There's a lot of metaphysical or psychic scammers. There are absolutely people who are perfectly good at what they do, but there are at least as many who will take your money and do nothing. Even if you think it's someone you have heard of, good folks are impersonated all the time. It's an area that is hard to always spot scams in, because you don't know what you're looking for. I'm going to give you a few things to look out for, that should eliminate the majority of them.
1. They are trying to keep hidden
Often, those who are trying to scam folks don't want to stand out too much. Now, each platform is different, because each place has different rules around that. That said, look around your platform a bit. Do they seem to be sneakier than everyone around them? There's probably a reason for that.
2. They came to you, you didn't come to them.
This is classic. Messages you, telling you they were drawn to you or feel something about your energy. It even sets you up for the curse scam later. Look, I do this for a living, and I'll tell you, I'm better off running some form of ad, or doing some form of engagement in public, assuming I find time to do it. If you're any good at what you do, you really only need to let folks know you're doing it. They'll come to you. The fact that they come to you is always a red flag.
3. Payment seems off to you
So, because this is an area where there are a lot of scams, there's payment folks that don't take psychics. I get that, and sometimes that means the pro works around what they have. That said, I want to see a payment method that is solid, and seems established. If the payment they choose seems off to you, that's likely so they can disappear later. Seems pretty scam like to me.
4. No proof of Work
This is more for spellcasters, especially in the online space. If they can't be bothered to prove to you that they've done the Work you contracted them for, they probably didn't. Some people think that it should all be video. I can certainly understand that, although I'm ok with a picture. However, only if that picture has something that can positively identify the spellwork as yours.
5. Reviews can be faked
Yes, of course, reviews are an important way of judging how good someone is. That said, I'd suggest that faking reviews, especially on their own website, is super easy to do. Watch for things like reviews that all feel like they're in the same voice, or a bunch of reviews that are super old. Watch as well that the review section doesn't seem to be over moderated. Removing any bad reviews is also a common scam technique.
6. Overly good or bad readings
Some folks will tell you just what you want to hear. Nothing but sunshine and rainbows for you. Sure, if I'm taking a quick 15 minute glance at something, sometimes it all looks good, but that's extremely rare. The other side of this is also true, that they'll see only bad things for you (see number 7 below). In reality, everything you do in life is a mix of good and bad, and your readings should reflect that.
7. The curse scam
This one gets it's own thing. This is the classic scam that psychics and spiritual workers will run. They'll message you (see #1), often offering a free reading. Then they'll tell you they see some dark things. Often they use cold reading techniques to seem extremely good. Sometimes, they really are reading, and they tack the curse onto the end of an otherwise good reading. That happens too. Then once they've impressed you, they'll ask for a bunch of money to remove a curse that they "saw". That's just a way to part you from your money. I've already written at length about the rarity of actual curse work here.
8. Guarantees
This isn't a place where any of us can offer any kind of 100 percent guarantee. I'm a True Believer in this stuff, but spells don't always work, and readers get it wrong. Even if the cards are right, the reader can be wrong. Any kind of 100 percent guarantee just doesn't work for this stuff.
9. Spells in levels
I've never seen someone I believe in less than folks that will sell you the same spell as different "levels" at different price points. Now, I'm not talking about having different services, like someone who does a quick candle for someone AND offers a full spell, but spells don't have levels. Sure, a candle is simpler for me, so I'll charge less. Sigil creation by itself is simple, and not exactly full spell work. There's plenty of things that aren't full spells for you, that are legit ways to offer a lower level of work that's less effort. I'm talking about things like selling double or triple "strength" spells, or double or triple "cast" spells.
10. Multiple names for effectively the same spell
When it comes down to it, spellwork to be effective needs to be highly customized to your situation. Several different names for spells, or "options" for spells that should do the same thing are just another way of fluffing up the "double and triple strength" spells. I get having a few different options, but for someone who would pick up any kind of spell, you can likely still keep your number of different offerings to under 10.
11. Isolates you from other spiritual professionals
If your psychic or spellcaster hates the idea of you talking to any other professionals, they have something to hide. I'll tell folks all the time to stick with my training so they don't get confused, but I encourage verification and second opinion readings, and running my coaching past someone. One of the easiest ways to catch a scammer is to ask someone knowledgeable if what they're saying seems right.
Hopefully some of that helps some of you to make more informed decisions about your spellcasters and readers. Of course, the first thing is to trust your own instincts. I'm sure this isn't an exhaustive list, but it's something to get you started. Of course, I'm always happy to offer a second opinion on a situation, or take a look at a spellworker for you, just swing by and book a session, and I'd be happy to take a look with you.