20 Of The Best Scam Documentaries To Keep You Aware And Informed
Scams are almost inevitable, but these documentaries reveal what's really going on with them.
Scams have a way of sounding unbelievable until they happen to someone you know. These documentaries pull back the curtain on some of the most notorious schemes, from fake festivals and fraudulent companies to con artists who built entire lives around deception.
What makes these stories so gripping is how different they are, even though they all revolve around the same thing, people getting fooled by money, image, or trust. Some films focus on one infamous case, while others trace a wider pattern of manipulation that keeps showing up in new forms.
If you want a watchlist that is equal parts entertaining and eye-opening, this one has plenty to offer. Read on for 20 scam documentaries that are worth your time.
1. "Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened"
This Netflix documentary is based on the Fyre Festival, which was coordinated by rapper Ja Rule and Fyre Media founder Billy McFarland. Influencers paid up to $12,000 per ticket for a festival that was nothing like what they expected.
The duo faced lawsuits from investors and attendees.
Image Source: Netflix2. "Fyre Fraud"
"Fyre Fraud" covers the same Fyre Festival scandal, but this is Hulu's version of the documentary.
3. "The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley"
This documentary focuses on Elizabeth Holmes. There are also other documentaries about this story and her company, Theranos.
That story still has a way of making people shake their heads.
4. "Author: The JT LeRoy Story"
This particular documentary tells the story of the author who never was. Savannah Knoop was behind the facade. The documentary reveals how things turned out for her and the real author.
Image Source: Everett Collection5. "Dirty Money"
This documentary series explores various cases of "Dirty Money," including drug cartels, shady deals involving former presidents, and more.
Image Source: Netflix
6. "Sour Grapes"
"Sour Grapes" is a documentary about a wine company that deceived buyers by selling cheap wines marketed as expensive and charging exorbitant prices for them.
7. "The Woman Who Wasn't There"
This is one of the biggest public lies that has surfaced. Tania Head claimed to be a survivor of 9/11, but upon further investigation, it was revealed that she had everyone fooled, as she was never even there.
8. "The Honest Liar"
James Randi learned all he could about magic and being an escape artist, which then helped him expose fake healers, psychics, and more.
9. "The Imposter"
"The Imposter" is a documentary about Frédéric Bourdin, who pretended to be a missing 13-year-old boy and convinced the family of the missing boy that he was him.
It only gets stranger from here.
This also matches the AITA where a failed investment led to a fight over repaying a friend.
10. "Icarus"
"Icarus" is a documentary that delves into the troubling history and prominent issue of illegal doping in sports.
Image Source: Netflix
11. "McMillions"
"McMillions" is a documentary about the biggest scam involving the McDonald's Monopoly game. It tells the story of Uncle Jerry and what he did to defraud people, which ultimately led to the end of the Monopoly era at McDonald's.
Image Source: HBO
12. "The Puppet Master: Hunting The Ultimate Conman"
This documentary focuses on Robert Hendy-Freegard and his story, which involved conning women by entering into relationships with them solely to steal their money.
Image Source: Everett Collection
13. "Bad Vegan"
"Bad Vegan" tells the story of Sarma Melngailis, a vegan restaurant owner whose husband drove her restaurant into the ground. As a result, she resorted to stealing and lying, which led to her career's downfall and her employees never getting paid.
Image Source: Everett Collection
14. "Trust No One: The Hunt For The Crypto King"
Gerry Cotten is the central figure in this film, as he was a conman suspected of stealing millions from people who invested in his cryptocurrency exchange program.
Image Source: Everett Collection
15. "WeWork: The Making And Breaking Of a $47 Billion Unicorn"
WeWork was a company backed by numerous investors who put in billions, but the business lacked a sustainable plan and ultimately lost billions in the process.
Image Source: Everett Collection
16. "LuLaRich"
This documentary stems from the clothing company LuLaRue, which was convicted of using a pyramid scheme to persuade women to both buy and promote their clothes.
Image Source: Everett Collection
By this point, the scams are getting bigger and messier.
17. "Operation Varsity Blues"
This documentary is one that many of us should remember. It revolves around the event where wealthy families, including those of Lori Loughlin, secured spots in elite universities by purchasing them.
Image Source: Everett Collection
18. "The Tinder Swindler"
This recent documentary is based on a man named Shimon Hayut, who entered into romantic relationships with women and then spun wild stories about why he needed money from them. He conned many women out of millions.
Image Source: Everett Collection
19. "Art And Craft"
"Art And Craft" is a documentary about an artist who gifted famous works, only to discover that all his donations were completely forged.
Image Source: Everett Collection
20. "Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art"
This documentary covers the biggest art scam in U.S. history, which involved the Knoedler Gallery selling millions worth of fake art.
Image Source: Everett Collection
These documentaries are truly wild, and some of these stories are absolutely unbelievable. It's astonishing that these types of scams are far more common than we think.
It's very difficult to imagine some of these situations, but it's always best to be prepared and recognize the red flags of a scammer.
Some of these stories are hard to forget.
Want another financial fallout story? See the AITA about refusing to lend money for a risky investment.
