NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A woman in North Huntingdon Township, Pennsylvania is facing charges in an allegedly fake fortune-telling scheme, officials say.
Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office said in a news release that Alexis Mitchell, 29, was arrested by North Huntingdon Township Police Department officers after a victim reported alleged fortune-telling fraud in September 2022.
The customer told police that he went looking for a psychic reader for spiritual help which led him to find “Psychic Novena,” WPXI reported. The man paid the psychic multiple times through a variety of money-transferring apps such as Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, and Square through Aug. 2022.
Investigators said the man lost more than $10,000 even after he was reimbursed for some of the payments by credit card companies, Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office said.
Mitchell was identified by police who said she had no ties to the area, Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office said.
Officials said she had addresses in neighboring Allegheny County and in several other states including Texas, Florida, California, and Nevada, according to WPXI.
Officials said Mitchell was charged with fortune telling, identity theft, and forgery in 2019, WPXI reported. That case is pending.
Mitchell is now charged with theft by deception and fortune telling, the district attorney said.
“Police warn to be wary of these types of activities – if someone is asking you for more money, and more payments without providing a legitimate service, it is likely a scam and should be reported to your local authorities,” Westmoreland County District Attorney’s office said.
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