Email: Former Sylvia Browne Fans
Emails from two former Sylvia Browne fans.
"I've spent all day going through your entire site and that of James Randi and I am truly saddened for all the people she's stolen money from. The proof is there."
- Author, Email #1
"I hope you can reach more people who are on the fence like I was. It is truly sad that Sylvia can get away with such scamming. It's disgusting, bottom line"
- Author, Email #2
Background
Since opening the site, I have often been asked whether I think the site is "doing any good."
Fortunately, I have had a number of emails such as the two below, which answer that question for me.
I am publishing them both here with the authors' permission, and have removed any identifying information.
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Email #1
Subject: Upsetting
From: <>
Date: Wed, December 27, 2006 11:29 pm
To: webmaster@stopsylviabrowne.com
Mr. Lancaster
First of all, I'd like to thank you for putting together this website. Prior to today, I was a long time Sylvia Browne fan. I've probably got 15 or more of her books over the last 10 years or so. I never miss an episode of Montel when she's on. I am throughly disturbed and upset at what I have found!!! A lot of what I believe is based on her books. And to now see the proof of her cold reads, later being the exact opposite of what really happened! Its appauling. My belief system is rocked now. I'm almost in tears at her deception of so many people, including myself.
I've spent all day going through your entire site and that of James Randi and I am truly saddened for all the people she's stolen money from. The proof is there. She's guessing with the expectation of not being found out. And come to think of it, her predictions for the far future won't matter, since she'll probably be dead by then anyway. Where does she come up with her book ideas? They're filled with such detailed explanations of "the Other Side." Is it all just the fantasy she's come up with in her own head or is she stealing bits and pieces from other writers? I'd be very interested to know that if that's something you are working on.
With these obvious blunders on record (The woman with the boyfriend that died in 9/11 and the little girl abducted that was "sold into white slavery" per Sylvia, and the missing boy whose body was found in a body of water in the car that was supposedly "broken down and couldn't be found"), how come she hasn't been totally exposed and blasted on ABC or NBC. Her charging ridiculous amounts of money for an apparantly disappointing and very pre-planned phone readings with unsatisfied customers is another thing she needs to answer to.
And Montel, I am so upset that he goes right along with it. If he was NOT in on it, he would investigate these claims and then expose her for the fraud she is!!! Being that he's this hard hitting, honest, blunt talk show host. But you can't compete with those ratings. And on todays episode she handed him a check for $35,000 for his MS foundation. He'll never sell her out. But someone has to expose her on a large scale.
On an episode that aired this season, she told an older frail looking woman who inquired when her sick child would get better, Sylvia paused and mumbled "I hate these questions" and said to this poor lady, "I don't see her getting better." She told her, her child was going to die!!!
I don't mean to take up your time. I am just so upset by this, I had to vent and I hope you understand. Anyway, thanks again for your website and research. I'm hoping that a real journalist will pick this story up and get it on prime time tv. I'm talking Dateline or 20/20 or one of the morning shows. Take care and Ive signed up for updates.
pissed off at Sylvia,
In response to her question about whether or not Browne is "stealing bits and pieces from other writers", I mentioned the one currently known case of Browne's literary "borrowing"
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Email #2
Subject: Thank You
From:
Date: Sat, Dec 30, 2006 8:03 pm
To: webmaster@StopSylviaBrowne.com
Dear Mr. Lancaster,
I felt very compelled to reach you this evening after having spent a couple of hours on your website. While I do not have any personal Sylvia Browne experiences, I was an avid fan. I read her books, watched her appearances on Montel Williams, and based a lot of my religious beliefs on her teachings. However, I began to feel skeptical of her "works" after I noticed that a lot of her readings on Montel were similar. "You're on your last life" and "Eat more protein" frequented her advice more and more often.
I went online and googled her and found Quackwatch, as well as a few other sites. Tonight I stumbled across yours. I read the articles and the facts posted and felt saddened. I had been on the fence for awhile and tonight, I can honestly say that I am positively skeptical of Sylvia Browne. I had always been skeptical of her son Chris, so it came as no shock when I read that a woman had a terrible reading from him.
I guess that some of the things that bother me the most are her medical advisements, as well as one guest who seems to haunt my thoughts lately. She was recently on Montel, I believe it was the 12/27 episode. It was a woman, maybe in her late 60's, who told Sylvia that her daughter was ill. She wanted to know when her daughter would recover. Sylvia told this woman that her daughter would pass away from the disease. The look on the woman's face, as you can imagine, was mixed with pain and shock. I have thought of that woman since the episode aired, even though it's been just a few days, and I hope with all sincerity she takes Sylvia's "advice" as seriously as a carnival "psychic's".
I wanted to thank you for your website, and for helping me to open my eyes. I hope you can reach more people who are on the fence like I was. It is truly sad that Sylvia can get away with such scamming. It's disgusting, bottom line. The story that really sold me was that of Opal. Her poor grandparents! I hope someday Sylvia gets what's coming to her. I'm going to subscribe to your site and I hope that you can continue to provide the facts that the public needs to see.
Sincerely,
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Conclusion
I have received a handful of this type of email every week since the site opened: emails from people who examined the evidence on this web site, considered it carefully, and as a result became much more skeptical of Browne than they were before.
Some of these have been from people who were looking for Browne's web site so that they could sign up for one of her $750 phone "readings," but found this site instead. After reading what was here, they decided to keep their money.
I hope to continue receiving many more emails such as these. They tell me that the site is on the right track, and that yes, the site is "doing some good."
My thanks to both of these women, who readily agreed to have their emails published in the hope that others would read and learn from them.
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Related Links
Clicking on any of these links will load a separate browser window for viewing the linked page.
StopSylviaBrowne.com is not responsible for the content of any of these linked pages.
- The Sylvia Browne Clock - James Randi's page dedicated to keeping track of how long it has been since Browne agreed to a test of her powers. It has been five years and counting with Browne still showing no sign of honoring her agreement (Randi's site was mentioned in the first email).
- Sylvia Browne: Psychic Guru or Quack? - An article on Quackwatch.com (Quackwatch was mentioned in the second email).
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