The FBI has listed the “free astrology reading” scam as one of the most difficult internet scams:
The FBI said this familiar scam has resurfaced in which a victim receives spam or pop-up messages offering free astrological readings. The victim must provide his/her birth date and birth location to receive a free reading. After receiving the reading, the victim is enticed to purchase a full reading with the promise that something favorable is about to happen. The victim pays for the full reading but never receives it, and most attempts to contact the “Professional Astrologer,” via email, return as undeliverable, the FBI said.
My husband Rich signed up for one of these, just to see what it was about. He received an email from the “astrologer” that was several pages long, telling him about an incredibly fortunate planetary cycle that was coming up for him. Rich asked me, “is there something incredibly fortunate coming up in my chart?” and I had to tell him “Sorry, no there isn’t.” He didn’t respond to the email but he kept getting more – probably 10 emails in total, and escalating in urgency letting him know that if he wanted to find out about this incredible time and how best to take advantage of it he needed to send in $60 for a complete report.
Now that anyone can buy pre-packaged astrological reports, anyone can make a good living selling these reports on the internet and there’s nothing wrong with that. But relying on false predictions to attract business for your computerized reports is not helpful to the astrological profession.
So buyer beware! Don’t fall for
these phony scams. There’s plenty of real astrologers out there who can be of real assistance.
posted March 17, 2010 at 1:50 pm
I did that about a year ago. I finally got sick of being badgered so I wrote her back and told her to “go scam someone else.” LOL
posted March 17, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Why do I suddenly feel like the legit massage professional having to distinguish myself from escort services?
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if these people are sending the identical report to everyone who responds. Makes it so much more efficient that way. “You are uniquely talented and yet misunderstood by all but one or two close friends…”
Thanks for the heads-up, Lynn.
posted March 17, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Unfortunately some unsavory people only need your birth date and place of birth so they can get your social security number.
Some researchers have done this already. We put bits & pieces of information about us all over the web, then they collect them all to get enough to use against us.
posted March 17, 2010 at 5:20 pm
I’ve also received one of these. What I think is worse though, is these people who have quite high profile astrology blogs and once you pay your money for a $100 personal reading through Paypal, suddenly no longer answer your emails. I wish something could done about them, they give the decent astrologers a bad name and create a lot of distrust and bad feeling.
posted March 18, 2010 at 12:31 am
Wow.. I did the same thing as your Husband .. and kept getting
emails about an incredible lucky period that was right around
the corner. I went crazy working on my chart trying to find
what the so called lucky period was all about. I did progressions
Lunar Returns Solar Returns Progressed transits etc. I threw the
Book of every technique I could think of. Nothing showed up.
I almost sent them some money thinking they knew something
I did not know. But I did indeed kept getting email reminders.
Finally I gave up and told them to drop my email address.
posted March 18, 2010 at 5:19 am
Thank you for the information.
posted March 18, 2010 at 10:18 am
Financial Cycles Weekly did an interesting analysis on the recent mid Jan eclipse and its potential ‘astrological triggers’ that span a period of 6 months beginning from its inception and lasting until July. The Jan 15th 25 Capr. eclipse fell directly on President Obama’s natal Saturn (and on Michelle Obama’s Sun). The assumption is made, that when this degree is activated adversely, it could have a significant impact on world affairs and economic downturns. Refer to the following 7 minute video: The January 2010 Solar Eclipse, Barack Obama & the Stock Market:
http://www.financialcyclesweekly.com/public/760.cfm
The author doesn’t reveal the trigger dates in the video. The book is intended for financial investors and so like in any business, you have to purchase the book to find out the dates the author considers most prone to activation.
Using my own reasoning, it is safe to assume that the effect of an eclipse usually starts manifesting three months before the actual event and will continue on until its arrival at culmination (by square) around the time of the New Moon of April 14th (25 Aries).
I’ve noticed there is a close Mars-Jupiter sesqui-square aspect at that time (6 Leo/ 20 Pisces) that will be stimulating the US Mars-Neptune square, as well as a close Saturn-Uranus opposition. Whether that indicates heightened tensions is anyones guess.
Looking at Obama’s progressions for April 14th, tr. Saturn conjoins his Progr. Sun (29 Virgo) and the New Moon itself forms an opposition to Obama’s Progressed Mercury/Mars conjunction (in his 8th house – the house generally denoting completion or endings).
Strangely enough, April 14th happens to mark the anniversary date of President Lincoln’s assassination. It is common knowledge that Lincoln was a compelling figure who Obama deeply admired and tries to emulate. Karmically related or not, this is all speculation of course. Let’s hope these aspects will unfold without incident.
posted March 18, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Opal, do you mean the astrologer took your money and never did the reading? You can file a complaint with Paypal and request a refund.
posted March 18, 2010 at 2:00 pm
The kind of scams are bad new for people providing genuine astrological advice.
People are liable to paint everyone with same brush because asking for exact birth data is an essential requirement for providing an astrological analysis.
posted March 18, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Thanks Lynn, I didn’t realise I could do that – will get on to it ASAP!
posted November 15, 2010 at 9:26 am
Thank you very much for this article. It is such a pity that this kind of people ruin the image of us astrologers, because we really want to help people by using this science, and guide them when they have questions and problems in their lives.