Deception

The Damage of Deception – How Fake Mediums Poison the Real Work by Kristian von Sponneck, Psychic Medium & Psychic Entertainer

Every time a fake medium gets caught, the headlines explode and the public trust dies a little more. 
People rarely remember the hundreds of honest readings that brought comfort — they remember the one con artist who got exposed.
And that’s the tragedy: the fraud doesn’t just cheat a client; they stain an entire profession built on healing and hope.

The Ripple of Distrust

  When a fake is uncovered, sceptics shout “See, they’re all the same!”
Suddenly genuine practitioners are forced to prove their integrity before they’ve even begun.
The result is suspicion, sarcasm, and emotional walls that make authentic communication harder for everyone.

Mediumship depends on trust — it’s a relationship between sitter, medium, and Spirit.
Fraud breaks that triangle completely.

Why People Fake It

Not every fake starts as a villain. Some begin as insecure mediums who panic when nothing happens.
They improvise to avoid embarrassment, then keep doing it.
Others are pure opportunists who spot a market and exploit grief for money.

Either way, it’s the same sin: pretending to speak for Spirit when you’re really speaking for yourself.
That isn’t service — that’s theft of faith.

Exploiting Grief for Profit

The worst offenders prey on the newly bereaved.
They charge huge fees, promise guaranteed contact, and use emotional blackmail: “Your loved one won’t rest unless you book another session.”
It’s psychological abuse wrapped in spirituality.

Grief makes people vulnerable; it deserves safeguarding, not salesmanship.

The Media’s Obsession with Exposure

Every scandal becomes entertainment. Tabloids love to humiliate a fraudulent psychic because it sells outrage.
But when the public can’t tell the difference between a deceiver and a genuine evidential medium, we all pay the price.

Ethical mediums spend years repairing the damage done by one con artist’s fifteen minutes of fame.

The Cost to Genuine Mediums

Fakes create a climate of cynicism.
Real mediums now have to justify their honesty, prove their evidence, and apologise for crimes they never committed.
It forces authentic practitioners into defensive mode instead of open connection.

Meanwhile, sceptics grow louder, and the line between doubt and dismissal vanishes completely.

How Fakes Fake

Let’s be honest about their methods, because sunlight kills lies:

Cold reading: vague statements dressed as revelation.

Information-fishing: researching clients on social media.

Barnum effect: flattering generalities that apply to everyone.

Pre-show data collection: overheard conversations, sign-in cards, or accomplices.

These tricks rely on psychology, not Spirit.
When the public learns to recognise them, deception dies quickly.

The Internet Has Made It Worse

TikTok and social media have given every wannabe clairvoyant a stage.
Fake “live readings,” fabricated tears, and “Spirit says stop scrolling” videos rack up millions of views.
They create a fast-food version of mediumship — cheap, sugary, and spiritually empty.

The public starts believing that real mediumship looks like dramatics and hashtags.
And when genuine mediums appear calm and evidential, people think we’re “less powerful.”
That’s the long-term damage of digital fakery.

The Emotional Fallout for Clients

A sitter duped by a fake often loses more than money.
They lose trust — in spirituality, in themselves, sometimes even in the memory of their loved one.
That’s a wound far deeper than scepticism; it’s spiritual betrayal.

Re-earning that trust takes years of transparent, ethical work. That’s why honesty isn’t optional — it’s sacred duty.

Accountability Is the Cure

The only way to fight fakery is through accountability:

Clear disclaimers.

Open methods.

Recorded sessions.

Evidence-based practice.

Peer review.

Mediums must welcome scrutiny, not fear it.
Spirit doesn’t need protection from the truth — only impostors do.

My Message to the Fakes

If you’re fabricating, stop.
Not because you might be caught — but because you’re damaging something bigger than yourself.
Every lie you tell widens the gap between the living and the dead.
You’re not fooling sceptics; you’re fooling the grieving.
And that’s unforgivable.

My Message to the Public

Ask questions. Demand evidence. Real mediums welcome it.
Judge us by accuracy, ethics, and compassion — not theatrics.
If someone guarantees results, promises miracle healing, or pressures you to pay more, walk away.

The genuine ones don’t chase; they serve.

Reclaiming Credibility

The only antidote to deception is transparency.
Record readings. Explain the process. Admit uncertainty. Be human.

The more open we are, the faster the fakes fade into irrelevance.
Light always outlasts illusion.

The Damage of Deception – Final Thoughts

Fake mediums are not just bad for the industry — they’re catastrophic for the grieving hearts we’re supposed to protect.
Every false reading pushes another person further from belief, from comfort, and from the possibility of real spiritual healing.

Mediumship deserves better — and so do the people who come to it seeking hope.
The truth is powerful enough on its own; it doesn’t need to be manufactured.

In the end, fakery isn’t clever. It’s cowardice.
And the only way to defeat it is to live — and work — with complete honesty, even when that means admitting, “Spirit isn’t coming through right now.”

Because integrity will always be the loudest message of all.

You may like my last post, click the following to read Mediumship and Fear – Why Some Mediums Fabricate, Exaggerate, or Collapse Under Pressure