A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
1–10 of 89 posts
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#2> pretending to be a psychic
This is redundant.
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#3> pretending to be a psychic This is redundant.
Well said
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#4[deleted]
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#5> pretending to be a psychic This is redundant.
well "being a psychic" has a particular meaning in English so I figure it has to be pretending or claiming to be a psychic.
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#6> pretending to be a psychic This is redundant.
The moment I read the headline, I was expecting to find a bunch of low-effort comments that don't engage with the article, which actually speaks directly to this issue. Congrats.
Yes, all psychics can be seen as committing a kind of fraud, but most stay in their unfalsifiable lane. This psychic used the mail to advertise health services. They didn't just claim to predict the future or sending good energy into the universe, which you can still legally charge for. They claimed to be able to cure diseases in exchange for a fee, which is fraud, and they did it over the mail. But then they rebutted that they were basically selling the placebo effect, which is kind of real... it makes for a much more interesting case than your comment makes it seem.
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#7Is this really a swindle if your "victims" are willing participants? Every purported psychic is "pretending" even if they don't realise. My sister in law makes good money giving readings over zoom. She genuinely believes in this nonsense, as do her customers. Is there a practical difference though, whether she believes it or not?
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#8Is this really a swindle if your "victims" are willing participants? Every purported psychic is "pretending" even if they don't realise. My sister in law makes good money giving readings over zoom. She genuinely believes in this nonsense, as do her customers. Is there a practical difference though, whether she believes it or not?
The victims paid for personal readings from a specific person, and got mass-produced ones from someone else instead. Psychics are bullshit, but that's an extra level of fraud on top, and far more actionable by law enforcement.
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#9> Most people are too busy earning a living to make any money.
A lot of people spend their lives making money without actually living though.
Re: A copywriter swindled victims out of $200M by pretending to be a psychic
#10Is this really a swindle if your "victims" are willing participants? Every purported psychic is "pretending" even if they don't realise. My sister in law makes good money giving readings over zoom. She genuinely believes in this nonsense, as do her customers. Is there a practical difference though, whether she believes it or not?
Whether there is a "practical" difference, there is usually a big legal difference in outcomes based on what the perpetrator's intent.