Page 52 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - August/September 2017

52 Toronto’s fraudulent fortune-telling industry

Inside the secret world of

Toronto’s fraudulent

fortune-telling industry

Continued from page 51

Spratt agrees recompense is rare.

“The percentage that gets their money
back through the criminal justice system is very,
very low — and I think a lot of the public knows
that,” Spratt says. “It becomes a choice: If I’m
not going to get my money back, do I want to go
through this process that’s going to take a
couple of years? They know it could be
publicized… They just don’t want to go through
that experience.”
The social stigma aimed at victims helps
the industry continue to flourish, experts say.
But the stigma is unfair, says Dr. James
MacKillop, a leading addictions researcher at
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
“These kinds of behaviours are not to be
dismissed simply as crazy, or as character
defect, or moral deficiencies. They’re clearly
causing people a great deal of distress. Certainly
they have some responsibility for their She talked about selling me $800 candles she Anthony:
behaviour, but also in terms of perspectives, I would light and pray for me. I said, ‘Are you Anthony, a 30-year-old high school
think we have to try to help people. And both insane?’ ” teacher, “wasted” $2,000 on a psychic after a
from the mental health community standpoint breakup five years ago. What began with small
and also from the legal standpoint, I think we Samantha: fees for readings, then hundreds of dollars for
have to minimize the harm that comes from Samantha, who also spoke on condition prayer candles, quickly became a scene from a
these predatory behaviours.” of anonymity, is a 30-something sales horror film and ended his visits.
Jack’s life has improved dramatically professional. Many in her Guyanese community “There was this girl I liked. Things fell
since he’s stopped seeing psychics, from his believe in some form of black magic. Desperate apart and I wanted her back. He did a prayer
relationship with his children to his to rekindle a relationship, Samantha turned to thing over this water before I drank it and then
performance at work. three different psychics and spent nearly $9,000 told me to look up and gargle with it. I did what
He’s confident his addiction has been over five years beginning in 2007. Two psychics he told me. But when I spit on the piece of
overcome and that, the next time something told her that she was cursed and that while the paper, there were all of these insects. It grossed
goes wrong, he will be able face it man she loved wanted to be with her, another me out completely. Centipedes and crawling
independently, uncertain of the future and woman wanted him. One asked for $1,700 to be bugs. I was just like, ‘That didn’t come out of
simply doing the best he can. paid in installments. The other was more me.’ He said, ‘Yes, it did.’ His reaction was like
“You just let it go, and you start living ambitious — she asked for $6,600. I was going to die. He said I was cursed. When
your life,” he says. “This has been a very tough “I was very desperate. I was so in love. I I wasn’t looking, he obviously tossed these bugs
lesson learned.” struggled and made the payments. They ask for onto the desk. Then he asked for money to lift
money for candles and incense to remove the the curse on me — $2,500. I never even got the
The Evil Eye darkness around me. I would pay a couple of girl back. I’m embarrassed to talk about it now.”
hundred dollars at a time.” []

There’s no one type of person who falls for
these scams. Victims interviewed included men Marian:
and women of all races and cultures, all income Marian is a Toronto stockbroker who,
brackets and professions. What they had in between 2010 and 2012, was in seven car
common when they spent money on the scams accidents, watched both of her children become
was desperation. severely ill, divorced her husband and lost her
All names have been changed. 13-year position at a major bank. When a
Mississauga fortune teller told her she was

Amal: cursed, her response was, “of course.” She spent
Amal, who spoke on condition of about $5,000 on six fortune tellers between
anonymity, is a 26-year-old sales professional 2008 and 2014.
from Toronto who began seeing a psychic when A devout Roman Catholic, Marian
she was a teenager in 2007. She stopped five eventually became convinced that all things
years later when she was a university student at “occult” were the cause of her problems. She
York and the woman began demanding her swore off fortune telling, burned her tarot cards
OSAP money. and booked a flight with her sister to Vatican
City. She was looking for an exorcist.
“My parents are from the Caribbean and
we grew up around superstition. I grew up One of the psychics offered Marian a
hearing about these things. I’m a very spiritual $1,000 package of special bath salts, an amulet
person and I do believe there are people who and candles to rid her of her curse.
have gifts and can tap into things. People use it “You’re afraid of what’s going to CONNECTING WITH COINCIDENCE
for good and people use it for bad.” happen next,” she says. “You live in fear. And, with DR. BERNARD BEITMAN, MD
“She just wanted money all the time to at that point, you look at how to rescue www.XZBN.net
do all of these things and it didn’t make sense. yourself.”