Scammers turn to ‘success’ perfume

Back in the days, adults used to buy an air freshener called Money House that, when sprayed in homes, business places and on personal belongings, the fragrance was said to bring a sense of calm and prosperity.

While still on the drug store shelves, the sought-after oil in a small rectangular bottle, under the name Success Perfume, is now said to be attracting teenagers, mainly males. One clerk at a Corporate Area drug store that sells the perfume believes the teens are using it to cast luck potions.

"Normal people buy it but the likkle bwoy dem with the multicoloured foot dem buy it man - the one dem who claim say dem a scammer. Dem buy it with the pack incense and ever so often dem may drop in a next item like a yellow or blue candle. Is $2,200 for it and more time dem buy all three one time, so clearly it work. Mi keep on a see back di same customers dem," she said. More than a dozen bottles of the perfume were observed on the store's shelves. The clerk removed the cap from one of the bottles and an oriental scent was released.

"See it deh, it nuh smell like obeah oil weh stink up the place wherever yuh go. Use just a little drop anywhere on yuh body and it just settle. Other people say dem tip it in the water when dem a bathe or rub it in dem bag or wallet. Some say dem say a Psalm before dem use it and after couple use, a bare good tings gwan fi dem. Mi can't tell yuh weh it come from but it don't make a Jamaica," she said. The clerk said that a few mothers have added the perfume to their children's back-to-school shopping list.

"Dem say it make di pickney pay attention in class. Is not like when dem rub it on the kids dem magically get bright, but dem have to work too. It helps with them attention span," she said.

"Also yuh have to remember that bad energy deh inside people yard and dem pickney draw the crosses and carry it come school and others get knock. Some problem weh people explain say dem have when dem come in here nuh normal enuh. Evil in this world," the store clerk added.