How to Avoid Scammers in the Spiritual Community

It doesn't matter what industry you're in, inevitably there will always be someone dishonest who seeks to manipulate the system for their own selfish means at the expense of others. The spiritual community is no exception.

I've worked as a professional in this industry for many years. With time, I've learned the red flags to look out for when it comes to spiritual practitioners, as well as what clients value the most.

One of the many card readings that I offer in my shop. I'm always upfront and don't sugarcoat things. I also practice what I preach and don't upsell people.

Here are 7 things to be wary of and why:

1) They don't show their face.

This isn't V for Vendetta or Spiderman. If someone is running a business, people need to know that they can trust them, and hiding behind a camera or mask isn't going to accomplish that. Hiding one's face means a person has something to hide, and when a professional does it, it's cause for even more suspicion.

2) They drastically over-charge or under-charge for their services.

This is a big one. I have had clients come to me stating they spent $10k on a "cleansing" of "spiritual parasites" before. There's no way in hell a service should ever cost that much. If I wouldn't spend that much on cleaning a large house, then I sure as hell won't spend it on a spiritual cleansing. People charge ridiculous amounts so they can do one "service" and not have to work the rest of the week or month. It's a scam. By contrast, under-charging is a red flag for using AI or not actually doing the work. Readings, reiki, spell work, etc take time, energy, and effort. That's not something that can be done in 5 minutes for $2.

3) Their workload doesn't seem feasible.

Recently, I was performing Etsy market research. One popular psychic had an average of 200 sales per day. Think about how many hours are in a day or week and ask yourself whether it's possible to actually do that many quality readings in that amount of time. It's a red flag for AI, copying and pasting readings, or doing half-ass work just to make a few bucks. Oftentimes, these practitioners will also under-charge for their services. They get a lot of sales but what you end up receiving is either at best, low-quality or at worst, entirely fake altogether.

4) They use overly fancy and gimmicky wording.

I can't stand this! When a person is selling a good or service, the language should be clear, concise, and to-the-point about what the client or customer is receiving. Too often I will come across a shop that has a load of fancy wording without actually being clear about what they are providing or what the customer or client is receiving. It is also a red flag for AI. Oftentimes, these shops will have AI generated graphics and images as well.

5) They try to upsell you.

It is one thing to make a suggestion or recommendation if the client asks for your professional opinion. Even I get requests for this sometimes. However, what is not okay is to do a service for someone, claim there's something horrifically wrong with them, then try to sell them an additional service for hundreds of dollars. It's how scammers bait unsuspecting people into paying for the big stuff.

6) They only use AI or stock images.

Unfortunately, this has become a huge problem, especially on Etsy. Part of the reason why I offer video readings and spells is because the spiritual market is now teaming with AI generated readings and spells. They are very easy to fake, especially in a written format. A lot of clients have been coming to me stating they were recently the victim of an AI scammer. These sellers are fairly easy to spot as their services are typically very cheap, none of their graphics are original, and for some reason they like to market themselves as a generations old witch or coven with AI generated pics to match. If you can't see their actual face on social media where they interact with viewers, it's probably AI and a scam.

7) They get angry and defensive when you confront them about any of the above.

Any good business person understands the value of feedback, whether good or bad. I have received both in the years that I've been a practicing white witch and tarot reader. I always take the feedback and utilize it to improve myself and my business. I didn't get to where I am today by being perfect. I got here by making mistakes, owning up to them, and doing better. If a seller or practitioner gets angry about honest and genuine feedback, they are at the very least not a good business person and quite possibly a scammer.

Have you been scammed? Share your story in the comments below so that others may learn from your mistakes and know what to look out for.

Until next blog post,

Courtney

Owner, Carolina Mystic LLC