Anna Stothard recounts six months working as a telephone psychic from home

Anna Stothard says she spent six months working as a telephone psychic from her living room, charging callers by the minute while not believing herself to be psychic, and ultimately logging off after feeling ethically conflicted about the role. She describes a quick hiring process — a two-minute interview with a man in accounts, a contract and no trial of psychic skill — and says she used tarot cards she bought aged 12.

Calls were routed through the site, profiles were sparse and the business model paid about 20p a minute (25p for calls over 14 minutes), with a £1.50 deduction for missed calls. The company displayed a clear "for entertainment purposes only" disclaimer and, she writes, touted a star psychic called Luna.

Most callers, Stothard says, were not after supernatural insight so much as someone to listen: many opened with "I don't know why I'm calling" and asked about exes, fidelity or life decisions. She gave practical advice when she could and made referrals if callers mentioned self-harm, suicide, conspiratorial beliefs or severe distress; she also recounts callers who were clearly vulnerable, including a woman who believed her dead mother was disappointed in her and an agoraphobic former veterinary assistant who called repeatedly.

The final straw was a caller asking about pregnancy after years of trying; Stothard says she realised how easily she could keep someone hanging on for hope and chose to stop.

Key Topics

Culture, Anna Stothard, Telephone Psychic, Psychic Hotline, Tarot Cards, Luna