Beware of online tarot scams

If you’re active on social media, chances are good that you’ve noticed there are a lot of fake accounts popping up that imitate tarot readers, astrologers, and others in the esoteric community.

In recent months, I’ve been alerted to new imposter accounts at least once a week that are using my images and content to pose as me.

At first glance, these accounts can be quite convincing. They choose handles that are similar to mine, except they might add a dash or dot between my first and last name. They will have my photos and captions, so they look and sound like me.

And they will start to follow and contact accounts who follow me. As they do so, they send private messages offering readings for a fee that can be sent online.

Unfortunately, I’ve heard from people who have paid the fee. One of them contacted me a few months ago saying, “I’ve been buying readings from you for the last few months, but I realized recently that I’m probably not talking to you. Can you confirm this for me?”

Situations like this are unfortunate for so many reasons. One, the individuals who are sending money for readings are being taken advantage of, often in times when they are seeking support. They think they are working with a reader they trust, when in reality they have no idea who is on the other end of those messages.

Second, clients are spending money on scammers rather than supporting the work of readers they’re genuinely interested in. We all know the economy is uncertain right now. Prices are up and times are lean, and many readers (including myself) rely on client work to stay afloat and support our families.

Seeing someone using my name and image to profit off their own dishonesty is hurtful and disheartening. This is theft two times over: The client loses, but so does the reader.

Third, these scams erode trust within our communities. It has taken me years to build my work as a tarot reader. When people start to follow me online and immediately end up feeling harassed for money by scammers, they sometimes decide to leave.

It’s starting to become a security risk to follow tarot readers and the like on platforms like Instagram.

Which sucks.

This isn’t just happening within the New Age community, however. Business coaches are having their profiles lifted to sell Bitcoin schemes. Musicians and artists are having their content stolen by impersonators who are running dating scams.

And even personal, individual social media accounts are vulnerable to being copied by scammers for similar purposes.

Still, I find there is ongoing value in social media and I don’t plan on leaving any time soon. I have, however, created a private tarot community to build my work separately from social media and create a more intimate tarot experience. (If you’d like to join, you can hop on the waitlist here.)

I’m also mindful that scams have always existed, and scammers will use every access point they can to take advantage of someone.

There are phone scams, mail scams, door-to-door sales scams. There are email scams, travel scams and mortgage scams.

And these scams thrive off of people’s lack of awareness of them.

If you don’t know the signs to watch out for, how do you know you’re in danger, right?

I’m often surprised that, in spite of so much discussion about tarot scams on social media in recent years, there are still a lot of people who aren’t familiar with what’s happening. And I think people who are new to tarot and just joining these communities are at higher risk, because they haven’t been around long enough to see what’s happening.

So if you or someone you know can benefit from spotting tarot (and other) scams online, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Most reputable tarot readers and diviners will not reach out to you personally to sell a reading. Honestly, most of us don’t have time to do this, and even if we did, we would rather you come to us when you’re ready.
   
   That’s why I book exclusively through my website – there is no other way for you to book or purchase a reading, class or other service from me.
   
   
2.  I only take small numbers of clients on at a time. I don’t read tarot every day, and usually book appointments on weekday afternoons. If someone who looks like me online is offering to read for you immediately, or at an off-time like a Saturday night at 9pm, that is a huge warning sign.
   
   
3. Beware of sending money via direct messages on social media. Check the email address or other details you’re being asked to send payment to: Does the name match the individual or business you’re speaking with?
   
   
4. Check out a reader’s profile page if they are contacting you privately to solicit work. Many fake accounts look legit at quick glance, but on closer inspection you might see that all of their photos have gone up within a short period of time.
   
   Check the dates of their posts: Do they go back months or even years, or was everything posted within the same day or two? That’s often a sign someone has lifted a batch of content and put it up quickly. Social media followings take time to build – my account contains years’ worth of content.
   
   
5. Is the price too good to be true? Most of the tarot scams I see offer readings for $5 - $20, or pay by donation. I have a fixed rate of $165, and many of peers charge similar fees. It might sound expensive, but scammers often come back asking for more. A reputable reader will charge one fee for one reading – and if it’s quality work, one reading should be enough for the time being.
   
   This isn’t to say cheaper readings are always a red flag, but if you think you’re talking to a certain reader on socials, hop over to their website to fact check their prices.
   
   In general, if you’re not sure about something, do not engage. If something or someone seems suspicious or off to you, it probably is.
   
   If you do see copy cat accounts online, either of me or other readers you follow, the best course of action is to report those accounts and block them. Because these fake accounts pop up so fast and frequently, it’s becoming unsustainable for service providers like myself to address each one personally.

If we all learn what to look out for, we can each do our part to keep the tarot community a safer place.

Be careful out there.

~ Liz