Supernatural debt relief

Supernatural debt relief is the proposition that debt and similar money troubles may be solved through prayer or some other appeal to supernatural forces. Recently, it has become a favourite of unscrupulous televangelists and similar scammers seeking to take advantage of people in difficult economic times. It is also called supernatural debt cancellation.

The con
In recent times, consumer credit has become a lot easier to get hold of, from easier mortgages (what can go wrong?) to credit cards, payday loans, and so on. Many people find themselves with high debts that can soon snowball thanks to compound interest, or maybe they lose their job and can't keep up with payments. And with a big recession going on, this adds up to a lot of desperate people looking for a solution. Some people do have an answer, however! Just send them your last few dollars and they will put in a good word with God, and before you know it, you'll have been credited with the funds, or win the lottery, or whatever.

Clearly, this is the same old faith healing scam with a personal finance twist. Some of the same practitioners, including old favourite Peter Popoff, are doing the rounds with late-night infomercials promising deliverance from suffering. And trusting, innocent people who have already found managing their finances difficult send whatever they have left in the hope that such a seed gift will change the Almighty's mind.