How to tell if your Tarot Reader is Legit

How to distinguish the real from the fake.

A hand on top of tarot cards spread out on the table.

A tarot card reading is meant to reveal your past, present, and future dilemmas. Tarot card decks are known to be a divination item, although they were once only used to play games. Their use transformed over time from simple play tools to objects of divination used to give people readings about their lives. These cards were first used for play in 14th century Europe. No one knows exactly how the transformation happened, but tarot cards became used for divinitory purposes in the 18th century. 

A tarot deck is made up of 78 cards that all have different meanings. They are meant to provide different insights into a person’s life. Like the average playing cards, tarot cards have four different suits. There is the King, Queen, Knight, and Jack. Those 56 are part of the Minor Arcana which depict minor life details. There are 22 cards considered part of the Major Arcana. They depict the more significant events in a person’s life. They are used to answer people’s questions about their lives. 

When you have your tarot cards read, you must pick out the cards and then your tarot reader helps you interpret them to give you vital information. It is necessary that someone reputable and trustworthy is on the other end of those cards. Don’t be fooled into believing false predictions by fraudulent practitioners. Make sure your tarot card reader is legit so you can have the best and most illuminating experience possible! Here are a few tips to help you have that positive experience. 

A reliable tarot card reader will have these qualities: 

  • They don’t fish for information.
  • They focus on the cards. 
  • They don’t point out obvious information.
  • They don’t claim that you are cursed. 
  • They don’t use dubious methods to gain your business. 

They Don’t Fish for Information

A Good Tarot Reader Will Not Bombard You with Questions

A bunch of tarot cards.
Focus on what you want to know.

A legit tarot card reader will not try to draw out a lot of information about your life. Tarot readers who are not legit will ask you detailed questions about your life so that they can use it to their advantage. They will take the information you give them and throw it back at you in the style of “predictions” meant to keep you intrigued. You will be amazed at the information they give to you, but what they really did was manipulate the information you had given them to make themselves seem knowledgeable. 

At a tarot reading, you should be the one asking the questions. It should not feel like an interrogation for you. You are the one who is seeking answers, not your tarot reader. You will need to be the one asking questions so that you can get a good reading. A good tarot card reader will give you plenty of room to ask questions so that you can extract the kind of information you need. They will create a comfortable and welcoming environment so that you are at ease with them. They won’t interrogate you just to regurgitate information that won’t actually be of use to you. 

They Focus on the Cards

A Legitimate Tarot Reader Will Get their Information from the Cards

Tattooed hands holding a deck of tarot cards.
All the answers are right here.

The cards are where legitimate tarot card readers get their information. Rather than receive information about your life from you, good tarot card readers will get that stuff from the cards. They should have spent an extensive amount of time learning how to read and interpret those cards so that their expertise can assist people. If the cards are not a tarot reader’s main source of information, they are likely not legitimate. You should guide them with your questions and card choices, and they are supposed to read and interpret the cards for you. Your main job is to focus on the information you want to learn about your life and work on gaining clarity. 

The cards don’t necessarily offer strong predictions, they offer information that gives you insight into your life. The tarot reader’s job is to reveal to you the deeper psychological symbols of the tarot. They are supposed to interpret the cards for you and then show you how to apply them to everyday life. For that they need to be very knowledgeable about the tarot. Make sure the tarot reader you visit has actual knowledge about their craft and is not just faking it because they expect to get away with it. Illegitimate tarot card readers might expect to manipulate people who lack knowledge about the tarot. You can prevent this by learning some basic information about the tarot so that you can tell if a tarot reader is legitimate or just bluffing. 

They Don’t Point Out Obvious Information

They Teach You Useful Things

An open book.
Seek out the right information. 

A good tarot card reader will not use obvious information about you to give you generic predictions. When a tarot reader isn’t reputable, they will use any information you give them and spin it to make themselves appear knowledgeable. If you are single, they might tell you that someone you care about is interested in you. If you are in school, they might tell you that a bad test result is in your near future. If you have a job, they might claim that your boss will soon give you a hard time, and so on. Don’t let an unknowledgeable tarot reader waste your time by making lazy predictions. If you can’t get past receiving generic insight with your tarot card reader, they are likely not as legitimate as they claim to be. 

There is a large supply of general information that an unreputable tarot card reader can use to make generic claims. They can use your age, your style, your life goals, and so many more things to think up believable predictions for you. Be wary if you notice that your tarot reader’s claims could apply to anyone who fits your general demographic. When the information you’re given seems to be specific to you, then you can be sure that you are in good hands!

They Don’t Claim that You Are Cursed

“Curses” Are Used as Scare Tactics

An old, open book with burnt edges.
A good tarot card reader will not worry you about curses.

There is an unfortunate phenomenon where non-reputable tarot readers will tell a client or a potential client that they are cursed to gain their business. Some people become fearful enough to seek further guidance from them because they are convinced by the reader that they are the only one who could help them. These tarot card readers use scare tactics rather than their expertise to lure clients. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap. You should discontinue the reading if a tarot reader immediately claims that someone has put a curse on you. That is taking advantage of the knowledge many people lack in relation to the tarot. It is an unethical tactic that uses fear to manipulate clients. Make sure a person that does your reader puts in effort to make the experience comfortable for you. 

A good tarot card reader knows that you are the master of your own outcomes. While some things in life are outside of your control, you can always control your overall mindset about life and the decisions that you make. A good tarot reader will not encourage you to give the fear of curses power over your life. They will instead help guide you towards understanding your past, present, and future. They will make it clear that you have the power to guide your life. 

The Do Not Use Dubious Methods to Gain Your Business

Don’t Let False Bait Lure You In

A red stamp that says "Special Offer."
Special offers are not necessarily good. 

A reputable tarot card reader will not make you any special promises. They are honest about their abilities. They keep your expectations realistic rather than get your hopes up simply to get money from you. Dishonest tarot card readers sometimes solicit business by making people “special offers.” These offers are not actually as special as they will have you believe. They make everyone the same offer, but they make it sound as if it is unique to you. By doing this, they take emotional and financial advantage of people. That is not someone that you can trust to help you interpret important messages about your life. 

A good tarot card reader will advertise their knowledge and abilities so that people know what they are capable of. They put the information out there for people who want to seek them out rather than try to lure people to them with false promises. It is up to you to seek answers about your own life. It is not up to someone else to tell you how to go about that, especially when they claim to have all the answers. Anyone who claims to have the answers is not a great person to visit for guidance of any kind. 

Stacey Fleurime

Stacey Fleurime is a Freelance Writer.
See All Posts >>

You Might Also Like...