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The sneaky tactic Scientologists are using to get unsuspecting people to read their religious pamphlets - as one 7-Eleven store falls victim to the stunt

Daily Mail, Australia/May 26, 2020

By Isabelle Stackpool

Customers were left outraged after Scientology pamphlets disguised as free coronavirus heath booklets were offered at a 7-Eleven store. 

The Church of Scientology pamphlets titled 'How to keep yourself & others well' were pictured next to the counter of 7-Eleven George Street in Brisbane's city centre. 

An employee of the 7-Eleven store told Daily Mail Australia a group of men entered the shop on Monday night and offered the pamphlets as an information booklet about COVID-19.

The employee said she was unaware of the link between the pamphlets and the Church of Scientology.

She noted that many customers commented on the Scientology booklets and they had since been thrown away.

The pamphlets included coronavirus health information and encouraged readers to scan a barcode for further information.

The pamphlets also directed readers to the Church of Scientology website where visitors were encouraged to make an account and take an online course. 

A spokesperson for 7-Eleven told Daily Mail Australia: 'The display of these brochures was not approved by 7-Eleven and we will be discussing the matter with the franchisee.'

The pamphlet images were shared on Reddit, where users said they had seen other shops displaying the Scientology booklets. 

One person wrote: 'It would be very easy at first glance to mistake this religious literature as being important government information. Absolutely putrid, preying on non-English speaking shop owners and local people.'

Another said: 'I've seen them do this at multiple places along the strip of shops I go to. Had a chat with one of the owners who had no idea who it was from and had to explain it to them.

'Whoever delivered this traveled in a small group of six and do this under the guise of helping others,' the person noted.       

Boxes of the Scientology pamphlets were also placed by the self-service checkout machines at Woolworths in Chatswood, Sydney, earlier this month.

Customer Jordan Smith spotted the 'totally inappropriate' pamphlets and shared images of the boxes reading 'please take one' online.  

Mr Smith wrote on Facebook: 'Anyone else for a side of Scientology compliments of Woolworths?'

'No judgment of other people and their beliefs but totally inappropriate to shove any type of religion down people's throats.'

Mr Smith said he was worried for vulnerable people who could be targeted by the pamphlets and complained to the duty manager.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Church of Scientology for comment. 

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