# The TV Psychics were busted years ago. Has the law changed? They are back. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115 "2011-03-27T03:07:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/1 "2011-03-27T03:07:14Z")
About 12 years ago late night tv was inundated by so called Psychics. They siphoned off a lot of money from gullible people. Thankfully, they were finally busted. Why has this fraudulent scheme back? What’s changed with the law? Why are these people allowed to rip off gullible people? Isn’t there some way to keep this off the air? Madam Cleo > [@](#): > > In 2001, Access Resource Services d/b/a Psychic Readers Network was sued in various lawsuits brought by (among others) Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Florida, and the Federal Communications Commission.[8] Plaintiffs charged that the company’s owners and Harris’ promoters, Steven Feder and Peter Stotz, had made it appear that Miss Cleo owned and operated the Psychic Readers Network. Ms. Harris herself was sued by the State of Florida. > > In 2002, the FTC charged Feder and Stotz with deceptive advertising, billing and collection practices; Harris was not indicted.[9] Her promoters agreed to settle for a fraction of the amount they took in. > **[Miss Cleo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Cleo)** > > Youree Dell Harris (August 12, 1962 – July 26, 2016) was an American television personality and actress best known for portraying Miss Cleo, a spokeswoman for the psychic pay-per-call-minute service Psychic Readers Network, in a series of television commercials that aired from 1997 to 2003. Harris used various aliases, including Ree Perris, Youree Cleomili, Youree Perris, Rae Dell Harris, Cleomili Perris Youree, and Cleomili Harris. > Youree Harris was born on August 12, 1962, at Los Angeles Cou... Psychic Network was shut down by AT&T when they refused to payout on the 900 numbers. > [@](#): > > The company declared bankruptcy in 1998, because AT&T had decide to stop paying the proceeds to PFN. PFN in turned sued AT&T, and eventually in 2002 won a large out of court settlement, but the damage had been done. > [@](#): > > Shrewdly Michael Lasky, re-purchased the assets of the company including the trademark, and finally PFN is ready to re-launch, this time starring Vivica A. Fox as the new celebrity host, replacing Warwick.[7] In addition, the Psychic Friends Network has recently signed on with Walter Mercado to do a series of talk shows in both English and Spanish.[8] The also are launching a brand new website with a state of the art billable audio/video chat system > **[Psychic Friends Network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_Friends_Network)** > > The Psychic Friends Network (PFN) was a telephone psychic service operating in the United States in the 1990s. The company's infomercials were aired frequently on late night television at that time. In 2012, the business began to migrate to online services. > Mark Edward, who worked as a telephone "psychic" for the network, had become a vocal critic of the PFN, and all psychics, saying that "the psychic business is built on lies". His book Psychic Blues details what it was like to work for PFN.... ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/2 "2011-03-27T03:35:28Z")
What law do you suppose they are breaking? Your own cite clearly states that PFN was sued for misrepresenting their ownership and scummy billing practices. Being a telephone psychic is not a crime. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/3 "2011-03-27T03:45:21Z")
Madam Cleo was charged with deceptive advertising, billing and collection practices. Fortune Tellers and Psychics have been chased out of small towns for decades. Houdini proved they were frauds over 100 years ago. They scam every penny from vulnerable, hurting people. People so desperate to hear from a departed loved one that they will pay any amount of money. Giving them a Nationwide audience for their cons is just appalling. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/4 "2011-03-27T03:51:08Z")
This is no different from me doing commercials for a magic elixir that will make you live to 150. I can’t do that without proof that it works. They’d throw me in prison. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/5 "2011-03-27T03:56:58Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > This is no different from me doing commercials for a magic elixir that will make you live to 150. I can’t do that without proof that it works. They’d throw me in prison. First of all, people advertise “nutritional supplements” with all kinds of dubious claims all the time, without going to prison. But they generally stay away from specific claims like “you will live to 150.” Secondly, I doubt you’ll find any TV psychics making any particularly specific claims about the accuracy or results of their service. ---
**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:** [March 27, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/6 "2011-03-27T04:08:00Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > First of all, people advertise “nutritional supplements” with all kinds of dubious claims all the time, without going to prison. But they generally stay away from specific claims like “you will live to 150.” > > Secondly, I doubt you’ll find any TV psychics making any particularly specific claims about the accuracy or results of their service. There’s usually some small print stating “For entertainment purposes only”. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/7 "2011-03-27T05:01:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Why has this fraudulent scheme back? What’s changed with the law? Why are these people allowed to rip off gullible people? Isn’t there some way to keep this off the air? Exactly which laws are you suggesting these new companies are breaking? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/8 "2011-03-27T07:09:21Z")
I’m not sure. I’ve always heard Fortune Tellers were considered illegal in many places. It’s one of the classic cons. Houdini and The Amazing Randi both spent considerable time debunking them. The biggest issue is Fraud. The idea behind the con is to gain the marks trust. So they come back repeatedly and continue giving money. The Amazing Randi does lectures on how these cons are run on college campuses regularly. The disclaimer they issue on tv doesn’t change anything. The people foolish enough to give these people money obviously believe in this stuff. It’s not light entertainment or a game to them. I recall a fortune teller set up shop in my hometown. Claiming she was a gypsy. :rolleyes: The cops busted her place a few times until she finally moved on to another town and another bunch of marks. Penn & Teller debunk a Fortune Teller and Tarot Cards. Great confession of a former con. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mQZ0JSfSEQ4/hqdefault.jpg "Penn Point - Fortune Teller FAKE - Penn Point") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQZ0JSfSEQ4) > [@IAmNotSpartacus](#): > > Exactly which laws are you suggesting these new companies are breaking? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tv-psychics-were-busted-years-ago-has-the-law-changed-they-are-back/576115/9 "2011-03-27T09:38:16Z")
Found this law article and some cases. [http://faculty.law.lsu.edu/ccorcos/biblio/fortune%20telling%20and%20the%20law.htm](http://faculty.law.lsu.edu/ccorcos/biblio/fortune%20telling%20and%20the%20law.htm) > [@](#): > > **North Carolina Criminal Code G.S. 14-401.5** > It shall be unlawful for any person to practice the arts of phrenology, palmistry, clairvoyance, fortune-telling and other crafts of a similar kind in the counties named herein. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. [http://www.fortunetellinglaws.com/?p=30](http://www.fortunetellinglaws.com/?p=30) > [@](#): > > § 165.35 Fortune telling. > A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation > which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or > pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by > claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give > advice on personal matters or to exorcise, influence or affect evil > spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a person > who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or > exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement. > Fortune telling is a class B misdemeanor. > **[New York Penal Law Section 165.35 - Fortune telling. - New York Attorney...](https://law.onecle.com/new-york/penal/PEN0165.35_165.35.html)** > > New York state laws includes New York consolidated laws on banking, business corporations, criminal procedure, domestic relations, estates, crimes, taxes and workers' compensation. Looks like these con artists are hiding behind the First Amendment. There’s been several Federal court challenges against state laws. This article from the UK is interesting. They have included regulations for fortune tellers in their consumer protection laws. > **[Latest news & breaking headlines](https://www.thetimes.com/)** > > The latest breaking UK, US, world, business and sport news from The Times and The Sunday Times. Go beyond today's headlines with in-depth analysis and comment. These people can destroy entire families. All it takes is one gullible mark to get an entire families life savings wiped out by these con artists. Hiding behind the First Amendment makes me sick.