How to Avoid Getting Conned and Understand How Psychic Scams Work
Read on to learn how psychic scams work.
Is Your Clairvoyant a Fraud?
Do you believe?
According to CBS news, 57% of Americans believe in Extra Sensory Perception. Similarly, in England, the BBC reports that more than half of Britons believe in psychic powers such as psychic readings and telepathy. Whether a true believer in the psychic phenomenon or a die-hard skeptic, everyone can agree on this one universal truth: There are a great many psychic con artists running money scams, separating the uninitiated from their hard-earned cash.
No national figures show how many people fall victim to psychic scam artists. For one thing, many people never come forward out of embarrassment. Police do their best to reign in these con artist mediums, but the numbers are staggering, and there aren't enough bunko squads to go around. Googling "How many psychics arrested" returns 1,560.000 hits, which should give you some idea of the scope of the problem.
Many go to psychic readers out of a real need for help.
Many People Go to a Psychic Reader Out of Actual Need
Many people go to a psychic reader out of actual need. Perhaps they have lost someone very dear and are emotionally distraught. Perhaps their marriage is failing, and they are seeking answers—about career, relationships, love, sex, inner pain—some divine communication from the spirit world that answers their desperate cries and eliminates their problems or concerns. They don't know where else to turn and so seek out the mystic. God forbid they should choose a common thief.
This is where my friend comes in. His name is...well...let's call him Mr. Gullible. Mr Very Gullible. While I will relate his tale with my tongue planted firmly in my cheek, there is much we can learn from his experience. By understanding how these crystal ball blackguards operate, we can avoid falling prey to psychic scam artists ourselves. If we should laugh at our human foibles along the way, so be it.
By understanding how these crystal ball blackguards operate, we can avoid falling prey to psychic scam artists ourselves. If we should laugh at our human foibles along the way, so be it.
Welcome to My World
Mr. Gullible had been feeling very depressed—something about his dead gold fish, Moby—and decided to seek the council of a genuine, authentic, got-a-neon-sign-in-the-window, psychic. So down to Madam Ruth's he goes for a psychic reading, and enters her storefront parlor. The light was low, but scented candles burned everywhere. Airy, gauzy fabric flowed along the walls and beads separated the front room from the darkness beyond. He stood nervously at the front door. Mysterious voices seemed to come from the walls. He could barely make out what the voices were trying to communicate. "Why can I not go to the base with you, Master?", came a woman's voice. A man replied, "We've been all through this, Jeannie. Now back in your bottle." "Oh...Master!", and then a swooshing noise. It was creepy.
Suddenly a gypsy woman appeared from nowhere. The hanging beads rattled, heralding the mystics presence. The woman held one hand open to the sky while the other clutched her throat, her weathered face turned toward the heavens with eyes closed. Suddenly, in dramatic fashion, the old woman announced, "You have come for a reading!". "Holy cow," thought my friend, "she's doing it already!"
My friend has entered the psychic's world. Everything - the scented candles, the fabrics, the look of the woman - has been carefully calculated to draw him in, to make him more susceptible to what is to come. Of course there IS the television noise in the background, but even psychics can watch I Dream Of Jeannie re-runs. Ray Hyman, professor of psychology at the University of Oregon and on the executive council of the national Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, states in the September/October issue of The Skeptical Inquirer, "Anyone who's been to a reading knows that it's quite a powerful experience. A psychic has the upper hand right from the start. You're entering their world, using their language, following their rules." For this interview, as well as a fine example of a true-life new-age psychic reading in the modern world, go to jdlasica.com. Same game, different playing field.
Let's Play 20 Questions
They take a seat at a small table with a crystal ball between them. The gypsy makes mysterious movements with her hands along the outside of the glass ball. She begins to ask simple, seemingly innocuous questions. "You have lost someone very near to you," she intones. Why, yes. Poor old Moby! "This has hurt you in a meaningful way." Yes! I loved that little fish. "I am seeing the letter B." No acknowledgment from my friend. "It could be a first name...or a last name...or a city...or a place.." Yes! Yes! Mr. Moby lived in a BOWL! She continues in this fashion until she makes a pronouncement: "You are a sincere and deeply feeling individual, but people don't understand you. You are intelligent and highly motivated, but you sometimes let other people's problems consume your thoughts. You always try to do good, even at your own expense. Women are attracted to you, but they fear your intelligence and depth. There is trouble ahead, but you will overcome it." "Holy smokes," thinks my friend, "she must be psychic."
They call this a "cold reading". This is nothing more than a cheap parlor trick and the psychic con artist is very good at it. My pal Gully wants to believe, no...needs to believe so badly, that he fails to realize that he has given her all the information she needs, and that her final proclamation is just a newspaper horoscope. My friend doesn't know it, but he has now become her "mark". In the Monday, March 5, 2001 edition of Time magazine, Leon Jaroff writes, " "It is a sophisticated form of the game 20 Questions, during which the subject, anxious to hear from the dead, seldom realizes that he, not the medium or the departed, is supplying the answers." For an example of cold readings and how they work, go to skepdic.com. You could do it yourself. Hey, there's some free career advice. I hear the money's good.
Set The Hook
The psychic's face takes a serious turn. She is hearing voices or seeing something, but what? Finally, she reveals the mystery. "I see a darkness over you. It is evil. It is a very powerful curse! Very powerful!" Mr. Gullible is very worried now. He has already been sucked into the Psychic's world and he believes what he is hearing. Ah, well. He needn't worry. The psychic can remove the curse. She will only have to burn a special candle and purchase a prayer card, and she can get them both for only $300.00. My friend hesitates, but the gypsy woman is having none of that, so she badgers him. "Don't you want to remove the darkness? This curse can kill you! You could die! The curse must be removed!" Hesitantly, he hands over the money as the psychic tells him to return the next day to find out if the darkness has been removed...and to bring an egg with him. As in chicken. Over easy.
As soon as the old woman began speaking of the darkness and curses and death, he should have run away. Far, far away. Adios. Arrivederci. Goodbye. Threatening a person who is emotionally vulnerable is not only unprofessional, but immoral and criminal. There are no special candles and no prayer cards. Find out in advance what the cost of the reading is and don't give them one dime more, regardless of what they tell you or threaten you with.
Those Eggs Look Yummy
My friend returns to Madam Ruth the following day. Bad news. It is much worse than she thought. There is not one curse, but seven, and that requires more special candles, prayer cards, and some crystals this time. Once again, my friend hears that nagging voice in the back of his head telling him get out. She asks for the egg he brought with him. He hands it to her. She places a bowl in front of him, cracks open the egg and, TA DA!...the egg is full of blood! Or maybe there is a live slug writhing in the raw yolk. "You see!," exclaims Madam Ruth. "This is the poison...the evil that infects your soul!" My goodness, can it get any worse? My friend is shook up. He hands over the cash and promises to return in 3 days.
Any beginning magician worth his weight in rabbits can pull this stunt. The Large, Grade An egg Gully brought has been switched with a pre-doctored egg in which red dye has been injected. The writhing slug trick is even easier. The psychic has simply palmed the slug and released it into the bowl as she cracks the raw egg. Isn't that a French dish? Snail in egg? Very simple illusions, but they can have enormous impact on the believer, even causing fear. When you hear that little voice in your head, listen to it. That's real ESP and everyone has it.
Psychic Sylvia Browne Big Fake?
Onward and Downward
The readings continue. The curses are difficult ones, Madam Ruth informs him. She has never seen anything like them. He begins to have readings at her home. At one point, the psychic instructs Mr. Gullible to place a $100 dollar bill into a sealed envelope for every year he has lived and to carry it with him at all times. For Gully, that's $3500.00 bucks. She asks him to see the envelope on several occasions but she never opens it and always gives it back. He trusts her even more for her honesty and does as he is told.
I meet my friend for lunch. I order the eggs. He tells me all about Madam Ruth and all the money he has "invested" in removing the dreadful curses. "Gully, Gully, Gully," I say to him", "the only thing you have "invested" in is the psychic's retirement plan." I show him incontrovertible evidence that it is all a scam, a con, a rip off. I produce documents that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a con artist and he is her mark. Does he believe me? No, he does not. He is suffering from True Believer's Syndrome, a real affliction where someone continues to believe in spite of proof to the contrary. "I've been to her house," he says, "and she's not rich. How could she be stealing money?" I show him an article about a family of con artists in Chicago that owned multiple houses and several psychic parlors. Many of their houses looked like the Taj Mahal on the inside. He is pissed at me and exits the restaurant in a huff. I ask the waiter to bring me a side of escargot and I finish my eggs.
Christopher Reilly/Creative Resources
It's An Ending, But It Isn't Happy
Gully continued to see the psychic. Eventually, she declares that the $100.00 bills have absorbed the evil and must be destroyed. She appeared to tear up the money before his very eyes. Or did she have to burn it in a secret midnight ceremony? I forget. I've had a little fun with Gully's story, but this is, in fact, a serious issue. Many people—educated, intelligent, savvy—fall prey to psychic scam artists every day. They can truly feel despair due to the psychic's chicanery, and there have been many documented cases of victims committing suicide. Remember what you have learned here, and never give a psychic your full name, address or telephone number: With a little knowledge you can avoid becoming the next big payday for a psychic scam artist. At least Gully no longer sees the psychic. He's broke.
CBS News Undercover—Psychic Scam in Action
Photo Credits
From top, all on flickr: Gypsy with crystal ball/misfitgirl; Neon sign/SeraphimC; Storefront B&W/ectarama; Fortune machine/Willy Volk; Everystockphoto: Snail/tristrambrelstaff
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Comments
Lisa Godin on April 16, 2019:
You can believe in this stuff or not. YOUR choice. They say gimme this much and I'll take care if it, YOUR choice. It doesn't 'work' and they demand more money it's YOUR choice to give it! Take responsibility for your own actions! But I was scammed you say! Did they make you believe? YOUR choice.
I saw a commercial today selling some antacid pill saying having pizza at home you have control! No heartburn! But at the office a surprise pizza? Heart burn! That man was in control! He could've said no. He chose to eat that pizza and got heart burn so then he could complain? Was he scared his co workers wouldn't like him if he said no? HE was in charge of his own actions! Not the office, not his work friends!, not the office surprise pizza who refused to say no to!
You can't go yelling at some restaurant for giving you huge portions complaining it will make you fat. YOU chose to go there! They didn't tie you down and force fed you. YOU had the choice of eating half. They made you fat? Who put the food in your mouth? They or you! You can't say they misled you either!
That psychic misled you? YOU chose to believe because YOU chose not to solve the problem yourself! YOU went there! No one can make you think a certain way about things or make you do anything you don't want to do. No one can fear monger you unless you let them! Someone says jump off a cliff if you do it, YOU chose to! You can't say they made you jump!
You want to complain about losing money to a fraud psychic? YOU gave the money. YOU looked for them. YOU chose to believe! They didn't make you do or believe what you didn't want to do or believe in the first place! Stop blaming others!
angel10023 on May 15, 2018:
Please beware all fortunetellers...do not go to these people...they are all evil...especially those of the Romani gypsy culture. I was approached by a young girl in a shopping mall in NJ three years ago who claimed to be psychic. She did a very accurate cold reading on me and I was wowed by her. She came off as sweet and innocent and talked about God constantly and how we were meant to meet. I went to her for a formal reading in her office. She did a standard tarot on me and then gave me a crystal to take home, saying that it would soak up any negative energy around me that was preventing me from meeting the man I was supposed to marry. I didn't think much more of it but later that week I watched in disbelief as I saw a real life demon crawl out of the crystal and come right at me. I didn't even believe in demons, so this was a complete shock to me. I called up the psychic who told me that the demon came from my fathers side of the family and that it was angry that I brought this special crystal into my home...that is why it decided to attack me. She knew things about my fathers family no one could have known...so I was completely confused. There was a lot of back and forth with her over the course of a month or so. She knew quite a bit about demonology and constantly talked about God and the bible. She pretended to be my friend, even came to my house to 'bless' it with incense and she took personal items from me to 'bless'...which of course I never saw again. I was getting attacked constantly by this demon, it was horrific, and I was praying a lot to Jesus...She would tell me things like, God is mad at you because you are praying to Jesus more than Him. She wanted me to read the book of Job and told me that God was punishing me because I didn't have enough faith. She wanted me to make money sacrifices to God and told me that she would have to burn the money in a private ceremony. Over time she started to show her true self and became an evil psychopath..she started to demand more money from me..threatened me with death..and then started to send more demons to attack me. She bragged that her and her aunt put people in mental hospitals and that once a demon got inside of me I would never feel love again. I was sobbing and she just laughed at me. She knew exactly what she was doing...she was pure evil. I turned to my Catholic church for help. I had a priest bless my house. I even had mass said in my house. I started praying the rosary for hours everyday. The demons would come at me with these high pitched screams that seemed to be coming from another dimension and they were literally throwing themselves at me. One even knocked me off of my sofa while I was praying. Nothing was working, they weren't going away. They started mounting onto my back and then forcefully attacked me, held me down and stabbed me repeatedly in the center of my chest and entered my chest. I was screaming out to God but could do nothing to stop it. Over time I lost my ability to feel love and human emotions. The demons got inside of me and wound around me like a snake. They were burning and squeezing me on the inside of my body..it was pure torture. I started hearing confusing thoughts against God, Jesus, the Angels, Mary and why they weren't real. I was having horrific visions and dreams of what I can only describe as hell. I saw Jesus being nailed to the cross, blood everywhere..it was horrific. I was constantly praying to Mary, who appeared to me and told me that I needed to have faith in her son or I would go to hell, she filled me with pure love energy, and I had a vision of hell. There are no words. I was raped and felt demons come into my vaginal area and stomach. At night I would see terrifying faces come at me...they would even pretend to be my parents (who are deceased) and then they would change faces and mock me. I fought for three years with everything I had in me. I spent 9 hours a day everyday in prayer. I have been through over 20 Catholic exorcisms where I felt angels enter my body and fight with these demons, sometimes taking a demon or two out, only for them to return days later. I have traveled the world and met with multiple healers and people who claimed to have exorcism powers...we would fight for hours, I would get thrown around with all the energy coming into my body trying to fight with the demons, but I would never get delivered. I have sent money to about 15 internet exorcists who claimed to have shamanic powers and could remove demons. They would tell me that they successfully removed the demons in me, but never did. They are all scammers. My mind has been taken over and I can no longer believe in God, Jesus, the Angels, Mary..no one..no matter what I do. Because I can't believe, I can no longer pray to get God energy to come to help me push these things out of my body. Angels no longer come to help me and the Catholic church has stopped doing exorcisms on me because they no longer work. I am living in complete torment and utter pain constantly 24 hours a day, every day. My former personality, my identity as a human being is all gone and my mind is filled with constant looping thoughts against God and why he doesn't exist. It never stops, there is not a moment of relief. I can no longer be around people. I was a smart, beautiful, successful 35 year old woman with 2 college degrees, tons of friends and an amazing life. I loved God and I went to church every week. My life has been utterly destroyed. I have lost everything, my house, my car, my career, my heart, and now my mind. I would do anything to get out of my situation, but I can't. The Catholic church issued a statement a few months ago that the rise in exorcisms has been caused by more people going to fortunetellers. The church keeps very detailed records on everyone they do exorcism on, so if they are making an official statement...it is fact....not just an arbitrary statement. I am not the only person this has happened to. Many people who go to fortunetellers get scammed for their money and personal belongings and that is it..they are lucky. This girl unfortunately was the real deal and practiced black magic. She moves between NJ and Florida, has two young children, a boy and girl. She has long dark hair and a curvy frame and is only 23 years old. She went by the name Scarlett, but her real name is Sharon. She has probably since changed her name. Beware.
Crystal Hitt on May 12, 2018:
Hi when a claravoint asks for more$ eAch time they tell you something is good or bad I thought claravoints and physics where supposed to help ppl not drain there bank accounts for everything just asking plz send feed bk
mastering coldreading on August 10, 2015:
great article
you can read more about this topic on http://www.masteringcoldreading.com/
Tony Smith on July 07, 2015:
How can I report a gypsy scam for fortune-telling
Micheal on December 14, 2014:
Yeah that's what I'm talking about bab-y-nice work!
Connie on December 13, 2014:
Wait, I cannot fathom it being so strahgitforward.
Lionrhod from Orlando, FL on October 21, 2014:
Evocative and witty writing. Great job. As an ethical psychic these fakes frustrate me to no end. I spend a lot of time "fixing" situations where fakes have told clients things that are still haunting them years later when they come to me. It's sad that they give the rest of us a bad name.
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on August 08, 2013:
Thanks, WiccanSage, Appreciate the comment!
Mackenzie Sage Wright on August 07, 2013:
What a great article, entertaining and informative. So true, even if you believe in psychic abilities there are so many scammers out there. Great job.
pw on May 04, 2013:
hi everyone i just wanted to say i too fell for Maria the clairvoyant and her so call talents, after the death of my bother, the murder of my Mother and the break down of my family. It started with a simple free tarot card reading, which led to countless emails on different services she can provide, and how i needed her, then she started to greatly reduced her fees," so that she could help me". It took me around a year before i finally took up her offer but i choose the 3 payment option on a£59 payment for a tarot card reading, the result took 2 days to arrive and with it came a further request of £400 for 6 sessions of light that she explained i needed for her to start on her side, i emailed her straight back telling her my situation and asked her to list what i would get from her for my money and waited 1 week, after no reply i contacted my credit card office and cancelled the other two payments, and would you believe it around 2 hours later i received a email from Maria telling me how sad she was, i just wanted other's to know, don't be afraid to cancel if you feel it not right if you can, tell someone you trust, you are not stupid just because they catch you when you are down, thank you Christopher and all who helped passing this warning on. PW from London
Bob Cash on April 03, 2013:
People who deceive the feeble-mended should be sent to prison, the money they made confiscated and the government should publish statements that EVERY person claiming to be pshcic can only be one of two things; a charlatan or metally unfit. How is it possible that ANYONE could begin to think such drivel could be true? Someone left a message claiming people have "a right to believe". That's shocking. People should be educated to understand the difference been possibility and impossibility. Idiots claiming to have such powers should be stopped! It astounds me people are so naive and even prepared to defend these charlatans. It just shows how stupid the general public is.
xyzsussex on March 26, 2013:
Unfortunaltely mediumship is perfect for con artists who strike at the most vulnerable. I know of a fake medium working the quite area outside of Brighton UK who claims to have connections with the famous medium Derek Acorah. She calls herself Jan and targets vulnerable people by scaring them telling them they have a spirit entity attached to them that only she can remove. This may sound ridiculous but this woman has a very forceful personality and knows how to get under peoples skin like all con artists she can recognise a persons weak point. She also manages to extort money by engaging sympathy telling people she has only months to live, she's been at deaths door for at least two years now! I have witnessed the damage this woman has done to others both mentally and finacially and it makes me mad that she can get away with it!
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on January 25, 2013:
First, there is no hocus pocus "evil" she can do to you. As for the last four digits of your social and address, I don't know. Call the police and ask to speak to someone in fraud. They'll give you some advice.
Unknown123456 on January 25, 2013:
Hi Chris . Thank you for sharing your friend's story. It FINALLY hit me! I'm too embarrassed to share my story. Lets just say its almost similar to your friend's story. It's my misfortune that this lady scammed me for $40k. I was going through a really rough time in my life. Anything and everything she said made sense to me and I really thought I was cursed. Supposedly we were done with our work. But now she's asking me for more money saying that the person who put a curse on me found out about our work and she needs $5k To protect our work. Unfortunately she has my address and my last four digit social. So what should I do? I'm also afraid if I stop answering her call. She might do some evil work on me. Please help me!
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on July 20, 2012:
Sorry that happened to you Jessica. Thank you for telling your story here.
Thanks, Tony. I appreciate your comment.
Tony on July 20, 2012:
Hey Christoph Reilly, this is good stuf you wrote here. enjoyed everyones comment and I only wish there were more folks out there like you who actually took the time to dispel these so-callled psychics who are nothing more than low-life, two-bit, cheap hustling cons. These people always quote the bible as they give you advice and more lies just to part you from your hard earned monies. They ALL need to be put in jail and they should be licensed like a doctor if they are to do practice this type of business. This type of business is really just a bad con and they could not get licensed as there is nothing that would prove their psychic powers. WHY? Because it IS FRAUDULENT BS. PERIOD!$!$!$!! The government should outlaw these cheap crooks and make it illegal for them to practice their outlandish crooked craft. Their kids do not even go to school as they are all home schooled to learn how to lie, cheat and steal from good people. STOP giving your hard earned money to the scavengers people and go see a real doctor. Thanks again Christopr R....................CIAO!
Jessica on July 20, 2012:
I was scammed by a Texas psychic in Dallas. She was really good in the context of the scare tactics she had used on me, by telling me that my family had a curse put on us. She convinced me I needed to give her a substantial amount of money to remove ths curse. I was so gullible in believing that garbage. How embarassing I felt and I did not want to tell my family how much money was spent. I can see how others would feel about someone like me who was so gullible in believing that nonsense. Please be careful if you pursue these fraudulent psychics, so be careful who you visit. If a psychic convinces you that there is a family curse, get up and walk away fast as this is nothing more than a cheap hustle to get more money from you. This psychics business was Ann Newman & Associates in Dallas. Hope this helps others.
Spiritint on June 04, 2012:
Yes prophets don't have any credibility, another is
Ray Brown, a builder ... who says he heals... are dangerous con men. Charging massive amounts of money from ill victims.
Republicat on April 24, 2012:
Sooooo I keep looking and looking and waiting for someone to identify how to find an actual psychic. I live in a relatively small city so I probably need to find someone elsewhere. People say make sure to find one by word of mouth so.....Who? Because if people are so easily fooled, who do we believe? Has anyone out there used someone for years and can honestly vouch for their psychic? Thank you!
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on April 19, 2012:
Vanessa: I think you should first go to the police and see what they say. Tell them you are a victim of a crime of confidence. Another choice is to consult a lawyer, but of course that's not cheap and requires that you spend even more money. I'm sorry this happened to you.
Bart Simpson: You are right. People are embarrassed when they figure out they've been conned and so don't tell anyone. But that's exactly why these people get away with so much.
bart simpson on April 18, 2012:
hey y'all... I once gave a psychic 1500 dollars.. a LOT of money for me.. after a bad break up. It was years ago but I've never stopped feeling stupid about it. She used all the same ploys mentioned here on unfortunate Mr. Gully. Should I have told the police? could they have done anything? btw they also warn you not to tell anyone (friends/family) because that will get in the way of "lifting the curse." Assholes. I think a lot of people walk away not wanting to think they'd been scammed and convince themselves that it worked... and never mention it to anyone.
vanessa on April 17, 2012:
I was conned bad out of $55,000.. I know HORRIBLE... I just started researching and got a huge slap in the face now realizing everything she said was false. She did the stupid egg trick on me and had me do a bunch of stupid stuff like put money (6k)that was wrapped in cloth and ribbon( 2 separate cloth squares, at 3k each square) and had me wear it on each side of my breast. I had to wear these over night and when she wanted me to bring it in so she could meditate, the next day she calls me and tells me she had to burn the money in a church because the money was evil. I have been dealing with this con artist for 2 years and about 3 months ago she told me my twin sister is going to die in a car accident near our birthday and in order to "fix it" she would need 25k. And since she was my "friend" she would pitch in the 3k so I gave her 22k. About a month ago I gave her the candle she had me light for 3 months and she said something looked off. She explained that the circle in the candle protected my sister had broke and she would need to do something more extravagant because the evil whatever ppl found out we are cheating her death. She said it would cost 50k to refix.... I was so pissed ... I cried a lot and finally being scared I gave her my last bit of savings which was 5k as a deposit and because she's a good "friend" that she would cover the rest for the materials and that I could repay her the remaining 45k in payments every week! She doesn't know that I know she's a fraud and I want to keep her close( I will NOT give her a penny anymore though) because i want to try and sue her or get an attorney. I went to lunch with her and actually recorded our conversation about how i feel depressed that the last 2 years I've given so much money and how theres always something negative that comes up and I got her to agree on sound recording all that stuff. And I acted like I took a picture of the food when I was really also taking a video recording of her as well so i could match the sound recording to her face. Do you think I have a case here where I can potentially sue her and get my money back??? or would it be a waste of my time??
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on February 13, 2012:
Lisa, Your psychic isn't giving you very good results if you still must use their services after four years. And how much money have you given this psychic? Sorry, but I don't really believe you, and think instead you are someone who purports to be a psychic. I invite you to prove me wrong.
Lisa on February 12, 2012:
I been seeing a psychic for 4 years and yes it can be expensive but the time she gives to me and results I receive are worth it to me. Before I met her I was going crazy and felt I lost myself. I believe there is a higher power and there are true psychics that can heal people. The problem in the world today is we judge things we know nothing about and say that psychics are scam artist. Why shouldn't a psychic get paid for her services and if materials are needed and are used and you see her giving you time and you see results it's not a scam. Some times the results take time and people want them over night. Be patient have faith and let your spiritual healer help you and you would see results . I wish you all the best and I pray one day we can all open are spirits and have more faith we live in a very cruel and judgmental world that only listened to what the media tells us to believe. Stop listening to media and listen to your soul.
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on February 10, 2012:
Many others have walked in your shoes. You are in no danger from her, just don't give her any more or anything. You aren't open to her "energetically" either, because she has no powers. You didn't give her your social security number, did you? If so, look into protecting your identity and bank account. This is unlikely though, and anyone can have their identity stolen, psychic or no.
nycidiot on February 10, 2012:
I feel so dumb. I'm not even going to tell you how much money i've lost in this stupid scam because it will only make me feel worse. My biggest concern is that she has my full name and telephone number and some of my personal belongings for a ceremony to cleanse the curse - am I in danger in anyway? Have I potentially opened myself up to this woman energetically? If so, how do I protect myself?
Samsona on February 02, 2012:
One day I was bored and decided to order Tarot reading on the phone only for $25 , I didn't expect anything serious from that, just to see what he will say.
So I asked if I will get married again (I wasn't dating or wasn't loking for noone at that time and I was 44 years old and divorced) and he said that I actually will meet my future husband next month and will be married very soon. Of course I didn't believe and was thinking he just trying to make me feel better and to say something nice however I did meet a man next month and
we did get married in a couple of month!
How about that???
He also told me other things which I didn't pay attention like journey ect. however it all really happened. He was very accurate.
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on January 23, 2012:
Conned: I always hate to hear stories like yours. Hopefully, you have helped alert others.Thanks for commenting.
Conned on January 23, 2012:
I also need to mention, I had to send her a large sum of money once - nearly 3000 dollars and as usual she needed me to send it by Western Union and she never had an ID so this large amount of money was sent to a JOHNIE YONKO (she said it was her father?). She disappeared about a year ago and her cell phone was disconnected and I tried contacting people occupying space in that NY address but they were extremely rude and claimed they did not know her and there was no such business etc.
Conned on January 23, 2012:
I got conned by person who called herself Angela Carter. She gave me her address as 237 West 18th Street Apartment 1FE New York, NY 10011 and email is/was SpiritualGuidence53@gmail.com and she said she also has a New Jersey office.
She is very convincing. I want to warn others not to be sucked in like I did - I lost thousands of dollars to her because I trusted her and was gullible enough to believe everything she said. I met her on Liveperson and on her profile there, it also said something about her being a hypnotist, so just beware.
Christoph Reilly (author) from St. Louis on January 22, 2012:
solution101: Well, the article doesn't deny psychic ability as rule, rather merely warns about the large number of frauds claiming to have psychic ability when they do not. Unless the articles you reference state that there are no frauds, and that everyone who claims to have psychic ability do have it, then we do not have a different view. Thanks for your input.
M Aponte on January 10, 2012:
Physic Allura is a scam. She has a website: http://www.psychicallura.com/index.html; her telephone number is: 786-587-6401. When you call she will give you a reading over the phone she tells you that have to really believe, her work is guaranteed, and you can start seeing results in as little as 24 hours. Then, she tells you to go to the nearest drugstore and purchase a moneypak for $400.00 which is the cost for the cleaning that needs to take place. The money is to purchase some candles from Jerusalem and she has to go to church to start the work. After you send you give her the 14 digit number on the moneypak she tells you that she is going to start working on your behalf and to please call her when you begin to see some changes i your life. You will never hear from her again; therefore, please don't fall for it.
Greg on November 06, 2011:
Thankyou Lynne and Coolgirlfriend. You have just saved me from handing over money to Maria, Clairvoyant, Universal Medium. She had me convinsed that i would make millions. That i had dark negative energy all over me. I would make the money and be free of negative energy... All for $149USD. What dawns on me is how she is able to do this over a computer if she has never met me or any of my family. Thanks again for waking me up.