Psychic line called deceptive by FTC

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON --Federal investigators have accused Miss Cleo's psychic hot line of rampant deception.

Describing the hot line as "permeated with fraud," the Federal Trade Commission said Thursday it wants to shut down Access Resource Services Inc. and Psychic Readers Network. The two companies in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., are behind the telephone psychic reading service advertised by mail, on television and the Internet.

Florida authorities announced a separate suit, challenging the service's spokeswoman, Youree Dell Harris, known as "Miss Cleo," to prove that she really is a renowned shaman from Jamaica. Harris appears on national TV ads promising insights into love, money and other personal matters.

A person who answered a gate intercom at Harris' home near Fort Lauderdale had no comment. A lawyer for the companies, Sean Moynihan, said, "The only unfair and irresponsible practices involved in the lawsuit are those of the FTC."

The companies also have been sued by Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The FTC complaint accuses the service of misdeeds including false promises of free psychic readings, tricky billing tactics and abusive telemarketing calls.

"Considering the laundry list of unfair and deceptive practices in this case, it's a mystery to us why Miss Cleo and her employers haven't seen this coming," said Howard Beales, the agency's director of consumer protection.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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