Is The Story Of LeAnn's Infidelity A Set-Up???

Us Weekly's current cover outs LeAnn Rimes' supposed affair with her co-star Eddie Cibrian in an upcoming TV movie ... but is it for real???

Here's what's weird:

Exhibit A - Us Weekly has this grainy still frame of the couple leaning over a restaurant table kissing from what they say is "security camera" video from a place is Laguna Beach.

Exhibit B - We got this slightly strange email in our inbox this morning supposedly "tipping us off" to a clip of the Lifetime movie on an official Lifetime YouTube page -- hmmm ... And the URL in the email address - www.yougotgossip.com - is totally bogus.

Publicists for Lifetime haven't yet returned our call about this mysterious email ...

Exhibit C - LeAnn blogged on her official site that it's a "difficult time" for her and her "loved ones" and was FAR from denying the rumors:

A MESSAGE FROM LEANN... This is a difficult time for me and my loved ones, but I appreciate all your continued support.

I would like to assure all of you that this is a place for you to hear things directly from me and as you all know, not everything in our lives is always black and white.

Have faith,
Le

In the meantime, her hubby Dean Tweets this:

Is all of this a bit of a scam to get publicity for LeAnn's show? Whether the media coverage of it was set-up or not, the cheating seems to be for real!