Psychics in New York City are grappling with a new challenge that even their soothsaying predecessors may not have been able to predict: Yelp reviews.
The popular review website has proven to be a formidable factor for tarot readers and other psychic practitioners who rely heavily on word of mouth advertising for their business.
While some savvy psychics ask their clients to contribute a positive post about them on Yelp, others are battling bad reviews which call into question their prognostication skills.
The changing dynamic between the customer and the psychic may even have an effect on how exactly readings unfold.
One psychic explained that she has had clients caution her that their reading better be positive or the Yelp review would not be.
And while many of the reviews seem to rely on the customer's interpretation of how well the psychic knew their life, there are others that help to alert people to potential chicanery at work.
Psychics that try to upsell their clients with vague services aimed at eliminating evil spirits have found their schemes exposed on the website by customers who are familiar with the tactic and did not take the bait.
The unexpected spotlight comes at a particularly bad time for those who attempt these ploys on gullible customers as law enforcement has begun to crack down on the practice with many psychics facing larceny charges.
Nonetheless, New York's psychics point to the long history of the phenomenon and assert that it can survive this new digital age where everyone's a critic.
Source: New York Times