site.

Posters, buttons, coins, plates, cologne, bobbleheads — these are just a few examples of the kinds of Obama memorabilia that are getting snatched up by Americans wanting to own a piece of history. However, for those who are looking to get rich off of such merchandise, the Better Business Bureau warns that the only value for most Obama memorabilia is sentimentality.

Just because the seller claims that a commemorative plate or coin is of limited edition, it doesn't mean that there weren't millions made. If the item is being widely advertised, chances are it's too common to actually gain much value over the years.

Bottom line: Don't be fooled by empty advertising claims.