Part 2/8:
For the past year, Mr. Pancake had been posting Minecraft videos to his YouTube channel, primarily as a therapeutic outlet as recommended by his therapist. But it all took a dramatic turn when he received an email from a supposed advertising agency proposing a lucrative sponsorship deal. The initial offer promised $116,000 for two ad integrations promoting a new VPN service, surfnet VPN.
Desiring to see how this opportunity might unfold — and driven by a bit of curiosity about the cash windfall — Mr. Pancake responded to the company's overture. However, he quickly sensed something was amiss. The email, addressed to “dear creator” and originating from an unusual Gmail account, raised numerous red flags.