Self-proclaimed witches, voodoo practitioners and healers swindle ‘desperate’ people out of hundreds of pounds by promising to cure ailments such as impotence, obesity and even cancer with fake spells.
The website found dozens of sellers on websites such as the freelance search site Fiverr and the online store Etsy, advertising many quack remedies and spells for £150 a cup.
Experts called some of the more lighthearted claims “pure fantasy,” while those that promised to cure or cure serious diseases such as cancer were deemed “irresponsible” and “dangerous.” .
One of the most popular health spells sold online promised to reverse loss of libido or erectile dysfunction (ED).
A Fiverr seller claimed that cancer could be cured using India’s traditional treatment, Ayurvedic medicine, but a British disease expert said there was “no evidence” for this. said.
Experts also accused Fiverr sellers of trying to cure long-term Covid-19 infections with dubious breathing techniques developed in the former Soviet Union.
Etsy has now removed online marketplace posts that suggested casting spells to increase libido and grow a penis or to help people lose weight over 100 pounds.
Fiverr User Astral Healing Suggested Using Wicca Magic To Lose Excess Weight By About 22 Pounds
A list of specific spells that promise to make a man’s penis grow as well as explode his libido sold for £147.65 on Etsy by Alicia Basil, a Brazilian woman who claims she can cast magical spells It was done.
“Erection lasts fast. Your members will be admired by everyone who sees it, they will appreciate it greatly and hard.
According to reviews, at the time of this writing, this product has been purchased at least 40 times.
Ms. Bashir claims to be a psychic who can cast magical spells and has been trained in practices related to voodoo, devil worship, alchemy and tarot.
Fiverr, a marketplace for freelancers looking for work, proposes that a self-proclaimed healer’s phantom magic cures impotence by sending distant healing energies to the buyer.
Those who use his services pay up to £47.48 for 7 distant energy projection healing sessions per day for 21 days.
Professor Giulio Garrafa, a consultant at the International Andrology Clinic in London, urged men to beware of such “miracle remedies”.
“Men should beware of miracle remedies and spells sold online that promise to cure low libido or ED.
“Anything that is intended to treat a medical condition and is not based on scientific research should not be relied upon.”
Since people aren’t actually taking anything, the spell doesn’t really do any harm to the body, but he urged the men to seek real medical help for these issues.
This is because not only are many legitimate treatments available, but ED can be a symptom of more serious conditions.
“Erectile dysfunction may be the only symptom of a more serious underlying medical problem, such as cardiovascular disease or hormonal imbalance.
Weight loss spells were another regular feature on both websites, with costs ranging from £4 to £120 per cast.
Astral Healing, one seller who claims to be able to use magic, writes:
Dr Frankie Phillips, spokesperson for the British Association of Nutritionists, a professional association of nutritionists in the UK, has accused sellers of spells that take advantage of vulnerable people.
“Hoping for a miracle cure is a complete fraud,” he said.
“As a nutritionist, I know that the advice I give is based on solid evidence…not fantasies or myths.
“Sadly, there is no quick fix…and those who make money making such claims are preying on vulnerable and sometimes desperate people.”
Nutritionist Kim Pearson also urged people not to waste money on promises of quick and easy solutions to lose weight.
“It’s important to be wary of ‘miracle remedies’ advertised online,” she said.
‘It’s worth remembering the old adage.
Both experts urged people interested in weight loss to look for information from reputable organizations or medical professionals who recommend a healthier diet and exercise combination to tackle obesity.
While most spells and alternative remedies only harm the wallet, some have been criticized for potentially giving people false hope of being cured of their cancer.
Fiverr user amanbhardwajvlo claims to be an Indian medical student and suggests using Ayurveda to treat cancer patients. Ayurveda is an alternative medicine of Indian origin that uses a combination of herbal tonics, sometimes using dangerous metals, yoga, massage and enemas as treatments.
“I cure people with Ayurveda,” they wrote, adding, “I completely cure blood cancers in particular.”
Professor Karol Sikora, a world-renowned oncologist with more than 40 years of experience, told MailOnline.
“Complementary therapies are a viable adjunct to conventional treatments, but this seems like money-making nonsense,” he said.
“It’s really important to make people with cancer worry about their disease and its treatment, but it’s very dangerous to give them the impression that they can be cured.”
Self-proclaimed healer fantasy_magic offered to cure impotence by sending remote healing energy for 21 days at a price of just over £48
Some healers on Fiverr suggest using Reiki, a Japanese alternative medicine, to send waves of healing energy far and wide for £10 a week
Professor Edzard Ernst, a professor of complementary medicine at the University of Exeter, also lashed out at the ad.
“The claim that Ayurvedic medicine cures cancer is not only unsupported by evidence, it is also irresponsible and dangerous.
He also said it was ridiculous that Fiverr’s remote Reiki healers promised to send healing energy to remote areas.
“There is no reliable evidence that Reiki works for every condition. The idea that it’s supposed to work online is ridiculous,” he said.
Reiki is an ancient Japanese technique for stress reduction, relaxation and healing.
Healers claim to do this by sending energy from the palm of their hand to the patient, but others claim that this power can be sent at great distances without physically touching the recipient. increase.
The practice is said to be popular among several Hollywood stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, and Angelina Jolie.
Some Fiverr Reiki healers like Colorado-based reikichristy sell their services for up to £50 for 5 weeks of ‘continuous’ healing energy.
Professor Ernst also criticized a vendor named Vanessa who promised to relieve long-term COVID-19 symptoms with “Buteyko Breathwork.”
Buteyko is the name given to a breathing technique developed in the Soviet Union in the 1950s to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the body and relieve asthma.
The NHS has said there is no evidence that it works for asthma and Professor Ernst said the same is true for long Covid.
“The idea that Buteyko Respiratory can help patients suffering from long-term COVID-19 is pure fantasy and not supported by evidence,” she said.
Long Covid is a poorly understood condition in which some people infected with the virus continue to suffer from ongoing symptoms 12 weeks later.
Etsy removed the post after receiving a warning from MailOnline for violating its policies.
“We take market safety very seriously,” a company spokesperson said.
However, they noted that Etsy “is not a curated or vetted marketplace” and that “a prohibited item may appear on the site before our enforcement team can remove it.” ‘ added.
A Fiverr spokesperson said the post calling attention to it was that the seller was “provide treatment, advice, or supplies.”
“We are taking swift steps to ensure that illegal gigs are blocked and will continue to actively monitor our site to find and remove services that may pass our filters.”
The spokesperson added that it had launched an investigation into how the post got through Fiverr’s filtering system.
