Caught in the Action

$25 Million Dollar Hoax

2004

$25 Million Dollar Hoax is an unscripted television series that was originally shown on American network NBC in November 2004. It is based on a United Kingdom show titled The Million Pound Hoax, broadcast on Sky One earlier that year. $25 Million Dollar Hoax consists of three unscripted hour-long episodes in which small-town girl Chrissy Sanford plays a hoax on her family by convincing them she had won a US$25,000,000 lottery prize through the internet, and that it had changed her from a sweet girl into a spend-a-holic. This program is an example of reality television. $25 Million Dollar Hoax contained guest appearances by Ed McMahon, George Gray, and N*SYNC's Lance Bass. Chrissy successfully pulled off the hoax, which won her and her family over $400,000 in cash and prizes.