BRUSSELS –  In a press release on Thursday the Investigation and Information Centre for Consumer Organisations (OIVO) warned about misleading business practices of clairvoyants and healers.

Seven out of a hundred consumers have consulted clairvoyants and two in a hundred have made an appeal for help to healers. The average price per session is EUR 58 for a clairvoyant and EUR 21 for a healer. These averages however conceal much larger amounts; certain consultations can cost up to EUR 2,500.

Most of the “believers” are women from 18 to 39 years old from rural areas and from the middle class, it appears. They think that clairvoyants can provide them with support by reassuring or consoling them but, in the meantime, they allow themselves to be mistreated by fraudsters and cheats, considering that the business practices employed are not what would be called transparent.

When consumers are misled or cheated, very few of them would report it, as they mostly feel ashamed about their experience. OIVO puts the flight to clairvoyants and healers down to the currently widespread feelings of loneliness and individualism.

The clairvoyant market is poorly checked and regulated, according to the OIVO. The services are often provided at a psychologically difficult moment for the consumer and many providers of these services would not hesitate to abuse the weakness of the consumer.

This is why the OIVO want a special regulatory framework (with more transparency in the business practices) as well as in the area of inspections.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]
Subject: Belgian news