Grief Medium and Psychic Scam on Instagram
Fraudulent 'mediums' use Instagram ads and DMs targeting recently bereaved users with promises of messages from deceased loved ones, escalating to paid readings and ongoing subscription charges.
Part of: Grief Medium and Psychic Scam
Last reviewed: 5 July 2026
Many bereavement and memorial communities on Instagram offer genuine comfort to the grieving. The platform's ad targeting lets self-described mediums reach users who recently engaged with grief content, offering a free reading that feels uncannily accurate because it is assembled from cold-reading technique and the target's public posts, tagged photos, and memorial-page comments. The supposed urgent message from the deceased requires a paid session, and fees escalate through claimed negative attachments and blocked spirits needing paid rituals. The distinction that matters most: accuracy drawn from your own profile is research, not contact, and genuine support never escalates through fear-priced sessions.
How this scam works on Instagram
Scammers run Instagram ads or boosted posts featuring soft, spiritual imagery and testimonials claiming uncanny accuracy in 'connecting with the other side.' After a user follows or comments, the account's algorithm often serves more of the same content, and the scammer or their bot DMs the user offering a 'free initial reading.' During that first free session, the scammer uses vague cold-reading techniques and details gleaned from the user's own public profile (recent posts, comments on memorial pages, tagged photos) to seem convincingly accurate, then claims the deceased has an 'urgent message' that requires a paid, longer session to fully receive.
The scam typically escalates through a series of increasingly expensive Instagram-DM sessions, with the medium claiming a 'negative energy attachment' or 'blocked spirit' needs additional paid rituals or objects to clear, sometimes continuing for months as recurring payments.
Common red flags
- An unsolicited DM follows shortly after you comment on or like grief- or memorial-related content
- The first reading is free but quickly pivots to a claim that a paid session is needed to 'fully unlock' a message
- The medium describes a 'blockage,' 'curse,' or 'attachment' that requires ongoing paid rituals or specific purchased items
- Vague, generalized statements are presented as specific proof of contact with the deceased
- Pressure to keep the arrangement secret from family members who might be skeptical
- Payment is requested via a payment app, cryptocurrency, or gift card rather than a traceable, refundable method
How to protect yourself
- Be cautious about how much grief-related detail you post publicly on Instagram, since scammers can use it as convincing 'evidence'
- Treat any unsolicited spiritual or medium outreach in DMs as a red flag, regardless of how personal it feels
- Never pay to 'unlock' or 'clear' a spiritual message; legitimate practitioners do not use escalating fear-based upsells
- Discuss any medium or psychic contact with a trusted family member before sending any money
- Use Instagram's restrict or block feature immediately if pressured for repeated payments
- Report ads promoting predatory psychic services so Instagram can review the advertiser
How to report it
- Report the account directly in-app via profile menu > Report > Scam or Fraud
- Report the specific ad using Instagram's 'Why am I seeing this ad?' > Report ad option
- File a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov if payments were made
- Report to your payment provider to dispute recurring or one-time charges tied to the account
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop an Instagram medium account from contacting me again?
Use Instagram's block or restrict feature right away rather than trying to negotiate a refund or 'closure' session, since continued contact is often used to pressure further payments. It also helps to remove or limit public grief-related posts and comments that could be used to target you from a different account.
Does Instagram offer refunds if I paid a psychic through a linked payment method?
Instagram itself doesn't process most payments made to these accounts, so any refund depends on the actual payment method used, such as a card or payment app. Contact that provider directly, explain the situation may be a scam, and ask about their dispute process.
Is it a bad sign if the medium asks me to move the conversation off Instagram, like to WhatsApp or email?
Yes. Moving to a private channel outside Instagram makes it harder for the platform to catch a pattern of complaints against the same account and harder for you to report the conversation later. Treat a push to switch platforms as an added red flag on top of the outreach itself.
How do these mediums seem to know real details about my loved one?
Most information comes from cold-reading techniques and details you or your friends have posted publicly, including comments on obituary posts, photo captions, and prior interactions with grief-related content that the scammer reviews before messaging you.
Is every psychic or medium on Instagram a scammer?
Not necessarily, but any account that uses unsolicited DMs, free-to-paid escalation tactics, or claims of curses and blockages requiring ongoing payment should be treated as a high-risk scam pattern rather than a legitimate service.