10 Mail-Order Catalog Scams from the Past That Fooled Millions
These outrageous scams from old catalogs tricked eager buyers with bold promises and little payoff.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
Long before online shopping, mail-order catalogs were a popular way to buy everything from beauty products to miracle gadgets. However, not everything that arrived in the mailbox was worth the wait or the money. These scams pulled in unsuspecting buyers with flashy ads, phony testimonials, and too-good-to-be-true deals. Some were harmless gimmicks, while others left people furious and out of cash.
1. X-Ray Glasses That Promised Superpowers
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These cardboard “X-ray” specs were a must-have for kids hoping to see through walls or clothes. The only thing they revealed was how easy it was to dupe someone with flashy promises. Millions fell for it, only to receive paper lenses that barely distorted reality.
2. Sea Monkeys That Were Just Shrimp
ML5 on Wikimedia Commons
The ads made them look like underwater royalty, complete with crowns and smiles. In reality, buyers received a packet of brine shrimp eggs. Kids expecting a magical pet kingdom got floating specks in murky water.
3. Instant Hair Growth Sprays That Did Nothing
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Mail-order catalogs pushed miracle sprays that claimed to restore bald heads in weeks. The only thing they restored was buyer’s regret. These potions smelled odd and left no hair behind — just disappointment.
4. “Treasure Maps” to Nowhere
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A few bucks and you’d get a detailed map leading to pirate treasure, or so the ad claimed. Buyers got vague scribbles with X’s in the middle of forests or deserts, and nothing else. Some even went searching.
5. Miniature Cameras That Were Toys
Imperial War Museum photographer on Wikimedia Commons
Catalogs promised a fully working spy camera that could fit in your pocket. What arrived looked more like a keychain than a camera that barely snapped blurry black-and-whites. Most didn’t work at all.
6. 1001 Free Items… That Weren’t Really Free
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This one boasted a giant list of “free” items you’d receive just for ordering. Hidden in the fine print? Sky-high shipping and handling fees for each one. The “free” part vanished fast.
7. Muscle Builders That Promised a Body Transformation
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Scrawny teens were sold powders and gadgets that would bulk them up in weeks. What they got was chalky drink mix or resistance bands with zero science behind them. Ads preyed on insecurity to make bucks.
8. Get-Rich-Quick Schemes by Mail
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Whether it was envelope stuffing or secret investing systems, these schemes promised thousands in earnings with no effort. The only people making money were the ones selling the kits. Buyers ended up with vague instructions and no cash.
9. Love Potions That Smelled Like Trouble
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These perfumes were supposed to make someone fall head over heels. In reality, they smelled like melted plastic and cheap flowers. Romance did not follow — only headaches and buyer’s remorse.
10. “Live” Animals That Came in the Mail
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Some catalogs actually sold frogs, turtles, or lizards through the mail. Often, the poor creatures didn’t survive the trip or were much smaller and less exciting than promised, which was a sad surprise for many kids.