Know When to Run: My Experience with a Scam

The New Age industry is like any industry - you find great people and great service who genuinely want to help you, and there are those who tell you that your situation is not so good and want you to pay them to removed the spell, vex or curse that's impeding your happiness. Unfortunately, notoriety of outfits such as "Psychic Surgeons" and the infamous Miss Cleo, just don't make us who work in this industry look any better. I don't ever think that the media has run a story involving how psychics help police solve cold cases.

Today, I want to focus on how I was had by a true charlatan…

There were several things that I should have taken into account that the woman was not genuine. These lessons I want to pass on to you.

I had always driven by a big neon sign on one of the major roads in north Seattle that advertised a psychic and palm reader. But, I never had the curiosity to investigate, nor did I ever bother to look into the business. 

Looking back, I now know why…

When I contacted the business, I was in bad shape mentally. I had just broken up and I was not working. I needed some guidance. I drove by that same sign and decided to give them a call. The lady on the phone gave me a different address than what I expect. She had me drive down to an different address than what I had gotten the number from.

When I entered, I spoke with her and told her the truth of the situation she said that she could help. She began with a Tarot reading, but she told me that she didn't read the cards like other readers.

1. When your adviser tells you at the beginning of a Tarot reading that she doesn't read them according to convention…
   Now, I knew the cards and that many readers read the cards differently. But, she was really, really off. She basically proceeded to tell me what I had already told her and that the cause of all my suffering was because of a curse.
   
2. When your adviser tells you that you have a curse placed upon you by people who envy you (psychic attack)…
   She gave me bath salts and oil to "cleanse" my body and spirit. She also instructed me to "cleanse" my apartment with consecrated water. But, to genuinely lift the curse, she could remove it or at least alleviate it for a fee.
   
   
3. When your advisory tells you that she can remove the curse for a fee…
   At the time I was willing to try anything, so I agreed.
   
   
4. When your adviser tells you to buy "items" that would help her provide some assistance…
   She then gave me a list and explained what she was going to do with all the items. She told me to bring them to the next session. They were: Laundry Detergent, Paper Towels and Spray Pre-Wash Treatment?! What the hell? She's not going to lift the curse of help me, she's going to do some laundry. I left after maybe paying her an additional $100 to remove the spell.
   
   Days before the next session, I went and bought all the items for about $70 total. I went to the next session, but things didn't seem like they were getting better. So, she said that she needed to do more meditation and prayer and more contacting the "angels" regarding my situation. She also mentioned that for more money she would try another spell or meditation because the curse was just so strong. Her next list of items were silk scarves of a particular color that corresponded to the chakras of the body. She didn't want the scarves themselves, but gift certificates from Nordstrom's! According to her, they would be expensive…
   
   
   
5. When your adviser tells you to buy more expensive items so she can lift the curse…
   That was the last straw. I had heard of such things. I thought that the laundry stuff was actually for my situation, while, in fact, it was for hers: dirty laundry. I decided to never see her again.

I had read or watched similar stories where many people were scammed out of a lot of money, by preying on the false hopes and fears of their "clients" (read: "victims"). They just kept telling them what they wanted to know and that more needed to be done, more needed to be done. I think that one charlatan scammed thousands of dollars from one victim. Now, I was one of them… The only person to blame was… me.

I fell for it. I was the one who sought for her "help". I was the one who kept returning. I was the one who went to the local Fred Meyers to buy all this stuff and with my unemployment money! I got mad at myself. I was truly ashamed and never spoke about it for several years. It is only now that I have decided to bring my story out into the light.

This woman knew that I had limited funds. But, instead of letting me leave with something simple or with real advice, she gave me false hopes and her f**king LAUNDRY LIST! She gave me a "reason" for me to return, for more of the same BS. Nope… no scruples, scruple less.

I victimized myself through this woman.

On the day that I was scheduled to meet with B, I called because I finally got around to recognizing that I was being had. I wanted to cancel and never schedule another session with her. When she answered the phone she was having dinner and she had forgotten about the appointment. I never called her again, nor did she call me. Obviously, she forgot about her "customer"/"victim".

In the end, I believe that I had spent too much on "advice" and miscellaneous items. I know of some who were scammed out of much, much more.

I let the idea of "false" hope to take over. Many of the things that she claimed to do for me, I could have easily done for myself and it would have been so much more powerful. Also, keeping mind of certain spiritual ethics would have stop me from going forward with some of the things that I wanted to see happen. But, it's all water under the bridge, and my lesson I would like to pass on to you.

So, here it is to the reader, look out for the above signs. And, for those who choose to go into business, beware of such unethical conduct. Please, please pay attention to what your adviser wants you to do. A good reader will show you how you can help yourself; a charlatan will have you pay them to do it. And, to keep you coming back, they will tell you that it's not getting better and that you need to continue to use their services.

To this day, I'm surprised that she is still in business. I'm sure that eventually Dharma will catch up to her considering all the Karma that has come about.

A while back while talking to my cousin, she consulted with a spiritual adviser  At the end of the reading, he asked her if he could "help" remove the "blocks" in her life… for a fee, of course. Luckily, my cousin was much smarter than I, and declined the "offer". I did a reading for her, and now she is re-inspired to pursue hobbies/dreams of hers, helping children and drawing. Hopefully, when she has time we can work on a non-profit Tarot deck.

Eventually, I found a very credible woman who worked with me and my finances because she was truly and willing to help me. She's inspired me to be the same. Thank you, Maria.

To my readers LOVE, LIGHT and LUCK.
-- Eutyches