Beware of Fortunetellers Who Try to Scam You

A recent news story (available here and here) describes how a woman claiming to be a “fortune teller and feng shui master” allegedly defrauded $70 million from someone in Sydney, Australia. Prosecutors have charged the woman, along with her daughter, who was a participant in her schemes. The police have publicly stated that this is one of the biggest financial fraud schemes in the history of Australia.

Because this blog is devoted to legal topics, and this topic directly touches on the law, I thought I’d discuss the legal and other issues related to fortune-telling fraud.

The religious freedom issue

First, because of the religious freedom in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, courts have held that it is unconstitutional to prosecute a person for making false religious claims. Over eighty years ago, in United States v. Ballard, the “I Am” movement mailed out literature telling readers that the "I Am" movement could heal the readers, if readers sent money to the “I Am” movement’s leaders. Federal prosecutors charged members of the “I Am” movement with mail fraud, but the Supreme Court held that it was unconstitutional to prosecute anyone in the “I Am” movement for making these claims. The Court wrote, “Heresy trials are foreign to our Constitution.”

Is there any legal recourse against fortunetelling scammers?

This does not mean, however, that fortunetellers are immune from any prosecution if they violate the law. In Employment Division v. Smith, the U.S. Supreme Court held that it does not violate the Constitution to prosecute a religious actor for violating a “neutral law of general applicability.” Thus, if a fortuneteller violates generally applicable financial laws (as the fortuneteller in Australia may have done) it is constitutional to prosecute them for engaging in illegal financial practice.

If you have been a victim of fraud, report the incident to law enforcement. Many fraud victims are reluctant to report their experiences because they are afraid they will look stupid if people have taken advantage of them. But I would urge you not to be afraid to report any fraud to the police. If you are concerned about your rights, and about filing a civil suit against someone who has defrauded you, you may want to speak to a lawyer. The Persaud Law Office may be able to help.

How to avoid being a victim of fortunetelling fraud

At this point I’m going to delve into a risky topic. My online marketing advisors tell me it’s not a good idea to discuss religion on this blog, but I’m going to go against their advice, and I’ll discuss it anyway. I’m going to cite Biblical verses that flatly forbid ever going to any fortunetellers for advice.

Deuteronomy 18:10-12:

¹⁰ No one among you is to make his son or daughter pass through the fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, ¹¹ cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead. ¹² Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things.

Leviticus 20:6:

⁶ “Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people. 

Leviticus 20:27:

²⁷ A man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist must be put to death. They are to be stoned; their blood is on their own hands.”

Jeremiah 14:14:

¹⁴ But the Lord said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in My name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds.

Isaiah 47:13:

¹³ You are worn out with your many consultations. So let them stand and save you—the astrologers, who observe the stars, who predict monthly what will happen to you.

Deuteronomy 18:14:

¹⁴ Though these nations you are about to drive out listen to fortune-tellers and diviners, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do this.

Isaiah 2:6:

For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of divination from the East and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines. They are in league with foreigners.

Acts 13:6-11:

⁶ When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. ⁷ He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and desired to hear God’s message. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (this is the meaning of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

⁹ Then Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at the sorcerer ¹⁰ and said, “You son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all fraud, enemy of all righteousness! Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹ Now, look! The Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

Micah 5:12:

¹² I will remove sorceries from your hands, and you will not have any more fortune-tellers.

All of these verses teach, in the strongest possible terms, that consulting fortunetellers is not permitted. While our country’s laws can’t prohibit fortunetellers from plying their trade, you can avoid consulting them. If enough people followed these Bible verses, fortunetellers would all go out of business.

Many people who have claimed to be fortunetellers have made predictions that do not come true, and people keep consulting them anyway. The Bible has words to say about this as well:

Deuteronomy 18:21-22:

²¹ You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a message the Lord has not spoken?’ ²² When a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, and the message does not come true or is not fulfilled, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

To see a short video explaining what's wrong with fortunetelling, click here.

Jesus Christ is the Answer

In times of uncertainty, you don’t need to turn to fortunetellers. Instead, you can trust in Jesus Christ. To find out more, click here.