If any psychic speaks to
you of "curses", and offers to remove them for a fee, I suggest
you grab your pocketbook and head for an exit. If I said anything, I would tell such a person
that I don’t believe in curses, but I do know a scam when I hear one. If
I had not yet paid, I would not offer to. If you are at a psychic fair,
and something like this happens to you, report the incident to the fair
management. In big psychic fairs you will be refunded any money paid, and
the reader will be fined or expelled. The promoter has an interest in
running a "clean" fair, and will want to know if anyone is
"scamming" this way. It is fraud, and it’s against the law.
"Curses" are nothing but a prelude to an escalating series of
demands by the reader who will charge to remove them. Of course the curse
is purely imaginary, but a client’s life can become a living hell if you
choose to believe in one.
One psychic told me a
story of a local client who went to a reader who convinced her that her
problems with romance were caused by a "curse on her love life".
A national TV talk show exposed such scams, complete with magic tricks to
show the client how "evil the curse was". There would be a
hairball inside an unbroken egg to prove a client was cursed. As silly as
this image seems, two of the clients taken for a $10,000 ride were
well-educated urban professionals. In a vulnerable, highly emotional
state, it can be easy to convince even educated professionals that they
have been "cursed".
When my client ran out of
money, the psychic suggested that she be allowed to use her Visa card to
pay for her "services". This woman was not "cursed" at
all. When helped to see that her problems with relationships reflected a
co-dependency problem, I am sure she began the road to recovery. Deep
issues like co-dependency or adult child difficulties cannot be cured by a
magic wave or gesture. A serious person must seek out competent help, and
be willing to work things through.
There are other scams,
"blessed" candles that sell for outrageous amounts of money
(anything over $30 unless the candle is huge, or is an art-piece),
"exorcisms" and other questionable practices. Many practices
that I might consider fraudulent at worst, or useless at best, are held in
high esteem by some of my colleagues, but you can bless your own candles,
and you should learn how to clear the energy in your home yourself. If you
feel that you need these services, try to find them on a donation basis,
or at a reasonable fee. I would want to pay a psychic for her time, and I
would judge how much time it takes to "clear" a space, and pay
her at the same rate as her readings. If you wish to pay more out of the
goodness of your heart or gratitude that is one thing - if you feel you
have to because you are afraid she will "curse" you, that is
something different altogether.
There are two schools of
thought where it comes to psychic services. One might say that it is wrong
to charge at all. People who hold this view think that the psychic gift is
a "holy" one, and should not be a business. I argue that a
painter or a doctor has a divine gift too, and just as rightly deserves a
reward for their time and knowledge – just not an outrageous one.
Some additional
thoughts ...
Don't let yourself be
pressured into readings or purchases. That is the first sign of a scammer.
If you are or have been a
victim of this kind of scam, or something similar, you absolutely must
report it to the police! If you are not concerned about yourself, at least
think of others. You can prevent a serious crime (recently
I read of two elderly victims being fleeced for over a million dollars).
You can report
anonymously, through your local Crime Stoppers, if you fear retribution.
Don't be afraid if you report, that the so-called "psychic" will
curse you. Most of these cads are about as psychic as the average brick,
to begin with.
And remember ... no-one
can "curse" you without your permission. It's less a function of
the psychic ability than it is one of suggestion. There are sections in
the book that teach you how to deflect negative energy if you feel that
this is a real risk, but I can assure you it is unlikely. Most
"curses" work because the victim is aware of them and believes
in them.
