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Religious Scams

EDITORIAL: SCAMS REACH A NEW LOW

One of the ugliest scams in memory was run by a guy who would read the obituaries, buy a Bible, then have the name of the recent widow engraved on the cover. He would then sell the Bible to the widow for an outrageous amount, saying her husband had ordered it for her one week before he passed away. Ref. Source

Scams Religious

Another religious scam that has plagued the United States are the evangelists that have traveled the country and lied about not knowing problems of the people in the crowd. The people would be required to write down what was wrong in their life as they entered and then the wife of the evangelist would communicate the problems through the earphone he was wearing making it seem like God had told him what was wrong in the lives of the people. Also, there are the evangelists that claim to heal people, the people stop taking their medication, and then they die within a week of being "healed".

Religious Scams Beliefs Religious General

There seem to be lots of "scams" within religious organizations. Sometimes by just watching the TV and seeing the preachers with the most expensive clothing and jewelry and then asking for "money gifts" on the TV, I wonder if this could be considered also as a "scam". Yet, I do not doubt they may use part of the money for the poor and the afflicted, but what about the rest? where do they get all that money they have after they started their ministries? I am not talking about just having money, I am talking about being filthy rich!

Scams Religious

Scamming people out of their money for any reason is bad enough, but to use the name of religion to do it, seems to me to be so much worse.

These evil scammers prey on the vulnerable or the grieving, whilst they are at their lowest, and then use this opportunity to cash in on other people's loss, or ill health.

Unfortunately, there are always going to be the poor, needy or sick people, who are going to fall foul of these scammers, as they want to believe in what they are being told.

Scams Religious

I read the article, and while it is definitely a scam, I don't see how it is a religious scam. Is it because the scammer was using a Bible? I think the widow would have bought any book that they thought their late husband had ordered with their name engraved on it. A Bible just makes more sense. Regardless, scamming under the cover of religion is somehow worse than scams in general, because people are so closely tied to or 'moved' by their religious beliefs. I agree with the author's suggestion of having a special level of hell reserved just for these type of scam artists.

Religious Scams

This phrase comes to mind, "Old time religion in the information age" just remember that your life story, everything that you bought on credit cards, store discount cards, and every public access document that is in your name is on the net. Be weary of T.V. miracles. As Anaht pointed out, people write down what they want the preacher to do for them. In addition, the fact that people tell a lot about himself or herself without saying anything.
I watched a news program (like 20/20; 60 minutes; etc) that followed people that were "healed" during one of the T.V. evangelists "healing sessions" and they found out that people that were wheelchair bound, then was able to stand, and even walk, after they were "healed", were worse off after, physically, then before.

Religious Scams

Healing for money, its nothing new. People have been using religion for centuries to make money and keep people in line with false hope and desires. To be honest I am sometimes surprised that religion still exists so plentifully today.