Iranians, Russians receive text messages seeking U.S. election hacking info

This August 6, 2020 screenshot shows a text message sent to an Iranian cell phone user promising up to $10 million for information about anyone planning to interfere in the American election. It is one of a series of text messages sent to people Iran promoting the US State Department?s Rewards for Justice program. The text reads "The United States pays up to $10 million for any information on foreign interference in American elections." Handout via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Mohamad first got the text message offering him up to $10 million for information about attempts to interfere with the U.S. election, he thought it was "some kind of cyber attack."

But when the Tehran-based software developer logged on to Twitter he realized he was one of an unknown number of Iranian citizens who have received out-of-the-blue messages promoting the U.S. State Department's recently announced effort to defend the American presidential election.