Cleo = AHHHH!

[Artemis84]

Have you guys seen that Cleo lady on TV? She's always running those commercials for over the phone tarot readings. What do you think of her? She kinda freaks me out. LOL! Over the phone tarot readings don't seem legitamate to me. How do you know that Cleo's really reading the cards? She's probably just running a background check on you. And how do you know she's REALLY wearing those clothes when you call her? :)

[Lucidia]

they recently did a HUGE news special on how she's a HUGE fraud.

i've read a lot of material on those phony phone psychics... she's just another one...

What's worse is the huge infomercial one where she's on the radio... and ick.. she has a website where you can get instant tarot readings (its' basically a script that runs and randomly draws 3 or 4 or whatever spread you choose, and then gives you explanations of the cards. it's very vauge, and someone who doesnt' know anything about tarot would fall for it instantly), and you can even sign up for a contest to meet her in person.. i'm sure we're all running to sign up. 8O

[Tigerwallah]

I've been getting emails and notes in the mail from her and her organization. They tell me that she has something "very important" that she needs to tell me. Of course, I just laugh and delete the message, or throw out the card, but how many people believe it?:rolleyes:

[Mairwen]

Just listening to her voice gives me a headache. I mean, get real. No Jamaican I've ever heard sounds like that. She's fake. LOL!

[MystyPines]

Well, all I notice when I see Miss Cleo on tv as she is talking to a caller is that she picks food out of her teeth, picks her ears and fingernails. She reminds of that bald guy on Austin Powers with the pinky finger in the teeth, he he he.

[gunner]

cahl me now for your free reed-din ahnd i'll switch you to my 900 line ahnd max aowt your cred-dit cyahrd in a hahrt beeet.

maybe we should tell papa legba about her?

or perhaps marie laveaux?

[Tigerwallah]

ROTFL!!!!! 8O 8O 8O

[sherry]

Her Jamacian accent should be getting better because with all the fools calling her for this expert advice she can now afford to finally go there!!

[gunner]

hmmmm, "jamaica" is not where i'd suggest she go, someplace warmer perhaps?

[sherry]

Originally posted by gunner
cahl me now for your free reed-din ahnd i'll switch you to my 900 line ahnd max aowt your cred-dit cyahrd in a hahrt beeet.

maybe we should tell papa legba about her?

or perhaps marie laveaux?

Love the edit Gunner

[gunner]

my daughter does tarot readings for herself and friends, she watched miz cloe's infomercial once, i don't know where she ever learned the language she used to comment on the show!

sherry, as i've heard the legends mme. laveaux had a short way with poseurs and charlatans.

[gunner]

"but how many people believe it?"

or rather in her? sadly tiger too many, tarot does have its place as does the i ching and the other forms of divination but too many charlatans abuse it and the people who believe in it and look to it for answers.

[bluecat]

I get Miss Cleo e-mails too, it's such a silly thing. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that if all of these people are calling or contacting her, how the heck can she personally handle them all at once :eek: :rolleyes: .

IMHO, it's just a sad $$$ thing meant to separate some folks from their money.

Blue

[Tigerwallah]

Originally posted by gunner
"but how many people believe it?"

or rather in her? sadly tiger too many, tarot does have its place as does the i ching and the other forms of divination but too many charlatans abuse it and the people who believe in it and look to it for answers.

By the "it" I meant that she had something of great importance to tell me. I can just imagine some gullable love lorn teen or the housewife in Nebraska looking for a way out thinking it was "fate" or something of that nature. "Miss Cleo needs to tell me something!"

I use the Tarot myself, well "used" the tarot until I fortold my father's death last year. Since then I've been using the Runes because it's easier, by far, not knowing exact details.

I agree, Blue. She can't possibly be answering thousands of calls a day 24 7. So, my question is Do the people who work for her say that they are her? Do they all have phony Jamaican accents?

BTW Her dress is African, not Carribean.

[MammaStar]

You know, the first time I saw that commerical, I swore she was a lady i used to work with named Enid. i'm tempted to call up and ask her!

[Elaine]

FRAUD!!!!!!

it's like this......"You have a job.....problems with your job...yes problems with your job....you have a health problem?? oh you don't?? well you will, you should go check it out!!....do you have kids? (a yes answer) their bratty???..... (a no answer) oh get ready cuz you will soon!!" I don't believe in her for a second!!! I believe in tarot and in psychics but not in Cleo!! oh she frustrates me so!!!

[gunner]

Originally posted by LdyStarlite
You know, the first time I saw that commerical, I swore she was a lady i used to work with named Enid. i'm tempted to call up and ask her!

don't do it, it'll cost you money!

[Flar's Freyja]

Psychic Network Loses Future, Fortune
Companies Behind Miss Cleo Give Up $500 Million in
Charges in FTC Settlement

By Caroline E. Mayer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 15, 2002; Page E03

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57141-2002Nov14.html

Miss Cleo's crystal ball is going dark.

The Federal Trade Commission yesterday said the
Psychic Readers Network, which features the heavily
advertised clairvoyant, is shutting down, after the
agency and several state law enforcement officials
accused the operation of misleading consumers through
deceptive ads, billing and collection practices.

The FTC said the nation's largest psychic hotline and
its subsidiary, Access Resource Services Inc., have
agreed to pay a $5 million fine and forgive an
estimated $500 million in outstanding consumer charges
-- about half their billings over the past three
years.

The total financial redress is larger than the $215
million settlement the agency reached two months ago
with Citigroup Inc. to resolve charges that one of its
subsidiaries had engaged in widespread deceptive and
abusive lending practices. But while Citigroup had to
pay refunds to affected consumers, the settlement with
the psychic network only requires it to forgive
uncollected bills. No consumer who has already paid a
bill will receive a refund.

The settlement resolves a February lawsuit in which
the FTC alleged the network was "permeated with fraud"
-- charging for services that were advertised as free,
billing customers for services never purchased,
threatening to report to credit bureaus people who
challenged their bills and harassing consumers by
repeatedly calling their homes.

"I'm no psychic, but I can foresee this: If you make
deceptive claims, there will be an FTC action in your
future," J. Howard Beales, the director of the FTC's
consumer protection division, told reporters
yesterday.

Beales said the FTC did not name Miss Cleo in its suit
because the agency wanted "to figure out who is most
responsible and proceed to prevent those practices"
the agency believes are deceptive.

The companies' attorney, Sean Moynihan, said they
settled even though "there was no finding of
wrongdoing. There was only a difference in
interpretation of the law. It was an economic decision
to resolve the case."

Moynihan said ARS was moving to close its operations
before the legal actions because its long-distance
telephone provider, AT&T, had announced it would no
longer provide billing services for companies that use
900-toll numbers to provide a pay-phone service.

Nine states made allegations similar to those filed by
the FTC. Eight have already reached settlements with
the network, Moynihan said. Florida's suit -- which
also alleged there was no substantiation for Miss
Cleo's description as a "nationally acclaimed psychic"
-- is still pending.


© 2002 The Washington Post Company

[gunner]

to contemplate turning on the telly and not hearing that gawd awful phoney jamacain accent saying "cawll me". and a happy side effect is that a legion of her imitators seem to have found other, hopefully honest, jobs. or at least taken a break while they dream up a new scam.

[materra]

Well...this will seem odd but I intend to answer the part about phone readings etc. (Miss Cleo will get hers) Is is possible to do long distance healing and readings. IMO yes. Here is why...when someone with real intent wants to do this they can. In addition due to the nature of Universal Energy you can by relying on certain trainings and listening to the inner voice we all have.

Here are three forms of psychic readings you may be interested in knowing about:

Via telephone... you can do any type of divination reading when you have the intent. You use a light meditative state, and clear visualization that the person is there with you even if you don't know them. It works.

Portent: I like to use runes, but here goes... when a friend went on a long and dangerious trip overseas I drew three runes. I placed the info from each rune in a separate small envelope inside a larger one. The instructions were to provide guidance to my friend in a time of need to the powers that guide us. When my friend got into some real problems there.... he opened the envelope that seemed right. The answer gave him direction and it works really well. Everyone I have done this for really has used it. Even the nonpagans... cause they knew I would give them good advice if I was there. In essence they tap into their inner knowing and the reading helps them to focus in a new way one the problem.

If someone you know is away you can visualize them and then once you "see" them you can look around the place they are in and "read it" . Sounds odd, but you can check if people are okay. It is very helpful if you have meditaion training and understand the univeral connectness of all. In the case of someone you don't know you can use a family member as a proxy for them. I won't explain the details here... but a simple rock can provider focus. You would be amazed at how this works... so get that training :)

[Gwion]

for all the hopes and shattered dreams she's fed on like a vampire. I worked that line for awhile, and most of her "clients" are hopeless, illiterate, single welfare mothers.

[Kaylara]

Gods... Who revived this one?

[Flar's Freyja]

Originally posted by Kaylara
Gods... Who revived this one?

:D Me. Read back about three posts. ;)