The tarots are indeed like cold readings, though I don't see it as very different from astrology. Both are superstitious and are used in faux rituals used in things like fortune telling. A suppose you could see something in a tarot that does represent your life or an aspiration you desire, but like astrology it has no truth to it and rely on the belief of the person seeking their fortune.
I think people who take advantage of others through "psychic readings" or what not do more harm than good. They just tell people what they want to hear, and astrology is kind of like that as well. Only difference is astrology is more based on unchanging factors like the planets, stars, birthdays, etc; where the tarot is drawn at random and the fortune is guessed from what the reader thinks of the readee.
Perhaps the themes of the tarot are not harmful, but the tarot itself is. Judgement, death, strength, etc are not ideas that are tied exclusively to the tarot but to the human condition. What the tarot does is take these ideas and presents them as a way to find out your life and your place in it through bunk means. I argue that it is harmful because one should not place their faith on random card drawings and readings. Also, I think people can make important life decisions based on these devices and create a TON of mistakes in the process. I shouldn't decide who I marry or what job I will get based on "fortune telling".
True, but the tarot doesn't help with actual decision making.