yad ahankaram asritya
na yotsya iti manyase
mithyaisha vyavasayas te prakritis tvam niyokshyati

Translation

"If you do not act according to My direction and do not fight, then you will be falsely directed. By your nature, you will have to be engaged in warfare." (Bg. 18.59)

This verse indicates that for a devotee there is no room for cheating, because to the extent that one is not in Krishna consciousness, to that extent he must be in illusion (maya).

One can understand that to the degree that perfection eludes him, that much he must be engaged in the material energy. Even if one is progressing, still, until perfection is achieved, some illusory engagement must be there.

Therefore, no one should claim perfection until one actually revives his full Krishna consciousness and enters into one of the primary rasas in relation with Sri Krishna and attains his siddha-deha or spiritual body.

If he has not reached this perfect stage yet claims to have done so, or permits others to glorify him as if he had achieved that perfect stage, then he is nothing more than a cheater, a rascal, no matter if he cheats to encourage disciples, the public, or for any so-called preaching reasons.