“Famous fortune-teller and seer predicted the course of negotiations to end the war” – such absurd headlines have flooded the information space of a country struggling to survive. And the information hygiene of the population has long been unable to withstand the attacks of not only the external enemy, as Petliura used to say – Moscow lice, but also “Ukrainian nits.”
Despite the fact that science has long refuted magic and mysticism and exposed many scams in this area, and TV producers do not even hide the fact that their psychics are just actors in reality shows, thousands of Ukrainians still pay huge sums to charlatans.
The greatest danger is the influence of charlatans on the military and their families, who, in times of mental distress, turn to fortune tellers and psychics with requests to find out about the fate of a relative at the front or to buy a “talisman” for a soldier – Chinese junk for three kopecks from Ali Express that fraudsters sell for thousands of dollars to people in psychological distress.
When fraudsters deceive people with weapons, PTSD, who risked their lives or their families, this is a particularly dangerous situation for the state, which has left the harmful activities of pseudo-magicians, fortune tellers and psychics to their own devices.
After all, the bright sign of “magic” often hides cynical schemes of manipulation and deception. Using the vulnerability and crisis states of people, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, financial difficulties, serious illness, loneliness, war, when people are vulnerable and looking for any straw of hope or comfort, fraudsters simply swindle people out of their money.
Using such ancient psychological techniques of deception as obtaining information through psychological tricks, general statements that the victim takes personally, playing on emotions, and even researching the social networks of future clients or preliminary eliciting information from assistants in the role of “ordinary people,” fraudsters create the impression that they “know something.” And intimidation, vague predictions, and imitation of rituals create the effect of a connection to “higher knowledge.”
Phrases like: “You feel inner tension,” “You’ve been through a difficult time in your life,” “Someone in your life envies you,” are so common that almost everyone can relate to them. This trick, known as the “Barnum effect” or “Forer effect,” creates the illusion of personal insight into the essence of the client’s problem.
Experienced fraudsters skillfully observe the client’s reaction, facial expressions, gestures, clothing, and manner of speaking. Based on these non-verbal signals, they make assumptions, which they then voice, passing them off as “insights.” For example, by noticing an anxious look or a mention of problems at work, a fortune teller can “feel” that a client is experiencing difficulties in the professional sphere. Gradually, with the help of leading questions and observations, they “extract” the necessary information from the person, then pass it off as their own predictions. The consequences of such gullibility to charlatans are psychological trauma, false hopes, destruction of relationships, and financial losses.
There are cases when people in trouble, instead of going to doctors, took the money raised for surgery to psychics. And then the sick person would die, and the psychics would buy another luxury car, profiting from people’s grief without any responsibility for it.
Unlike doctors, lawyers, or other professionals, psychics and fortune tellers are not legally responsible for their “predictions” and “advice.” Their claims cannot be scientifically verified, and any discrepancy can be attributed to the “complexity of the energy” or “misunderstanding” of the client.
Scammers often drag clients into long-term “relationships” by demanding payment for each subsequent “session” or “ritual.” They may claim that the problem is complex and requires multiple interventions. A person who has already paid a certain amount and believed in the “special abilities” of the seer often continues to seek help, hoping to finally get the promised result.
Unfortunately, stories about people who have lost significant amounts of money, become victims of emotional blackmail, or made bad life decisions under the influence of pseudo-prophets are not uncommon. It’s important to remember that belief in supernatural abilities is a personal matter, but trusting your future and financial well-being to unverified individuals is a big risk.
Instead of looking for easy answers in dubious sources, it is worth turning to scientific facts, critical thinking, and qualified professionals who can provide real help in solving life’s problems. The veil of secrecy that psychics and fortune tellers so skillfully create often hides only emptiness and a desire to profit from someone else’s misfortune.
How to recognize charlatans and protect yourself?
- Be skeptical: Be critical of any supernatural claims. Remember that there is no proof of real psychic abilities.
- Don’t give too much information: During the session, speak as little as possible. Do not answer leading questions, confirm or deny assumptions.
- Pay attention to common phrases: If a “prediction” can apply to anyone, it’s probably a “cold read.”
- Beware of specific details that you did not provide: This may indicate a “hot read” (pre-preparation).
- Do not believe in “spoilage”, “curses” and the need for “cleansing”: This is a classic technique for extorting money.
- Ignore intimidation: Attempts to scare you into trouble if you don’t pay or do something are a sign of a scam.
- Look for real help: If you have health problems, go to a doctor, if you have psychological difficulties, go to a psychologist, if you have financial or legal issues, go to the appropriate specialists.
- Verify the information: If a “magician” makes a specific prediction, try to verify it with rational methods if possible.
- Remember the effect of selective memory: People tend to remember “hits” and forget mistakes.
Information hygiene is not only about distrusting Russian fakes, but also about thinking critically about more complex theoretical constructs that are based on faith and are difficult for gullible people to refute. Naïve belief in the special abilities of scammers and fraudsters can do as much harm as the enemy. In addition, psychics, given their influence on people, can often be covert agents who gather information and manipulate Ukraine’s defenders or their families.
It is worth remembering that the world of psychics and fortune tellers is often an elaborate theater, where the main roles are played by skilled psychologists and manipulators who use the vulnerability of others for their own benefit. The best defense against such deception is to think critically, be aware of manipulation techniques, and turn to proven, scientifically based ways to solve problems.
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