spazmodeus
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posted on August 6, 2001 04:22:07 PM new
This is a little old (from July 25th) , but it only came to my attention this week:
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TV Psychic Accused of Consumer Fraud
By PAUL SLOCA
.c The Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri's attorney general has filed lawsuits against a television psychic hot line for allegedly violating the state's no-call law and consumer fraud.
``Miss Cleo should have seen this coming,'' Attorney General Jay Nixon said. ``It doesn't take a crystal ball to realize that ripping off consumers isn't without consequences.''
Nixon filed two suits Tuesday against Access Resources Services Inc., a Florida company best-known for promoting Miss Cleo's tarot psychic reading.
Speaking with a Caribbean accent, Miss Cleo appears in national television commercials promising insights into love, money and other personal matters.
The lawsuits filed in St. Louis Circuit Court allege 94 violations of the state's no-call list. The company faces fines of up to $5,000 per violation if found liable for calling people who requested privacy.
Sean Moynihan, a New York City-based attorney representing Access, said the state has no basis for suing the company.
``We strongly disagree with the contentions that are raised in the lawsuits,'' Moynihan said. ``We are very anxious to work with the attorney general to demonstrate that the business practices of Access are proper and do adhere to the law.''
Nixon said Missourians were billed for free services and that the company misrepresented reduced rates and waiver fees. For example, customers spent three minutes on the phone providing information including a name, address and phone number then were charged for time spent on hold waiting to speak with a psychic.
Missouri residents who never requested the service, including deceased people, have received bills for Miss Cleo's services, Nixon said. Moynihan said telephone companies are responsible for billing, not the company.
The company also charged consumers for calls made by minors who did not receive parental consent, Nixon said. Moynihan said the company has safeguards to prevent minors from calling, and only those who lie about their age can get through to the psychic.
Mark Pryor, Arkansas' attorney general, sued Access last year for alleged fraud, saying the company had ``used just about every trick in the book to mislead and overbill consumers.''
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While it's not unusual to hear a psychic say they can contact the dead, this is certainly the first time I've heard of the deceased being billed for it.
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Tex1
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posted on August 6, 2001 04:45:03 PM new
OK, I give up. How does one lie to a psychic?
"Moynihan said the company has safeguards to prevent minors from calling, and only those who lie about their age can get through to the psychic."
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uaru
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posted on August 6, 2001 05:36:14 PM new
I'm still in shock since I saw this Aug 1st story.
A San Antonio woman, who worked for nationally known telephone psychic Miss Cleo, claims that she can prove the clairvoyant is a fraud.
Who would have figured?
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Femme
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posted on August 6, 2001 05:46:15 PM new
A fraud???
I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked!!!
What next?
No Santa Claus?
No Easter Bunny?
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sulyn1950
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posted on August 6, 2001 05:55:37 PM new
Please don't tell me she is a fraud!!!!!
I'm suppose to be winning the lotto just anytime now!!!!! Miss Cleo prooomissed!
Now, after reading uaru's linked tidbit, I find I wasn't even talking to her??????
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ZiLvY
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posted on August 6, 2001 06:04:24 PM new
Trust me! I really am a Psychic, if you had only asked I could have told you all about Miss Cleo and the free three minute scam!
Just call 999-555-1660 for all da details, mon!!
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sulyn1950
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posted on August 6, 2001 06:17:52 PM new
ZiLvY-Since Miss Cleo, or whomever I talked to, might have mislead me on the lotto thing, can you get it going for me?????? 
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uaru
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posted on August 6, 2001 06:21:25 PM new
What next? No Santa Claus? No Easter Bunny?
You just jarred a memory. I still remember when Randy told me there was no Easter Bunny. He had seen his Easter basket in the top of the closet. I was disappointed at the news but I accepted it, it made sense, and the Easter Bunny wasn't real important to me. Then Randy floored me, he told me there wasn't a Santa Claus either. I remember serious disappointment at that news, very serious disappointment. Randy made sense, but it was a hard pill to swallow.
Learning how babies were made was also a shocker. I was sure there was no way would my parents have done something like that!
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MrsSantaClaus
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posted on August 6, 2001 08:17:55 PM new
And I thought she was my friend! She sent me two emails, after all.
Sniff Sniff 
BECKY
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roadsmith
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posted on August 6, 2001 10:19:31 PM new
I just cannot stand that commercial she's in. CALL MIH NOW! Toooo phony.
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hepburn
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posted on August 6, 2001 11:15:34 PM new
I guess Im gonna get attacked for admitting this, but ah well...I can take it. C'mon, mon, giveittome. Ready? Here goes: I like miss cleo. She busts me up. No, I dont believe shes what she says she is, but she still busts me up.
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uaru
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posted on August 6, 2001 11:40:57 PM new
I guess Im gonna get attacked for admitting this...
I'll share in the attacks with you Hepburn. It is amusing to watch her. It's an ego booster, "Hey, I'm smart enough to know better." Every now and then an infommercial comes along that entertains, Miss Cleo entertains and gives a sagging ego a boost. 
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spazmodeus
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posted on August 6, 2001 11:42:32 PM new
If she were a talk show host, I'd have no problem with her schtick.
But she's ripping people off.
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bunnicula
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:22:39 AM new
Perhaps, but...you've got to wonder about someone dumb enough to ask a psychic for advice & fall for their patter.
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uaru
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posted on August 7, 2001 12:26:15 AM new
But she's ripping people off.
Okay, but she's ripping them off at a discount prices. Lets give the woman some credit were credit is due. How many other scams offer discounts to help the stupid save money?
[ edited by uaru on Aug 7, 2001 12:28 AM ]
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Femme
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posted on August 7, 2001 05:02:07 AM new
I'm grateful for small things.
One of those small things is the mute button on the remote.
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hepburn
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posted on August 7, 2001 06:58:01 AM new
I just want her clothes. She wears some nice stuff
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sulyn1950
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posted on August 7, 2001 07:53:08 AM new
hepburn-You beat me to the wardrobe thing. I do like some of her "costumes". I also have to admit I like her line "girl, you know how I work, don't be putting you stuff out there if you don't want everybody to be knowing about it" (supply the appropriate inflection)....
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hepburn
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posted on August 7, 2001 07:57:18 AM new
Sulyn.
Evry'ting gwan be arigh
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sulyn1950
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:13:01 AM new
On a semi-serious note. I have yet to meet anyone who has actually called (or admits to having called) a physic hotline or Miss Cleo, but Access Resources Services Inc has to be bringing in some bucks. I have watched their commercials go from 1 or 2 channels (in our area) to just about every channel. From the really late spots to prime-time. That cost "big bucks"! Just about every commedian makes mention of Miss Cleo. She (or her character) have become a household "enity".
So, just who is calling and just how many? How can these type of businesses stay in business???? Miss Cleo is not the first. There was a time (just a few years back) when there was some stiff competition! Physic Hotline being one of the largest. Are they still in business?
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uaru
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:40:35 AM new
So, just who is calling and just how many? How can these type of businesses stay in business????
Hey, look on eBay. Do a search for psychic reading and click on the 'completed items'. I can't believe the bids some of these are getting. I'm wondering if I should buy a box of fortune cookies and sell them individually on eBay for $10 - $30 each. Most of these psychics accept credit cards, I don't know if you have to give them the credit card or just think about the number when you talk to them. It is a big industry. All you need is a decent presentation and you to could be on national TV.
Oh, just in case anyone wants more of Miss Cleo she is going to be giving readings on Pay-For-View TV in September. You know I've got my order in. 
 Listen to Miss Cleo's bargain offer (REAL AUDIO required)
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MrsSantaClaus
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posted on August 7, 2001 08:38:39 PM new
I had a former employee who called a psychic. She was causing alot of trouble at work, so I wasn't exactly nice to her.
To make a long story short, the psychic told her that her troubles at work would soon be over.
The psychic was absolutely right!
I FIRED HER SORRY BUTT!
Becky
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preacher4u
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posted on August 8, 2001 08:37:59 PM new
Just be careful on how you talk about her.
She probably has enough money to get us all killed.
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mybiddness
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posted on August 8, 2001 10:07:31 PM new
I hope this one is only the beginning!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20010808/aponline134638_000.htm
Not paranoid anywhere else but here!
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ZiLvY
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posted on August 8, 2001 10:30:28 PM new
Well, she must have seen that coming!
She's probably a democrat!!
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mybiddness
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posted on August 8, 2001 10:33:33 PM new
LOL, Zilvy! I got another urgent letter from her yesterday... kinda hated to bother her though since I know she's so distracted with all these legal troubles - so I just checked my crystal ball instead.
Not paranoid anywhere else but here!
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godzillatemple
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posted on August 9, 2001 05:08:48 AM new
MrsSantaClaus: You fired an elf???
Barry
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The opinions expressed above are for comparison purposes only. Your mileage may vary....
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zoomin
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posted on August 9, 2001 07:07:38 AM new
Hey there, mybid!
Since Miss Cleo is so pre-occuried, have you thought about selling Crystal Ball minutes?
We're finally going on a little vacation ~ a four day cruise ~ it sure would be nice to take a peek at that roulette wheel before we set sail....
only ZOOMIN here 
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zoomin
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posted on August 9, 2001 07:09:28 AM new
MrsSanta:
Would that have been the elf who said there was no Santa Claus?
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sulyn1950
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posted on August 9, 2001 07:15:55 AM new
So for $75,000 Miss Cleo gets a list of 800,000 people not to call????
That might actually help her business....she doesn't have to waste time calling all those people who reaaaaallllly don't like telemarketers!
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