Texas Sized Hoax

During the oil boom of 1919, Wichita Falls, Texas, was desperate for office space. Developer J.D. McMahon offered to build a 480″ highrise downtown.

Investors loved his offer and poured in the money. The building turned out to be four stories tall. The disgruntled investors double-checked the blueprints and discovered the problem. McMahon had promised a building 480 inches (40 feet) tall, not 480 feet. He delivered on his promise and by the time of their discovery, he was long gone with the rest of the money.