Can Astrology Expose a Scam?

In our advancing technological age, with AI and digital tools evolving at an incredible pace, scams are becoming more and more sophisticated. It’s not unusual anymore to receive a message from a stranger — on text, through a phone call, or over social media — who seems friendly, in need, or just oddly familiar. Often, they come with a story: someone stuck abroad without documents, a soldier who can’t access his bank account, or a person just looking for connection in a time of war or crisis. These stories are crafted to draw you in emotionally, to make you feel responsible, needed, or even chosen.

In my practice, I’m often asked about situations like this. This is where astrology — especially horary astrology — can be helpful. It allows us to cut through the confusion and get a clear picture of what’s really going on beneath the surface. In this article, I’ll share an example chart from my practice that shows how horary can uncover hidden intentions and offer clarity when things feel uncertain.

The Astrology of a Real-Life Scam

One of the recent examples I’d like to share comes from a client who was contacted on the app Telegram. She had been commenting in various online forums about the war in Ukraine when a stranger reached out. At first, he seemed credible. He sent her photos and videos of a pleasant looking man sitting with a cat on his lap and appearing trustworthy. This stranger said he was a wounded soldier in a desperate situation torn by the war — without documents, unable to apply for aid or pension — and needed help. My client genuinely wanted to assist him but felt uncertain. She asked me: Is this someone truly in need, or am I being scammed?

In Western astrology, there’s a branch called horary astrology, which is used to answer specific questions that are important to the person in that moment. The chart is cast for the exact time the question is received and understood by the astrologer. It’s a remarkably precise technique, and in cases like this, it is often helpful and revealing.

Horary Astrology to the Rescue

The person asking the question (called the querent) is always represented by the 1^st house in horary charts. In this case, Virgo was rising, making Mercury — the ruler of Virgo — the significator of the querent. Mercury was found in the 8^th house, in Pisces, where it is in detriment. Right away, this presents negative testimonies. Virgo rising indicates the querent’s practical concerns, and Mercury’s position in the 8^th house shows fear and anxiety about money.

The placement of Mercury in detriment also reflects the client's emotional state — confused and vulnerable, lacking confidence and clarity. The 8^th house placement suggests potential danger or loss. To deepen the concern, Mercury was applying to a conjunction with Neptune, further affirming potential for deception, and a clouded perspective.

Next, we examine the other person — the quesited — who is represented by the 7^th house. Pisces is on the 7^th house cusp, with Jupiter (ruler of Pisces) placed in the 10^th house, in Gemini — where it is also in detriment. According to William Lilly and other classical astrologers, when theft is suspected, a peregrine planet on an angle can be a strong indication. Here, Jupiter is both peregrine and in detriment, symbolizing a figure who lacks stability, direction, and integrity. It is on the angle of the chart (in the 10^th house).

Moreover, Gemini, being a mutable sign, implies duality. This could indicate that more than one person was involved — perhaps a coordinated scam operation rather than a lone individual.

The Moon, which in horary astrology reveals the unfolding of events and the querent’s emotional focus, was found in the 2^nd house — another indication that financial concerns were at the heart of the question. The Moon was applying to a trine with Jupiter, suggesting that a financial exchange could happen if the querent chose to go ahead. However, since she consulted an astrologer and harbored suspicions, she still had agency to avoid making the wrong decision.

Interestingly, Mercury and Jupiter were in mutual reception (they were in each other signs of rulership), indicating that both parties were under each other’s influence. This mutual reception suggested that the scammer was able to influence and manipulate the querent’s state of confusion to maintain control of his narrative.

After examining the chart, the conclusion was clear: this was a scam attempt. I advised my client not to proceed and to block the individual on all platforms.

The Outcome

Later, the querent tested the situation by telling the scammer she couldn’t send money that day. He immediately responded with pressure, urging her to send it as soon as possible. He also claimed there was a public interview with him on a popular channel to prove his identity. I checked the video — and found it featured a completely different person. That confirmed it: she had been targeted by a fraud, and cutting ties was the right move.

Used thoughtfully, horary astrology can offer remarkably clear insight into situations that feel confusing or uncertain. In this case, it helped my client not only save the money but avoid other problems which could occur from this interaction.