Psychic Hall of Shame
Nothing boils my blood quicker than fraudulent psychics who rip people off. With the world the way it is, people need help and that doesn’t mean you have to line your pockets to help them. This week alone I’ve done more free readings than I’ve done paid readings and I think other real psychics should do the same. Most will probably disagree with me but then again, we’re on different paths because I don’t think having psychic abilities should be about making money from them but should instead be about helping others. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think psychics should charge something because the time and energy they put into their readings has value, but ripping people off – that’s wrong.
Because I’m so sick of seeing this happen over and over again, I’m starting a “Psychic Hall of Shame” for those people who are preying on others while they claim to have “psychic powers” and get arrested for it. I actually hate that term. Having abilities is a gift, now a power.
I’m doing this for two reasons. The first is to say “Shame on you, fake psychic, for taking advantage of people in need”. The second is to put this information out in one place so that people will find it online and be wary of how a fake psychic conducts themselves. It is my hope that people will stop believing in these liars and frauds by noticing the signs that they aren’t what they seem. If they ask you for large amounts of money, ask to to return for more and more readings, give you a sob story about why they need money or promise that they can win back your lover, cast evil spirits from you or any other nonsense like that – then stay away from them and report them to the police.
Psychic scams $108,000 out of love sick woman and gets two months jailtime. Victim has since died from cancer.
Lisa Marie Miller, 27, (pictured above) of San Francisco advertised herself as a psychic in a newspaper that said her readings were ten dollars. Miller convinced one of her customers that she needed “spiritual cleansing” that cost $108,000. Big jump from her original ten dollar reading wouldn’t you say?
Here’s the story: the woman contacted Miller back in 2005 after she saw that ad for a ten dollar reading. She went to the Miller because she “was in love with a fellow who was not returning her affection,” said Deputy District Attorney Cherie Bourlard. Miller convinced the woman that she was cursed and need to be cleansed spiritually. So the woman gave Miller $108,000 from her checking, savings, and retirement accounts plus she gave her other cash, jewelry and gift cards. Miller even convinced the woman to finance a Corvette for her.
The woman figured out something was wrong and went to the police when she saw that Miller’s mother-in-law, Lola Miller who went by the name “Miss Donna”, had been arrested for taking $450,000 in cash and services from a San Jose woman. Lola Miller read the victim, said both the victim and her family were cursed and that she’d cleanse them of evil for money and threatened the victim. I guess thievery runs in this family because Lisa Miller’s sister-in-law, Danielle Miller, 23, is accused of stealing $36,000 from a woman to cleanse her of evil, prosecutors said.
Lisa Miller pled no contest in September to one count of theft by false pretense and has been ordered to pay full restitution, sentenced to two months in jail and five years probation. She was barred from ever again engaging in any kind of psychic reading.
There’s a sad ending to this story. The woman that Lisa Miller victimized has since died of cancer. Her husband said he will donate all of the money paid back to cancer research.
Extra shame on your Lisa Miller for taking advantage of a woman dying with cancer.