The art form is generically known as the Nigerian scam, but this satirical version has a delightfully American twist. Real Time Economics claims to have received an email purporting to be from “Ministry of the Treasury Paulson” about an “urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.”

His ministry-ness implores, in part: 

My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you. …

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance.

To make this work, of course, he needs access to your bank accounts and those of your children and grandchildren. Read the whole thing — it’s hilarious even though it does contain some scary elements of truth.