How many predictions by Aussie psychics came true revealed: List of those who claim to be the best

Swimming legend Lisa Curry has revealed how she wasted time and money in a recent “terrible” experience with psychics over her daughter’s death, warning others not to “get sucked in”.

The percentage of predictions from Australian psychics that have come true over a 12 year period has been revealed.

Australian swimming legend Lisa Curry has revealed her “terrible” experience with psychics she consulted as part of her healing journey after her daughter Jaimi’s tragic death, saying they were “grasping at straws and just embarrassing”, and “a total waste” of time and money.

Curry said she visited a healer and a medium in Arizona in late July and was bitterly disappointed.

She chose to travel to the U.S. for the consultations so nobody would know who she was or anything about her background and recent loss.

Jaimi Kenny was aged just 33 when she died in September, 2020 following a long battle with an eating disorder and illness.

“I couldn’t get out quickly enough!! A total waste of time and $$🤦🏼‍♀️,” Curry said of her psychic experiences.

Lisa Curry in Arizona. Picture: Instagram

Curry with her daughter, Jaimi. Picture: Supplied

“In fact the medium didn’t even charge us because nothing was even close. Don’t get sucked in, go with your own feelings. The best counselling is sometimes a $5 coffee with your friends,” she posted on Instagram from Sedona, Arizona, on July 29.

“I guess sometimes we look for a sign, miracle, explanation when we need clarity and answers. I wanted to see someone here in the US because they have no idea who I am, and if they really are good at what they do, they would/should be able to pick up on something — anything.

“Trust your own feelings and allow time to get yourself back on track, as hard as it is. I’m only now starting to feel slightly normal again. Of course, I look happy enough on the outside but my insides are still sad and heavy … Let me know though if you’ve had any positive experiences with any psychics, mediums, healers. I don’t want to sound negative or sceptical but my experiences were terrible.”

Curry says her experiences with psychics in Arizona were ‘terrible’. Picture: Instagram

It comes as the number of Victorians being spammed and scammed by self-titled psychics and spiritual healers — spruiking guidance and pop psychology online and social media — soars.

And many of them declare they are the best in their field and charge through the nose for their phony services.

Crystal shops, some also offering tarot card and psychic readings, or reiki and “energy healing”, have boomed across Victoria in recent years; many spruiking “a change of perspective” and “clarity”, as well as tarot readings, reiki healing and counselling by mediums — with sessions priced up to $100 an hour or $60 for 30 minutes.

But while Victorians are forking out money for insights into their futures and guidance on how to live, a long-range Australian analysis of psychic predictions shows just 11 per cent have been right in the past.

Lisa Curry, pictured with her daughter Jaimi, has advised people not to ‘get sucked in’ by psychics. Picture: Supplied

Executive officer of Australian Skeptics Tim Mendham said about 3800 predictions from about 200 Australian psychics were analysed over 12 years — with the results published at the end of 2021.

“We covered every prediction we could find over a 12-year period — in magazines, press, radio, TV, social media, by going to libraries … there was 11 per cent accuracy,” he said.

And some of the predictions that had been correct had been “stating the obvious, like there will be a rift in the royal family”, Mr Mendham said.

The analysis was “easily the most detailed project of its kind ever attempted in Australia, and most likely the world”, he has previously said.

“The results indicate nothing better than educated guessing – or even uneducated guessing - and certainly no better than any non psychic could do, and probably a lot worse.”

Mr Mendham said that while the precise number of people calling themselves psychics and offering services such as astrology and tarot card readings or crystals and reiki ‘healing’ in Australia was not known, their presence was certainly more visible these days than in the past because of social media and particularly TikTok.

“There are a lot more means now for promoting themselves … social media has really given the impression that there’s a lot more,” he said.

“In the old days, there was a local psychic lady who did readings and it was really just word of mouth that you found out, or a sign on the front door, whereas now they can promote themselves far wider … there are a lot of so-called psychics on TikTok offering readings where you don’t even have to be physically present … in fact you can just write a letter and get a response. It’s completely ludicrous … I’ve seen videos which are quite scary where there’s a $100 reading or a $50 reading etc.”

While there was no harm in people paying money for psychic readings “as just a bit a fun, like going to the movies or something”, there could be significant harm caused on many levels if the person turned to psychics for life advice on everything from relationships to career, he said.

Some so-called psychics are charging $100 an hour for readings. Picture: Supplied

“Those people can be hooked and kept on the hook for making decisions, that could end up costing tens of thousands of dollars — and they can then dedicate their time, their money and their life in many cases to it … in some cases tragically, because it is to the detriment of their finances, health and relationships.”

In America it was estimated the psychic market was worth about $2bn a year, and that was likely a major underestimation because some psychics still insisted on dealing in cash, Mr Mendham said.

Following the recent flurry of self-promotion among the psychic community, Australian Skeptics decided to look at a number of the key players in the industry to see how they rated themselves, he said.

“And the result is shocking – they’re all the best!”.

“We first did this some 18 years ago, but since then we’ve added a few more mystics, astrologers and psychics who give themselves a superlative score. The criteria they use for such celebrity is not certain,” Mr Mendham said.

The list had been gathered from mentions on various web pages and media appearances over recent years, he said.

“It doesn’t include those sites that come up advertising ‘Ring a Psychic’ lines, even though many of those claim to have the best psychics, albeit anonymously.”