Tsunami Spam

The Spanish Prisoner, a scam dating back to 1588, is alive and well on the Internet. In its original form, the con artist tells the victim that he is in touch with an aristocrat who has been imprisoned in Spain under a false identity. The alleged prisoner cannot reveal his identity without serious repercussions, and is relying on the con artist to raise the money needed to secure his release. The confidence artist offers to let the victim supply some of the money, with a promise that he will be rewarded generously when the prisoner is freed, both financially and through marriage to the prisoner's beautiful daughter. However, once the victim has turned over his money, he learns that further difficulties have arisen, and more money is required. By this time the victim is both emotionally and financially invested and rather than lose the money he has already put out will invest more. This will continue until the mark is cleaned out and the game ends.
Key features of the Spanish Prisoner are the emphasis on secrecy and the trust that the victim will not reveal the prisoner's identity or situation. The victim is supposed chosen based on his reputation for honesty, which is very important since the con artist's share of the reward is to be distributed voluntarily by the victim.