Self-proclaimed witches, voodoo practitioners and healers are cheating “desperate” people out of hundreds of pounds by promising to cure problems like impotence, obesity and even cancer with fake spells, Web can reveal.
This site found dozens of sellers on sites such as freelance finder Fiverr and online shop Etsy, advertising a range of quack or wizardry for up to £150 each.
Experts have labeled some of the more light-hearted claims as “pure fantasy” while others, which promised to cure or cure serious illnesses like cancer, have been branded “irresponsible” and “dangerous”.
One of the most common health charms found for sale online were ones that promised to reverse a loss of sex drive or erectile dysfunction (ED).
A seller on Fiverr claimed he could use Ayurvedic medicine, a traditional form of healing in India, to cure cancer, but British experts on the disease said there was “no evidence” for it
Experts have also slammed a seller on Fiverr offering to cure long Covid using a dubious breathing technique developed in the former Soviet Union
Now-deleted posts on online marketplace Etsy offered over £100 to cast spells to increase libido and make penises grow or help people lose weight
Fiverr user Astralhealing offered to use Wiccan magic to help people shed excess pounds for nearly £22
Japanese Therapy Using “Energy”: What Is Reiki and Does It Really Work?
Pronounced “ray key,” Reiki, which means “universal energy” in Japanese, is a type of complementary therapy in which a practitioner places their hands lightly on or near your body.
It is a Japanese healing art that was developed by Mikao Usui in Japan in the early 20th century.
One of the main goals is to help you relax and relieve stress and tension by altering and balancing the “energy fields” in and around your body to help on a physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual level.
Some people with cancer can use Reiki alongside their treatment and some people say they feel better after using therapies like Reiki.
There have been no reports of harmful side effects from Reiki, although there is no scientific evidence that Reiki can prevent, treat, or cure cancer or any other disease.
However, some medical professionals accept Reiki as a complementary therapy that can help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and relieve pain.
Source: Cancer Research UK
Alicia Basir, a Brazilian who claims to be able to cast spells, promised not only to produce a libido boost but also to make a man’s penis grow.
“You will have fast and long-lasting erections. Your member will be admired by all who see it, they will appreciate it big and hard,” she wrote in a post now deleted by Etsy.
At the time of writing, the product has been purchased at least 40 times according to the reviews.
Ms. Basir claims to be a psychic capable of casting magical spells and has been trained in practices related to voodoo, satanism, alchemy and tarot.
On Fiverr, a marketplace for freelancers looking for work, self-proclaimed healer fantastic_magic offers to cure impotence by sending distant healing energy to the buyer.
Those using his services pay up to £47.48 for seven distance energy projection healing sessions per day for 21 days.
Professor Giulio Garaffa, a consultant at the International Andrology Clinic in London, urged men to be careful with such “miracle drugs”.
“Men should be wary of any miracle cures or magic spells sold online that promise to cure low libido or ED,” he said.
“Anything that purports to treat a disease that is not based on scientific research should not be trusted.”
While the spells wouldn’t do any real harm to the body because people don’t actually take anything, he urged men to seek actual medical help for these problems.
This was not only because there are many legitimate medical treatments available, but also because ED can be a symptom of something more serious.
“Erectile dysfunction may be the only sign of a more serious underlying medical problem, such as cardiovascular disease or hormonal imbalances,” he said.
Weight loss spells have been another regular feature across both sites, costing between £4 and £120 per cast.
One vendor, Astralhealing, who claims to be able to use witchcraft, wrote: “Passed down through generations, this powerful, time-tested Wiccan spell can help anyone lose weight, look lean, or turn fat into muscle.”
dr Frankie Phillips, a spokesman for the British Dietetic Association, criticized spell sellers for taking advantage of the weak.
“It is a total fraud to expect miracle cures,” he said.
“As a nutritionist, I know my advice is based on solid evidence…not fantasies and myths.
“Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes… and those who monetize such claims prey on vulnerable and sometimes desperate people.”
Nutritionist Kim Pearson also urged people not to waste money on people who promise a quick and easy weight loss solution.
“It’s important to be careful when promoting ‘miracle cures’ on the internet,” she said.
‘It’s worth remembering the old adage, ‘If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.’
Both experts urged people interested in losing weight to review information from reputable organizations or medical experts that recommend a combination of healthier eating and exercise to combat obesity.
While most spells and alternative therapies just hurt your wallet, some have been criticized for potentially giving people false hope of a cancer cure.
Fiverr user amanbhardwajvlo, who claims to be a medical student from India, offers to heal people with cancer using Ayurveda, an alternative medicine of Indian origin that uses a combination of herbal tonics, sometimes containing dangerous metals, yoga, massage and Enemas used as a treatment.
“I heal people through Ayurveda,” they wrote, adding, “I especially heal blood cancer.”
Professor Karol Sikora, a world-renowned oncologist with over 40 years’ experience, told Web while alternative therapies have some benefit in making people with cancer feel better, patients can be exploited and misled.
“Complementary therapy is a useful adjunct to conventional treatment, but that looks like nonsense to monetize,” he said.
“Getting cancer patients to think about their disease and their treatment is really important, but giving the impression that they can cure cancer is very dangerous.”
Self-proclaimed healer fantastic_magic offered to cure impotence by sending distant healing energy to the for 21 days at a cost of just over £48
Some healers on Fiverr are offering to send waves of healing energy long distances using Reiki, a Japanese alternative medicine, for £10 a week
Professor Edzard Ernst, Chair of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter, also slammed the ad.
“The claim that Ayurvedic medicine cures cancer is not only unproven, it is irresponsible and dangerous,” he said.
He also said the plethora of remote Reiki healers on Fiverr promising to send healing energy over distance is ridiculous.
“There is no reliable evidence that Reiki is effective for any ailment; The idea that it should work online is absurd,” he said.
Reiki is an ancient Japanese technique for stress reduction, relaxation and healing.
Healers claim that they do this by channeling energy into patients through their palms, although some claim to be able to send this power without physically touching the receiver and even when separated by great distances.
The practice is said to be popular with several Hollywood stars, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz and Angelina Jolie.
Some Fiverr Reiki healers, like Colorado’s reikichristy, sell their services for up to £50 for five weeks of “continuous” healing energy.
Professor Ernst also slammed a shop assistant named Vanessa who promised to alleviate long-Covid symptoms with “Buteyko Breathwork”.
Buteyko is a name for a breathing technique developed in the Soviet Union in the 1950s to relieve asthma by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the body.
The NHS says there is no evidence it works for asthma and Professor Ernst said the same is true for long Covid.
“The notion that Buteyko breathing helps patients suffering from long-term Covid 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 experience persistent symptoms after 12 weeks.
Etsy removed the posts after Web advised them that they violated its policies.
A company spokesman said: “We take the security of our marketplace very seriously.”
However, they added that Etsy “is not a curated or juried marketplace” and that “prohibited items may be listed for sale on the site before our enforcement teams have a chance to remove them.”
A Fiverr spokesperson said the posts that were brought to their attention are now being removed under their Community Guidelines, which prohibit sellers from “providing medical treatment, advice or supplies.”
They added: “We are taking swift action to ensure all unlawful gigs are blocked, and we continue to actively monitor the site to detect and remove any services that may slip through our filters.”
The rep added that they have launched an investigation into how the posts made it through Fiverr’s filtering system.