Refund from con artist

[James31]

For a period of 9 months my wife was paying a Reiki healer to perform remote healing on our cat. She now realises that she has been conned, at £30 a time, every week. Every week, this woman would make out she was talking to the cat over a distance of 30 miles and report back via the phone with stories of what problems the cat had and how she had healed them. She continuously concentrated on the cat's kidneys because we'd had a misdiagnoses from a vet stating so. Just before the cat died, a blood test showed her kidneys were 100% - it was her liver that had been failing. My wife was in a position whereby she was too frightened to discontinue the healing just in case it was working. I kept telling her it was garbage.

 

I wrote an e-mail on my wifes behalf, with her permission, asking for all money to be refunded. She says she won't respond to my complaint unless she gets a signed letter from my wife. Of course, my wife can send this, but is it really necesarry? Is it not good enough for me to complain on her behalf?

 

James

[BankFodder]

Well I am sorry that your wife has been conned. On the other hand, I'm sorry but this is a hilarious story.

 

Anyway, I don't see any problem with you writing the letter but why won't your wife simply sign and have done with it?

 

Of course, do you really think that you are going to get your money back just because your wife has signed the letter?

 

What exactly is the basis of your claim? If it is just that the treatment didn't work, I don't think that you have much of a chance.

If on the other hand you can show that she really was a faker or that she didn't carry out her side of the bargain as she said she would then you have a good basis for a claim.

 

If the vet misdiagnosed the liver problem, you might be better off claiming against him

[loopinlouie]

Reiki is not treatment down the phone, but on a couch and prequisit of accepting treatment is a desire to be healed. Can a cat do this as in prequsit to be healed?

 

How can she be genuine doing it down the phone, could she be persued by police for this?

[James31]

It might sound crazy. I have been powerless to get involved up to this point, but since the cat died my wife finally sees that she was being conned all along.

 

Obtaining money by deception & Fraud by false representation.

 

The quack has:

 

1. Deceived my wife by claiming to be able to communicate with a feline over a distance of 30 miles.

 

2. Repeatedly made up stories of various aches and pains and suggested they were healed.

 

3. Paid significant attention to kidneys, stating they "looked good" or "looked bad" depending on which way the wind was blowing. The truth is, the cat's kidneys were fine all along.

 

Where I find this most damaging, is that had cat woman not been on the scene, my wife might have directed her focus elsewhere and actually had a 2nd opinion from another vet. However, she was lead to beleive that distance healing was working and all the while, cat woman was raking in my hard earned pounds.

 

Let me add that this isn't about the money, but the principle. I'd quite happily get a refund and donate it to charity.

[loopinlouie]

How did she take the money?

[James31]

Sent to her each week via bacs (bank transfer).

[loopinlouie]

From what Ive read they have to train in this to be able to give treatment. Did she have a clinic elsewhere? or advertise in some way? Could be worthwhile finding out how she is so called qualified and how did she think it would help down the phone?

 

She'll probably be doing this to other vulnerable people, I would hope the police would take a look, she might be known to them. You could get a list of all payments to her for the police.

 

Would the vets practice who said what the cat died of give an written opinion as to how this treatment was a waste of time and couldnt work, then take her to court.

[loopinlouie]

You can google national reiki federation uk, there seems to be some sort of register. There is a phone number and you could ring them for an opinion.

[James31]

She doesn't appear on the register, but I doubt that holds any water.

 

Under the Vet Act of 1966, you're not supposed to make medical diagnosis or give advice on such, including any diagnosis made by a qualified vet, unless you are a qualified vet.

 

Secondary to this, Reiki healers are supposed to keep details of findings and advice given. These two are going to be in contrast to eachother.

[perplexity]

If this is about the principle, not just the money, you want to stop the charlatan, once and for all.

 

Does the healer advertise? The legality of it depends on the way that the trade is conducted, if it counts as a consumer transaction for instance.

[James31]

She is a member of foundation that was slammed by the ASA twice previously for misleading people, but that foundation centres around healing on humans, on site.

 

This is remote healing for an animal. It's word of mouth, my wife was introduced to her by a friend. I'm not sure what she would even describe it as (what she was doing). Reiki? Healing?

 

All I know is that she was making out that she was finding ailments, healing them, tell my wife what the cat was thinking, telling her that the cat doesn't trust the vet and doesn't want that vet to work on her.... all from over 30 miles away.

[merlin100]

I could send a transcendental knuckle-sandwich? That will be £30 please!!

[James31]

Where do I sign?

[perplexity]

I fear that if you sued, a judge would reckon it served you right for being so daft. Author of you your own misfortune, so to speak.

 

Is there perhaps an organised body of vets, to assist with enquiries?

 

Otherwise your best bet could be to recoup by selling the story to a suitable periodical.

[loopinlouie]

bumping this post as relevant to general forum similar case.

[GuidoT]

I takes alot to make me laugh on a Monday morning.

 

BUMPing this thread as it is funny.

 

I do not wish to sound unsympathetic, but this forum rarely makes me laugh.

[Mr lex]

Similar story here James:-

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general/256741-refund-distance-healer.html

 

I wonder if it's the same person ??

 

The advice on that thread holds good.

 

Lex

 

 

(Tx loopinloule)

[loopinlouie]

Hey I do have a brain , I am always moaning about my bad memory, but couldnt help remembering that one;)xxx

[Mr lex]

Hey I do have a brain , I am always moaning about my bad memory, but couldnt help remembering that one;)xxx

 

It does sort of stick in your mind doesn't it !!

 

xxx

[loopinlouie]

[zingy]

One funny thread - it really is strange what some people will believe.

[The GodMother]

Ok i will admitt l have been laffing. How this 'Healer' has been mamaging to heal from a distact of 30 miles away is amazing.

 

what progress have u made towards this?

[James31]

Wrote an e-mail to consumer direct with full details, they forwarded it to Trading Standards because of "potential criminal implications".

 

Trading Standards called me the same day, but I missed the call and they left a voicemail. I haven't returned their call to date due to various legal threats from the "healer".

 

I might add that the "healer" in question now has a new website and on it, she claims to have previously cured cancer. This is a big no-no.

 

NB. I had started another thread on this using another account due to my having temporarily lost access to my e-mail account. It's back now, so this is the only thread I will update.

Edited May 15, 2010 by James31

[mowerman]

By using 'attack is the best form of defence' the healer is trying to scare you off. What sort of legal threats is she making ?

[pompeyfaith]

Come on people lets not humiliate the OP more than he already is if you find it funny then please keep that to yourselves.

 

The OP has come here for assistance which is what this site is for so lets just give that assistance.

 

PF