Frauds, Cons and Scams
Two-Way Records
What could this image possible convey? Using two styli at the same time on the same record? No, that was only fanciful and metaphorical.Let's let this website explain:
When stereo was introduced, Design tried to claim that their records were compatible mono/stereo, and could be played on either mono or stereo players. The public soon found out that mono players would damage these records just as easily as other stereo records, so after reissuing or simultaneously issuing about 50 of their albums on a new series (the DCF-1000 Series), they abandoned the compatible stereo series in favor of the normal mono and stereo issues. The good part was, that for folks with stereo players, these records worked fine and were in true stereo, as far as we have heard. The bad side is that by the time the series was winding down, about 1960, the quality of the vinyl had deteriorated to the extent that right out of the wrapper the records were noisy.
So: another technology too good to be true, for which early adopters paid the price.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jan 29, 2025 -
Comments (0)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Inventions, Music, Technology, Vinyl Albums and Other Media Recordings, 1950s, 1960s
The egg on the head scam
San Francisco Examiner - Dec 22, 1974
Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 29, 2024 -
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Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, 1970s
The Roll-a-Ray Fat Remover
Introduced in 1948, by 1950 the Roll-a-Ray had been banned by the FDA. It was simply two rubber rollers with an electric light bulb mounted behind them.
Detroit Free Press - Nov 21, 1948
FDA Consumer - Feb 1977
Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 17, 2024 -
Comments (3)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, 1940s, Dieting and Weight Loss
The Cellular Cosmogony
Here's your chance to learn the truth: that we are all living inside the Earth, rather than on top of its surface.The Wikipedia page for Koresh, aka Cyrus Teed.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 18, 2024 -
Comments (4)
Category: Eccentrics, Frauds, Cons and Scams, New Age, Spaceflight, Astronautics, and Astronomy, Nineteenth Century
Electrical Stimulation Face Mask
Full patent here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Dec 06, 2023 -
Comments (0)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Technology, Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, 1960s, Face and Facial Expressions
The Great Cheiro
The late part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century were filled with occult types, most famously Aleister Crowley. But I had not previously encountered Cheiro.His Wikipedia page is here.
You can read his palmistry book here.
And luckily, in 1979, Cheiro (died 1936) conducted a long conversation with another medium. Read it here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 27, 2023 -
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Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, New Age, Supernatural, Occult, Paranormal, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century
Electrical Frauds of 1916
Rather than try to reproduce the text that accompanies these illos as an illegible thumbnail here, I direct you to the source, where you can enlarge the image for readability.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 07, 2023 -
Comments (6)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Technology, 1910s
The Barrett Eye Normalizer
Perfect vision through eyeball massage. At least, that was the claim.
Hearst's International-Cosmopolitan - Oct 1926
Source: American Artifacts
Boston Sunday Globe - Oct 8, 2017
Posted By: Alex - Wed Nov 23, 2022 -
Comments (1)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Eyes and Vision
The Cures of Albert Abrams
As his Wikipedia page tells us:Albert Abrams (December 8, 1863 – January 13, 1924) was a controversial American physician, well known during his life for inventing machines, such as the "Oscilloclast" and the "Radioclast", which he falsely claimed could diagnose and cure almost any disease.[1] These claims were challenged from the outset. Towards the end of his life, and again shortly after his death, many of his machines and conclusions were demonstrated to be intentionally deceptive or false.[2]
He actually published a whole periodical devoted to his theories. Read an issue here.
Hugo Gernsback, the father of modern science fiction, was having none of this, running the expose below in a 1923 issue of his magazine SCIENCE AND INVENTION.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Oct 14, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Hoaxes and Imposters and Imitators, Medicine, Patent Medicines, Nostrums and Snake Oil, 1920s
Fake Violin Scam
Police are describing people pretending to play the violin for money as a "nationwide issue."More info: The CW7
Posted By: Alex - Tue Aug 02, 2022 -
Comments (3)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Music
| Who We Are |
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |