Which term refers to a harmless communication that initiates a scam?

Study for the Certified Bank Secrecy Act Professional Test. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations. Get exam ready!

Scammers often start with a benign outreach to see who will respond without raising suspicion. This harmless-looking contact is designed to initiate conversation and establish a channel, so the target feels comfortable engaging. Once contact is established, the scam can progress toward asking for sensitive information or money. That initial, non-threatening message is the specific idea captured by the term innocuous message.

Extortion describes coercing someone to pay by threats, which is not about the initial contact. Victim fattening refers to the grooming phase where a scammer builds trust and vulnerability over time, but it describes the process rather than the very first harmless outreach. Scam awareness covers awareness in general, but the term that names the initial harmless communication is innocuous message.