Fake Witches and Spiritual Scammers: Red Flags to Watch

By NICOLE LAU

Introduction: The Problem of Spiritual Fraud

As interest in witchcraft, tarot, energy healing, and other spiritual practices has exploded, so has the number of people claiming expertise they don't have, selling services that don't work, and exploiting vulnerable seekers for profit.

The spiritual marketplace is filled with genuine, skilled practitioners—but it's also populated by scammers, frauds, and well-meaning but dangerously incompetent "practitioners" who can cause real harm.

This guide helps you identify red flags, protect yourself from exploitation, and distinguish between authentic practitioners and those who are performing spirituality for clout or profit without substance.

Types of Spiritual Frauds

1. The Outright Scammer

Characteristics:

• Deliberately defrauds people for money
• Uses fear tactics and manipulation
• Makes impossible promises
• Knows they're lying and doesn't care

Motivation: Pure profit, no genuine spiritual interest

2. The Delusional Practitioner

Characteristics:

• Genuinely believes they have abilities they don't possess
• Lacks training but thinks natural talent is enough
• Confuses imagination with genuine spiritual experience
• May cause harm despite good intentions

Motivation: Ego, desire for significance, genuine but misguided belief

3. The Aesthetic Witch

Characteristics:

• Focuses on appearance over practice
• Curates a "witchy" image for social media
• Minimal actual knowledge or experience
• May sell products or services based on aesthetic alone

Motivation: Attention, aesthetic appeal, trend-following

4. The Appropriator

Characteristics:

• Claims expertise in closed or cultural practices they have no right to
• Profits from appropriated traditions
• Ignores or dismisses concerns about cultural theft
• Often combines multiple traditions superficially

Motivation: Exoticism, profit, ego

5. The Predator

Characteristics:

• Uses spiritual authority to manipulate and control
• Targets vulnerable people for exploitation (financial, sexual, emotional)
• Creates dependency and isolation
• Most dangerous type

Motivation: Power, control, exploitation

Major Red Flags: Universal Warning Signs

1. The Curse Scam

The Setup: "I sense a powerful curse/hex/negative energy on you that's causing all your problems."

The Hook: "I can remove it, but it will cost $X,XXX because it's very powerful."

Why It's a Scam:

• Real curses are rare; most problems have mundane causes
• Legitimate practitioners don't cold-read curses to sell removal services
• The price keeps increasing ("it's worse than I thought")
• Creates fear and dependency

Legitimate Alternative: Ethical practitioners might identify energetic issues but won't use fear tactics or charge exorbitant fees

2. Guaranteed Outcomes

The Claim: "I guarantee your ex will come back" / "100% success rate" / "Money-back guarantee if the spell doesn't work"

Why It's a Red Flag:

• Magic doesn't work with certainty; outcomes depend on many factors
• Guarantees are either lies or the practitioner will manipulate the definition of "success"
• Ethical practitioners are honest about uncertainty

3. Urgency and Pressure

The Tactic: "You must act now or it will be too late" / "This offer expires tonight" / "The energy window is closing"

Why It's Manipulative:

• Creates artificial urgency to prevent critical thinking
• Pressures you into decisions you're not ready for
• Legitimate spiritual work rarely has arbitrary deadlines

4. Isolation from Other Support

The Tactic: "Don't tell anyone about our work" / "Other practitioners will interfere" / "Your family doesn't understand"

Why It's Dangerous:

• Isolation is a classic abuse tactic
• Prevents you from getting second opinions
• Creates unhealthy dependency
• Legitimate practitioners encourage you to have support systems

5. Vague or Evasive About Credentials

The Evasion: "I was trained by a secret lineage" / "My grandmother taught me but I can't share details" / "I'm self-taught and that's just as valid"

Why It's Concerning:

• Legitimate practitioners can explain their training and background
• Vagueness often hides lack of actual knowledge
• While self-teaching is valid, claiming expertise requires demonstrable knowledge

6. Claiming Exclusive or Special Powers

The Claim: "I'm the only one who can help you" / "I have special gifts no one else has" / "I'm a direct descendant of [famous witch/lineage]"

Why It's a Red Flag:

• Creates artificial scarcity and dependency
• Ego-driven rather than service-oriented
• Legitimate practitioners acknowledge others' abilities

7. Constantly Upselling

The Pattern: Every session reveals a new problem requiring additional expensive services

Why It's Exploitative:

• Creates never-ending dependency
• Prioritizes profit over client wellbeing
• Legitimate practitioners work toward client independence

Specific Context Red Flags

Tarot and Divination

Red Flags:

• Claiming to predict the future with absolute certainty
• Reading death, disaster, or catastrophe to create fear
• Insisting you need regular readings or bad things will happen
• Using readings to sell curse removal or other services
• Refusing to explain their interpretations or process

Green Flags:

• Presents readings as guidance, not absolute prediction
• Empowers you to make your own decisions
• Explains their reasoning and symbolism
• Encourages you to develop your own intuition
• Has clear boundaries and realistic expectations

Energy Healing and Bodywork

Red Flags:

• Claiming to cure serious diseases (cancer, diabetes, etc.)
• Discouraging you from seeking medical care
• Inappropriate touching or boundary violations
• Claiming they can "see" things about you with no evidence
• Charging thousands for "miracle" healing

Green Flags:

• Clear about what energy work can and can't do
• Encourages medical care alongside energy work
• Maintains appropriate physical and energetic boundaries
• Has proper training and certification where applicable
• Charges reasonable rates comparable to massage therapy

Spellwork and Magic Services

Red Flags:

• Guaranteeing specific outcomes
• Charging thousands for "powerful" spells
• Refusing to teach you to do your own work
• Claiming their spells are more powerful than others'
• Creating fear about what will happen if you don't hire them

Green Flags:

• Honest about what magic can and can't do
• Charges for time and materials, not "power"
• Offers to teach you alongside or instead of doing work for you
• Transparent about their process and methods
• Realistic about timelines and outcomes

Spiritual Teaching and Mentorship

Red Flags:

• Claiming exclusive access to secret knowledge
• Requiring expensive ongoing courses with no clear endpoint
• Discouraging students from learning from other sources
• Creating guru-worship dynamics
• Claiming lineages or credentials they don't have

Green Flags:

• Transparent about their training and lineage
• Encourages students to learn from multiple sources
• Has clear curriculum and learning outcomes
• Works toward student independence, not dependency
• Acknowledges the limits of their knowledge

Social Media and Online Red Flags

Instagram/TikTok Witches

Red Flags:

• All aesthetic, no substance (beautiful photos, shallow content)
• Spreading misinformation or dangerous practices
• Claiming expertise after minimal experience
• Selling overpriced products or services based on follower count alone
• Performing spirituality for engagement rather than genuine practice

Green Flags:

• Balances aesthetic with educational content
• Cites sources and acknowledges when they don't know something
• Transparent about their experience level
• Engages thoughtfully with criticism
• Provides value beyond just pretty pictures

Online Shops and Services

Red Flags:

• No clear information about the practitioner's background
• Impossible claims about product effectiveness
• Extremely high prices with vague justifications
• No refund or satisfaction policy
• Pressure tactics in marketing

Green Flags:

• Clear about ingredients, processes, and what to expect
• Reasonable pricing with transparent explanations
• Good reviews from multiple sources
• Clear policies and customer service
• Honest about limitations and realistic outcomes

Cultural Appropriation Red Flags

Warning Signs:

• Claiming to be a "shaman" without specific cultural training
• Offering "Native American" ceremonies without being Indigenous or properly trained
• Selling "smudge sticks" or white sage without Indigenous connection
• Claiming expertise in closed practices (Vodou, Santería, etc.) without initiation
• Mixing multiple cultural practices superficially ("I do Celtic-Native-Hindu-Egyptian magic")
• Using sacred symbols or items as aesthetic decoration
• Profiting from appropriated practices while ignoring the source culture's struggles

Psychological Manipulation Tactics

Love Bombing

• Excessive praise and attention at the beginning
• Makes you feel special and chosen
• Creates emotional dependency quickly
• Later used to manipulate and control

Gaslighting

• Denying things they said or did
• Making you question your own perceptions
• Blaming you for problems they created
• Undermining your confidence in your own judgment

Triangulation

• Comparing you to other clients/students
• Creating competition and insecurity
• Using others' experiences to pressure you
• "My other clients don't question me like this"

DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender)

• When confronted, they deny wrongdoing
• Attack you for questioning them
• Claim they're the victim of your accusations
• Classic abuser tactic

How to Protect Yourself

Before Hiring a Practitioner

1. Research thoroughly: Google their name, check reviews, ask for references
2. Ask questions: About training, experience, methods, and expectations
3. Trust your gut: If something feels off, it probably is
4. Start small: Try a small service before committing to expensive packages
5. Get second opinions: Consult multiple practitioners if possible
6. Check credentials: Verify claimed training, certifications, or lineages

During the Relationship

• Maintain boundaries: Don't let them isolate you or create dependency
• Keep records: Document what was promised and what was delivered
• Stay connected: Keep your support system informed
• Question inconsistencies: Don't ignore red flags
• Trust yourself: Your intuition and critical thinking are valid

If You Suspect Fraud

1. Stop payment: Don't give more money
2. Document everything: Save emails, texts, receipts
3. Seek support: Talk to trusted friends or professionals
4. Report if appropriate: To consumer protection, platform administrators, or authorities
5. Share your experience: Warn others (carefully, to avoid defamation issues)
6. Seek help if needed: Therapy if you've been psychologically manipulated

The Gray Areas: Not Fraud, But Problematic

The Inexperienced Practitioner

• Genuinely trying but lacks skill or knowledge
• May cause harm through incompetence rather than malice
• Should be honest about experience level
• Charging professional rates without professional skill is unethical

The Overpromiser

• Genuinely believes they can help but is unrealistic
• Enthusiasm outpaces actual ability
• Not deliberately fraudulent but still problematic
• Can cause disappointment and financial loss

The Boundary-Challenged Practitioner

• Means well but has poor professional boundaries
• May become too personally involved
• Can create unhealthy dynamics without intending to
• Needs better training in professional ethics

Finding Legitimate Practitioners

Where to Look

• Personal referrals from trusted sources
• Professional organizations and directories
• Established metaphysical shops with vetted practitioners
• Practitioners with verifiable training and credentials
• Those with consistent, realistic reviews

Questions to Ask

1. What is your training and background?
2. How long have you been practicing?
3. What can I realistically expect from this service?
4. What are your rates and policies?
5. Can you provide references?
6. What happens if I'm not satisfied?
7. What are the limits of what you can do?

Signs of Legitimacy

• Transparent about training and experience
• Realistic about outcomes and limitations
• Clear, fair pricing and policies
• Good boundaries and professional conduct
• Encourages your independence and empowerment
• Willing to refer you elsewhere when appropriate
• Continues their own education and development
• Has a code of ethics they follow

Conclusion: Discernment and Empowerment

The spiritual marketplace includes both genuine practitioners and frauds. Protecting yourself requires:

• Critical thinking: Don't abandon logic in spiritual spaces
• Healthy skepticism: Question claims, especially extraordinary ones
• Trusting your intuition: If it feels wrong, it probably is
• Doing research: Verify claims and check backgrounds
• Maintaining boundaries: Don't let anyone isolate or control you
• Empowering yourself: Learn to do your own work when possible

Remember: Legitimate practitioners want you to be empowered, informed, and independent. Scammers want you dependent, fearful, and compliant.

Your discernment is a spiritual skill. Use it.

NICOLE LAU is a researcher and writer specializing in Western esotericism, Jungian psychology, and comparative mysticism. She is the author of the Western Esoteric Classics series and New Age Spirituality series.