Mom Conned Out Of $22,000 After Falling Victim To Fortune Teller

A Sydney fortune teller destroyed a single mother's life savings by scamming her out of more than $22,000 (£12,200).

Coworkers of "psychic" Pandit Valmiki Krishna approached Poonam, who wished to have her last name hidden.

In Liverpool, western Sydney, they persuaded her to enter a little fortune-telling business down a narrow alley.

Credit: A Current Affair/Nine.

But for the single mother, what she had anticipated as a laugh turned into a nightmare.

She was cursed, the 'psychic' claimed she and her children were in severe danger.

Pandit Valmiki Krishna informed Poonam as follows, which she relayed to A Current Affair: "The only thing I can see at the moment is your kids, your kids’ lives are in danger."

Credit: A Current Affair/Nine.

She added: "They said [her children] had a bad soul around them and [the psychics] will come and take the bad soul away from them."

The recently injured single mother was also informed that she would soon be involved in "another accident."

"I’m sitting there crying, [and he said] 'we have to come into a prayer for you, Poonam'," she said.

Poonam ultimately paid $30 (£16) for her first-hand reading.

However, Krishna soon sought an additional $830 (£462) to free her from the alleged curse that was plaguing her family.

Poonam told A Current Affair: "They're my children and this man was telling me their lives were in danger, what was I to do?"

Then he informed her that in order to purify her home of additional black magic, he and a "master fortune teller" would need to make a home visit.

Poonam revealed to A Current Affair that they put on a show when they came by squeezing lemons, making fake blood, and taking down statues that were afflicted with evil spirits.

"For this, they demanded a further $21,000. I told them I didn't have this money and they told me to sell my car, sell my jewelry and other possessions," Poonam told A Current Affair.

They reportedly handed her a drink that made her feel ill, she added.

She claims they persuaded her to send Krishna the whole amount of her bank account while she was unwell.

Krishna allegedly refunded some of the money after she later threatened to call the police and report them.

Poonam still owes $12,000 in debt.

The fortune teller denied telling Poonam that her children's lives would be in danger if she didn't pay when questioned by A Current Affair.

In front of the TV cameras, he repeatedly responded, "I don't know," and he swore he was "not saying any lies (sic)."

The fortune teller could read someone's "past, present, future and Kundli (birth-chart)," according to a sign outside the store.

They also promise to aid with "husband and wife problems," "children's mistakes," and "house protection" against evil spirits.

There are other variations of the same sign in the western Sydney area, indicating the "psychics" might be employed by a group dedicated to scamming innocent Australians.

Many times, Pandit Valmiki Krishna has been asked for comment.