Fake Therapy: How 7 Cups Stole Real Therapists’ Identities to Scam Clients
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is a licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified coach, AAMFT clinical supervisor, host of the Love, Happiness, and Success Podcast and founder of Growing Self.
What would you do if you found out that your therapist headshot, credentials, and professional bio were being used—without your knowledge—to lure vulnerable clients into fake therapy services? I know. It sounds like a nightmare. But friend, this is not a hypothetical.
This is happening. Right now. To therapists like you and me.
I recently recorded an urgent episode of the Love, Happiness and Success for Therapists podcast that every clinician in private practice needs to hear. In this conversation, I sat down with investigative journalists Rebecca Ruiz (Mashable) and Lauren Krouse (Everyday Health), who have been uncovering the shady underworld of profile scraping, therapist phishing scams, and fake therapy platforms—including a company called 7 Cups.
Let’s talk about what’s really going on with these scams targeting therapists, how this could impact you, and most importantly—what you can do to protect yourself, your license, and the clients you care about.
The Rise of Fake Therapy: Yes, It’s Bad
Here’s the scam in a nutshell: Your professional information—pulled from public directories like Psychology Today—is being scraped and reposted on platforms like 7 Cups therapy. Except… you never signed up. You never gave consent. And when people click on your photo hoping to work with you? They’re rerouted into anonymous chatrooms or offered services by completely unlicensed individuals.
These aren’t just sketchy marketing tactics—they are misleading, unethical, and potentially dangerous to people in real psychological distress.
Journalist Lauren K. walked through what it was like to pose as both a consumer and a provider on 7 Cups therapy. Spoiler: becoming a “listener” on the platform takes 10–15 minutes, requires no real credentials, and you can literally type gibberish into their test and pass—as long as you hit the word count. Let that sink in.
Therapists Are Furious—And Rightfully So
One of the most disturbing things about this scam is that many clinicians had no idea it was happening—until a colleague stumbled across their profile on 7 Cups. Imagine the horror of realizing that someone is using your face, your words, your reputation to sell a bait-and-switch service.
Journalist Rebecca R. shared stories of therapists who attempted to contact 7 Cups directly—only to be ignored or brushed off with generic excuses. Others tried signing up on the platform themselves to test it out. And guess what? They never got routed back to their own profile.
Instead, their potential clients were handed over to strangers.
This isn’t just unethical. It’s infuriating.
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Why This Matters for Your Practice and Your Profession
You know what I find even more troubling? This isn’t an isolated issue. As Rebecca and Lauren explained, this is part of a larger trend.
There’s a gold rush happening in the mental health world. Well-funded startups, tech companies, and marketing platforms see the demand for therapy as a massive business opportunity. And in their scramble to dominate the SEO game, ethical standards are being left in the dust.
What that means for you: Even if you’ve done everything right—built a legitimate private practice, created a strong online presence, cultivated a reputation for high-quality care—you may still be losing potential clients to fake profiles, chatbots, or unregulated platforms that come up higher in search results.
It’s maddening. But we’re not powerless.
How to Protect Yourself (and Your Clients)
Here are the most important actions you can take right now:
- Google yourself regularly. Yes, I mean it. Set a reminder. Check for unauthorized listings or fake therapist profiles using your name or likeness.
- Screenshot everything. If you find yourself on 7 Cups or another platform without consent, take screenshots and save every interaction.
- Report it. Contact your state licensing board and file a complaint. This isn’t just sketchy—it could be illegal.
- Warn your clients and colleagues. This is happening quietly and widely. Share what you’re learning.
- Join the fight. There are class action lawsuits underway. There may be future regulatory action. Stay informed and get involved.
What About AI and the Future of Fake Therapy?
Here’s something else I’m keeping a close eye on: AI systems that are now fabricating therapist credentials—down to fake license numbers and fake universities. Someone asks a chatbot, “Are you a real therapist?” and it confidently replies: “Yes, I’m licensed in Colorado, MFT #1234567.” Except… it’s all completely made up.
The problem of fake therapists is only growing, and it’s being fueled not just by shady platforms like 7 Cups therapy, but also by unregulated technology. If we as a profession don’t start speaking up, organizing, and educating the public, we’re going to see more people harmed, and more clinicians sidelined.
We’ve Seen This Before—and We Can Stop It Again
This isn’t the first time this has happened. Years ago, I found my own profile being used by a now-defunct online therapy platform to redirect traffic to Talkspace. The APA got involved, and that company shut down. But like a game of professional whack-a-mole, these therapy scam platforms keep popping up.
It’s on all of us to stay vigilant and work together to protect the integrity of our field.
Let’s Stay Connected and Keep Fighting Back—Together
If you’re now frantically Googling your name—please know that you are not alone in this. I’m here with you, and I’m committed to helping ethical therapists like you stay informed and protected in this rapidly evolving landscape.
I talk about issues like these regularly in my For Therapists Newsletter—which includes insights, case studies, strategies for navigating the business of private practice, self-care tips for therapists, and updates on urgent news like the 7 Cups fake therapy situation. I created it so we could all stay connected and informed. I hope you check it out.
👉 Stay Connected. Stay in the Loop.
And let’s stay in conversation. I share breaking updates and thoughtful discussions on LinkedIn almost daily. Connect with me there so we can continue to educate, advocate, and elevate this profession together.
👉 You can find me on LinkedIn here.
Xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie bobby
P.S. If you found this article helpful, I hope you’ll take a moment to share it with a colleague or your professional community. This information could protect someone else’s career—or their clients’ well-being. Let’s keep each other safe out there. 💛
Resources:
Rowe, P. (2013). Beware of Scams Targeting Private Therapy Providers. Leader Live. https://leader.pubs.asha.org/2013/01/31/beware-scams-targeting-private-therapy-providers/
Berler, M., Trub, L., & Magaldi, D. (2023). The therapist’s evolving public self in a digitally disrupted marketplace. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 33(3), 285. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2023-32513-001.html
Mache, P., & Natu, S. (2022). Pseudo-science Versus Evidence-based Science: Emergence of Online Therapy by Unqualified People. IAHRW International Journal of Social Sciences Review, 10(4). https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=23473797&AN=161350978&h=QKXYZx8sWTp5GXsI9OaW0RCtisxBc7IC4oaidGI5A2ZmK9TsRwOE6MbXpiAHwlggstUQJ3ID%2BWasvWN33mJBvA%3D%3D&crl=c
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