Should Paranormal Teams Be Able to Charge for Investigations?
by Karen Frazier, Managing Editor
Paranormal Underground e-Magazine
The following was discovered by one of our forum members:
****************************************
RATES START AS LOW AS $200 FOR FULL CLEARINGS AND THAT MEANS WE GAURENTEE IT!
VOTED AMERICAS #1 GHOUL GRABBERS….
CALL OR EMAIL FOR A FREE ASSESMENT.
CHARITY: SOME SITUATIONS WE DO FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD OR FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TOO POOR FOR OUR SERVICE IF YOU ARE SO POOR WE MIGHT EVEN DO IT FOR FREE SO DONT BE AFRAID TO ASK!!
1-310-266-1424 OR TRPLE2 AT GMAIL DOT COM
http://ghostcapturers.weebly.com/
**************************************************
Okay – I get it. This one is pretty bad – and nearly offensive – but it brings to the forefront something that has been tickling the back of my mind.
For most, paranormal investigation is a hobby. A compelling one, but a hobby nonetheless. People put their own money and time into paranormal equipment, travel and more. All in search of answers. And most paranormal teams don’t charge a dime.
I’ve noticed before that if a paranormal organization does something that may bring in money, they must be quick to explain that there is no profit, that they are giving the money away, or to justify why they are charging for some particular item. TAPS is widely criticized as being all about the money. We’ve experienced this ourselves at Paranormal Underground - people being extremely critical that we have a bookstore, Google ads, and that we have ad rates posted.
Somewhere along the line, it became accepted that anything paranormal should be free. Should it be? I don’t know. I do know this. This is not an inexpensive undertaking. I personally have thousands of dollars and thousands of hours into bringing Paranormal Underground to the public. So have Cheryl, Chad and JD. This isn’t a complaint – it is an act of love. I do it because I believe that at some point the paranormal needs to move from the realm of pseudoscience and into legitimate science. I feel so strongly about this that I have poured my personal resources into it.
I can’t imagine that I am alone. Many paranormal investigators are doing the same thing. They are pouring their heart, soul and money into searching for answers. Should they be able to recoup their costs? Should they be able to make a living doing it?
I have no answers. Big surprise there. But I’d be interested to see what you think. Should investigation of the paranormal stay a hobby? Use the comments section below to let us know what you think!
My take on this debate . . .
I don’t think groups/investigators should charge for their services to investigate or for any results they find. I do think it’s acceptable to ask for travel costs (gasoline, etc.) if the case is far away.
I also don’t have a problem with groups/investigators/TAPS, etc., selling merchandise and goods. Nothing wrong with that.
I think that because investigators/paranormal groups can’t produce any tangible results, people feel that a fee should not be charged. But here’s the thing, there are many different types of companies out there right now that don’t produce tangible goods, yet they charge money for their services. Is that wrong? Not to me.
What if a homeowner/businessowner wants to donate money to a paranormal group because they are so satisfied with an investigation conducted and results from an investigation that they received from the paranormal group? Should the paranormal group take the donation? Should they turn it down? Maybe that donation would help them get better equipment.
Karen mentioned the mountain of money that paranormal investigators and others in the industry contribute to “the cause.” I believe that, for the most part, it’s done for the love of furthering the field, not because one hopes to one day make a profit from it.
I am curious what others think about this debate.
Yes, they have a right to do so. Is it ethical though? Especially considering this is not something people can be licensed through the state for or there is anyway to protect the consumer.
In this case it should always be buyer beware.
Do these groups really perform a service though? Honestly… a person should seek help through their religious faith leaders first. If that avenue is exhausted… then go this way. Should amateurs and hobbyists really be charging for their services? How many of these teams actually offer extermination services and what can they do to guarantee their work? By all means I think donations should be encouraged and accepted — but set fees to me seems asking too much.
As for merchandising and everything else to support their hobby — I say yes. Of course — no issue with that, why should their be? Websites too… Ghost Dose is a fine example of what happens when you don’t do things to support yourself and depend on your own money to provide. Eventually yout hobby becomes to expensive. Again, your providing a “service” through your website… you’re providing a community for like minded people Why not allows ads and sell merchandise to support it? Why not allow people creative ways to show support for your hobby?
Nothing wrong with wanting something for something, but how do you set up fair exchange for something as subjective as field such as this?
RTT
You raise excellent questions and make some great points, RT. Thanks for weighing in!!
~Karen
I don’t think groups should but since we don’t have a league or some national organization that we must belong to then it’s up to the group itself. I just find it hard to charge people who might need help to determine something that isn’t scientifically proven to exist.
I don’t have a problem with donations or the selling of merchandise. The economy is poor right now and most groups do this as a hobby, nothing more. The equipment is expensive but it does have other uses beside paranormal investigation.
There isn’t standards that groups have to be held to either so there isn’t really any way for groups to be supervised. This bugs me more than a group charging clients to investigate houses.
Yes, Ryan. Standards are a whole different issue. Another blog for another day, I suspect.
I would not mind paying expenses if I ever needed the help of an investigator. I would also thourghly screen a few groups before I let them in my home. I would think there are groups playing investigators, and groups who have had experience investigating, and are sincere and honest, debunkers who have been in the field for some time.
I would think for in investigators who are legitate it may take time to sort out what clients they may want to investigate. Yes, there are just some crazy people out there. I feel this goes both ways, on both sides. Credible clients and credible investiagtors. The investigation team may put in some time with the client before their investigation actually starts.
For this type of team, I would pay expenses. If happy with the outcome (debunking) I would give a donation. For me, before I needed an investigator I would debunk myself and would have to be without a clue, before I called one. But this is the type of team I would look for on an interview as a home owner. Not sure how this is all works. Are home owners picky? Do they just take the first team that comes along?
I’m not critical at all about this site having ads posted, etc. Sites cost constant money. They are never really finished, and there is always something to do or update. I watched my family members take care of one we used to have for our biz. The work never ended. You must have advertising to survive. Or possible club type membership. I feel sites start as babies. As you watch the child grow, they will need more and more. I don’t think there is anyway around this, if your sit is sucessful.
Great points, sympathy. You brought in two things that I’ve been thinking about – the responsibility of the homeowner about WHO is coming into their house and the ethics of being paid for paranormal investigation. I’d be curious to see if groups accept donations from happy homeowners. Anyone?
It would depend on how well I think we did on the investigation. If we caught some credible evidence then maybe. Mainly I might if we had some terrible expenses in the case, like needing gas money or some random supplies that we needed for the case that we didn’t foresee. To be honest I don’t know for sure, I don’t have a guideline for something like donations.
Pingback: Setting the Standard for Paranormal Investigation
First let me say I do not think there are any professional ghost hunters even though I have seen some that claim to be. Now these that claim to be do charge $149.99 for a consultation (30 minutes) and $250.00 an hour plus travel expenses to remove your ghosts. They CLAIM to offer a guarantee the same ghost will not come back. Now I looked at the evidence page they present and I see long exposure pictures with multiple lights leaving the same trail.
Now I am against charging at all because the paranormal field is still growing and learning every day. What was considered paranormal 5 years ago has been explained and no longer excepted. (well by most teams anyway) Most paranormal evidence I see online is wrong camera settings, people not sure of what causes what in evp’s, explainable video. So with all this how can anyone charge.
More and more science is claiming most paranormal is created in your mind when its exposed to chemicals or high EMF’s. So can anyone charge?
When I research a location I easily spend 30-60 hours or more. I pull toxicology reports, location history, I use satellite imagery to review the neighbor hood. I do it because I enjoy it, not to make money.
If you go into a home and find a basement full of mold, then someone can make money cleaning it up but not you unless its your business. If a home has a fear cage you can recommend an electrician and he can make money.
We do this because we love it and not to make a buck. If you get good at what you do, give lectures, sell books. Don’t rip off clients.
If your client is a Business Owner who has never had a paranormal investigation done on their property but wants one. The Business owner is making a agreement asking for several days of investiagtion. IF AND I SAY IF there is any GOOD evidence obtained the business owner is making it public and listing their motel as haunted. These types of investigations the team should be paid. Three days investigation with nine investigators is 216 hours of video and 216 hours of voice recording that has to be reviewed. Lets don’t forget the 3 hour first client meeting and the 2 hour client reveal and the 72 hours of investigator time on site. This one investigation alone is more hours of a hobby than a person does in one year. I think every case should be determined by the situation, whether it is free or a donation or a charge.
We need to validate this field, and that is going to cost money. Homeowners / Business owners may not understand this, nor does the group TAPS. TAPS is exactly what they claim to be, “GHOST HUNTERS”, not even close to scientists. We need to be self-proclaimed scientists. My group does all of our cases to be used for studies free of charge, but clients asking for help that don’t meet our experiment requirements are charged for at least the costs of travel, boarding and equipment used (tapes, etc.). In fact, our group is doing an experiment right now to validate mediums, specifically trance mediums using an array of evidence. If anybody interested in helping move our field along with us, please e-mail us at bergenparanormal@gmail.com (attn: michael).
Shopping Cart
Our Latest Magazine
12-Month Digital Subscription Only $19.99!
12-Month Digital Subscription to Paranormal Underground Magazine (12 Digital Issues at More Than 15% Off the Cover Price!)
$19.99 Add to cartSubscribe Now for Updates
Video Gallery