Religious leaders are warning devotees of all faiths against falling prey to fake spiritualists.
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RELIGIOUS leaders are warning devotees of all faiths against falling prey to fake spiritualists, who con people into believing they can create wealth and protection, resulting in financial ruin and psychological trauma.
The warning comes after the Durban Regional Court recently withdrew a conspiracy-to-commit-murder case against a Chatsworth family, who were charged for allegedly hiring a hit man to kill their spiritualist.
The self-proclaimed “Indian spiritualist” claimed that the family donated large amounts of money to his temple, and they had donated a house to him out of good faith.
The family alleged that the spiritualist duped them into giving him large amounts of money, and when they stopped, their relationship turned sour, leading to the charges against them.
Religious leaders said con artists who posed as spiritual leaders, were tarnishing their religions, and preying on those who were “at their lowest point” seeking spiritual guidance and help.
Hinduism
Pundit Lokesh Maharajh, chairperson of the Priests’ Council at the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, said: “We live in a consumerist age where there is a growing belief that even divine favour can be purchased. In a quick-fix culture, people are looking for shortcuts to solve complex life problems like debt, illness, or relationship issues.
“Desperation blinds people to the logic of the situation, making them easy targets for those promising miracles for a fee. Unfortunately, there are individuals who exploit religious symbols and the name of Hinduism to manipulate the vulnerable.”
“Dark magic or black magic is the attempt to manipulate low-level energies to influence physical reality either for protection or to harm others. For a practising Hindu, delving into these dark arts is spiritually regressive.
“The Shastras (scriptures) teach that while these energies may exist, engaging with them traps the soul in a cycle of fear, ego and negativity. Instead of seeking Moksha (liberation) or Bhakti (devotion), the person becomes a slave to superstition, and the whims of a spiritualist or practitioner,” said Maharajh.
“It moves the devotee away from the light of God and into a shadow world of anxiety, pseudo-spiritual dependency, and spiritual bondage.
“While many of these ‘spiritualists’ advertise openly on social media or in flyers, promising ‘guaranteed results’ for wealth or protection, others operate more discreetly through word of mouth,” he added.
He said those who conned devotees under the guise of being spiritualists often used fear and threats that a person would become ill or die without their intervention to extort money.
“This is a predatory practice that preys on desperation, and has no basis in Hindu scriptures, and the authentic, ethical practice of the faith. In Hinduism, a true spiritual guide is typically a Guru or Swami who focuses on self-realisation, devotion, and the study of scriptures. Spiritualists who claim to manipulate supernatural forces for material gain or to harm others, are generally viewed with scepticism by mainstream religious bodies.
“While some traditional folk practices exist, the moment spirituality becomes a commercial transaction based on fear-mongering, it departs from the core Hindu values of Dharma (righteousness) and Sathya (truth),” he added.
Maharajh said reports in the media and on social platforms frequently highlighted cases of financial ruin and psychological trauma caused by such individuals.
“This is deeply concerning because it tarnishes the reputation of the religion, and exploits people when they are at their lowest point. It turns a path of solace into a source of further suffering.
He said identifying a con was difficult because the client or devotee was often in a state of crisis.
He warned that the primary red flag was fear-based coercion, and demands for money for purported rituals.
“If a practitioner tells you that your family are cursed or that you will die unless you pay a specific sum of money, it is a scam. These charlatans exploit the vulnerable to line their own pockets.
“People should refrain from consulting such individuals. True spiritual healing comes from a sincere connection with the divine.
“Dedicating oneself to prayer and believing that God, not a paid intermediary, is the ultimate healer, is the safest path.
Maharajh cautioned that any ritual that involved animal sacrifice in a graveyard, the demand for secretive payments, or actions that contradicted the principle of Ahimsa (non-violence), should be avoided.
Islam
Dr Yusuf Patel, secretary general of the United Ulama Council of South Africa, said there had been numerous cases where people had been financially and emotionally exploited.
“Any claim of using dark magic, or controlling unseen forces to guarantee wealth, protection or cause harm to others, falls under sihr (sorcery), which is strictly forbidden in Islam.
“The term spiritualist itself is vague and not recognised in Islamic theology. Islam makes a clear distinction between legitimate practices, such as supplication and Qur’an-based healing, and illegitimate ones like fortune-telling, sorcery and claiming knowledge of the unseen.
“These individuals typically operate independently and outside any recognised religious authority, often targeting vulnerable people facing illness, financial hardship or personal crises," he added.
Patel said ultimately, Islam taught reliance on Allah, not luck or hidden forces.
“Those seeking spiritual assistance should turn to authentic scholars, sincere supplication and lawful means, while avoiding any individual who claims supernatural powers or guaranteed outcomes.
“Warning signs include making absolute promises, instilling fear, demanding unusual items or charging excessive fees,” Patel added.
He encouraged members of the public who believed they had been defrauded, to report such cases to law enforcement and relevant authorities.
“Religious bodies also play an important role in educating communities and issuing warnings,” added Patel.
Christianity
Dr Cyril Pillay, a reverend and head of the Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum, said they were encouraging people who are duped by “evil spiritualists” to report the incidents to police.
“In Christianity, these con people exist. We view them as false prophets and evil people. These evil spiritualists operate alone. Many people have been duped, thus it becomes a police matter, and these evil soothsayers are nowhere to be found.
“We are appealing to people to use common sense and to be street-wise, ask around, seek advice, and not be gullible and stubborn. The evil spiritualists prey on single people, betray their trust, engage in sexual activities, and take large sums of money from their unsuspecting victims.
“These fake spiritualists need to be reported to the police,” he added.
Pillay said spiritual con artists exploited people’s search for meaning, healing, and hope for financial or personal gain.
He said they frequently targeted vulnerable individuals, using emotional manipulation, fear tactics and charlatanism to steal money, assets, and sometimes even cause emotional or physical harm.
“Based on reported cases and investigations, we found that common tactics used by spiritual scammers included an array of different approaches.
“The ‘cold read scam’ is where strangers, often online, approach victims with unsolicited readings, claiming to have special powers or to be a chosen one. The fear and curse removal scam is where scammers claim to see a curse, negative energy or an impending tragedy, such as financial ruin or danger to family members, and demand payment to remove it.
“Then we have seen the ancestor or cleansing scam, where scammers posing as traditional healers or spiritualists claim that the victims' ancestors have a message.
“They often use drugs to cause hallucinations, making victims believe they are hearing voices, forcing them to hand over money. The twin flame or romance scam is where the fake spiritualist would pretend to be a spiritual soulmate to gain trust. They quickly move to love-bombing, emotional manipulation, and eventually requesting money for emergencies or spiritual energy exchanges,” Pillay warned.
He said some of the red flags included when the spiritualist focused on money, guaranteed instant results, encouraged distrust among family and friends to isolate the victim, and shamed followers for asking questions.
“Fake spiritualists are obsessed with high fees, donations or selling expensive products, rather than genuine spiritual guidance. They guarantee impossible outcomes, such as immediate healing or overnight wealth.
“They encourage you to distrust family and friends; and to depend solely on them for guidance. They often shame, gaslight or punish followers for asking questions or offering criticism. They also demand adoration, claim to be perfect, and often have a ‘my way or the highway’ mentality,” he added.
Pillay said the consequences of falling for these scams went beyond financial loss, which can range from hundreds to millions of rand.
“The impact causes severe psychological distress, where victims often experience anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts due to the betrayal and loss.
“Victims feel immense guilt for being ‘suckers’, which keeps them from reporting the crime. Victims have been coerced into selling their homes, cashing in pensions, and handing over all their savings.
“To protect themselves, they need to check the credentials and reviews of any spiritual practitioner. They should never share personal information, like bank details or addresses, to strangers online.
“Trust your gut. If a reading or spiritual advice feels manipulative, fear-driven, or too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers must be reported to local law enforcement, or specialised cybercrime units.
“We encourage people to seek assistance from legitimate religious leaders and institutions,” added Pillay.
He said every police station had a Spiritual Crime Prevention Forum that could be easily identified and accessed, and he encouraged residents to report spiritualists who conned them.