[balrog666]

And don't try to tell me this isn't a belief system. If someone's been following and documenting this for 20 years under the assumption that it's real, do you really think they'll listen to any kind of reasoning that disproves their life's work and makes them out to be a bit tin foilish?

Well said. You notice that he's the one using the word "hoax" most often - a dead giveaway.

[FormerLurker]

You notice that he's the one using the word "hoax" most often - a dead giveaway.

Perhaps I should use the words fraud or scam, or simply call it for what is is, an act of deception?

And instead of hoaxster, I could say con artist, fraudster, deceiver, or swindler?