The Ring of Consumer Complaints

The Ring of Consumer Complaints
By Damon Fillman

PHILADELPHIA-I recently received a letter via snail mail that was “important” with “pictures enclosed.” The envelope had no return address, so naturally I advised my deep-routed skepticism before proceeding with the unveiling. I left no piece of the flimsy envelope intact as I tore it open like a pack of wolves consuming their prey. Once opened, I was tickled by the simple sentiment of the pink letter; “My Dear Damon,” it said.

The font that the layout contained left me dubious because it contained almost a mockery of professionalism, with a sort of archaic, over-done feel (and type large enough for a glaucoma victim to see). I gawked at the austere portrait of a woman named Maria Duval who was the “Holder of the highest honorary awards and degrees, with more than 30 years of accurate and verifiable predictions.” What those degrees are is never acknowledged. Unfortunately, my elementary curiosity became scarred by a continuous trend of consumer manipulation and psychic promises unfulfilled.

I considered the idea that some fluky psychic organization, like The Destiny Research Center (which is listed on the envelope), had seen the work of I and others from Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania when we infiltrated Sylvia Browne’s “Farewell Tour” and handed out literature concerning her many mishaps and wrong doings. But then I thought with the globalization of the internet and the numerous times I have given out my e-mail and home address, somewhere along the line my information had to have been sold to a group like this. To assume that psychics network and that they are conspiring to convert non-believers like myself would give them too much credit, and too much evidence of their “powers.”

So, Maria Duval and her psychic followers at The Destiny Research Center have so much human decency and concern that they are bestowing the world with the opportunity of a lifetime: The Ring of Re. According to the letter, The Ring of Re is “The talisman (6,000 years old) worn by Pharaohs of ancient Egypt. It has brought luck (lots of luck) to Maria Duval.” The letter continues, “Wear the Ring of Re for 30 days. We are positive that during this time it is going to produce a lucky experience for you worth at least 1,000 times its price.”

The asking price for the ring (coupled with an enlarged picture to showcase the fine, exquisite detail) is $20.00 total, which includes 3 rings. This means that each ring is worth roughly $7.00, or 1,000 times its price at $7,000. The letter modestly requests credit card information or check.

Written in the fine print are some words of caution: there are no guarantees of the level of success if you are using the ring for novelty or entertainment purposes. So, are they guaranteeing other levels of success? And why do the written customer experiences only refer to monetary success?

To discover more about The Destiny Research Center and Maria Duval, it didn’t take more than a quick glance on the internet. The results I found were astounding. After reviewing www.theripoffreport.com which exposes exactly that, worldwide rip-off scams, I found that many people have been conned. A few of Duval’s customers sent in their $20.00 check to never receive their three Rings of Re, or even a follow-up letter. In fact, it appears that Duval bought out ad space in tabloid magazines to exhibit her brief psychic status in order to influence the validity of her claims.

If Maria Duval and her research center are that important, why do they not have a viable website? A quick Google search only discloses customer complaints.

If numerous customer referrals, conveniently laid out on the letters, are the only “genuine” sources backing up your outstanding claims, how else can you convince unassuming consumers of your product?