A new con game appearing in email inboxes circumvents the bulk mail blocks of most email programs by using a blind carbon copy (Bcc). The email is personalized and is usually from a political refugee in (or escaped from) various areas in Africa. You are asked to provide your bank account information in exchange for a percentage of many millions of US dollars that can’t leave Africa without your help.
This is an oldie, and a real baddie. The basic line goes like this:
“I represent some high mucky muck who wants to get a lot of suspicious money out of my country, and we need help from you to do it. We’ll pay you stupid amounts of cash to be a front person.”
The system escalates until you’ve got money sunk into the scam, and they want you to visit the country in question in person. There have been people who played along with this and never made it home alive.
Originally this was focused through Nigeria, but with recent events, you may hear about Taliban leaders wanting help, or people from other war-torn countries. Don’t respond to these people in any way. People die falling for this one.