In February 2013, a recent divorcee wandered the streets on a visit to New York. On a whim, feeling alone and somewhat hopeless, she decided to spend 5 dollars on a psychic reading, which was advertised at a storefront near her hotel.

It seemed a small price to pay for a little bit of hope. But it turned out to be expensive indeed: Over the course of the next three years, she ended up giving a little over 740,000 dollars — most of her life savings — to the psychic.

How could this happen? And, importantly, could anything like this happen to you? Don’t be too quick in dismissing the risk: It’s surprisingly easy to get ensnared in scams. Read on!