Disreputable readers

[canid]

I went to a 'psychic' (that's what she calls herself) today, but she wasn't home. I wanted to talk to her, see how she works, & get a reading. Her 2 huge sign(s) are in front of a dry cleaner & advertise a $5 special, so that's where I went first, the dry cleaner. Coincidentally, an acquaintance, Grace, works in the dry cleaner & told me the 'psychic' is actually next door, but she wasn't home. After talking to Grace for a while, she confided that a friend of hers went to this 'psychic' (her large expensive signs advertise everything: tarot, astrology, palmistry, tea leaves, crystal healing...) & the 'psychic' demanded that Grace's friend go directly to the bank, withdraw $450 toward the purchase of the 'psychic's' healing crystals or she would continue to have bad mojo (my word). What the heck?! I've heard stories here about these kind of people, they give us a horrible name, but what can be done? Anything?

 

[cardlady22]

Post a flyer or lay out a brochure at the dry cleaner's that is a generic guide to "How to Choose an Ethical Reader?" Take out an ad in one of those little free community coupon books explaining what to watch out for- without naming names so you don't get targeted? Fraud cases go on because people are too embarrassed, as well as a low priority with swamped law enforcement units.

 

[Sinduction]

There isn't much that can be done legally without a complaint. I suppose the friend could speak to someone but I doubt they'd investigate.

Still, it would be cool to go undercover and recorder the session. That's what I'd do and then take it to the cops. But that's me!

 

[Umbrae]

You may want to hunt down the threads here on AT about ‘Cold Reading’, (and a couple of my ‘rants’ from a few moons back).

Scam artists ARE our competition. And...there are a few who actually frequent these purple pages.

The issue of course is how to deal with them.

If one attempts to run them out of business, it shines a light on everybody. Judicial type folks paint with a broad brush, and ignore grey areas. This is why in many cities and states, ‘Fortune Telling’ is illegal. Tis either all or none.

Going to the coppers eventually is bad for everybody. Distinctions are not made, between the valid and the non.

Most internet readers are no better. However their methodology is different. By and large most of them are typists who cut and paste, or use a computer program for the output, pocket the money and move on.

In addition, the public by and large sees us ALL as scam artists.

The only REAL change that can be made, is to change the world by example. To lead by doing.

When I tell folks to get out into the real world and read face to face with a stranger – my motive is layered.

One – there’s a world of difference between reading over the net and looking into the eyes of a sitter with real world issues. It help US grow up. I have a serious distrust of any reader unwilling to grow up and act responsibly. Any guide who tells you to stay in your house and be a typist is a liar.

Two – to demonstrate one reading at a time, that there is more than one type of reader. We educate by doing, educate by example.

Scam artists ARE our completion. A pretty large swath of the general public EXPECT us to be scam artists.

And that’s another reason why I keep getting up on my soapbox and beating my shoe upon the desk about certain subjects. Like using Tarot to read minds, “What’s he going to do? What’s he think? How does he feel?” In 2003, you’d have been laughed off of AT for posing such stupid and ridiculous questions – but WE have allowed it (the belief that Tarot CAN read minds) to go on for years.

We may want to clean up our act right here. I always say, “Sweep off yer own porch first”. Or we can just let it be. “I can read the mind of your loved ones, and clear your karmic blockages – for $600.”

Yeah…right. And with sufficient thrust – pigs fly just fine.

 

[canid]

There isn't much that can be done legally without a complaint. I suppose the friend could speak to someone but I doubt they'd investigate.

Still, it would be cool to go undercover and recorder the session. That's what I'd do and then take it to the cops. But that's me!

Good idea! Grace also said that this lady doesn't let 2 people in the house at the same time, she made Grace's friend leave the house till she was done with the person before her, which is why Grace's friend walked next door to the dry cleaner to talk to her while she waited for her turn with the 'psychic'. It's weird, the signs are in front of the cleaner's yet the lady's house is next door.

 

[cardlady22]

I'd be wary of any P.I. style response. You don't win anything by breaking laws yourself, honey! Keep in mind the thieves who've been awarded loss of wages when shot during a robbery.

 

[Anna]

I went to one recently. In a local pub. It was one of these psychic evenings.

At the end of 20 minutes of a very vague reading, about half of which I could sort of relate to a little bit, she asked me if a certain relative was dead. I said no, this person is living, however I was a little worried about their health as they'd been unwell. She looked at me conspiratorialy, having decided earlier on on the strength of the cards that I didn't get on with the person anyway, and told me that they would die soon.

I'm not upset by this, I know better than to believe in predicitions of death from dodgy cold readers. But I am extreemly angry. Because not everyone knows that. I expect probablly every other person she read for that night sat there drinking in every word, believing it, and most frighteningly of all, acting and making decisions about their lives based on what they'd been told.

I wish I'd had the sense to stop her right there and then and ask her what the hell she was playing at. I was just so shocked by it.

On the same night my friend who I'd gone with was told by another reader that her relationship with her boyfriend was a soulmates relationship and that she'd be marrying him. They split up less than a week later. He was having an affair.

Bloody charlatans. If I could remember the name of the company, I'd ring them up and tell them what I thought.

 

[Shade]

Post a bad review of the reader on Yelp.com

 

[littlestar]

I hear to many stories of these so called "psychics" and they do give the genuine people in the industry a bad name. I had a reading yesterday with a so called reputable reader and was less than impressed.

 

[Dancing Bear]

Not much we can do about it i am afraid..
we have one majoy fraud in our town.. and he has his own shop in the middel of town and extremly busy all the time witht he tourists.. he is the bringer of doom and glooom and claims so i have heard to work with demons..
Some people like this style and revel in the lows in life..and can relate to him quite well..$50 for half and hour you would have to relate to go back..

For those who dont get along with this type of reading are either put off for life unfortunately i know of a couple of cases arfter seeing this person..they wont have a bar of any of it now..

the others will continue to seek out a reader they can relate to and know they are not being kept in the dark and conned..once they find their preferred reader they stick with them .. we have about 3-4 genuine readers in this town..we are always busy thanks to those frauds..

For us who are not frauds and genuinely want to help and not after silly amounts of money to perform spells and the like.. we are the ones who actually get the clients who are serious about moving forwards.. personally i woudlnt want to read for someone who loves wallowing in doom and gloom. never moving forwards alway got the same problem... coming back with a broken down record all the time..I would start pretending i was fully booked months ahead LOL!!

So these charletans as much as we abhore them and do not condone any which way they work.. do serve a purpose..
we get majority of their clients.. people get to see the difference between a fraud and the genuine thing.. and appreciate a good reading.. once they know the difference we stop getting tested..