Mystery PUA, for those uninformed, is the alias of Erik James Horvat-Markovic, famed Canadian pickup artist, teacher, and lecturer born in Toronto in 1971.

Origin of the Name Mystery PUA

PUA means “pickup artist,” and any accomplished pickup artist within the seduction community will apply that term to himself (more correctly, he would be called MPUA, for master pickup artist).

Mystery is a significant moniker because one of the founding precepts of seduction is that mystery must be created and maintained. When you leave some vague areas to your life, the woman is interested and intrigued. Fill in every blank of your life, and the woman quickly grows bored.

Mystery’s Contributions

One of the more curious things about Mystery PUA is the fact that he nearly single-handedly originated the seduction community around 2000-2001. He was one of the founders of Project Hollywood, a Sunset Strip area house where dozens of MPUAs and aspiring PUA’s lived. He was featured in Neil Strauss’ bestseller, The Game. Not only that, he was Neil Strauss’ mentor.

Mystery PUA created some of the famous terminology within the seduction community such as:

• Neg: a mild put-down designed to let the woman know that you are not interested in her.
• Peacocking: dressing in a flamboyant fashion to attract attention.
• 3-Second Rule: Approach a woman within 3 seconds of meeting her so that you do not lose nerve or look like a lone wolf.

Even though he hosted VH1’s The Pickup Artist and his face is seen on hundreds of pickup artist related YouTube videos, he has practically dropped off of the map. How to account for this “mystery” of the missing Mystery PUA?

Where is Mystery PUA Now?

Anyone who wants to buy The Mystery Method course will be surprised to learn that he has nothing to do with The Mystery Method, having long ago sold off his interest.

Mystery PUA’s commercial vehicle is called Venusian Arts, which still teaches the same aggressive methods as before. He has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, and other shows. Yet ironically enough, as he has become more famous to the outside world, his importance within the seduction community has waned.