Paranormal Crime

[UglyNRude]

Sponsor Messages

Is the paranormal field a joke?

Are people using your fear against you?

Are con artists getting rich off you or your relatives?

Is having an investigation safe?

Are paranormal events worth buying tickets?

First the good, there are some teams that are in this looking for the truth, that will be honest with you and you can trust. Now that said the paranormal field is getting worse every year.

Fear if we look at fear its probably the cause of more people being ripped off then any other reason in this field.
We have people that will tell you they can communicate with a lost loved one using broken radio. The cost $150.00 for 20 minutes.

Then we have those who fight demons and will remove yours .... The cost?
This varies but from several hundred to over $5000.00 The more they can scare you the more they can rip you off.

We have psychics who will give you bad news but will offer to help you.
The cost? From hundreds to hundreds of thousands.

Paranormal events. These range from free to hundreds of dollars, now most are interesting and worth going to. The problem is more and more are listing events, collecting your money then canceling the event with your money disappearing being the only thing paranormal.

Having your home investigated. Is this safe? Under most conditions yes, make sure you do your homework before calling in a team. Ask for references. Why? Well some will say they are free, then come in and claim to have found you have evil, but don't worry for money they will remove the evil. The cost? from $50.00 to thousands.

We also have teams that have one bad member and you end up with missing items.

It appears now others are scheduling investigations, gaining your trust and coming back later to steal your valuables.

Look at ripoff reports, search para or paranormal on it and see some of the scams.

Want to learn how to do investigations? More scams as more and more places are popping up who will take your money to show you what you can learn for free.
Costs? 75.00 to thousands as they charge you to keep your certification current.


So can you still find any honest people in this field?
Yes but you need to do your homework and research any person you may want to use.

---

When investigating paranormal don't rely on assumptions, base your decisions on evidence.

[scarygirl67]

This is also true for those who are interested in being on a team. Before you even apply, do your research and see what this team stands for. That's what I did, and I knew before I even contacted my team leader for the first time that it was a team to be proud of. And I am...it has been a rewarding experience.

[Haunted Lady]

I had a paranormal experience last year with an event. Bought tickets for a convention 7 months in advance...they rescheduled for 3 months later, then cancelled it. I had to fight for months to get the money back (Paypal doesn't mediate for refunds for events) and then I was told by the event dierector what a pain in the neck I was. Really? 23 emails and 3 months later we finally got the refund. Had they chosen to continue to ignore me...there would have been nothing we could do about it.

[scarygirl67]

(03-14-2011 11:31 AM)Lady Kamae Wrote:  I had a paranormal experience last year with an event. Bought tickets for a convention 7 months in advance...they rescheduled for 3 months later, then cancelled it. I had to fight for months to get the money back (Paypal doesn't mediate for refunds for events) and then I was told by the event dierector what a pain in the neck I was. Really? 23 emails and 3 months later we finally got the refund. Had they chosen to continue to ignore me...there would have been nothing we could do about it.

I remember that..I was so disappointed! I am really glad to hear you got your refund, but it is a disgrace that you had to work so hard to get it. It should have been a given!

[D B Sweeney]

(03-14-2011 07:25 AM)UglyNRude Wrote:  Is the paranormal field a joke?

Are people using your fear against you?

Are con artists getting rich off you or your relatives?

Is having an investigation safe?

Are paranormal events worth buying tickets?

Excellent post UNR

Here's my ten cents...

Paranormal forums and those that actively investigate phenomenon are a reflection of society and as such mirror both the kooky and the rational beliefs that society contains. In terms of the paranormal field, well from my experience on several forums as a member and admin for the last 5 years I've seen both ends of the spectrum.
I've seen and continue to see beliefs that rely on just that - belief and people bending their reality to fit their beliefs with the common factor being a total lack of real evidence. I've also met and debated with believers who are rational and who accept that they may be wrong just as the sceptics may be wrong in their scepticism.

I agree that some groups exploit the fear of the unknown and actively play on this fear for financial gain and internet or peer group kudos. This is not a new thing by any means. Individuals and groups have always exploited others for group and personal gain - paranormal investigation and advice is no different.

Con artists, mediums, psychics, religious leaders and some 'ghost hunters' do indeed get rich off other peoples fears, insecurities and grief.
That IMO is deplorable, especially where the recently bereaved are concerned.

Is having an investigation safe? - depends on who's doing the investigating. If it's a group who have preconceptions about ghosts and they come a haunted location already believing in them then IMO that's a potentially damaging situation just waiting to happen. Any group who claims to investigate the paranormal and offer help to those that are experiencing supernatural activity who come with a belief already in place are not worth the dime of the phone call or the email cost IMO because they'll just apply the Texas Sharpshooter fallacy and make their findings fit their beliefs.
In many cases they'll do more harm than good and just exacerbate the fears of the individuals concerned by doing ouija board sessions in an attempt to contact non existent spirits. Due to the nature of ouija boards - they'll probably get some positive responses due to the ideomotor effect or outright fakery which will further convince the already scared into being even more scared. They'll also jump through numerous hypothetical hoops in order to justify their own worth and validity.
Alternatively there are reputable groups such as CSIcop who do approach all investigations with an open mind and proper scientific methodology, however groups such as these are rare and for every one CSicop there are a hundred hokey, ill informed, biased groups who believe in everything from demons to angels, the power of crystals and positive prayer. These groups IMO are taking our understanding of the paranormal backwards not forwards and are no better than the witchfinders of the 16th century who found the witch guilty before the sham of trial even took place.

Are paranormal events worth buying tickets for?.
No, because there's possibly no one alive who has genuine paranormal powers. I'd buy a ticket to see a Mentalist or an Illusionist because there's no element of deception going on there - you know it's a show and you suspend disbelief for the duration of the performance.
Those that claim supernatural powers are either deluding themselves and the paying public or they're deliberately conning the public knowing full well that their 'gifts' are just mind games and psychology.

DB

[lightkeeper]

The old saying "let the buyer beware" applys here.
Anyone who is truly interested in truth would never charge a fee.
If you pay someone for a reading or to give you paranormal info you are [as DB states] just paying for the ticket to a show.
There may be some folks that are truly 'sensitive' , but I feel that most & certainly any that would require a fee - are merely your typical sideshow mentalists/illusionists.

[scarygirl67]

This is an older thread, but it pertains to a lot of things I am seeing lately as far as people thinking that it is okay to charge fees and claim it gives any kind of real results. I have no issue with most of the 'ghost tours' because many are strictly for entertainment. However, I am seeing some of these tours that say the orbs caught on your DIGITAL camera are proof of spirit activity. Whatever happened to just having a tour, giving some history and leaving the rest to the imagination?

Another thing I'm seeing are people who charge money for EVP sessions. The EVP 'experts' were bad enough, but charging money saying that you are going to be connected with the other side to talk to dead relatives...in my opinion,it's nothing but another racket. So many pictures have explanations that can be shown, but the sounds that happen on audio recorders are not always so easy to debunk. And when I see people taking that fact and using it to make money...you bet I have an issue with it.

I know I'm a parrot but I will reiterate for those of us looking for answers..we will never get any closer to finding them until we determine what isn't paranormal. Stuff like this just keeps misperceptions going. Believe me I have heard some compelling EVP's...but I was never charged a cent to listen to them, and the people presenting them were not claiming it as proof positive.

*rant over...that is all...=) *

[Mystique]

(03-17-2011 03:58 PM)lightkeeper Wrote:  The old saying "let the buyer beware" applys here.
Anyone who is truly interested in truth would never charge a fee.
If you pay someone for a reading or to give you paranormal info you are [as DB states] just paying for the ticket to a show.
There may be some folks that are truly 'sensitive' , but I feel that most & certainly any that would require a fee - are merely your typical sideshow mentalists/illusionists.

I totally agree with you "Lightkeeper". I have a friend of mine that can read coffee & can tell you about someone (past & present) just by looking at a picture. She used to charge a fee & then I told her that if this is a 'gift' from God that she shouldn't charge people & that if she truly wanted to help them that she'll give this information freely. So, now she doesn't charge people.

[lightkeeper]

Thanks for sharing that Mystique. Good for your friend & good for you
for your suggestion to her.

[jeff]

I think that Harry Houdini set a good example. Many of the events he attended ended poorly, because he made it his business to ruin the business for many of the frauds. I think Mr. Houdini quit doing this after he had an experience that shook him a bit. Perhaps he wasn't prepared to deal with something geniune. However, he did expose a lot of frauds.

I think we can learn a lesson or two from his actions.