When we hear the words ‘fortune teller’, most of us are likely to conjure up images of gypsies peering into a crystal ball amidst a pall of incense within a dimly lit room. It’s an image that we’ve seen portrayed in movies many times over.
So why the inherent disbelief in the capabilities or the authenticity of fortune tellers? Why do we believe them to be fraudsters trying to manipulate us into handing over as much money as possible?
It’s because, unfortunately, people pass themselves off as fortune tellers when in fact they’re just scammers trying to persuade you into giving them your money.
It’s important to remember that there are more genuine fortune tellers than there are fraudsters. On a positive note, it’s relatively easy to detect whether your fortune teller is a fraud. Here are the four simplest methods for detecting a fraudulent fortune teller:
- They give you generalised statements.
If your fortune teller gives you broad, generic statements that could apply to anyone, it’s a clear indication that they have no intuitive capabilities.
You want your fortune teller to give you information that’s uniquely relatable to your circumstances and questions, or it’s time to give them the flick.
- Fishing for information.
Leading the customer is a popular tactic used by fake fortune tellers. Their inability to intuitively garner information about you means they have to rely on extracting as much information as they can through leading questions.
For example, they may continually end with a sentence with, ‘does this have any meaning for you?’ A genuine fortune teller wouldn’t need to ask. - They tell you you’re cursed.
If your fortune teller states you’re cursed or that there’s a dark energy surrounding you that needs to be exorcised, get out of there immediately! A fake fortune teller employs this scare tactic, so you’ll provide them with more information.
They then use this information to scam you so you keep coming back for more sessions and handing over as much of your hard-earned money as possible. - They offer free and unprompted advice to strangers
Fake fortune tellers will approach strangers who appear vulnerable, as they’re skilled in readingbody language. They’ll provide the stranger with a titbit to entice them and capture their interest so they’ll book a session.
A genuine fortune teller is unlikely to approach you with unsolicited information, and if they were compelled to approach you, they’d offer details for free. They wouldn’t try to extort money from you in exchange for this information.
While there are scammers in the industry, there are also many genuine fortune tellers who are looking to help their clients by facilitating spiritual enlightenment and helping them with their life path and life choices.
The best way to ensure you find someone genuine is by word of mouth. Chances are, someone you know has sought out a fortune teller. Or you could look up well-respected psychic organisations that have been in operation for some time. They’ll have a list of respected and genuine fortune tellers that can help you address any problems you need clarified.
