Psychics have long claimed the ability to predict the future or offer insights into unsolved mysteries, but many predictions have turned out to be disastrously inaccurate. Below are 13 notable examples where psychics got it wrong.
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1. Sylvia Browne Predicting Amanda Berry’s Death
In 2004, during an appearance on The Montel Williams Show, Sylvia Browne told Louwana Miller, the mother of missing teenager Amanda Berry, that her daughter was dead. Browne said, “She’s not alive, honey.” However, in 2013, Amanda Berry was found alive after being held captive for over a decade. This incorrect prediction deeply impacted Berry’s family during their years of uncertainty.
2. Edgar Cayce’s Atlantis Prediction
Edgar Cayce, one of the most famous psychics in history, predicted that the lost city of Atlantis would be discovered near the Bahamas in 1968 or 1969. Cayce’s followers anticipated the discovery with excitement, but no such finding was made, and Atlantis remains a myth.
3. Jeane Dixon Predicting JFK’s Second Term
Jeane Dixon, who claimed to have predicted the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, also predicted that Kennedy would win a second term in office and go on to be one of the most beloved presidents in history. While Kennedy did win re-election, he was tragically assassinated before serving a second term, making this a major miss in Dixon’s career.
4. Nikki’s Incorrect 2020 Election Prediction
Celebrity psychic Nikki made a bold prediction about the 2020 U.S. presidential election, claiming that Kanye West would become president. Despite Kanye announcing his candidacy, he garnered less than 0.04% of the vote, making this prediction laughably inaccurate.
5. Sylvia Browne Predicting Michael Jackson’s Health Issues
Sylvia Browne claimed that Michael Jackson would die from respiratory issues, but predicted his death would occur when he was much older. Jackson died in 2009 from a cardiac arrest caused by an overdose of propofol, a stark difference from Browne’s prediction.
6. The 2012 Mayan Apocalypse
Many psychics, relying on interpretations of the Mayan calendar, predicted that the world would end in 2012. Psychic websites, books, and media coverage hyped up the notion of a global apocalypse on December 21, 2012. Of course, the date came and went without incident.
7. Uri Geller’s Failed Predictions of Sporting Events
Uri Geller, famous for his spoon-bending tricks, often ventured into the world of sports predictions. He once claimed that Scotland would defeat England in the 1996 UEFA European Championship based on psychic insights. England won the match 2-0, proving Geller’s prediction wrong.
8. Jeane Dixon’s Prediction of a 1962 World War
In 1958, Jeane Dixon predicted that a Third World War would break out in 1962. She claimed it would involve China and arise due to conflicts in the South China Sea. No such war occurred, and this became one of the more significant misses in her career.
9. Sylvia Browne and the Miners
Once again Sylvia Browne makes her name onto the list. In 2006, after an explosion in the Sago Mine in West Virginia, Sylvia Browne appeared on The Montel Williams Show and predicted that all the miners would be found alive. Unfortunately, only one miner survived, while 12 others tragically died. Browne’s incorrect prediction angered many who were following the rescue efforts.
10. Nostradamus and the Year 1999
Nostradamus, one of the most famous seers, is known for cryptic predictions, but one of his most discussed prophecies involved the world ending in the year 1999. Despite the panic this prediction caused in some circles, 1999 passed without any apocalyptic event.
11. Miss Cleo’s Lottery Prediction Failures
Miss Cleo, the popular infomercial psychic from the early 2000s, promised countless individuals lottery numbers that would guarantee wealth. Despite her enthusiastic delivery, many of those who followed her advice lost money. Her “psychic” business was later unsurprisingly revealed to be a scam.
12. Peter Hurkos and the Boston Strangler Case
Peter Hurkos, a Dutch psychic, claimed to have been involved in solving the Boston Strangler case in the 1960s. Hurkos stated that he knew who the killer was, but his predictions and insights led investigators to a man who turned out to be innocent. The real Boston Strangler, Albert DeSalvo, was later caught, but Hurkos had no role in identifying him.
13. Dionne Warwick’s Psychic Friends Network
In the 1990s, singer Dionne Warwick became the face of the Psychic Friends Network, a telephone service offering psychic readings. The network promised accurate predictions and guidance, but the company eventually filed for bankruptcy, and many predictions made by its psychics were proven false or too vague to be helpful.
Conclusion
Psychics have made numerous predictions over the years, but many have turned out to be strikingly inaccurate or misleading. Whether due to misinterpretation, overconfidence, or outright fraud, these 13 examples show that psychic predictions often fall far short of the truth, leaving skeptics and critics with plenty of evidence to question the legitimacy of psychic abilities.