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Are All Psychics & Fortune Tellers Fakes?

Ah, now that explains your old avatar!

Something like this..?

1146083790Tarot-15-XV_The_Devil.jpg
 
That's the fella :devil: :D

Must do something about my avatar actually ......

/edit/there
 
Peripart said:
For a fee, I'm sure she could!
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I was wholly unaware that Lizard is female. So you must be psychic! If I send you all my money, both now and in the future, can you give me spiritual advice?
 
'EU scam-busters predict trouble for 'clairvoyants'' thread merged with the Fraudulent Psychics thread.
 
Scam psychic letters ‘led to death of elderly widow’

By Paul Kelly
A WIDOW died from stress brought on by demands for money from psychics operating from Ireland, her family have claimed.


English grandmother Mulvie Wright, 76, was spending up to £400 (€594) a month on psychics operating here, as well as others in Switzerland, Luxembourg and the US.

Ms Wright, of Cornwall, south-west England, was persuaded to part with the money after answering junk mail from psychics predicting bad luck unless she sent them cash.





The grandmother, who was suffering depression after the death of her husband, was also told by the psychics that her home was possessed by evil spirits.

The stress of dealing with the continual demands for money caused her a fatal brain haemorrhage last month, her daughter Louise, 48, said yesterday.

“She was a very fit and active 76-year-old until these letters started coming and she became increasingly withdrawn.

“She had high blood pressure and was on medication, and she was becoming more and more stressed,” she said.

Her family was unaware of her obsession until they were sorting through her belongings after her death and came upon boxes of letters from the psychics.

Letters came from clairvoyants claiming to have sensed an evil presence in her street while others said they could use their powers to help her win lottery prizes if she sent them money first.

Others psychics told her she could ward off disaster if she performed rituals like tearing up playing cards and chanting against evil — as well as sending money.

The widow had even recorded dates on her calendar to remind her to perform the bizarre rituals demanded by the psychics.

“We found boxes and boxes of correspondence from clairvoyants and I find it hard to understand why she fell for it,” said her daughter.

Yesterday Cornwall trading standards officials, who investigate scams, said the frauds operated across Europe.

Trading standards official Jackie Snow said the fraudsters use mailing addresses in Ireland and Britain to make their letters seem genuine.

“There are particularly nasty ones and make people feel terrible things are going to happen but we can’t stop them coming in the post,” said Ms Snow.

“Unfortunately, people do respond to them and we even make home visits to people to persuade them not to send any more money.

“This scam happens across Europe and these people don’t care who they hit.”

Research into mail and phone scams by British consumer champions reveals women between the ages of 25 and 55 are most likely to be caught out by psychic mailings.

Examiner
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Psychics and mediums alike oftentimes perform what is referred to in the trade as "reading scripture" before meeting celebrity clients. That means reading all the magazine and newspaper articles they can collect on the subject.

I'd long believed that this was the work only of fraudulent clairvoyants, but that's not the case.

The late Rev. Arthur Ford, the Disciples of Christ clergyman who was certainly one of the better-regarded mediums of the 20th Century, not only "read scripture," but was quite open about it and even matter-of-factly referred to it by that name.
 
Who do you report Fraudulent Psychics to? Why the Police of course ;)

An Act to repeal the Witchcraft Act, 1735 and to make, in substitution for certain provisions of section four of the Vagrancy Act 1824, express provision for the punishment of persons who fraudulently purport to act as spiritualistic mediums or to exercise powers of telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers.

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Punishment of fraudulent mediums, & co

1.-

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, any person who-

(a) with intent to deceive purports to act as a spiritualistic medium or to exercise any powers of telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers, or

(b) in purporting to act as a spiritualistic medium or to exercise such powers as aforesaid, uses any fraudulent device,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person shall not be convicted of an offence under the foregoing subsection unless it is proved that he acted for reward; and for the purposes of this section a person shall be deemed to act for reward if any money is paid, or other valuable thing given, in respect of what he does, whether to him or to any other person.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding (the prescribed sum) or to imprisonment for a tern not exceeding four months or to both such fine and such imprisonment, or on conviction on indictment to a fine... or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

(4) No proceedings for an offence under this section shall be, brought in England or Wales except by or with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

(5) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall apply to anything done solely for the purpose of entertainment


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Repeals.

2.-

The following enactments are hereby repealed, that is to say-

9 Geo. 2. c.5 . (a) the Witchcraft Act 1735, so far as still in force, and

5 Geo. 4. c. 83 (b) section four of the Vagrancy Act 1824 so far as it extends to persons purporting to act as spiritualistic mediums or to exercise any powers of telepathy, clairvoyance or other similar powers, or to persons who, in purporting so to act or to exercise such powers, use fraudulent devices.
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Not that they have prosucuted many :roll:
 
So many 'Psychics' threads.. :roll: - I'll lob this story in here:

Psychics given £4,500 government grant to help relatives contact the dead
By Luke Salkeld
Last updated at 12:14 AM on 27th March 2009

Two clairvoyants have been awarded a £4,500 government grant to set up a school for psychics.
Paul and Deborah Rees had their palms crossed with taxpayers' silver after applying for funding through a Department for Work and Pensions job creation scheme.
The couple's Accolade Academy of Psychic and Mediumistic Studies aims to train people to contact 'the other side'.

Yesterday critics branded the award a 'disgrace' and said public money should not be spent on 'hocus pocus' business ideas at a time when thousands are losing their jobs.
But Mr Rees, 40, and his wife, 37, defended the public funding.
Mr Rees said: 'People who feel their tax money has been wasted should remember that if they'd lost a child they would go to a medium to get peace that their loved one has passed safely and is in a better place.
'Our job is to provide substantial evidence to bring ease to people's grieving.' :roll:

The couple, who have been working as mediums for five years, admitted they were surprised to get the Want2Work grant aimed at setting up new businesses.
Mr Rees, a father-of-two who worked as an upholsterer for 17 years, said: 'They hadn't invested in psychics before so we really had to prove ourselves.'
The couple run the £65 workshops from their home in Bridgend, South Wales, and say the cash will be spent on printing, advertising and website costs.

But Conservative Welsh Assembly member Jonathan Morgan said: 'It is an utter disgrace.
The people administering the scheme should be disciplined for allowing this project to get public funding - and the money should be recouped.'

Mark Wallace, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'The last thing our money should be spent on is this kind of hocus pocus.
'At a time when people who are alive are losing their jobs, it's absurd that money is being spent trying to contact the other side.'

Welsh Assembly chiefs have now launched an internal investigation into the funding of the psychic school.
A DWP spokesman said of the £21million Want2Work scheme, aimed at getting 200,000 people back into work: 'We give real help to anyone who loses their job to get back into work as quickly as possible.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -dead.html
 
I believe that psychic phenomena exist, because I often experience them on a low-level basis (thinking a word just before someone says it, etc). Not too sure at all about people who claim to make predictions.
 
H_James said:
I believe that psychic phenomena exist, because I often experience them on a low-level basis (thinking a word just before someone says it, etc). Not too sure at all about people who claim to make predictions.
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Often enough to be measurable or predictable though?

Also, though I disapprove of "psychics", I don't disapprove of the grant - it's capitalism in action. If they can sell their services it'll boost the economy, real or not.
 
ttaarraass said:
If they can sell their services it'll boost the economy, real or not.
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Hah! Got you now! You are Gordon Brown, and I claim my £5 (million)... :twisted:
 
'The last thing our money should be spent on is this kind of hocus pocus.'

The phrase "Wrong kind of hocus-pocus!" is dying to be born, so why shouldn't my labia expel it? :)
 
ttaarraass said:
H_James said:
I believe that psychic phenomena exist, because I often experience them on a low-level basis (thinking a word just before someone says it, etc). Not too sure at all about people who claim to make predictions.
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Often enough to be measurable or predictable though?
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I don't think so, no...
 
I don't think an economy based on the paranormal seems that ludicrous at the moment 8)
 
I believe in psychics but I also believe in fraudsters and tricksters out to make a quick buck from human misery.

As it is I see the mind as a radio transmitter and receiver. Some people have the ability to receive the signals it gives out a little better than others. They are more in tune with the various forms of unknown and invisible energy that surrounds all things and this can help them to manipulate those energy fields. Whether they know it on a concious level or not.
 
Maybe they could get in touch with Keynes for some advice on the economic crisis.
 
'Psychic' wins £1 million on the lottery... but then she knew she would!
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:36 AM on 6th January 2011

A 'psychic' predicted she would win £1 million on the lottery just a few months before hitting the jackpot.

Ocean Kinge, 45, told colleagues about a 'feeling in her bones' and set up a syndicate in August.
The team of 15, who work at West London Training in Aldershot, Hampshire, went on to win £66,666.66 each by sharing a million pounds on the EuroMillions Millionaire Raffle on Christmas Eve.

Catering manager Mrs Kinge, who is married with three sons and lives near Aldershot, said she discovered her special talents at the age of 19.
She claims she can pick up 'energies' through psychometry - holding on to someone's jewellery and describing what she feels.
Mrs Kinge said she only senses good things and would not practise the technique if it uncovered bad omens.

Describing the moment she knew her luck was in, she said: 'Out of the blue one day I just said 'let's start a lottery syndicate because I've just got a really strong feeling we are going to win a big win at the end of the year'.
'It was so strong I could feel it in my bones.
'I said it was going to be a million pounds - don't ask me how, I just knew.'
Asked why she entered in a syndicate rather than alone, Mrs Kinge said: 'I don't know. I just had a feeling it had to be in a syndicate.'

Colleagues who decided not to join the syndicate were 'gutted', she said, while those who did couldn't believe that her prediction had come true.
Her own reaction was 'disbelief', adding: 'Even though I knew it was going to happen when it actually happened I still couldn't believe it - it was just like a dream.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1AFjHq5FG
 
Doesn't everyone who plays the lottery predict they'll win it? Why do it otherwise?
 
And why start playing in August if you're not due to win until December..? ;)
 
Psychic challenged to prove her powers
A TV psychic who claims to speak with the dead is being challenged to prove her powers.
7:00AM BST 28 Oct 2011

Sally Morgan, the clairvoyant who styles herself "Britain's best-loved psychic", has been invited by sceptics to take part in a specially-designed test to demonstrate her abilities, the Guardian reported.
The Halloween challenge, set to take part in Liverpool next Monday could qualify as the first step towards claiming a million-dollar prize offered by an educational foundation for any psychic who can prove their "gift" is real.

Morgan has written three books and is filming her latest series for Sky Living. Her website offers psychic readings over premium rate phone lines, the newspaper said.

The challenge, if Morgan attends, will be hosted by the Mersyside Skeptics Society, with a test devised by Professor Chris French, head of a pscychology research unit at Goldsmiths College London.
In the 20-minute experiment, she will be shown pictures of ten dead women and asked to match them to a list of their first names.

It comes after Mrs Morgan was accused of using off-stage helpers during her shows, claims she described as "completely and utterly balderdash".
A spokesman for Sally Morgan Enterprises said after the claims arose last month: "There are absolutely no plants on Sally's show. This is her gift and she has been sharing it for years with audiences and doesn't need to do that."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/8854 ... owers.html
 
Leftist MP presents new bill restricting advertising of magic
Published time: January 21, 2014 10:29
http://rt.com/politics/russian-mysticis ... g-ban-952/

A State Duma MP from the Fair Russia party wants to fight fraudsters calling themselves spiritual healers and fortune tellers by banning the promotion of such services on TV and the internet.

Mikhail Serdyuk does not question the existence of extrasensory abilities in other people. However, he told Izvestia daily that he had received many complaints from citizens who had become victims of fraudsters.

“Mostly people present themselves as psychics without possessing any supernatural abilities and offer their help. This is a real swindle,” he stated.

The proposed bill aims to “protect the information space from any sort of occultism that negatively affects the physical and mental health of the nation,” with the ultimate objective of “making magic, witchcraft, esotericism and all common wonderworks less popular in the mass media and the information space,” Serdyuk noted.

The MP wants to change the federal laws on mass media, on information and on education. The suggested amendments completely ban any advertising of magic services, or even any reports about such services on television and radio. The mentioning of magicians, astrologers, fortune tellers and the like is allowed only on dedicated TV and radio programs that should run only between 11pm and 4am, and have the permanent notice ‘for entertainment purposes’ on the screen.

In addition, the bill bans paid editorial advertising of occult services and attempts to hide the real nature of such businesses by using various folk names or calling them experts or consultants.

As far as the internet is concerned, the new bill strictly forbids the online posting of any information concerning the occult businesses and their work if such work affects the human health, spiritual life or property.

Serdyuk’s legislative initiative is not the first of its kind. In November last year another Fair Russia MP, Ilya Ponomaryov, presented a set of amendments to the law on healthcare that introduced licenses for healers and wizards, and also the control of qualified doctors over their work.

In press comments about the initiative, Ponomaryov noted that Russian legislators had already tried to limit such businesses in 2010, but the draft could not pass the lower house due to the efforts of the powerful pro-occult lobby.

The politicians’ activity can be explained by the popularity of such services and by the growing number and scale of swindles involving claims of extraordinary powers.

For example, last November Moscow police claimed that they had uncovered a group of “fake psychics” who managed to extort 200 million rubles (over $6 million) from their victims by simply making phone calls and promising remote healing and the solving of other problems. The investigation of this case continues.
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Unforeseen losses force Irish Psychics Live into liquidation
Realm Communications Limited to be wound up despite predicting a return to profit in 2012
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/unfo ... -1.1720861

A liquidator has been appointed to the firm behind Irish Psychics Live, which was founded by former journalist Tom Higgins.

A document lodged with the Companies Office confirms that Eamon Leahy of Leahy & Company, Fairview, Dublin has been appointed as liquidator arising from a resolution of the members of Realm Communications Limited.
The liquidation of the firm follows eight months after the company, which was behind what was Ireland’s most high profile and controversial premium phone line service, ceased trading.

The appointment of Mr Leahy also follows a Revenue Commissioner’s notice in January confirming it had petitioned the High Court to wind up Realm Communications Ltd.

The premium phone line business was established in 1998 and built up a large cash pile over the years before Mr Higgins and his wife Theresa Dunne cashed out in 2009, sharing a dividend payout of €9 million.

Mr Higgins has declared his intention to be the first Irish person in space on board Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactia after paying $200,000 for the privilege.

Callers to the premium phone line were charged €2.40 per minute for instant psychic readings. The rates were the subject of calls to Liveline and an on-air spat between broadcaster Pat Kenny and Mr Higgins.

The website for Irish Psychics Live - no longer operating - stated that it was “operated by genuine Celtic psychics, the most psychic race in the world. Only the most spiritually gifted individuals are selected to participate in this site”.

Mr Higgins sold Realm Communications Ltd to Gavin Hickey and Maxine Payne in 2009 and the most recent figures show that after his departure as director, the firm quickly became loss-making, recording a pre-tax loss of €315,225 in 2010 after recording a post-tax profit of €1.1 million in 2009.

This arose from the firm’s income plummeting with the abridged accounts for the 12 months to the end of April 30th 2010 showing its gross profit declined by 72 per cent from €4.27million to €1.19 million.

The figures show that at the end of the period, €805,714 was owed to Revenue through €479,332 in corporation tax, €191,407 in VAT and €134,975 in PAYE/PRSI.

The firm had net liabilities totalling €809,956.

A note attached to the accounts states that “the net assets of the company are negative and the company has reported a loss in the year compared to profits in previous years back to 2003”.

The note adds: “In the subsequent period, the management accounts indicate a return to profitability, although the turnover has reduced substantially and the balance sheet remains insolvent. It is expected that the company will continue to be profitable and return to solvency in the 2011-2012 year.”

It is not known how the firm has fared since financially as the directors have not filed any accounts in over two years with the last accounts filed in December 2011.

Mr Leahy today did not return a call for comment.
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She didn't see this coming.

An accountant and taxation service provider has made a settlement with the Revenue Commissioners for under declaration of VAT and income tax. ...

Also featured on the list is Carol Byrne, a clairvoyant with an address at Coolmaine in Oylegate, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, who made a settlement of €163,000 with Revenue for the under declaration of VAT and income tax. ...
http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2014/03 ... t-revenue/
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This one has the potential to cause more pain and suffering than most of these charlatans. Full text at link.

'Cell Block Psychic' TV Show Is 'Abhorrent' To Those Who Work With Victims

A new TV series featuring a psychic who allegedly talks to spirits connected with convicted murderers and crime victims is coming under fire from those who work with grieving families.

"Cell Block Psychic" features Maine-based medium Vicki Monroe attempting to communicate with the otherworld to provide closure to the loved ones of murder victims.

Monroe uses a technique of speaking with the dead known as cold reading. Spirits supposedly send images or phrases, and she asks the people she's talking with to fill in the blanks.

Cold reading involves asking leading questions or making general statements that can apply to anyone. It has been used for hundreds of years by magicians, mentalists and self-proclaimed psychics like James Van Praagh and John Edward.

Kristy Dyroff of the National Organization for Victim Assistance finds the whole concept of the show "abhorrent." She thinks the series wrongly suggests that people who have lost a loved one to a violent crime can find "closure."

"It doesn't appear as if [Monroe] has any training in dealing with crime victims," Dyroff, who saw a clip of the show, told The Huffington Post. "You never talk about closure. It's unattainable and frustrates the victims. We encourage them to find a 'new normal' because they'll never go back to what they had."

Monroe claims that she has talked with the dead since she was a kid and that her psychic powers have enabled her to solve numerous cases. ...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/1 ... ird%20News
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Oh dear, I can see the writs flying already -
Monroe uses a technique of speaking with the dead known as cold reading.
...
Cold reading involves asking leading questions or making general statements that can apply to anyone. It has been used for hundreds of years by magicians, mentalists and self-proclaimed psychics like James Van Praagh and John Edward.
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:lol:
 
escargot1 said:
Oh dear, I can see the writs flying already -
Monroe uses a technique of speaking with the dead known as cold reading.
...
Cold reading involves asking leading questions or making general statements that can apply to anyone. It has been used for hundreds of years by magicians, mentalists and self-proclaimed psychics like James Van Praagh and John Edward.
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:lol:
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In the US you can say things like that. Of course the Psychics could always prove that they are genuine.
 
Came across this just now. It's from last year.

What I'm really thinking: the clairvoyant

People often criticise my "job" and ask why, if I could truly communicate with the dead, I would pass on seemingly innocuous messages. I want to say that I'm in a powerful position and would never abuse it, and that it's not a job you pick – the job picks you.
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Ooer! :shock:
 
I guess there are lots of fraudsters, but there are also stories from people of receiving accurate predictions from a fortune teller.

I have three types of anecdotes to add to this thread.

I know of a case where someone was advertising his services - very like the ones on the previous page - "get rid of black magic", etc., and astrology, but he seems to have been a malign individual - far worse than an ordinary fraudster. He called himself Man Haron Monis, was an Iranian in Australia, and ran a spiritual consultancy in Sydney. However, it was later alleged in court that he would sexually assault women clients. He then went on to take up some sort of radical political ideology, and declared himself to be a supporter of ISIS. He held up the Lindt cafe in Sydney, and two people were killed. That's awful. Far worse than any of the other people advertising as psychics.

I myself have been a client of fortune tellers. Yes! I had my cards read when I visited New Orleans - it seemed like the thing to do - and I once had a horoscope done, by a very polite and well spoken astrologer. All good. They made interesting comments and did seem to have some insights. It might be said that they were just picking up on what I myself had told them - quite possible. It wasn't such a complete waste of time as once when I was stressed out after an awful medical procedure, and went to see a qualified counsellor in Sydney, recommended by my doctor. She talked a load of rubbish, and increased my level of stress.

And - I myself have told fortunes! Never for money. I just do it for a diversion and a bit of fun. I used to read tarot cards, but I have let that drop over the years. I read tea cups and coffee cups. Sometimes I meet friends at the cafe, and for entertainment and chat, we have a cup reading. I sometimes pick up ideas which people say come out to be true. But then, if one makes enough predictions, I suppose there is a law of averages at work. I think it is possible to have precognition - the mind is subtle, and we all "know" many more things than of what we are fully conscious.

I would say with confidence that when I comes to predictions, at least I am not as bad as some of the highly paid economists, who keep telling us what will happen next. About a billion dollars later, they always seem to be wrong.

I used to know a lady who was a professional tarot card reader. She liked to meet with me and have me do a reading for her. From her point of view, it was a nice turn around from her usual work - like a beautician having a facial. She believed in her work, she was not any sort of deliberate fraudster. She thought that people who consulted clairvoyants usually just wanted to spell out their problems and have advice.
 
LittleBat said:
She thought that people who consulted clairvoyants usually just wanted to spell out their problems and have advice.
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I read Tarot as well and I totally concur with the above point. People have often said 'Oh so and so says you read tarot, can you read for me?' and then proceeded to assail me with their problems to which I have attentively listened and offered advice that frankly has little to do with the cards in front of me and was simply sensible advice (which I imagine any number of people had given them previously). There is something to do with the advice coming not from a person but from an agency that grants it more weight for some people. Similar I suppose to the Greek oracles.
 
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