3. Nigerian scam
In the 16th century, this was known as the Spanish prisoner scam. A victim receives a letter from a wealthy person (AKA a Nigerian prince) currently in prison in Spain. In order to get out of the prison, a ransom has to be paid, for which the victim will be generously rewarded once the scammer is out of the hands of the evil Spaniards. The victim will also receive the hand of the scammer’s daughter in marriage. The girl is not just rich, but also extraordinarily beautiful. (Modern day variant usually excludes this detail)
