“I’ll remove the damage to the North Military District”: insolent fortune tellers decided to cash in on military families

A whole crowd of mediums, like a pack of jackals, attacked the families of the SVO participants. Taking advantage of the anxious state of wives and mothers, all kinds of fortune tellers promise to reveal the future to them. Will a loved one die or survive on the front line? When can we expect him to return? Will the due payments arrive? Charlatans are trying to lure the military personnel themselves into potential clients.

Clairvoyants are ready to reveal the hidden truth to them: is the missus cheating while the defender at the front beats the enemy. “MK” decided to find out from the experts whether it is possible to rein in such villains.

These people will not stop until they swindle you out of every penny, lawyers warn. If it’s hard, it’s better to consult a psychologist, but don’t tempt fate.

Our country has already been through this. An unprecedented demand for guides to the other world and mediums arose after the tragic events in Beslan in 2004, when a terrorist attack claimed the lives of about three hundred and fifty people. Dubious personalities and sect founders even offered to “resurrect” dead children.

The fact is that grief-stricken relatives are not able to sensibly analyze information. This is what scammers of all stripes take advantage of. And in the case of those who died, the SVO also includes large sums of money, the so-called “posthumous payments.”

Of course, people who have lost loved ones want to believe in miracles. And there were cases when an already buried soldier turned out to be alive, in a hospital or in captivity. The names of those considered dead or missing, but in fact prisoners of war, are included in the lists for exchange. Only now this happens without the help of any mediums and psychics.

Of course, not every esoteric activity can be considered fraudulent. The situation is complicated by the fact that it is very difficult to draw the line between fraud and a fortune teller expressing his opinion. Therefore, it is easier to bring someone to justice if a fortune teller performs a certain ritual and takes money for it, but the ritual does not lead to the desired effect.

For example, a fortune teller’s services may be of a consulting nature, about which she warns her client, and he understands that he should not expect any effect from the fortune teller’s actions.

But when a fortune teller promises to “remove damage”, “bewitch” and so on, we are dealing with classic fraud, liability for which is provided for in Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of Russia. Such “promising” fortune-telling violates the legislation on business activity, for which even criminal liability is provided with imprisonment for up to two years.

It is clear that such fortune tellers do not stay in one place for a long time, therefore, having become a victim of scammers and realizing this, you must immediately call the police. Law enforcement officers will arrive at the “fortune telling office” or other place where the fraudster receives clients, and will take appropriate measures.

Many psychics and esotericists, as we found out, are registered as individual entrepreneurs. Therefore, if you decide to contact a fortune teller, it is worth checking her status as an individual entrepreneur, last name, first name and patronymic. It is important to stipulate that payment will not be by transfer to a bank card or in cash from hand to hand, but rather to an account using the individual entrepreneur’s details. Subsequently, if you need to get your money back, it will be much easier to do so.

“Swindlers are unprincipled and, having the skills of psychological pressure, are able to convince victims who find themselves in a difficult life situation that they can help them solve any issue,” says lawyer Viktor Vinogradov. – Often, clients of such criminals give away large sums of money, even resorting to credit obligations. You should remember this, since such people will not be able to solve any problems, but will only worsen your financial situation. If you do suffer from scammers, contact the police immediately.

MEANWHILE The MK correspondent decided to find out how much fortune tellers now charge for a glimpse into the future. My legend was this: I haven’t seen my husband for a year now, he’s my artilleryman. Will I wait for him?

Online fortune telling from a photograph, it turns out, costs from 3 to 5 thousand rubles. And the cheapest face-to-face consultation is 8. And everyone wants a transfer to a card. Moreover, the prepayment must be one hundred percent.