To judge a claim about a curse, slow down, ask what the claim is based on, check the everyday causes first, and never pay because you feel afraid. A practitioner you can trust will explain a cleansing or protection ritual without frightening you, and will give you time to decide.
Belief in curses and spiritual harm is part of many traditions around the world, and people who hold these beliefs deserve respect. This article does not tell you what to believe. It gives you practical questions to ask, so that fear is not used to pressure you.
Fear makes people easier to pressure
When someone tells you that you, your children or your home are in danger, it is natural to want to act at once. Dishonest people rely on exactly that. Taking a day to think, and talking it over with someone you trust, is one of the simplest protections there is.
Scams built on claims of curses often follow the same pattern: a frightening message, a short deadline, and a fee to make the danger go away. Then the fee grows. Consumer agencies in many countries warn about scams that use fear and urgency in this way.
Questions to ask about any curse claim
Before you pay anyone, ask yourself these questions. If the answers worry you, stop and talk to someone you trust first.
- Who first said there was a curse, and did they then offer to remove it for money?
- What is the claim based on? Is it something you noticed yourself, or something a stranger told you?
- Is there an everyday explanation that should be checked first, such as a health problem, money worries, or trouble at work or at home?
- Are you being told to act today, or to keep it secret from family and friends?
- Is the price clear and fixed, or does it keep growing?
- Would you feel free to say no and walk away?
Check the everyday causes first
Bad luck, poor sleep, illness, arguments and money trouble have many causes. Some of them need a doctor, a counsellor, a lawyer or a debt adviser, and getting that help early matters.
A spiritual cleansing can sit alongside that help for people who want one. It should never replace it. If you have symptoms that worry you, please see a doctor or health worker.
What to expect from a practitioner you can trust
Witch Doctor Shakir will never tell you that you are cursed or in danger, and will never ask you to pay to avoid harm. If you ask for spiritual cleansing or a witchcraft removal ritual, it is because you chose it as a traditional practice that matters to you.
Whoever you deal with, a practitioner you can trust will:
- Describe what a cleansing or protection ritual involves, in plain words.
- Tell you the full price in writing before you pay.
- Not try to convince you that you are under spiritual attack.
- Let you take time to think, and accept a no.
- Tell you to get medical, legal or police help when that is what your situation needs.
Warning signs of a curse scam
- You are contacted out of the blue and told that you have a curse.
- The fee rises after each ritual, because the curse is said to be stronger than expected.
- You are asked to hand over cash, jewellery or other valuables to be cleansed and returned later.
- You are asked to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency or a transfer to a personal account.
- You are warned that something bad will happen if you tell anyone.
- You are threatened when you stop paying.
If you think you have been scammed
Stop paying. Keep copies of messages and receipts, and contact your bank or payment provider straight away. They may be able to stop or reverse a payment.
Then report it. In the UK, report fraud to Action Fraud, or to Police Scotland if you live in Scotland. In Australia, use Scamwatch. In Canada, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. In the US, go to the Federal Trade Commission.
If you are threatened, keep the messages, stop replying and contact the police. Being scammed is not your fault. Scammers are skilled at using fear, and reporting what happened can help stop them doing the same to someone else.