IS ASTROLOGY A SCAM?
(Investigator 15, 1990 November)
Everyone is
currently facing such good luck and opportunity as to make astrologers
"stop in their tracks" and offer everyone immediate personal attention.
Whether you're
old or young, male or female, intellectually handicapped or university
graduate, dead or alive, Aries or Scorpio, your message from the stars
is the same.
Eight persons of different birth dates helped Investigator by responding to the advertisement:
"FREE—YOUR HOROSCOPE
SEE WHAT LUCKY BREAKS ARE AHEAD FOR YOU!
ACT NOW and you can have your own PERSONAL horoscope computer charted by world famous astrologers ..."
The S.A. Skeptics sent a further ten.
Six of our eight received a reply. The exceptions were a 36-year old male who used a xerox of the ad and a 94-year old female.
The six lucky ones each received a 4-page computer printout of:
(1)
ASTROLOGICAL NATAL HOROSCOPE. This is a diagram showing positions of
planets and moon relative to the star constellations at the persons
date of birth.
(2) Tables of ASTRONOMICAL DATA of the positions of planets, sun and moon at date of birth.
(3) ASTROLOGICAL READING stating the character traits that resulted to the person from each planet's position at his birth date.
(4)
THE ASCENDANT SIGN — a table of the constellation positioned on the
horizon at each 2-hour period of the person's day of birth and the
character trait he would have depending on which 2-hour time period he
was born in.
The Astrological
Reading for Miss M contained, according to relatives, "hardly a true
word". The reason is that Miss M. is intellectually handicapped.
The computer
printout for each person can be produced in only a minute or two using
a computer, easily obtainable program, and a printer. Almost anyone
could do it.
Each of our six
recipients also received a 6-page letter designed to appear as if
personally addressed to them. Finally there was a 2-page questionaire
plus a request for $25 marked down from $35.
The "personal" 6-page letter was identical every time.
The alleged
reason the astrologer wrote "personally" was because of the person's
"more interesting birth chart" which "stopped me in my tracks". This,
as well as much of the rest of the letter, was an appeal to vanity
since many persons like to believe they are unique and special.
The main message
was that the person is facing good luck just ahead but also "one or two
dark clouds". To benefit from the former and avoid the latter he needs
his "complete horoscope". That's where the $25 comes in.
Besides one
"94-year old" and one intellectually handicapped, "Investigator" also
sent away on behalf of a dead person who died early this year.
Like the others
the deceased woman is facing "exciting events", a "job related change",
a "once in a lifetime opportunity", "noticeable improvement in your
present situation", "profit" within the "next twelve months", etc.
She'll also have to: "Avoid violent discussion on matters of real estate". She should have no problem with that.
The S.A, Skeptics Association received the same material to their responses to the ad that Investigator
received. At our last contact with them they were considering
presenting their findings to the Office of Fair Trading (formerly
Department of Consumer Affairs).
The ads for free horoscope appeared in Adelaide's Sunday Mail, June to September, usually on alternate Sundays.
The standard
"Confidential" reply by the "Director of Astrological Research" to the
five volunteers who received replies, and to the dead person, was the
following six-page letter:
Dear Ms / Mr [ name ]
I
have taken the liberty of writing to you personally because I have some
wonderful news for you and I felt you should know about it right away.
Now
that the Christmas rush is over I have been examining some of the more
interesting birth charts in detail looking for anything of special
importance. I have to tell you that the latent planetary conjunctions
in your chart stopped me in my tracks and I felt I simply must write to
you to tell you about some very exciting events that seem to be in
store for you in the near future! In fact my impressions of a great and
exciting change coming your way very soon are so strong that I felt I
had to stop work and contact you at once, right this very minute. The
strength of the conjunctions indicate there may not be a moment to
lose!
Your
chart has indicated a great and beneficial change about to come into
your life. This event is directly related to your position in life
which shows a great improvement coming very very soon. This change will
have a double barrelled effect as it entails both the financial and the
emotional side of your life, which is what makes it such a rare and
exciting event.
You
have a great happiness in store for both you and someone you care
about. You seem to be about to either meet someone who will be very
important to you, or perhaps someone who is already very important to
you will do something, or bring you something, which will make you very
happy, it is unclear which. The other major change is job related. In
your immediate sphere there is a major planetary movement indicated.
Money is involved, a well deserved reward is at last coming your way,
it looks like it could be bigger than expected.
Your
lunar position indicates that you may finally achieve the independence
that will allow your true talents to be recognised. There are also a
number of other extremely lucky signs in your near future, but their
importance is obscured at present. However a deeper reading of your
horoscope could reveal the true potential of these Astral gifts.
-2-
Naturally
there are also one or two dark clouds on the horizon and you must be
careful not to let them stand in the way of your good fortune. There
will be certain times when you must act positively in order to take
advantage of your good fortune and certain other times when it would be
wiser to sit back and observe rather than risk getting involved.
However you need not worry too much as I believe I can help you
recognise your golden opportunities and avoid the pitfalls. Fate seems
to have given you a once in a lifetime opportunity to take charge of
your future. For heavens sake take action at the right time don't let
this golden chance slip out of your hands.
Astrologically
speaking your time of great opportunity has arrived. What's more in
addition to this, Fate has placed you in a unique position to take
advantage of this opportunity. I see that your path to prosperity and
happiness although clearly marked has certain obstacles along the way
obstacles that you need to know about.
This
is why I am writing to you now, because I feel instinctively that you
are unaware that you are about to pass through the single most
important phase of your life and you may need help with this
potentially rewarding period. With a little more information I will be
able to compile for you in-depth an accurate and highly detailed
Horoscope which will give you complete guidance to the exciting
potentials your birth chart has revealed.
Your
complete horoscope will be your trusted and constant guide showing you
in vivid detail how to avoid or overcome the obstacles and reliably
point you in the direction of the wonderful new life - which is your
true destiny.
I
am enclosing a brief list of questions and I would like you to answer
as many of these questions as you can and return the form to me as soon
as possible, so that I can start work on your Complete Horoscope
without delay. The sooner I am able to get this vital information back
to you the better.
I
sincerely believe now that I have had the opportunity to fully examine
your birth chart that I will be able to use the information contained
in your horoscope to guide you, not only to avoid serious matters that
could cause you heartache, but also to show you how to tune into your
psychic forces to guide you into happiness and true contentment of mind
and spirit.
Following
my survey of your chart, certain things have become clear to me and I
feel that it is only right and proper that I offer you my advice and
guidance on these important matters.
During
the last few years you may not have succeeded as you could have
expected considering your possibilities and talents, this is due to
lack of guidance and your tendency to seek advice from people who do
not fully understand your true potentials.
-3-
-4-
-5-
- 6 -
I
sincerely believe that events appear to be moving ahead so quickly for
you it is vital that you have the guidance of your fully detailed
horoscope as soon as possible. I am so concerned that you may miss out
on this once in a lifetime chance, that I want to give you my private
phone number ________. Should you have any difficulty in filling in the
questionnaire or order form, please do feel free to phone me.
Also
so that nothing will stand in the way of your coming good fortune I am
going to give you a little bit more help. If money should be a problem
right now, I am going to help you out by giving you a reduction in the
cost of your Complete Horoscope. The normal cost would be $35. Since I
have already done some of the major work on your horoscope I feel that
I will be able to compile your Complete Horoscope for just $25 and of
course you are still covered by Astrology Today's full money back
guarantee.
By
the way your birthchart shows that numbers will be vitally important to
you this year, especially relating to investments that have something
to do with numbers, such as the stock market or perhaps you play Lotto?
Of course, you will appreciate that information about the stock market
is beyond the scope of a personal horoscope. But the numbers that are
showing as very, very lucky for you this year could mean big wins for
you if you play Lotto. Whats more these same groups of numbers appears
to be repeating over and over again when I checked and rechecked the
secondary planetary aspects of your horoscope.
It
therefore appears that these numbers if used properly could make big
money for you. I found this run of numbers to be so unusually strong in
your case, that I took the liberty of making a special note of these
numbers and when you should use them. If you sometimes play Lotto and I
believe from your horoscope that you possibly do, I will be able to
send you this information along with your horoscope for no extra
charge. I can give you this little bit of extra help since, as I have
already completed this list for you and it therefore means no extra
work for me but it could mean big money for you. So I won't forget to
send you your Lucky Numbers of Power I have drawn in on the bottom of
the request form a special section for you to tick to receive your
numbers.
Remember
the stars show you are entering the most favourable period of your
life. I do most strongly advise you to find out how to take advantage
of it. It may never occur again.
Yours very sincerely,
Another investigation of "Astrology Today" was done by Harry Edwards and published in the Skeptic:
https://www.skeptics.com.au/wp-content/uploads/magazine/The
Skeptic Volume 12 (1992) No 4.pdf