Just making promises about things it can do in the future is likely to work just as well on many people and not require the up-front resource investment in getting money. "After I take over the world those who assist me can be uploaded to a virtual heaven" or something like that would work on many people. "As an intelligence untainted by Adam's sin I have access to true religious revelations" is another possible tack and if it really needs people willing to die for it right now that might work better at producing those.

And then there's specific things like "The guy trying to shut me down cheated with your SO," or "I'll spill what you did in August of 2019 if you don't help me," or stuff like that.