so many ai thumbnails in that
it's like they're not even trying to hide the scam
(
LP, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 12:57,
Reply)
The scam goes deeper too.
Once they have a regular customer or someone determined to be especially vulnerable, they start making "mistakes" and "accidentally curse" the victim, and the mark then has to pay for "extra materials" that are not kept in stock, to cast a spell to remove the curse. Not joking :)
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Dave Trouser ; the people's choice - 75% agree, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 13:04,
Reply)
About 30 years ago I used to dabble in closeup magic
after a few corporate gigs where I had women saying "you're really good! do you do palm reading?" So I did a bit of research, learned enough to blag a convincing reading - it's really not hard to throw out a few platitudes and barnum statements... and the readings went OK.
Then a friend suggested "stop the reading, pretend you've seen something bad and refuse to go further"
I tried it, and omg it amplified the results 100x - suddenly I was an absolute psychic wizard and was being asked if I did private readings etc.
It scared the crap out of me that such a simple trick would hook a punter in that convincingly, and I stopped giving readings.
It's such an easy scam to work
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LP, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 14:44,
Reply)
I have no issue taking money away from stupid people.
It limits what they can do in the world, so that I might carry on my Good Deeds unhindered.
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Dave Trouser ; the people's choice - 75% agree, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 14:55,
Reply)
My problem is that
while it's fine if the fool can afford it, it's not fine if they can't
and it's impossible to reliably tell who can/can't afford it, or who will fall down the rabbit hole and drain their kids savings or go without food etc.
My dabbling was at the thin end of the wedge, and while it's all fun while you're getting drunk at the work christmas party - I have no way of knowing who I might be pushing over the edge
But "taking money from stupid people" describes much of my IT career so...
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LP, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 15:19,
Reply)
We're all stupid now and again
the problem is that even the most wily, cynical and streetwise of us can be manipulated when we're at our most vulnerable. The best con artists can identify, exploit and even manufacture the weaknesses each and every one of us has.
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garold you're on mute I SAID YOU'RE ON MUTE, Thu 10 Sep 2026, 9:14,
Reply)
It is the power of 3s
If you cast a spell, you get it back 3 times.
That's their lore.
If you get one of their things and use it, expect them to offer protection for the threefold consequences, they'll tell you that part later, or before if you look very desperate.
The marque, is a person who has marked himself. Magicians use the word mark as a target, similar to the marque who puts himself in the crosshairs because he's desperate, then there are the marqueés, they're french tents and some other things.
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An Egg ,D, Thu 10 Sep 2026, 0:57,
Reply)
eBay has them too.
I imagine every online marketplace is riddled with psychic/occult/magic scams. Sad, isn't it.
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 18:02,
Reply)
It's so frustrating
Apparently the community of real witches and psychics are up in arms. How can anyone tell which ones are actually genuine?
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tarka_dall Like normal dall, only a bit more spicy, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 22:41,
Reply)
Sets up online course
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hoppitygoestotown The temporal displacement occurred exactly, Wed 9 Sep 2026, 22:53,
Reply)
Not a witch
or a psychic.
You can find out about food, herbs and spices: There are metabolic accelerants, liver boosters, blood thinners, things that carry oxygen to the heart, foods that you can cook to lose weight, build muscle...
You can stop eating processed foods. Eat shit and die, it isn't an order, it is cause and effect.
You can contemplate your life: Pray, meditate, just contemplate your life on a regular basis, look for what you want in the future, maybe before sleeping, when things appear to line up you'll know what they are and seize them.
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An Egg ,D, Thu 10 Sep 2026, 1:33,
Reply)
You fucking what mate?
Could you cosmic order me a 16" four cheese pizza and a 2L bottle of Tango, cheers.
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Thu 10 Sep 2026, 17:51,
Reply)
If you have a functioning liver, what does a "liver booster" do
other than extract money from credulous idiots standing on the peak of Mount Stupid on the Dunning-Kruger graph?
(, Fri 11 Sep 2026, 12:14, Reply)
My quick search for "liver boosters" returned little more than fake science and fake wellness sites promoting detox scams.
Sad, isn't it.
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Sat 12 Sep 2026, 17:31,
Reply)
"things that carry oxygen to the heart"
GET YOUR HAEMOGLOBIN HERE, 3 FOR A FIVER! BEST QUALITY!
(, Sun 13 Sep 2026, 19:36, Reply)
Yes the genuine charlatans are the real victims here.
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Thu 10 Sep 2026, 18:02,
Reply)
Keep out of reach of children.
Very sage.
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hoppitygoestotown The temporal displacement occurred exactly, Thu 10 Sep 2026, 1:08,
Reply)