How To Spot A Fake Psychic Scam From A Mile Away

We often spend much of our lives looking for answers and guidance, but with an endless supply of so-called psychics and mediums, there is a lot of potential for scammers and fake psychics posing as real ones.

The online psychic industry is worth $2 billion annually in the United States alone. So it’s no surprise that the market is riddled with fake psychics offering baseless predictions that will never come true. This unfortunate reality leaves many feeling disappointed, frustrated, and hopeless.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to spot a fake psychic and the tell-tale signs of a scammer.

How To Spot A Fake Psychic: 10 Signs To Look For

Outrageous Past Life Claims

How would you feel if you were incredibly famous in a past life? I’m talking about figures like Shakespeare, Galileo, or Joan of Arc? You’d probably feel pretty good.

But if your past life sounds too good to be true, it is.

Telling someone that they were significant historical figures in their past life is a well-known psychic scam. It’s based on the theory that inflating your ego will make you desire more. Either they’ll dupe you into an up-sell, or you’ll want to return for another session.

Vague Readings That Lack Details

Telltale phrases and questions that signify a vague reading include:

• “You are at a crossroads.”
• “You’ve been worried lately.”
• “You’ve lost someone close to you.”
• “You’re an independent thinker.”
• “You sometimes suffer from anxiety.”
• “Who has cancer?”
• “You’ve been missing someone.”

Watch out also for psychic readings that are vague, but end in a mighty cliffhanger. For example, “You’re under a powerful curse.” A fraudulent psychic will offer more information if you pay them more money.

It’s human nature to want to know the end of the story. A psychic that leaves you in suspense is a sure sign that the “psychic” is just after more of your cash. But you shouldn’t be paying just to be asked to buy something else.

A true reading will feel completely different. You will know that your psychic has done their best to answer your questions and to provide reliable information.

Saying Exactly What You Want To Hear

What you want to hear and what you need to hear are often very different things.  Often people see psychics at vulnerable spots in their life. Hearing only what you think you want to know can do more harm than good.

People want to hear that their spouse will return, or their lover will leave their wife. They need reassurance that they will find a new job very soon.  These things very well might happen. However, it’s unethical for a fake psychic to say they will, just to ensnare their customer.

Instead of predicting something that’s possible in your future, counterfeit psychics look to make a connection. Once they find a way to relate, they hit home on that memory or desire. They mirror what you are feeling and saying.

Scare Tactics

If you go to a fraud psychic that uses scare tactics, you’ll wish you hadn’t. No one should shell out money to feel doomed, frightened, or helpless.

A dishonest psychic who uses scare tactics is trying to make you reliant upon them. They may talk about evil spirits or people who wish to cause you harm. Their speech will include words like toxic, victim, peril, and catastrophe.

Once you’re fearful, they may use the opportunity to ask for personal details. They can then use these to scam you.

Asking Too Many Questions

Most psychics don’t need to ask too many questions. They rely on intuition to tell them what they need to know about you.

Fake psychics, however, constantly fish for information. They wish to uncover what your hopes and dreams are. Then they will use that information to make predictions that make you feel good.

If a psychic is asking a lot of questions, that’s a good indication they’re fraudulent. Head for the door, and don’t look back.

Curse Removal

Curses have a strong grip on our imagination. Even those who wouldn’t describe themselves as superstitious can harbor a secret fear of curses.  Curse removal is a classic psychic scam. It has bilked people out of hundreds or thousands of dollars.

And guess what happens when your luck doesn’t turn around? You try to get your money back, but the “psychic” stops returning your calls or disappears.  Real psychics simply don’t deal with curse removals. If a person claiming to be psychic offers to lift a curse for you, you’ll know they’re a con-artist.

Love Spells

Love spells are another service that actual psychics do not offer. However, it’s easy to understand why someone would pay for love spells. Most of us know the pain and desperation of unrequited love. It’s an emotion that’s easy for con artists to tap.

On a more positive note, love psychics can help you set an intention to find love. But if they’re offering to make someone fall for you, that’s when it’s a scam. Their role is not to manipulate others into feeling things they don’t want to feel.

Claim To Be 100% Accurate

Clairvoyants use their psychic ability to predict what’s possible in the future. They can’t tell the future with certainty, so any claim to 100% accuracy is just a sleazy marketing tactic.

However, one thing is sure about the future. You’re unlikely to get your money back from a psychic claiming 100% accuracy.

No References or Online Reviews

Scammers aim to fly under the radar, so they don’t attract the attention of authorities. Often they move business premises, or even change cities or towns. They may also solicit fake reviews and testimonials.

Legitimate psychics, on the other hand, attract genuine positive reviews. They consistently build their business and attract repeat customers.

Be wary of psychics who claim things that can’t easily be verified. For example, they might say that they’ve read for particular celebrities.

Asking For Additional Money Outside the Cost of Reading

Hidden costs or up-sells are another sure sign of a scam. Unethical “psychics” will also encourage you to go into debt to pay them outrageous amounts.

Remember, fraud psychics will use unfair and deceptive practices to push a person to spend money, like:

• False sympathy
• Spooky predictions
• Big promises they can’t deliver
• Asking you to pay large sums via cash or wire transfer
• Making claims they can’t prove

Final Thoughts

Visiting a psychic is a fun thing to do. When you have a problem, it should also be helpful and insightful.

However, it’s wise to remember that there are scammers and con artists in the industry. Their main aim is to separate you from your money. Avoid “psychics” who try to flatter or scare you into making further purchases.

Often, these so-called psychics are just using high-level psychological tricks or body language. They also make educated guesses based on things like your age and gender. Women generally would like to know about relationships, and men ask for advice about money.

So, don’t be fooled by fake mediums feeding people hope and false sympathy. Be particularly careful if you’re feeling drained emotionally by your circumstances.

Play it safe by checking a psychic’s references and recommendations. Don’t spend more than you had planned.  Check out my guide to the best phone psychics if you need recommendations.  And if you do come across a con artist, don’t be embarrassed to report the person to the authorities.