This was the subject of an email scam that started in the late 1990s and is still circulating in various forms today. The scammer sends an email that offers a cheap supply of ‘red mercury’, with the promise that the
mercury buyers will make a huge profit from its sale. The scam is based on the fact that red mercury does not exist, but that does not stop the scammer from encouraging the buyer to buy large quantities of it. In addition, the scammer will provide ‘evidence’ that red mercury is a legitimate product, for example by providing a certificate of analysis. Anyone who falls for the trap and agrees to buy red mercury will end up losing their money.