Tips for 'Spellcasters'

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Banned Racist Prick Joined: 08 Nov 2013 Posts: 3

Hi. I'm finding lots of Dr. Umbongo witch doctor types, "you send me $200 to buy 'eye of newt' to cast spell" any tips to tug their chains nice and tight ?

Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2013 11:06 pm

Speaking as a Mage trained by the mighty Koschei Bessmeyertnikh, I can give you good advice.

[1] Material components have to be personally collected/harvested for full effect. Components purchased from vendors have only one-quarter to one-tenth effectiveness, and quanitity does not make up for quality.

[2] If the component is an animal part, then the creature must be sound in wind and limb. I cannot stress this too highly. A sickly or deformed animal produces imperfect outcomes.

[3] If the component is vegetable matter, it must be taken from a mature plant free of disease.

Please indicate your understanding of these points ere we move on.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18312

These aren't advance fee fraud. While they may be a bunch of hooey, how do you know for sure that the person isn't actually buying eye of newt and casting spells for you? Wink

These aren't really fraud and not something we bait.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:38 am

IB (at the mercy of the Mods, and with threat of being covered in chocolate and thrown to the L8sbians) I disagree.

The Witch Doctor type asking for $200 to pay in advance for exotic ingredients to me is no different to asking the same for a $2 million payoff from banks etc in a normal scam. Your wish like the $2 million will never be real!

No way is this like having your palm read at the local Fair for £1.

I have baited these lads in the past and they are very low key, won't get off script, normally insisting on WU but I've had a bank account or two before petering out.

Unfortunately there must be RL victims who believe in this 'alternative remedy' for their problems or else the lads wouldn't bother using it.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18312

So, for argument's sake, are they very different than my mom's friend sending money to a religious group for prayers to be said for a certain person?

These are very different than a supposed two million dollar fund at a fake bank. In those, the scammer is impersonating a bank and promising millions of dollars that don't exist.

With these, again, how do you know for sure that no one has cast a spell for you after you pay? You don't - you assume it. You can, however, prove that the fake bank is fake in advance fee fraud.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:31 am

Although I am at Risk of being Branded a ‘Mod Hugger’ I tend to agree with Ima. Yes this is a Scammy sort of ‘Business’ but we are looking at a computerized version of a Snake Oil Salesman in my Books.

Oh I’ll have you know the Goat’s Ass Soup he prescribed is good for Coughs, Colds and Pimples on my DuffenKnacker! So there!

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 3:05 am

+1
Who knows what they do (or do not do). To me, they are akin to beggars. "Send me money and I do this for you." No thanks.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 7:52 am

They are not fraud.

Some cultures believe in this sort of thing and it's a paid for service. Walk down a road in most Asian countries and you can find people running businesses off the back off selling wishes, supplying potions, etc.
It's no different than people in the West coughing up for horoscopes, palm readings, etc. You may think it's bullshit but it's legitimate business.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:10 am

At the risk of my life< I have to disagree. One of my characters is a traditional occultist and there is a difference between those offering spells and a scammer who instantly finds a bad flaw in your aura from a fake photo and wants $800 US to fix it via Westy. Or a few juju men who want money for certain items like bat's blood, eye of the newt etc. I agree that certain activities like horoscopes, prayers or spiritual cleansings are common for certain cultures, but there are exceptions.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:25 am

Sounds like 6 of one and 6 of the other with this disagreement.

See what you started Chester4, welcome to eater by the way, hope you stick around and get a mentor, read up all the advice on the site and go to the eater uni, and read up.

The members like nothing better than a good row to get their teeth into. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 1:58 pm

Capone wrote:

At the risk of my life< I have to disagree. One of my characters is a traditional occultist and there is a difference between those offering spells and a scammer who instantly finds a bad flaw in your aura from a fake photo and wants $800 US to fix it via Westy.

You're talking about two different things.
A lad is a lad. Someone selling spells and potions isn't necessarily a lad.

Our rules say that we don't bait the latter unless you can prove that he is a lad.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:36 pm

This isn't a poll. Mods and admins have already made our position very clear.

Frankly, I find it disturbing that any member of this forum would even consider playing games with or discussing human or animal parts with ANYONE offering to cast spells, unless they have absolutely certain knowledge that it is completely AFF (like the AFF scammer who was sending his spell emails out to everyone right after his first AFF script.)

Belief in the occult is extremely strong in parts of western Africa, even among those who strongly profess themselves to be followers of Christian or Islamic faiths. And there ARE plenty of people there who will perform rituals or cast spells for money. It is so prevalent that there are still many murders each year for body parts to be used in spells.

http://www.aina.org/news/20130619134331.htm
http://www.enca.com/africa/four-arrested-ritual-killing-5-year-old-nigeria

The same is true of animal sacrifice. Animals are routinely sacrificed as part of rituals and spell-casting.

It doesn't matter if you think their beliefs are total tosh. If the person on the other end of that email does believe, and is willing to perform these spells or rituals, and he thinks he is getting paid for them, he just might do it. In that case, a baiter's encouragement has the potential to cause real harm to humans and/or animals. It is never a risk worth taking.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:38 pm

What the Squirrel (and all the Mods) says.

I came across one of these shamans once. They don't bait well. Reason being they are seen as legitimate, albeit culturally, and don't play games. It's serious business, unlike slimy lads.

Some of the shaman emails are good for a laugh though, if you're a non-believer, of course. Wink

Late to the party again I see (me)(that is).

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 3:42 pm

If anyone still has any doubts, go read Dorothy's post again.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

I keep a few nuts under my pillow in the hopes that SOOI contracts syphilis. Seems to be working.

Free advice; drop it.

Banned Racist Prick Joined: 08 Nov 2013 Posts: 3

Well. . . Thanks chaps. . I think ? My take is, that seeing as Dr. Umbongo is asking for cash 'in advance' of the old 'Hocus Pocus' its' got to be classified as an AFF . . I'm right on the edge of getting Priest Zaza to take a piccie of himself holding a bone under his nose. . So jobs a good un Thumbs up

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Chester4 wrote:

asking for cash 'in advance

Ebay does this to me every time I buy something. Asking for cash in advance does not necessarily equate to AFF. Please heed my advice, drop it.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 5:45 pm

Quote:

My take is, that seeing as Dr. Umbongo is asking for cash 'in advance' of the old 'Hocus Pocus' its' got to be classified as an AFF

NO.

Asking for cash in advance does NOT constitute advance fee fraud. It is typical for those who really do practice these barbaric rituals to require payment in advance.

Advance fee fraud is when the scammer asks for money in advance for something he NEVER PLANS TO DELIVER. When the scammer offers you the 10 million dollar prize from a lottery that doesn't exist, you can be sure he doesn't intend to deliver.

But when it comes to this type of person, you have no way of knowing. You do not know him or have any knowledge of his belief system. This person could be a true believer. You do not know if he is willing to perform rituals (or pay someone else to do so.) You do not know that he won't buy items (including human or animal parts) now from the black market, or hurt someone or something now in anticipation of the rituals he expects to perform when he receives the money.

We do NOT mess with people who are not known scammers, and we do NOT mess with things that have a real potential to get someone innocent hurt.

Our rules are simple.
-We only bait THOSE THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE SCAMMERS, not those that we think might be scammers, or whose beliefs don't align with ours.
-We don't involve ITP's.

Banned Racist Prick Joined: 08 Nov 2013 Posts: 3

I feel like i'm in the realms of naivety central here, "belief systems" & "cultural legitimacy" . . These Mud Monkeys mailed me, and attempted to use intimidation and fear to extort funds. . I'm going to get these slippery bastards running up and down to Western Union so often, that their fucking loincloths smoke. . . Evil or Very Mad

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Chester4 wrote:

These Mud Monkeys

Really... I don't think you're going to fit in here. Good luck on your pursuits friend, please do it elsewhere.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 6:22 pm

Intimidated? Elaborate?

Hitlads intimidate, kinda. Are you saying you have a shaman "hit man" threatening to cast a testicle shriveling spell unless x happens?

Ditto PF's friendly advices.

Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2013 6:45 pm

PF put it very diplomatically.

Racism (and the people who promote it) are not welcome here.

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:11 am

I've changed OP's tag to something more fitting.
(I'm not as diplomatic).

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 10:13 am

^

Dorothy's post was spot-on. While there's the slightest chance that even the promise of payment might inspire a little organ harvesting - hands off. (Er, pun not intended.)

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 10:34 am

SOOI, if you authored the profile description, you were very accurate.