# Psychics are phony, Mr. Police Officer, in case you didn't know. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 15, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779 "2006-04-15T13:23:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/41 "2006-04-16T16:41:00Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > Of course, locally here we had numerous police departments fooled by the Quadro Tracker - hey kids, remember that? Oh, Gawd!:smack: The Quadro Tracker. How in the fuck, in the late 20th century, did they fool anyone into buying that? And what balls it took to sell a plastic box for several thousand and think they’d get away with it. Wait aminute. I think they did get away with it. Wasn’t the company aquitted of fraud? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/42 "2006-04-16T20:47:31Z")
> [@MGibson](#): > > II think it’s safe to say that telepathy, prestidigitation, and psychometry aren’t real. Prestidigitation is certainly real – the word itself simply denotes “fast fingers.” Prestidigitation is “sleight of hand.” To deny its existence is to say that nobody can _really_ palm a nickel to make it appear to be drawn from their nephew’s ear. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/43 "2006-04-16T22:53:49Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > Seems I’m an idiot. What’s you’re qualification? You asked for cites. I provided them. You made a load of claims: - ‘people discount ESP out of hand’ - 'scientists have claimed “we now know everything about human brain functionality”? - ’ scientists claim we are the only life-form in the Universe’ - ‘People once agreed that the Earth was flat, anyone that said different was killed’ We asked for cites to support these. You offer nothing. You asked if we would employ psychics in a kidnapping. (Obviously not, since no psychic has ever helped the police.) I asked if you’d pay thousands of dollars to one to help you. You don’t reply. I don’t think you’re an idiot, but you seem to miss the point of this board. We’re here to stamp out ignorance, by providing cites to support our claims. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/44 "2006-04-17T00:47:19Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Oh, Gawd!:smack: The Quadro Tracker. > How in the fuck, in the late 20th century, did they fool anyone into buying that? And what balls it took to sell a plastic box for several thousand and think they’d get away with it. > > Wait aminute. I think they did get away with it. Wasn’t the company aquitted of fraud? [Pretty much.](http://www.sniggle.net/quadro.php) > [@](#): > > They were assisted by an assistant U.S. Attorney from Houston who bought into the scheme, paid $13,600 for distribution rights in four states, and then used his office to promote the devices. He’s the only one to have gotten nailed for the scam so far (he resigned and paid a $5,000 fine); although the company was shut down by court injunction in 1996, the three Quadro employees charged with mail fraud were acquitted by a jury in early 1997. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/45 "2006-04-17T01:58:59Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > She led the cops to a building. Wow, how amazing. To be fair to the detective, if you read carefully, it looks like this part of the article was taken by interviewing Carla Baron only. All the quotes and “amazing” statements are hers alone. You have to be careful, Carla is very slippery this way. She easily could have taken him for a ride, which he would have been almost obligated to go on to be thorough, and then Carla brags about it to the press. A couple of years ago, ABC’s Primetime Thursday did a special psychic show in which Ms Baron was featured. I complained to ABC, and copied my letter to Michael Shermer, [who published it in his weekly newsletter Skeptic](http://72.14.203.104/u/SkepticsSociety?q=cache:H3u9Ng8GxTsJ:www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/archives/2004/04-05-04.html+cameron&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2&ie=UTF-8#ABC). The letter was then published by James Randi in his weekly commentary as well. After that, the Center For Inquiry’s Independent Investigations Group West did a full investigation/expose on her: [Carla Baron, Psychic Detective (?)](http://www.iigwest.com/carla_report.html), in which yours truly also gets a mention. ---
**Author:** ![Ohioman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ohioman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ohioman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/46 "2017-11-21T16:33:08Z")
No its real alright, but it is also very attractive to con men and that gives it a bad name. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/47 "2017-11-21T16:39:31Z")
> [@Ohioman](#): > > No its real alright, but it is also very attractive to con men and that gives it a bad name. So far, it’s been _all_ con men. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/48 "2017-11-21T16:45:47Z")
I foresee a dim response to our zombie awakener. ---
**Author:** ![Ohioman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ohioman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ohioman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/49 "2017-11-21T16:57:19Z")
The thought of becoming a suspect keeps me quiet, but I can tell you the time line or progression of events that I did that eventually produced the ability in me. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/50 "2017-11-21T16:59:15Z")
And what is the “its” he speaks of? A long, multi-faceted thread isn’t just about “it”… Police procedures? Sylvia Browne? Psychics in general? Or maybe he means The Quadro Tracker. ETA: Posted before the newest post. Dude, you have GOT to start an “Ask The Bro With Psychic Powers” thread! (Before what you’ve taken wears off!) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/51 "2017-11-21T17:00:13Z")
Does it involve wizards or dragons? I’m really hoping for dragons. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/52 "2017-11-21T17:04:45Z")
> [@Ohioman](#): > > The thought of becoming a suspect keeps me quiet, but I can tell you the time line or progression of events that I did that eventually produced the ability in me. Don’t bother. And that’s coming from one who’s had a few precognitive dreams. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/53 "2017-11-21T17:09:39Z")
> [@Ohioman](#): > > No its real alright, but it is also very attractive to con men and that gives it a bad name. Offer one - just one - verified instance of actual precognition or other ‘psychic’ ability, if you would. Otherwise, go away. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/54 "2017-11-21T17:13:07Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Offer one - just one - verified instance of actual precognition or other ‘psychic’ ability, if you would. Otherwise, go away. Don’t make him go away, we’re not done with him yet. Plus we need to feed the squid. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/55 "2017-11-21T17:24:18Z")
> [@Ohioman](#): > > The thought of becoming a suspect keeps me quiet, but I can tell you the time line or progression of events that I did that eventually produced the ability in me. O.K., stay mysterious. Can you name _another_ real current psychic we _can_ check out? Give us the best example you’ve got, please. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/56 "2017-11-21T17:33:22Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Dude, you have GOT to start an “Ask The Bro With Psychic Powers” thread! I’m sure he already knew that :smack: ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/57 "2017-11-21T17:35:22Z")
Iirc, the only people who can distinguish between real psychics and fake ones are other real psychics. I’d have to check a closed thread to be sure htough ---
**Author:** ![Ohioman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ohioman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ohioman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/58 "2017-11-21T17:38:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > O.K., stay mysterious. > Can you name _another_ real current psychic we _can_ check out? Give us the best example you’ve got, please. The only thing I know about current psychics is their response to my emails in which I asked " How do you protect yourself legally from becoming a suspect". I think the reason for my question is obvious. But their response to my email was very unimpressive and had no information at all that would/could keep someone with psychic formation out of jail. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/59 "2017-11-21T17:41:03Z")
Can you tell us what happened to Ray Gricar? We promise we won’t turn you in. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779/60 "2017-11-21T17:42:47Z")
> [@Ohioman](#): > > The only thing I know about current psychics is their response to my emails in which I asked " How do you protect yourself legally from becoming a suspect". I think the reason for my question is obvious. But their response to my email was very unimpressive and had no information at all that would/could keep someone with psychic formation out of jail. I didn’t ask a damn thing about how psychics stay out of jail-I asked you to name the best example of a real psychic out there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/psychics-are-phony-mr-police-officer-in-case-you-didnt-know/352779.md?page=4)