What is the difference between psychic and con artist?

Answer 1

Really the only way to tell whether you're dealing with a legitimate soothsayer or not is to trust YOUR insticts.

But some signs to watch out for:

1. If their (face-to-face) reading seems full of theatrics (moaning, convulsions, Tv psychic BS) they're probably not a legitimate psychic.
2. If they charge more then $1 a minute for short readings. Or $30 an hour for longer sessions. Seriously if they're charging you $250 for a 30 minute reading, then you better actually see your great aunt Tillie materialized in the crystal ball or in the chair next to you.
3. If they're PRESSURING you to buy more products or services from them. It's okay for a psychic to tell you that they see a dark spirit surrounding you and that perhaps a protection spell would be wise. But if they're telling you that you NEED to buy this thing & you need to buy this spell & you need to buy this potion, they're probably not being completely honest.
4. If their prices keep going up with each visit. A loyal customer, should get a discount after a while. Or at least that's how I treat my clients.

One final note, just because you feel uncomfortable with a psychic doesn't make them a con artist, so please don't report every psychic to the FBI, Better Business Bureau, or etc. Not only does it waste taxpayers money investigating these psychics, but it also harms the psychic.

Answer 2

Many people disagree whether anyone can be "psychic".

Believers in psychic abilities claim that the person who is psychic could not have known or guessed certain information which the psychic was never told. There have been and currently are numerous television shows that feature persons with psychic "gifts", including current shows on Animal Planet and Tru TV. In "unsolved" crime cases shown on true crime shows, police departments have contacted psychics, hoping to jump start leads in "cold cases". Sometimes, according to the detectives involved, the psychic's tips have given police new information or confirmed information they already suspected.

However, critics of psychics and of the whole field suggest that a "psychic" is nothing more than a person who quickly reads body language and makes very accurate guesses based on the non-verbal cues people give. Or, non-believers cite that supposed psychics often use very narrow or leading questions, while at the same time they tell the person, "Now don't tell me any details." For example, I don't have to directly ask a question to learn something I want to know from you. Let's say I'm the psychic. You hire me to find your Uncle George who disappeared 5 years ago. I say, "Don't tell me anything!" As I start my "reading", I might say, "I see a ring (pause).... a wedding ring... a man's wedding ring.... does that mean anything to you?" I ask. You respond, "No, Uncle George was never married...I don't know anything about a ring." Well, I as the "psychic" just learned a fact (remember, I asked you not to tell me anything)-- I learned Uncle George was unmarried. Now, if I wanted to fool you or be a "con artist", I could take "the ring" story and go further until I get you to say yes to some "fact". For example, I could say, "Yes, I KNEW Uncle George was unmarried, but this ring... I see it very clearly, a man's ring... or maybe a woman had bigger fingers... but there IS a ring...." And you blurt out, "Well, George's dad had a big ring---" "Yes!" I interrupt, "yes, the ring is clear, it was... kind of a dark band, maybe it was dirty? (You shake your head no, giving me an "answer" without even thinking.) "Oh, no, maybe...maybe it was gold (you start nodding) with something dark in it, or on it...." You pipe in with "Well George's dad liked to garden; maybe that's why it's dirty." IF I was pretending to be psychic, you just gave me a good explanation of the image I claimed to see.

However, believers and people who claim to be true psychics say that a "real" psychic would never, ever play those kinds of games; they claim they don't have to because their own abilities are real. "True psychics" will distance themselves from the false tactics that pretenders use. "True psychics" often make a point to not be given any information also, and do a "cold reading" meaning without a photo, with no information, with no direction. Police departments tend to believe the "cold readings" more. However, critics point out that the best police detectives *have* slipped and offered a bit of information, when answering another question. This is common human behavior. It is very difficult to ONLY answer "yes" or "no" and to not give anything away with body language. People tend to go on with an explanation. "Yes. The victim was last seen here. (Here is where they should stop but they go on and say...) The victim's boyfriend helped her put on her jacket (what, not a coat?) and walked her to her car outside the bar (could have been another business but now the psychic doesn't have to guess... she was at a bar, wore a jacket, last seen by boyfriend). A con artist could use that information to keep the ruse going.

ALL types of activities lend themselves to "con artists", from men who claim to be "roofers", to someone pretending to be a "physician". So, yes, there may be people who use "psychic abilities" as a con, just to earn money. Certainly it would be one of the easier fields to fake one's abilities and make false claims and statements, especially with people suffering from grief and loss. If you terribly missed your Aunt Martha, and I tell you I've communicated with Martha, that can bring hope, consolation, and relief if you're grieving. But it can be terribly painful to find out I was lying and had made it all up.

So, as with any business, do your homework before paying someone. Get references. Check with the police to see if the person has a rap sheet for "con" jobs (no pun intended). If you pay someone for a "reading", give NO information. Watch for the non-direct question where the person is "fishing" for details. Watch your body language-- keep neutral no matter what the person tells you. If you want to cut to the chase and find out for sure if they are being false, tell the person wrong details and see if the "psychic" uses that false info as if it is fact or if they recognize it was a lie. As in all interpersonal communications, you should expect indignation about being "lied to". But if the person truly has a gift, if the person is a psychic, wouldn't they know it was a lie? And if they are a true psychic, wouldn't they, more than anyone, understand if there's skepticism?

Answer 3

A psychic is someone who claims to have extrasensory abilities such as clairvoyance or telepathy, while a con artist is someone who deceives others for personal gain through dishonest methods. While some psychics genuinely believe in their abilities, con artists intentionally manipulate and exploit people for financial gain without any actual psychic powers.