Bad Psychics?

Photo by Steven DePolo (cc)

I’m not saying bad psychics should be launched into space, but sometimes I’m riled enough to think it. I spend a lot more time thinking about this now that I live in south Florida, where it seems that every week the newspaper brings a fresh tale of how some innocent creature was bilked out of thousands of dollars by an unethical psychic or healer. Hornswoggled, even, because that word is dramatic enough for these news stories. Our transitive population, mixed into a cultural gumbo with a heavy dash of scam artistry, is full of these kinds of stories.

Most of us see an astrologer, or a reader, or a healer, when things are hard- it’s rare that I have a first-time client who comes in saying, “everything’s fine, just want to check in.” We look for help when we need it, which is healthy. But don’t let your feelings cloud your judgment of the person you’re asking for help! A few red flags that are common to these sad stories:

• Charging extra to remove bad energy or curses
• Holding large sums of your cash until a certain auspicious date to “bless” or “activate” it
• Readers that only go by a pseudonym, with no real name or contact info
• Large fees for “secret” cleansing ceremonies that you do not get to attend

Starcana has a great post about scam detection and the warning signs of bad psychic, and AstroDatabank keeps a bad astrology link on their front page. There are plenty of ethical astrologers and readers out there, but sadly there are also a lot of scam artists. But don’t despair; if you ask questions, get some background info, and establish a rapport, you can be confident in the professional you choose.

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