Am I Getting Scammed?
Getting scammed is easier than ever these days, and with present-day technology, scams are now more sophisticated than before. A Psychic’s Story doesn’t want you to be a victim! Please reference our tips below if something ever feels off to ensure you protect yourself, your money, and your energy.
Check out our episode 204, Spiritual Scams, to hear about people’s real experiences of getting scammed.
General Tips and Considerations
Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is.
Do a search for the person or company. While reviews can be paid for, online searches are still a good rule of thumb.
Don’t be fooled; just because someone is an exceptional medium or psychic doesn’t mean they are kind, loving, or trustworthy.
If someone you know is being drawn into a scam, you can confront them about it, but do it carefully and in a loving way.
Remember that if you willing give a practitioner money without specific measurable services identified, they cannot be prosecuted if you think you have been scammed.
Keep an Eye Out for Online Impersonators
Any legit practitioner will never proactively direct message you on social media, let alone tap into your energy without your permission and then ask you if you want a reading. If someone does that’s a hard no.
If this happens, the impersonator will always be messaging you from a fake profile. More on how to identify a fake profile is below.
Unfortunately, if you send the impersonator account to the legit practitioner, Meta won’t do anything if they alert them. Therefore, the best course of action is for you to report and block the impersonator account to Meta yourself.
Scammers will usually start the direct message with something off like “Beloved…” “I can sense intense energy about you…” “I have an important message from spirit for you…” or have a bunch of emoticons and emojis throughout the message. Keep an eye out for that.
You can also tell if an account is legit or not by looking at when the photos were posted. For example, any duplicate accounts can be copied and pasted via software. This means that mostly all the photos and copy on a profile will be “posted” on the same day and time.
Another way to check an account is to double-check the spelling of the handle. People got really creative in the spelling when making fake accounts for A Psychic’s Story. It would be one less “s” or extra letter. Most people don’t always check the account spelling, but they should.
Not all things are equal. Many legit practitioners will say, “My only account is such and such.” A Psychic’s Story has several on Instagram – the podcast one (@APsychicsStory), two other podcasts (@PsychicKids and @SupernaturalMatters), Nichole’s personal @NicholeBigley, and the company handle @audiowakes. When in doubt, search online, find the person’s or business’s website, and scroll to click from there to their social media pages.
Do not pay directly for an appointment from social media. If someone sends you a link and asks you to pay them on PayPal, Venmo, etc. That is a yellow flag. I say it is a yellow flag and not a red one because this isn’t a hard and fast rule because many legitimate practitioners don’t have a website or use an official secure booking system. If in doubt, ask the practitioner if you can pay after the session is done (if they don’t have an official website or business set up). Any legitimate practitioner will understand.
When paying through something like PayPal, Venmo, Stripe, etc., the account name and subsequent details should, in theory, match their official name, company, or email address. This just takes a few minutes to check and is totally worth it to protect your wallet.
Many of the online scammers are not from or based in the U.S. Once your money is gone, jurisdiction is out the window. It’s in your best interest to research, and when in doubt, don’t engage.
Be Leary of “Free” Discovery Calls and Watch Out for Pushy Sales People
Discovery calls are meant to sell you a product or service. If a practitioner offers a discovery call to sell a package, course, etc., keep in mind that they want to answer your questions to close a sale.
Never let anyone take your power away. You always have free will and choice. Anytime someone tries to use fear to get you to spend more time or money with them, it is a clear sign to walk away.
If someone is encouraging you to spend more money than you can afford, they don’t have your best interests at heart. That said, practitioners should charge what they feel they are worth. But not to the detriment of pushing someone into debt. Responsibility and due diligence are needed on both sides.
If an offer seems intriguing but you're not sure, ask a trusted friend or family member what they think.
Don’t Feel Forced to Make Decisions While in a Vulnerable State
Be on the lookout for anyone who takes advantage of you when you are in a vulnerable state. Many people are extremely good at reading the emotions of others and exploiting them. In certain instances, practitioners wait until trust has been built and then ask for more money.
Never feel that you have to make a decision in the moment. A good practitioner will say there are some other things you should consider or that the two of you can discuss later.
Take it slow. If you like someone but don’t want to make a large investment, ask to take small steps. Their response may tell you what their true intentions are.
Trust Your Gut
Keep your eyes open to practitioners who portray themselves as a victim and pray upon your empathy and compassion. A spiritual advisor should be just that an advisor or mentor. If they don’t keep it professional, consider going elsewhere.
Do your research – online or locally – by asking about others’ experiences. If people share that they got “taken for money,” that is a red flag.
Trust your intuition. If you feel someone is a fraud or that they take advantage of their gifts, trust it.
Receiving guidance, encouragement, and validation through a psychic practitioner can be invaluable in navigating your spiritual journey.
At the same time, it’s important to be cautious and go slow to avoid being scammed.
