Fraudulent Psychics

Pagan Magic said (in  November 09):
It came to my attention yesterday that a local tarot reader - who seems to have only just appeared on the scene - is making very upsetting and disturbing predictions.

One of his clients, a young girl - was told that the predictions were always right, and that her brother would kill his best friend in a car accident, before committing suicide - she (the querent) would commit suicide shortly after this. Obviously this has left her feeling very shaken, and as she has a disabled mother - very emotionally distressed.

Now, as I've heard this third-party I can't very well confront this young man - however I am putting together a press release for my local papers (and one that I can later turn into an article for general distribution).

The press release will cover the following areas:

The rise in people turning to psychics
Types of psychic and their services
Guide to choosing a respected and reliable reader
What to avoid - the signs of a fraudulent psychic
The Law - i.e. the UK Consumer Protection Regulations

I would like to hear from genuine psychics on what people should look for and what to avoid - so that I can provide a responsible yet practical guide to prevent other people from being affected, not just by this young man - but by other fraudulent people.

Thank you for your help.

‘Mel’ said:

Thank you for asking. :) The future is many times changeable. I personally believe that if such a terrible psychic message were to come across to me, it would also come along with advice on how to prevent or alter the future. People aren't told of their tragic deaths unless it isn't their time and there is a way to change the outcome. Personally, even if I saw such an outcome, I most likely wouldn't share it because it would cause way too much fear. However, I might delve deeper to see if there was a message I was being asked to pass along in order to alter the future event. I have inadvertently prevented such things but I was never aware of the danger, I only gave a message and advice, it was taken to heart and that is how the tragedy was avoided. Anyways, here goes:

1. A good psychic will tell you that the future is changeable.
2. A good psychic will never tell you that they are always right. No psychic is 100% accurate.
3. Do not trust a psychic that tells you that there is a curse on yourself and/or your family and that they need additional money to light candles for you in their church in order to lift the curse.
4. Do not trust someone who tells you that they can solve all your problems for you through their own magick and ask for personal belongings from you and/or more money to buy supplies for a ritual.
5. Do not trust someone who puts you down for your deep rooted beliefs. Example: You work with the Angels and mention it to them and they tell you not to do that anymore. This kind of thing is an attempt at dis-empowering you...making you vulnerable and more dependent on them.
6. Don't trust someone who brags about themselves and goes overboard on trying to convince you of how powerful they are.
7. Do not go to a psychic when you are extremely depressed or grieving unless you already have a trusted relationship with one. When we are vulnerable and go out looking for a psychic, this is often when we attract bad psychics. You can get lucky and find a good one but as a rule of thumb, take care of yourself, go talk to a friend, meditate, exercise...do something to bring your energy and mood level up before seeking out psychic advice.
8. You shouldn't feel worse after seeing a psychic. Even if the session made you cry (it happens) you should still leave feeling lighter, like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders.
9. Don't trust a psychic that needs personal information about you before they start the reading. If a psychic asks you for clarification during the reading, chances are, they are digging for information to use.
10. Consider promises and guarantees red flags.

Not all "bad psychics" are bad people. Some are people pleasers that just want to feel special and want to be liked. They may be beginners at reading and believe that they are better than they really are. It's not right but it's not the same as the others out there that are intentionally out to manipulate and control others. These types are in a different, more dangerous class. Some of them really are psychic but are using their gift in a really negative way.

Good psychics come with different personalities and different ways. Some are quiet, some are loud, some are bubbly and some are solemn. Best thing to do is go by the guidelines above but also trust your gut. Everyone has an intuition about things. If alarms are going off inside you, pay attention.

As a reader personally, I never know if my reading is accurate until after it's over and the person gives me feedback. I don't ask for any information. First name and a handshake is just the polite thing to do. I tend to do all the talking (and prefer it that way) throughout the reading, just letting the information flow out. When someone starts talking during the reading, it totally throws me off and my emotions and opinions get in the way, it lessens the accuracy of the reading. It is my belief that the message is already there, it's not something the psychic has to think about, they just have to receive and deliver it. But again...I don't mean to pass judgment on other good psychics, this has been my experience.

I said:
     
Yes, Mel's remarks are excellent, and cover the matter thoroughly.  I would only differ on one point. In my own practice I do ask for feedback on what I am getting, in the specific instance when I am working as a medium. I describe who I am "getting" and ask if they know that person; or, if they have asked to be put in touch with someone in particular who has passed over, I will ask if I am getting the right person. It's not uncommon for some other deceased friend or relative to come through, and we both need to know who is communicating.

I have an arrangement with my guides that if there is something the client is not supposed to know, then I don't get it in the first place. It saves all the worry about whether I should or shouldn't tell them. If I do see anything untoward, I don't leave it at that; I find out either how to prevent it or, if that is not possible, how to deal with it for the best.

I tell my clients that "nothing is set in concrete" and that "forewarned is forearmed"; that I can only tell them what the tendencies are at this point, and they have the power to change them. If they have a dilemma, I try to show them what each option would be like for them so they can make an informed choice.

Oh, and another thing - the mark of a professional is that they'll refund your money if you're unsatisfied. I have only had to do so once, when a woman came back after her reading, to complain that she had wanted serious advice and I had fed her a string of platitudes. I felt this was far from the case, and she simply didn't want to let in what I had told her - however I just said, cheerfully, "Oh, let me refund your money then," and handed it to her. She was mollified, and allowed that I had probably done my best. I later heard that she was bad-mouthing me all over town for being a fake, but I wasn't worried - plenty of people knew otherwise.

In fact I had given this woman extra time at no charge because I wanted to help her understand the changes she needed to make in her life. That's probably another sign: a good psychic will be more concerned to be of service than to be rigid about times - unless there are other clients waiting.