Bio energy healer cost my family €300

tempac01

Hi all, not entirely sure where to post this, but here goes. Using a throwaway to avoid being identified.

On the word of a neighbour, my mother took my younger (teenage) sister to a bio-energy healer. My sister has recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis but has not been prescribed anything yet. (Since the diagnosis is recent)

The faith healer told my sister that she was a coeliac, and intolerant to multiple food types. None of this was done with IgG testing - she asked my sister to hold vials of liquid (whatever was in them) and "read her energy". She also told my sister that a vertebra in her neck was out of alignment - luckily the healer was able to refer this to her son, who is an osteopath.

She charged my folks €180 for approx. 2 hours consultation and then sold her 2 supplements at €40 each, along with a magnetic "healing necklace" at another €40. Total cost was €300.

I flipped when I heard all this. I think this healer is a fraud. Couple of things I would like advice on if possible - who can I report this "healer" to, and what should I do to get some (if not all) of what they spent back?
Thanks.

Victor

Yup, complete quackery.

Delancey

Scam - a more ' holistic ' version of Snake Oil if you will.

Put it down to experience - pursuing a legal action to recover the money just isn't worth the hassle and additional costs.

To my knowledge you have no recourse , therein lies the problem with Quacks like this - they have no register , no regulator , etc . Tomorrow I could set myself up as an alternative practitioner able to cure depression , cancer , infertility , etc and there is nothing anyone can do to stop me.

scully74

tempac01 wrote: »

Hi all, not entirely sure where to post this, but here goes. Using a throwaway to avoid being identified.

On the word of a neighbour, my mother took my younger (teenage) sister to a bio-energy healer. My sister has recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis but has not been prescribed anything yet. (Since the diagnosis is recent)

The faith healer told my sister that she was a coeliac, and intolerant to multiple food types. None of this was done with IgG testing - she asked my sister to hold vials of liquid (whatever was in them) and "read her energy". She also told my sister that a vertebra in her neck was out of alignment - luckily the healer was able to refer this to her son, who is an osteopath.

She charged my folks €180 for approx. 2 hours consultation and then sold her 2 supplements at €40 each, along with a magnetic "healing necklace" at another €40. Total cost was €300.

I flipped when I heard all this. I think this healer is a fraud. Couple of things I would like advice on if possible - who can I report this "healer" to, and what should I do to get some (if not all) of what they spent back?
Thanks.

Report to the revenue.

tempac01

Hi all, thanks for the advice. I'm going to report this crowd to the revenue, the Irish Medicines Board (as they are selling supplements) and whoever else will listen. I think the €180 consulting fee may be lost but the €120 spent on products (unopened) I expect to get back in full.

If anyone's interested I'll post an update on this encounter.

Taco Chips

Please do keep us updated. I'm interested to see how this proceeds. Best of luck against these thieves

tempac01

Phoned them up, but didn't speak to the main 'healer' - lost the rag a bit on the phone (i.e. ****ed them out of it). Told them that their magic necklace and supplements would be returned in their original condition.

A while later, the healer phones the ma, says that they've never had such a rude phonecall, that they have doctors coming from all over the world to see them (imagine that!), continue to defend their BS allergy testing - when my mam asks
"Why wasn't a blood sample taken [for immunoglobulin allergy testing]"
the healer replies "I don't NEED to do that!".
After a lot of tension about all this, they agree to refund the money for the quack products provided they're in the same condition, unopened.

Have to say that refunding this was fair enough as unfortunately my mam is an adult and made a stupid decision in going to this one in the first place.

Anyways, got a stronger-willed relative to go return the stuff with my mam (who sat outside in the car). Healer was busy so sent one of their lackeys out - v. frosty reception as they refunded the money for the items.

When I blew up on the phone to them before I had mentioned the Revenue and the Irish Medicines Board. The lackey said (this is paraphrasing as it's secondhand info, "if you want to go down the legal route we could make this very expensive for you"

Also, got full receipts for the consultation as surprise surprise their printer had broken down when my mam and sis were in there the first time.

So all in all, happy enough with the outcome. Lesson learned for the mother is that there are people who will happily take advantage of you when you're vulnerable.
As an aside, this 'healer' is good at selling their rubbish. The mam is still worried that there's a chance that their fake therapies might work

GradMed

Very sorry to hear that you and your family had to go through all of this.
Regarding the person saying the legal route could get very expensive for you, I don't see how that would be the case. If any action were to be taken it would be by revenue and the IMB against these people. I wouldn't think you'd have much involvement past the initial complaint to the two organisations.
However take this with a pinch of salt as I'm not in the legal profession.

The very best of luck to you.

Jo123

Your mam and sis obviously felt the need to go too this person, they probably shouldn't have bought the additional products but re the consultation fee 180 sounds steep, but for 2 hours 180 is not bad.... I pay 50-60 euros for about 10 mins (sometimes less) for my GP and have to pay the same for medicines. I went to a kinesiologist and she has help me and my husband greatly - our medical bills have been cut as we haven't been sick since seeing her. My husband was sick with the same problem, same time every year, had MRI scans and every test under the sun and the Docs couldn't find out what was wrong with him-this illness has not re-occured since visiting her over a year ago! A lot of alternative therapy is what people believe, maybe your family were sick of the medical doctors and want to believe there was some other help out there! Glad they got their money back for the products and hope your sister is feeling ok.

locum-motion

Jo123 wrote: »

... but for 2 hours 180 is not bad...

You think €90 per hour is a reasonable amount to be charged by a person who has no qualification or training in any legitimate, recognised profession?

Do you need anyone to clean your house? I'll do it for you; and I'll offer you a bargain rate of €75 per hour!

mcmoustache

locum-motion wrote: »

You think €90 per hour is a reasonable amount to be charged by a person who has no qualification or training in any legitimate, recognised profession?

Do you need anyone to clean your house? I'll do it for you; and I'll offer you a bargain rate of €75 per hour!

And best of all, you'll be left with a clean house. Better than spending 90 per hour and receiving nothing.


Also, I agree with Gradmed. I'm no expert in law but unless you're taking a case against the company personally, it shouldn't cost you a thing. If you call revenue and inform them of your suspicions, it will be them taking the case, not you. I don't think you can be done for slander/libel either if you're just reporting your suspicions to the authorities.

byhookorbycrook

Sorry to hear she has MS. I got sucked in by a quack at the start who told me 8 bones were out in my back(not possible) and what was really an MS attack was due to this.

There are a few of us MSers over on the long term illness board,she/you might find it helpful for questions we may have the answers to.Make sure the neuro gets her on a treatment asap.