Advance Fee Fraud

Advance fee frauds ask for payment up front in order for the deal to go through. The advance payment may be described as a fee, tax, commission, or incidental expense that will be repaid later. Some advance fee schemes target investors who already purchased underperforming securities and offer to sell those securities if an “advance fee” is paid.

Source: http://investor.gov/glossary/glossary_terms/advance-fee-fraud#.UsxchGRDuEg