Elizabeth Francis and Friends

A year ago the woo magazines were awash with adverts for psychics and tarot readers claiming to be "accurate".

Their numbers are thinner on the ground now, but there are still a few of them buzzing around like irritating little mosquitoes.

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Here are seven "accurate" psychics, starting with the serial offender pictured above, Elizabeth Francis.

ELIZABETH FRANCIS (advert available here)

"I'm writing to complain about an advert in Spirit and Destiny magazine (May 2011, p91).

The advert, for Elizabeth Francis, promotes a psychic telephone service.

1. "Elizabeth Francis - Psychic - Medium - Tarot - Accurate & No-nonsense..."

I'd like to challenge whether the claim that Elizabeth Francis's psychic services are "accurate" is misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."

JILLIAN LANE (advert available here)

"I'm writing to complain about an advert in Spirit and Destiny magazine (May 2011, p88).

The advert, for Jillian Lane, promotes a psychic telephone service.

1. "Jillian Lane... President of accurate clairvoyants & psychics..."

I'd like to challenge whether the claim that Jillian Lane is "accurate" is misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."

LIVELINES LTD (advert available here)

"I'm writing to complain about an advert in Soul and Spirit magazine (June 2011, p12).

The advert, for LiveLines Ltd, promotes a psychic telephone service.

1. "Finest Clairvoyants - Working with the Angels, my guides & loved ones to give clear & accurate in depth [sic] readings..."

I'd like to challenge whether the claim that the readings are "accurate" is misleading.

2. "Professional Tarot - The proof you will find is by having a full and detailed reading to see how astonishingly precise our readers really are..."

I'd like to challenge whether the claim that the readings are "astonishingly precise" is misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."

"MARIA" (advert available here)

"I'm writing to complain about an advert in Spirit and Destiny magazine (May 2011, p92).

The advert, for "Maria", promotes a psychic telephone service.

1. "Maria - Caring, Compassionate, Wise Woman - Natural Psychic... Speak to Maria for Sincere, Personal and Very Accurate Readings..."

I'd like to challenge whether the claim that "Maria"'s psychic readings are "very accurate" is misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."

RJ MEDIA (advert available here)

"I'm writing to complain about an advert in Soul and Spirit magazine (June 2011, p86).

The advert, for RJ Media, promotes a psychic telephone service.

1. "Psychic Tarot NEW SERVICE... Genuine Accurate Readings..."

I'd like to challenge whether the claim that the readings are "accurate" is misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."

"TRUTH FAIRY" (advert available here)

"I'm writing to complain about an advert in Spirit and Destiny magazine (May 2011, p88).

The advert, for www.truth-fairy.com, promotes a psychic telephone service.

1. "Really shocking! Everything she said was very accurate to the point that I couldn't believe it..."

I'd like to challenge whether the testimonial claim that the service is "very accurate" is misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."

PSYCHIC LIGHT (advert available here)

"I'm writing to complain about an advert in Kindred Spirit magazine (Issue 110, May/June 2011, p83).

The advert, for Psychic Light, promotes a psychic telephone service.

1. "Psychic Light - 'KNOW YOUR FUTURE - UNDERSTAND YOUR PAST' - Accurate readings with genuine and gifted psychics..."

I'd like to challenge whether the claim that the advertiser's psychics can provide "Accurate readings" is misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."

*Prediction Magazine - also awash with accuracy

Yesterday I submitted a single complaint covering eighteen different advertisements for psychics that litter the pages of Soul and Spirit magazine.

The ASA cynically accepted my willingness to resubmit them all individually. A curse upon them!

I will spare you, dear reader, the necessity of clicking through twenty-six new articles. Here are the edited highlights of today's new ASA complaints, all from Prediction Magazine.

UPDATE, 6th Apr: The ASA report "...we've been looking into your complaints against ads in Prediction...magazine. You may or may not know we've previously investigated and upheld complaints against these types of issues, I've therefore passed the cases to our Compliance team, which will follow it up."

UPDATE, 29 Apr: ASA report "...we have now received a response from Jillian Lane. She has agreed to remove the claim "President of Accurate Clairvoyants & Psychics" from her marketing material..."

UPDATE, 24 May: ASA report "...we have now received a response JJ's Psychic Eyes. They have assured us that the phrase "We are the presidents of accurate Clairvoyants and psychics" will not appear again and, more specifically, they will cease using the word "accurate".

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Jillian Lane (p20, top right)
0800 071 434343 www.jillianlane.org

1. The advert appears to be a mock-up of a five pound note, with Jillian Lane posing as the "President". It does not appear to be the case that Jillian Lane is the President of a real organisation called "Accurate Clairvoyants & Psychics".

2. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

3. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the phrase "Accurate Clairvoyants & Psychics".

Psychic TV (p28)
www.psychic-tv.com

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the claim that Anne Scholes is an "accurate psychic".

Elizabeth Francis (p72, top middle)
0906 633 0046 www.elizabethfrancis.com

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the claim that Elizabeth Francis is "accurate".

JJ's Psychic Eyes (p72, top right)
0800 07102030

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the claim that JJ's Psychic Eyes are "accurate clairvoyants and psychics".

"Eve" (p72, bottom left)
01942 205 318

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the claim that Eve provides an "accurate reading".

Psychic Light (p72, bottom right)
0800 138 8845 www.psychiclight.com

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the claim that Psychic Light offers "Accurate readings [with psychics]".

"Lee" (p73, middle left)
0800 121 6820

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the claim that Lee offers "accuracy" in his readings.

"Jane" (p73, middle)
07925 164851

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge the advertiser's claim that "because of my accuracy I have lots of repeat callers".