No. 157 - Miracle Cars

If someone offered to sell you a car from the estate of someone who recently died for just the taxes owed on the car, about $1,000, would you give them cash up-front for it? What if the deal was offered to you by a good friend, or your pastor?

I learned that over 4,000 people bought about 7,000 cars that did not exist in a scam called Miracle Cars, which ran from 1997 to 2002. It was one of the largest advance fee frauds in world history, as well as the largest automobile fraud in American history.

I learned about this while listening to a radio rebroadcast of a show on CNBC called American Greed. This story, titled Driven By Greed, aired during its second season. Apparently there have been 4 seasons.

In 2006 a book, God Wants You to Roll, was published that chronicled the scam and trial.