WARNING ABOUT ONLINE FRAUD: "Gard_Coven Wicca and Witchcraft Teaching list" A.K.A.: "The Gardnerian Research Institute" A.K.A.: ukcoven@yahoo.com
Sadly, it has has come to our attention that some people and organizations such as some and "online witch-schools" have been fraudulently claiming to train and, or, initiate into the Alexandrian and Gardnerian traditions of Wicca online.
While we have nothing against self-initiation into Paganism and Witchcraft, the only way to become a legitimate Alexandrian or Gardnerian, is to be Initiated by a properly prepared and authorized High Priest/ess of the Tradition *face to face.* Legitimate Alexandrians and Gardnerians do *not* charge money for religious training or Initiations.
Latest Fraud - BUYER BEWARE!
Business Owner: Mario Menz A.K.A.: Sean Belachta A.K.A.: ukcoven@yahoo.com
Location: London, originally from Germany
Mr. Menz claims: "These 13 lessons contain the complete knowledge and instructions for the Alexandrian AND Gardnerian 1st Degree Initiation!" IF ONLY it were that easy!
Mr. Menz also claims to sell a "Complete Book of Shadows" for literally hundreds of dollars! ($225.00, to be exact)
Funny, our Initiators gave us the real thing FOR FREE!
Mario Menz is NOT Alexandrian, therefore he is NOT privy to our Traditions training, written or oral Lore, and does NOT have the authority to train or Initiate anyone into our Tradition.
If you are a Seeker of Alexandrian, Gardnerian or another sect of British Traditional Wicca, please know that legitimate Elders of our Traditions do not train in "Online Witchschools" or "Research Centers" or charge money for Traditional Training, Books of Shadows or Initiations.
For further information on British Traditional Wicca, please look through some of the the following sites for legitimate, *free* information about and contacts to representatives of the Alexandrian and Gardnerian Traditions of Wicca:
Amber & Jet: Moderated (mostly) email list for Initiates
and Seekers.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amberandjet/
Boucca Wicca Friends and Family Page: Another good source
of legitimate Wiccan contacts throughout the World.
http://www.geocities.com/triple-moon/familyfriends.html
1.) Edit your description in your Yahoo! group: In a move to educate seekers, we are trying to get as many Yahoo! Groups as possible, which come up by searching with the keywords "Gardnerian" or "Alexandrian" to place the following: TRADITIONAL WICCA DOES NOT COST MONEY at the top of their Yahoo! Group's "Group Description" as this is what a seeker sees when perusing the Yahoo! Groups which are listed in their search.
The idea behind this request is that when someone does a search for "Gardnerian" or "Alexandrian" and they come across this fraudulent site, all the other sites indexed by the same keyword will have the statement above displayed prominently for the seekers to see with their own eyes.
This is just one of the ways that we are working to banish this sort of fraudulent abuse from the internet.
Please respond should you have any questions or comments.
Please help us in defeating this kind of fraud and to protect our future Witches from these predators.
2.) Download this graphic to display on your own site. Just upload the image to your own images folder and link back to: http://www.alderstand.net/fraudalert01.htm. Or, if you are a Wiccan Elder and you wish to have a copy of this page, simply email me and I will send you a zip file with the page and graphic.