The woman introduces herself as Savannah and offers to give Marlene a psychic reading.
Figuring it will cost her just a few dollars, Marlene takes her up on the offer.
Savannah takes Marlene back to her shop.
During the reading she picks up on many of the troubles Marlene is facing in her personal life.
Marlene chooses a few things within her budget to purchase and starts to leave.
But Savannahs not done with her yet.
She gives Marlene her phone number with an offer to continue to help her.
For instance, if you are looking for a job you are more vulnerable to a work-at-home scam.
Have you ever wondered what happens if you go inside?
I don’t recommend it.
We’ve plucked this episode from the archives for you as we prepare brand new episodes ofThe Perfect Scam.
Here’s host Julie Getz with our story Beware the Boardwalk Psychic.
[00:01:13] Marlene: She says to me, you know would you like a quote unquote reading?
And I says, “Okay.”
I said, “Okay.”
She seemed to be honest.
She had a very nice way about her.
It’s not right what they’ve done.
[00:01:38] Julie: Hello, and welcome back to The Perfect Scam.
I’m Julie Getz.
Today we’re going to discuss psychic scams.
The psychic scam is an old one, but today business is booming.
They’re excited for a night out and have plans for dinner and a show.
And I says, “Okay,” ‘cause I’d gone before to other people.
[00:03:24] Julie: Marlene and her friend followed the young woman to her shop.
While her friends waits comfortably in a chair outside, Marlene follows the young girl in.
There was a lot of um, good luck charms hanging around or incense and stuff like that.
All over the place.
[00:03:46] Julie: The young woman introduces herself as Savannah and invites Marlene to sit down.
Savannah closes her eyes and begins their reading.
My husband um, I mean verbally, verbally he was very abusive.
[00:04:14] Julie: So she picked up on something that you were going through at home?
That must have gotten your attention.
So what else did she say?
[00:04:20] Marlene: She would say you have a negativity about you and that’s not good.
You know, we could help you get rid of the negativity.
I says, “Okay.”
You know, that’s no big, no big deal.
I didn’t feel uncomfortable or, she seemed to be honest.
She seemed to be very nice.
[00:04:46] Julie: What happened after you gave her the money?
How did you guys stay in touch?
And I says, “Well, okay.”
She goes “and here’s my phone number.”
She digs out Savannah’s number and calls her.
[00:05:09] Marlene: Well I was hoping that maybe she could bring some quote unquote good luck.
Without Marlene having to say a thing.
I didn’t even say anything about my brother.
[00:05:38] Julie: Two thousand dollars is a lot of money.
But Savannah convinces Marlene that it’s a reasonable investment for permanent peace of mind.
[00:05:50] Julie: So that was your first call with Savannah.
It sounds like the relationship developed pretty quickly after that?
She had a personality that’s like, forget it.
I mean you would love her.
Like we would be talking almost every day.
I thought she was my buddy.
[00:06:15] Julie: We all need someone to talk to.
And Savannah seemed to want only the best for Marlene.
She was always willing to use her skills as a psychic to help.
[00:06:43] Julie: $300.
You’re full of negativity and I don’t want you to have it.
And I believed it.
And I went, “What?”
I went and I got her two Rolex watches.
I’ll get it back, and of course, I didn’t, and I believed it.
[00:07:55] Julie: The Rolex store is in Scarsdale, New York.
It’s just a 20 minute ride from Younkers, but an entirely different world.
[00:08:03] Marlene: And they treat the watches like their babies.
They don’t even touch them with their hands.
They use rags or something like that, and then they put it in the box.
[00:08:29] Julie: The rendezvous spot is the CVS parking lot.
Marlene pulls up, gets out, and waits.
Soon, Savannah arrives with another young woman.
And she says, “Thank you so much.”
And I gave them the watches.
[00:08:49] Julie: Marlene, how did you feel on the ride home?
You just handed over such an expensive gift to this girl.
I hope that it helps me, you know."
[00:09:04] Julie: For a while, Marlene puts the Rolexes out of her mind.
I says to her, “Can I get the, the watches back?”
[00:09:25] Julie: Did you tell anyone what was going on, like friends or family?
You must have been getting pretty worried.
And I start talking about a psychic, a lot of people that you’re a psycho yourself.
Did you confront Savannah to see what she’d say?
And a few times her mother got on the phone.
I’m like, “What do you mean she’s gone?”
You know, now I didn’t know if she died, ‘cause she’s a young girl.
And that was the end of it.
That was the end of it.
Never heard from her at all.
[00:10:17] Marlene: My husband died 212 years ago.
He doesn’t know.
I never told him.
I never told him, no.
[00:10:27] Marlene: My daughter’s pissed off at me because of that.
I told my son, and he’s I’m out of my mind.
I told some girlfriends, and they were going, “What did you do that for?
You’re wrong.”
[00:10:37] Julie: How much money in total did you end up giving her?
[00:10:40] Marlene: You’re going to die.
Three hundred and something thousand dollars.
[00:10:42] Julie: So you emptied out your retirement savings account?
[00:10:44] Marlene: I guess you call that, yeah.
[00:10:47] Julie: Okay.
A savings account that you had.
[00:11:48] Marlene: Uh-huh.
I have a little bit left, and I mean a little bit left.
[00:11:52] Julie: Okay.
[00:11:07] Marlene: My daughter and I went to Atlantic City, the police department.
I told them what happened.
It’s not right what they’ve done.
Maybe they you know, that I’m doing it willingly.
They didn’t even question it, no, not at all.
Maria’s work focuses on unpacking the decision making process and she’s done extensive research on con artists.
Maria, what can you tell us about the mindset of con artists?
Um, the other two are much more prevalent, and usually con artists have the other two.
[00:13:15] Julie: Got it.
Okay, let’s hear all about it.
So the psychopath brain is actually wired a little bit differently, and the emotional centers are wired differently.
And so there’s not this hot visceral reaction to emotions.
That’s actually something that I found repeatedly with the con artists I met and spoke with.
None of them think that they’re bad people.
Everything I did was justified for different reasons.
And I think psychopathy is something that allows them to do that.
Um, then there is narcissism.
I actually deserve those credentials more.
And so they just take them, and they say, yep, I’m just righting the world.
I’m righting the wrongs of the world.
This is the world as it should be.
Um, and I deserve everything.
This is my call.
I’m so smart.
[00:16:42] Julie: That is really interesting.
Maria, what can cons teach us about human nature in our most profound needs?
[00:16:50] Maria Konnikova: I think fundamentally, cons are all about hope.
I’m not saying that, the fact that con artists are conning is positive.
And what con artists sell is hope.
See, I’ve been telling you this all along.
I mean do you really want to live in a world without hope, without trust?
Where people don’t think optimistically, where they don’t aspire to a better vision?
I mean, I know that I don’t want to live in a world like that.
[00:18:50] Julie: Um-hmm.
Can you shed some light on psychic scams?
Why are they so successful?
Or that they share any sort of specific background; they don’t.
Or that they share some sort of education level; they don’t.
They say, oh, you know, I can give you that certainty.
I can give you back agency when you’re feeling powerless.
I can tell you a story that’s going to make sense.
Let me just walk into this psychic parlor and see what happens.
[00:20:44] Maria Konnikova: Absolutely.
And I actually think that con artists are incredibly charismatic.
That’s why it works.
You will not see them coming.
Con artists, you’ll see them and say, oh my God, what a great person.
Um, you know I want to grab a beer with them.
I want this person to be my friend.
I found this happening to me when I knew I was meeting with a con artist.
I want him to be my grandfather, like he’s a, he’s so great.
He’s so fun.
Um, and he’s like,
“Oh, you know, come over to my house.
And then it just, it struck me, wait.
Um, this is not the grandfather that you want.
But they’re, that’s their charm.
Um, and that’s the reason they’re able to appeal to you.
Now, you’re also talking about another phenomenon which is that sometimes they can completely change their colors.
They’re taking advantage of the good in me.
They’re taking advantage of my hope.
No, no, this is actually legitimate.
So I think that it can actually be quite empowering to, to admit that it’s okay.
Believe me, society will do enough judging for you.
[00:23:35] Julie: Um-hmm.
Thank you so much, Maria.
[00:23:27] Maria Konnikova: All right, take care, I appreciate it.
[00:23:39] Julie: For AARP - The Perfect Scam, I’m Julie Getz.
Call the AARP Fraud Watch online grid Helpline at 877-908-3360.
Their trained fraud specialists can provide you with free support and guidance on what to do next.
That address again is: theperfectscampodcast@aarp.org.
Be sure to find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
For AARP’s The Perfect Scam, I’m Bob Sullivan.
