Advert “Plots For Sale In Heaven”: Religious Scams By Crooked Religious Leaders Are More Rampant Than You Think; Don’t Follow Your Religious Leader Foolishly!

Hi, good people. Earlier this week, I came across a flabbergasting religious scam trending online. The scam claimed that a pastor at Iglesia del Final de los Tiempos Church in Mexico had told his congregation about a heavenly land deal.

The pastor told his followers that God spoke to him in 2017 and allowed him to sell the heavenly plots to people on Earth. Goodness gracious!

The so-called pastor told his congregation that they could buy plots in heaven at $100 per square meter. Also, they could decide to buy the plots in heaven in cash or installments.

He also said they could choose their preferred payment method – Apple Pay, American Express, etc.

The news of this heavenly land deal shocked me to the core. I was dismayed further when I heard that people had started buying the plots in “heaven”.

I decided to find out more about the sale of plots in heaven. You can imagine my relief when I discovered that Iglesia del Final de los Tiempos Church is an imaginary church with a page on Facebook.

The Facebook page of this imaginary church is popular because it makes fun of pastors. The story about selling plots in heaven was “just for fun”. Phew!!!

As I thought about the story of the sale of plots in heaven, I couldn’t help wondering why people are so gullible when it comes to religious scams.

You can bet if a popular religious leader advertises the sale of plots in heaven, some of their followers would foolishly send money to secure a plot.

What Are Religious Scams?

A religious scam is when someone deliberately exploits people in the name of religion. They do so through fraud, manipulation, deceit, pretense, threats, etc.

Most religious scams include extracting valuable assets, property, or money from unsuspecting followers.

Some scams are so bad that they have left people sick, poor, miserable, and desperate.

In some cases, people have died after encounters with religious scammers.

Types Of Religious Scams To Watch Out For

There are numerous religious scams all over the world. Interestingly, the perpetrators of the scams are not from one religion. They are from all religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc.

Here are some types of religious scams you should beware of:

Healing Religious Scams

In these types of religious scams, the scammers pose as miracle workers. They claim they can heal your disability or illness through religious rituals, touch, prayer, etc.

The scammers often perform staged miracles. They hire people to pose as cripples, demon-possessed, diseased, etc. They do this to convince you to believe in their ‘powers’.

Most of the time, you must part with a hefty sum of money or even your property before the person can perform the “miracle” on you.

The most unfortunate thing is that your money goes with the scammer in exchange for nothing.

Prosperity Gospel Scams

These religious scammers do not preach the true gospel. Instead, their teachings focus more on how you can acquire material things rather than your spiritual growth.

They tell you to give them your money so God can reward you financially. They convince you to donate ‘seed money’ regularly to their ministry so that God can multiply your resources.

Sadly, many people have become poor or stagnated financially because of giving their hard-earned cash and property to these prosperity gospel scammers.

Interestingly, as the scammers become wealthy from scamming their followers, the followers become poorer and more miserable than ever.

Cult-Like Religious Scams

Some religious scammers are members of cults. A cult is a religious group that has strange or extreme beliefs. Leaders of cults use control, fear, and manipulation to exploit followers.

The cult leaders may demand the following things from their followers:

• Total loyalty
• Personal assets
• Large amounts of money

They could also isolate you from the rest of the world.

In the worst-case scenario, you could end up dying in the hands of these leaders of cults or even lose your loved one.

They usually threaten their members with divine punishment if they refuse to oblige.

Miracle Products Religious Scams

These religious scams involve selling ordinary items to followers claiming that the items have divine qualities. For instance, the scammers can sell their followers things like prayer cloths, miracle oil, holy water, or religious relics.

The scammers claim that the products have supernatural powers and can thus protect you from harm, heal your sickness, or bring you blessings.

Unfortunately, these products are ordinary items that the scammers buy from the shop. They have no superpowers. You end up losing your hard-earned cash.

Religious Exorcism Scams

Some scammers claim they can exorcise demons from you or your loved ones. They claim that you’re possessed by demons and evil spirits that hinder your spiritual and financial growth.

The scammers charge you an arm and a leg to “exorcise” the demons and evil spirits from you.

The truth is, you’re not possessed by any demons or evil spirits. They are just exploiting you in the name of religion. That’s what religious scammers do.

Your problems will persist even if the so-called evil spirits and demons are ‘exorcised’.

In the end, they could tell you that your demons and evil spirits are so deeply entrenched in you that they have to exorcise them several times.

You end up paying more and more for fake services.

Fake Visions and Fake Prophecies Religious Scams

Some religious scammers claim they have the power to interpret dreams. Some of their followers go to lengths to have their dreams ‘interpreted’.

These scammers don’t “interpret dreams” free of charge. The followers pay through the nose for their dreams to be “interpreted”.

Other religious scammers claim they are prophets or prophetesses. They claim to have received special messages, visions, or prophecies about their followers. They manipulate their followers to part with loads of cash to hear the prophecies.

The scammers get very rich through manipulation and extorting money from their followers.

End Time Religious Scams

Some religious scammers claim they know the day the world will end. They could convince their members to sell all their possessions and give the money to the scammers. After all, the followers don’t need money and possessions in heaven.

Once the followers have surrendered the money, the scammers disappear with it, leaving the followers bankrupt and homeless.

Ponzi and Pyramid Schemes with a Religious Twist

In this type of religious scam, the perpetrators use religious language to convince members to join Ponzi and pyramid schemes.

For instance, they can promise immeasurable spiritual blessings to those who join the schemes and those who recruit others to join.

By the time the followers realize it’s a Ponzi or pyramid scheme, they’ve been conned a lot of money and made others get scammed.

Fake Religious Investment Scams

In these types of religious scams, religious leaders manipulate and trick their followers into investing in fake projects or risky/volatile businesses.

They promise their followers outrageous returns on investment (ROI). However, the followers end up losing loads of cash. The scammers disappear without a trace.

Some examples of fake religious investment scams include the following:

• Outrageous real estate investments: They entice you to ‘buy’  land or houses at an unbelievably low price. However, the land is fake – it doesn’t belong to the religious scammers. You end up losing everything.
• Fake Forex trading: You are duped to “invest” money in Forex trading with promises of high returns. However, they withdraw the cash and take off. You end up with nothing.
• Fake Cryptocurrency trading: They entice you to “invest” in fake crypto trading but you lose your money in the end.

Examples Of Outrageous Religious Scams In Different Parts Of The World

Religious scams have existed and will continue to exist in different parts of the world. As I said, the scams involve all religions including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc.

Below are examples of outrageous religious scams from around the world:

The Shakahola Massacre (Kenya)

This horrific case came to light in 2023 in Kenya. Apparently, Paul Mackenzie, a cult leader of Good News International Church brainwashed his followers to surrender their material possessions and money and follow him. He told them that doing so was a sign of their total surrender to God.

He also told his followers to isolate themselves from their families, friends, and the rest of society.

He told them that isolating themselves would help them prepare for a divine event that was to happen shortly.

He then lured them to live in Shakahola Forest in Malindi, Kenya. Once inside the remote forest, he made them fast as they waited for the mega, divine event to happen. He also reassured them that fasting to death was the only way they could see Jesus.

By the time the case emerged in 2023, hundreds of Paul Mackenzie’s followers had died from starvation and had been buried in shall graves in the Shakahola Forest, thus the name Shakahola Massacre.

Others were rescued from the forest on the verge of death from starvation. Those rescued were seriously sick and had severe malnutrition.

So far, 440 bodies have been exhumed from the forest. The exercise is still ongoing. There could be thousands of people still buried in the Shakahola Forest.

Paul Mackenzie, the cult leader of Good News International Church was arrested in 2023. His case is still ongoing.

Bishop Thomas Wahome Charged People $10 To Know If Their Names Were In The Book Of Life (Kenya)

In Kenya, self-proclaimed Bishop Thomas Wahome of Helicopter Ministries Church claimed he could reveal to people whether their names were written in the Book Of Life.

Wahome, who claims to be a prophet said that God had granted him special access to the Book Of Life. This is the book where God writes the names of those who will go to heaven when they die.

He charged people about $10 to find out from him whether their names were written in the Book of Life. Reports claim that thousands of people paid for this service. Mind-boggling!

Halal Ponzi Schemes

There have been numerous Halal Ponzi Schemes in recent years. These have especially been witnessed in the UK, Canada, and the US. These religious scams target Muslims.

For instance, in the U.S. an Imam promoted Halal investment opportunities which he claimed had very high returns.

The Imam convinced his followers to invest by claiming that the opportunities adhered to Islamic principles. Such Islamic principles included being Sharia-compliant and not charging interest (riba).

Thousands of Muslims fell for the scam. They ‘invested’ millions of dollars. They also recruited other ‘investors’ such as their relatives and friends.

Unfortunately, the schemes collapsed within a few months after the scammers disappeared with the money.

The Hajj Religious Scams (Happen in different parts of the world)

Hajj Religious scams have happened and continue to occur in various countries such as the UK, USA, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, etc.

The scammers take advantage of the Muslims’ desire to make a pilgrimage to Mecca for Hajj once in their lifetime.

A pilgrimage to Mecca is costly and only financially able Muslims can afford it. So, the scammers offer fraudulent Hajj packages to unsuspecting people.

The packages promise unbelievably discounted accommodation and travel deals for pilgrims.

After paying for the fake Hajj packages, the scammers disappear into thin air.

Millions of Muslims have been scammed through the Hajj scams. Some lose their life savings to the scammers. Others have been helplessly stranded in foreign countries or airports.

So, watch out for these Hajj scammers. They are still at large.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Accused of Castration, Murder, Rape, Etc (India)

There have been many religious scams in Hinduism religion. For instance, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was a famous religious scammer. He was the leader of Dera Sacha Sauda Sect – a social and religious organization.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was so influential that his sect garnered over 50 million followers in India and other parts of the world.

However, with time, people discovered Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was not who he claimed to be. He was a scammer. People eventually exposed his scams and cultic behavior.

He was arrested and arraigned in court. In 2017, he was convicted and jailed for 20 years.

Here are some of the things Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was accused of:

• Castration of over 400 of his male disciples. He coerced and forced them to undergo castration to be ‘closer’ to God.
• Rape and sexual assault of his disciples.
• Misuse of funds and financial fraud.
• Murder of a journalist who allegedly exposed Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

It’s important to note that the bottom line of all the religious scams worldwide is money, money, money.

Why Some Religious Leaders Scam Their Followers

From the examples of the religious scams I’ve highlighted, it’s clear that some religious leaders have scammed their followers at one time or another. Why do they do it?

Here are some reasons why some religious leaders scam their followers:

They Don’t Have The Fear Of God

Some religious leaders have no fear of God (whoever they perceive him to be). In other words, they are not in religion for spiritual reasons but for personal gain.

No wonder they distort scriptures to brainwash, exploit, or threaten their followers.

They make their followers believe they can only get success, good health, blessings, riches, or prosperity by parting with their money or property.

They Are greedy for money and material possessions

Some religious leaders are so greedy for material possessions and money that they can do anything to acquire them. That’s why some of them take away everything from their followers.

They really don’t care about the plight of their followers. They only care about themselves.

They Crave recognition from society

Once the fraudulent religious leaders acquire wealth and money, society starts to recognize and revere them. They start feeling very important.

Who doesn’t like to feel like a VIP?

They want to feel powerful

When the fake religious leaders acquire wealth and money, they start to feel powerful. They especially have power over their followers. The followers revere and fear them.

This gives the fake religious leaders a feeling of accomplishment.

Why Religious People Get Scammed By Their Religious Leaders

Some of the religious scams are very outrageous. I’m sure if the advert about plots for sale in heaven was real, millions of people from all over the world would have ‘bought’ the plots. Horrific!

You wonder why people are so gullible! Sometimes it looks like outright foolishness or lack of intelligence. However, it’s more complex than that.

Here are some reasons religious people get scammed by their leaders:

They have faith and trust in their religious leaders

Many religious people have a lot of faith in their religious leaders. They believe they are true servants of God, elected and set apart by God.

The people therefore trust and believe what their leaders preach and teach them. How can they question the man of God?

This deep trust and faith in their religious leaders can make people vulnerable to manipulation.

Oh, and some religious leaders take advantage of the trust and faith their followers have in them.

People have all sorts of issues that require the intervention of spiritual leaders

Human beings have a lot of issues going on in their lives. They include financial, spiritual, emotional, family, love issues, etc.

Some of these issues are too heavy to carry. So, when the person meets a religious leader who is empathetic, the person can become vulnerable.

A fake religious leader can use the vulnerability of his followers to his advantage.

Some religious people are greedy

Some people are scammed by their religious leaders because they are outright greedy. The religious leaders promise them prosperity, a good life, etc if they do what the leaders tell them.

Such people are told that giving as much as they can is the only way they can become prosperous. The people’s greed leads to their financial ruin.

Some religious people are desperate for validation and affirmation from their spiritual leaders

Human beings need affirmation and validation as they do life. They need validation from their families, friends, colleagues, partners, etc.

In addition, they need validation and affirmation from the religious groups they belong to and more importantly from their religious leader.

For some people, the only validation and affirmation they ever get is from members of their religious group and their religious leaders.

They get emotional support and feel a sense of belonging, acceptance, love, etc when they become staunch members of the religious group.

When religious people become desperate for validation and affirmation from their religious leaders, they can become more susceptible to exploitation and manipulation from the same religious leaders.

In addition, they fear being banished from the religious group or their religious leader. So, they say or do nothing even when they and other members of their religious groups are cheated, manipulated, disrespected, exploited, conned, etc.

Some religious people lack basic common sense

Interestingly, some religious people are scammed by their religious leaders because they lack basic common sense.

For instance, why would someone send money to buy a plot in heaven? Plots in heaven? Really?

You don’t need rocket science to know that this is fake. You just need basic common sense!

Also, the scam of paying someone to check if your name is written in the Book of Life? That’s outrageous and silly, to say the least! How gullible can one be?

Some people have been brainwashed by their religious leaders

Some religious leaders brainwash their followers to ensure loyalty, total submission, and obedience. They do so by gradually reinforcing certain practices and beliefs repeatedly in their followers’ minds.

When someone is brainwashed, they are unable to look at things differently or think critically and logically. The brainwashed person is unable to escape the manipulator’s influence.

Some followers fear repercussions

Some followers fear the repercussions of questioning or doubting their spiritual leader. How do you doubt or question a man of God? They thus choose to remain silent even when their gut feeling tells them all is not well.

Oh, and as I said earlier, some religious leaders have harmed followers who questioned them or exposed their underhand dealings. For example, the journalist I mentioned was killed in India for allegedly exposing his religious leader.

People fear such repercussions. Some religious leaders have done ruthless things to their uncooperative followers.

Signs That Your Religious Leader Is A Religious Scammer

Most of the time, the signs of a religious scammer are written on the wall (they are obvious). However, some followers refuse to acknowledge the signs due to some of the reasons I’ve mentioned above.

Here are some signs that your religious leader is a scammer:

The leader always preaches the prosperity gospel

When the main thing your religious leader preaches about is prosperity, start running. Most religions talk about morality, fear of God, integrity, repentance, finances, etc.

So, prosperity is one of the many things your leader should talk about – it should not be the only thing.

The spiritual leader always tries to extract money from the members

Some spiritual leaders milk their members dry, literally. They ask for money to develop the place of worship, buy them a car, help them build their house, fund their vacation, etc. That is a sign of a scammer.

The religious leader lives in opulence and boasts about it

Some religious leaders live in opulence while their members become poorer and poorer. Such leaders are not ashamed of boasting about their financial success to their followers.

Meanwhile, some followers languish in poverty because of financing their leader’s extravagant lifestyle.

I urge you to stay away from such a religious leader.

The leader starts offering investment advice to members

This is a leading sign of a scammer. You see, a religious house is not a business place. It’s a place of worship.

So, stay away from spiritual leaders who entice you to invest in certain projects. Your money is likely to disappear, sooner than later.

The leader threatens members with the wrath of God for not giving

Some spiritual leaders threaten members that God will punish them for not giving. They tell the members that God will not bless them or He will destroy them.

That is a way of creating fear in you so you can give them your money.

Personally, I believe there are many ways of giving back to God. For instance, you can help someone who has a financial problem. You can also offer your time and knowledge in God’s service.

In other words, I don’t believe the only way I can give back to God is by giving money to the church.

The leader is always boasting about his financial achievements to his followers

A religious leader should be humble. So, if your religious leader is always talking about his financial achievements or his wealthy connections, he is most likely a scammer.

As I said in the post money secrets you should know about for your own good, wealthy people are humble and silent not loud and boastful.

How To Prevent Yourself From Being Scammed By Your Religious Leader

Suppose your religious leader is a scammer. In that case, you could become one of their victims if you’re not careful. You could lose your property, money, family, friends, sanity, and health.

In the worst-case scenario, you could lose your life.

You therefore have to protect yourself against religious scammers by all means.

Here are things you can do to prevent yourself from being scammed by your religious leader from today onward:

Always refer to your holy book whenever you have doubts about something

The Bible, Quran, Vedas, Pali Canon, Tripitaka, etc have all the necessary information you require in your spiritual life. So, refer to your holy book whenever you have doubts or mixed feelings about anything.

This includes questionable things that your spiritual leader may ask you to do. I’m sure you can find all the answers to life issues in your holy book.

Avoid Following Your Religious Leader Foolishly

Always remember that a religious leader is not God. He is human and can thus err. So, don’t follow him foolishly.

Always think critically, think about the consequences, and whether the person has your best interest at heart.

Apply Common Sense Before Taking Action

As I said earlier, some things don’t require rocket science, they only need common sense. For instance, if your religious leader tells you they are selling plots in heaven, apply common sense.

Common sense tells you that the way we understand heaven it’s not a physical place where you can buy plots or build houses. So, the sale of plots in heaven is an impossible transaction.

Run When The Need Arises

You know what, you should not allow yourself to be totally dependent on your religious leader. Don’t also allow them to control or manipulate your life.

So, if you really feel uncomfortable with the teachings or demands of your religious leader, run for your dear life.

Avoid behaving like you’re rooted in a religious place, religious leader, or people like a tree. Take action!

You can leave quietly and never return. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Conclusion

There you have it. Don’t be fooled by adverts about plots for sale in heaven, checking whether your name is in the Book of Life, etc.

These are religious scams perpetuated by fake religious leaders.

Be on the lookout for religious scams and avoid them like the plague.

Also read: Secrets of life to help you navigate through life.