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Home » Audio, Headline, Paranormal, Videos

Britain’s Best-Loved Psychic a Fraud? Radio Interview Included

Submitted by on September 24, 2011 – 6:16 AM17 Comments | 1,195 views


Say it ain’t so Ma! Say it ain’t so!

Most who visit Ghosttheory on a regular basis know my views on psychic abilities and my theories regarding the subject.

That said, I do try to respect those who believe in the supernatural aspect of psychic ability. However, as we know, there are charlatans out there either looking for money or fame or both. I’m not going to start listing those who I see as defrauding the public, but this news item has to be brought to our attention as it involves arguably the biggest name in Britain’s psychic elite.

Yes, it would seem that “Britian’s best loved psychic”, Sally Morgan is being accused of fraud. If true, this revelation could throw the paranormal world into a bit of a spin.

Morgan, who has an enormous following is by all appearances, on top of the psychic world with her third book being published and her third video series currently filming.

However, all that glitters is not always gold as Morgan has been accused of being fed via an earpiece by a guide that sits in a booth at the back of live theater shows.

You can make up your own mind, however, if the truth is being told, it’s difficult to deny that something unscrupulous is going on here.

According to her website, Sally Morgan is “Britain’s best-loved psychic”. She is certainly a very successful psychic – she has just released her third book and is currently filming the third series of Psychic Sally on the Road for Sky LIVING. But an incident that took place a few days ago may cause a few of her fans to wonder whether Morgan is deserving of their adoration. Could it be that, like so many self-professed psychic superstars in the past, Morgan is nothing more than a self-serving con artist?

Let me describe what happened so that you can make up your own mind. On Monday 12 September, a caller named Sue phoned the Liveline show on RTÉ Radio 1, an Irish radio station. Sue said that she had attended Morgan’s show the previous night at the Grand Canal Theater in Dublin and had been impressed by the accuracy of the readings she made in the first half of the show.

But then something odd happened. Sue was sitting in the back row on the fourth level of the theater and there was a small room behind her (“like a projection room”) with a window open. Sue and her companions became aware of a man’s voice and “everything that the man was saying, the psychic was saying it 10 seconds later.”

Sue believes, not unreasonably, that the man was feeding information to Sally through an earpiece attached to her microphone. For example, the voice would say something like “David, pain in the back, passed quickly” and a few seconds later Sally would claim to have the spirit of a “David” on stage who – you’ll never guess – suffered from back pain and passed quickly.

A member of staff realized that several people near the back of the theater were aware of the mystery voice and the window was gently closed. The voice was not heard again.

Sue speculated, again not unreasonably given the history of psychic frauds, that the man was feeding Sally information that had been gathered by engaging members of the audience in conversation in the foyer before the show began. This is a technique widely used by psychic fraudsters, as audience members will naturally discuss with each other who they are hoping to hear from “on the other side”, how their loved one died, and so on.

Subsequent callers to the radio program supported Sue’s account.

The theater’s general manager, Stephen Faloon, claimed that the voice heard by the audience was actually the voices of two members of staff working for the theater, not someone supplying information to Sally. Sally Morgan Enterprises also denied that the medium was being fed information during the show.

This episode is reminiscent of the exposure of faith healer Peter Popoff by James Randi in 1986. Popoff would wow his audiences by giving specific and accurate details of their medical problems before claiming to cure them with his divine powers. This information was, according to Popoff, provided to him directly by God. It was certainly an effective technique, as at this time Popoff was raking in around $4m per month (tax-free) from his poor, sick and uneducated followers.

Randi, with the assistance of investigator Alexander Jason, convincingly demonstrated that Popoff was actually receiving the “divine” information from his wife via a hearing aid. Following his exposure on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Popoff declared bankruptcy in 1987.

In a more rational world, that would have been the end of Popoff’s career as a faith healer. Sadly, we do not live in a rational world. Popoff is back, earning more than ever by fleecing his flock using exactly the same techniques that Randi exposed, plus a few new ones, such as the sale of “Miracle Spring Water”. According to ABC News, Popoff’s ministry received more than $9.6m in 2003 and more than $23m in 2005. In that year, Popoff paid himself and his wife a combined total of almost a million dollars (not to mention two of his children receiving more than $180,000 each).

Since the heyday of mediumship during the Victorian era, exposure as frauds has typically done little to diminish the popularity of alleged psychics in the eyes of their followers.

It is important to realize that many self-professed psychics, possibly the majority, are sincere in their beliefs that they possess a “gift”. Such practitioners are probably unintentionally using some of the same techniques used by so-called cold readers to convince themselves and their sitters that they are tapping into some paranormal source of information. Because the cold reading technique is not being exploited deliberately and systematically, such readings are usually unimpressive to anyone except hardcore believers.

But con artists can use cold reading to convince complete strangers that they know all about them. It relies on the clever use of language, careful observation, intelligent guesswork, and the production of vague and ambiguous statements that the sitter interprets (and remembers) as being more specific than they actually were. In a skilled practitioner, cold reading can produce much more impressive results than the rather amateurish readings produced by most psychics.

Even cold reading has its limits though. If a psychic reading is full of very specific and accurate details, produced on the basis of very limited interaction with the sitter (as in Popoff’s case), it is more likely to be the result of “hot reading” – information collected prior to the start of the reading.

While the activities of performers like Popoff, who deliberately and knowingly exploit their vulnerable followers and are motivated by nothing more than personal greed, would be condemned as immoral by most reasonable people, the moral issues are not quite so cut-and-dried when it comes to deluded but sincere psychics who may not even charge for their services.

The fact is that many bereaved people are comforted to receive “evidence” that their loved ones are waiting for them “on the other side”. Some may feel that even if Morgan is deliberately conning her audience with fraudulent techniques, this is outweighed by the comfort that she brings. However, given that tickets for her sell-out Dublin show cost €40 each and there were reportedly brisk sales for her books and DVDs, this appears not to be her only motivation.

Phone-in caller Sue, who believed that Morgan had psychic powers before her experience at the theater, described herself as being “totally disappointed” and insisted that she would not be attending such shows again. Maybe some of her friends and others sitting near her that evening will follow suit. Sadly, however, history suggests that most of Sally’s followers will continue to adore her and pay the high prices demanded to see her in action.

Source: The Guardian

Based on Susan’s commentary above I’d venture to guess that the Sally Morgan productions might just include “plants”. These are people who’s job it is to mingle with those attending Sally’s live events. The “plants” mill through the crowds and lines before the show making small talk. All the while they are extracting as much information as possible from their “marks”. I think you can see where this is going.

Again, I will keep my opinions as close to the vest as possible. What I will say is there seems to be more and more bottom feeders out in the psychic world. They’re objective? To exploit those in a weakened state of mind and prey on their vulnerabilities. I’m talking about people suffering from grief, depression or a some other form of distress that causes distraction or a need to extinguish an emotional flame. Quite simply, they are not in the right frame of mind and this is what these flim flammers are counting on.

OK, I said I’d keep my mouth shut but to further emphasize what I’m getting at, I will use one example. That example is John Edwards who is arguably the most revered psychic in America and also (in my opinion) a grifter and a phony. In fact, Edwards is textbook in his technique and so brash that he seldom even tries to hide his divisive shtick. You may ask, why? Why would he risk being exposed? The sad truth is that Edwards has so much control over his audiences that he literally doesn’t fear detractors.

With all this chicanery happening around us, how can we know who to trust? Therefore, the last avenue we should be going down when making a life altering decision is the psychic one. Before, you jump the gun, you have to consider this: How would be able to discern to a 100% level of certainty that the psychic you consult is correct? No, I’m not talking about a novelty visit; I’m talking about those who are consulting psychics with major enigmatic situations or life and death issues. Before you balk, let me tell you, there are many out there who are doing just that as we speak.

I know there are those here at GT who profess to be psychic and I hope they can understand, this is not intended as indirect negativity toward them. In fact there are things I do believe along with my “senses” theory, things I won’t get into at this time. Suffice it to say, I do believe in certain abilities under certain conditions.

A final observation regarding the Sally Morgan dust up is no matter how true these accusations are, many people will continue to follow this woman. I would hope that even the slightest doubt would give you the wherewithal to break away from such situations, or at least to be more aware of what’s happening behind the words and theatrics.

NOTE: The opinions expressed are my own and in no way reflect the general attitudes or beliefs at Ghosttheory.com.

Scott McMan

Editor at GhostTheory
If you can read this, you are too close. Take one step back and to the right. No, your other right.

Newer Comments →
  • Valkyrie

    I used to watch John Edwards with rapt attention; he’s like the crystal meth of the “psychic” world. For the record, I absolutely do believe in psychics. I’ve had my psychic moments, and I don’t doubt that some people can tune into it better than others. With that said, Sally Morgan and John Edwards? It angers me really. Good for Sue for calling it in and telling the world.

  • Henry

    First sentence: Gohsttheory?

    Anyway, to the subject, I am divided in my beliefs about psychic phenomena. We know many of the functions of our brain work by by a process very like resonant inductive coupling (near field wireless transmission of electrical energy.) That does leave the door open to the possibility if fields interacting in such a way as to cause “ESP” or similar phenomena. If two brains are working on resonant frequencies in close proximity, there should be no reason why one cannot pick up the other. I have seen this function with radio stations, when very close to a transmitter one station drowns out another if they are on a resonant frequencies.

    Do I believe this woman is a fraud? Or that all entertainment psychics are frauds? Most likely. There are people who are simply very good at reading body language, and other subtle clues of psychology to “read” people, and couple this with a studied knowledge of human nature and statistics to begin with a guess, read the clues given by the subject and come up with a prediction or a message that is open to interpretation (the subject fills in the blanks) and what they want to hear.

    Using an ear piece is pretty clumsy, if that is how she got caught, then she is lucky to have gotten as far as she did.

  • http://www.ghosttheory.com Scott McMan

    Henry,

    Was it necessary to bust my “Bs”?

    There are people who are simply very good at reading body language, and other subtle clues of psychology to “read” people, and couple this with a studied knowledge of human nature and statistics to begin with a guess, read the clues given by the subject and come up with a prediction or a message that is open to interpretation (the subject fills in the blanks) and what they want to hear.

    This is all part of my senses theory. As I’ve said before, I don’t like the word psychic because it seems to detract from our own abilities not associated with the supernatural. As for EMF, air pressure, etc…These all fall into the theory as well. I definitely believe people like Bea are very gifted but she along with others identify it as being psychic….I don’t.

    By the way Henry, you best not make a mistake because I owe you one.

  • Henry

    Then you missed a chance already, there is a small goof in my post above, At least you can go back and correct yours : )
    Don’t feel too bad I got Javier on something like: more better… or some such.
    And I make lots of typos, so you will have plenty of chances. : )

  • http://www.ghosttheory.com Scott McMan

    Henry,

    I’m most certainly not going to do it today when you are prepared for it.

    It will be sometime, maybe tomorrow, maybe in the distant future, but make no mistake it’s coming.

    It may be a day just like today, sun shining, birds singing, planets…doing..planet… stuff….Ehuh, anyway as I was saying it will be an occasion when you least expect it.

    As you read one of my well thought out responses, suddenly you’ll feel a cold rush come over you and then BaBAM! Grammar Correction!!! You won’t even know what hit you.

    Yes my friend, it is coming………..

    Have a great day buddy! :)

  • Henry

    There should be a sound track to that.

  • http://www.silentthrill.wordpress.com Archard

    Derren Brown would likely show you how :)

  • Anonymous

    OH REALLY ??? I FIGURED HER OUT AGES AGO.

  • keltic1

    Psychics , real or not real?…..The more intriguing question for me is…Why are so many people willing to give their total faith (and sometimes their total bank accounts) to psychics and the such? What is it, in the human psyche that almost compels people to believe in the supernatural or paranormal? A 2005 Gallup poll revealed that three in four Americans “profess at least one paranormal belief”.
    Volumes of books and scholarly papers have been written on man’s belief system. Some of the more recent writings are very compelling and show that skeptics have their work cut out for them. A few years back , Sharon Begley, science columnist and science editor of Newsweek, wrote an article addressing this subject. The article was called “Why Do we Believe”. (Bear with me , Valkyrie, this might get a little dry.) She begins the article with the following:
    ” Belief in the paranormal reflects normal brain activity carried to an extreme.” She goes on to say: ” If you take the word “normal” as characteristic of the norm or majority, then it is the superstitious and those who believe in ESP, ghosts and psychic phenomena who are normal. Most scientists and skeptics roll their eyes at such sleight of word, asserting that belief in anything for which there is no empirical evidence is a sign of mental pathology and not normalcy. But a growing number of researchers, in fields such as evolutionary psychology and neurobiology, are taking such beliefs seriously in one important sense: as a window into the workings of the human mind. The studies are an outgrowth of research on religious faith, a (nearly) human universal, and are turning out to be useful for explaining fringe beliefs, too. The emerging consensus is that belief in the supernatural seems to arise from the same mental processes that underlie everyday reasoning and perception. But while the belief in ghosts, past lives, the ability of the mind to move matter and the like originate in normal mental processes, those processes become hijacked and exaggerated. Also, there is a constant back-and-forth between cognitive and emotion regions of the brain, neuro-imaging studies have shown. That can heighten perception, as when fear sharpens hearing. But it can also override the senses.”
    James Griffith, a psychiatrist and neurologist at George Washington University, has written: ” That we are suckers for weird beliefs reflects the fact that the brain systems that allow and even encourage them evolved for other things. A bundle of neurons in the superior parietal lobe, a region toward the top and rear of the brain, for instance, distinguishes where your body ends and the material world begins. Without it, you couldn’t navigate through a door frame. But other areas of the brain, including the thinking regions in the frontal lobes, sometimes send ‘turn off!’ signals to this structure, such as when we are falling asleep or when we feel physical communion with another person (that’s a euphemism for sex). During intense prayer or meditation, brain-imaging studies show, the structure is also especially quiet. Unable to find the dividing line between self and world, the brain adapts by experiencing a sense of holism and connectedness. You feel a part of something larger than yourself. This ability to shut off the sense of where you end and the world begins, then, may promote other beliefs that bring a sense of connection, even if they involve alien kidnappers.”
    And if that is not enough, it appears that the increase in our scientific knowledge may, ironically, be a contributing factor. Some studies show that as science continues to remove some of the mystery of life, people look more for the mysterious.

  • Valkyrie

    Not dry at all, Keltic1. In fact I rather perked up at “physical communion.” Really though, I find arguments that pit science and religion against one another rather trite, and I am wary of arguments by evolutionary psychologists. The brain, however, is fascinating and we have so much to learn about it.

  • keltic1

    @Valkyrie, I put that in just for you. I wanted to make sure that I kept your interest
    Valkyrie…….from Old Norse valkyrja “chooser of the slain”. I want to be sure that I stay on your good side! (No innuendo there. LOL)

  • Henry

    Keltic, re-read your first paragraph and replace the word “psychics” with the word “priests.” There may be a clue there.
    People are desperate to believe, it matters little in what they believe so long as it is easy for them, and typically lets someone else do the thinking.

  • keltic1

    @Scott….I couldn’t help notice that one of the site’s advertiser.s is “CaliforniaPsychics.com”. Hmmmm! A great man once said: “With all this chicanery happening around us, how can we know who to trust?” So you recommend using them for “novelty use” only,correct?

  • http://www.ghosttheory.com Scott McMan

    keltic,

    I don’t own the site, I just write articles.

    Aside from that, it’s difficult to find advertisers when your site is in such a competitive field. As I’m sure you know, there are much bigger sites out there, however, GT is building a following.

    I’m sure Javier will have more interested advertisers coming in as he has done well in a short time.

  • http://www.ghosttheory.com Scott McMan

    Henry,

    You have read lots of my stuff. Does it look like someone else is doing my thinking for me?

    Although I’m not Catholic, it seems you were addressing Faith in God.

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