The Financial Comet
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing

The Financial Comet

World News

Two arrested over ‘Chinese blessing scams’ targeting elderly Asian women in Australia

by admin July 4, 2025
July 4, 2025
Two arrested over ‘Chinese blessing scams’ targeting elderly Asian women in Australia

Two alleged fraudsters accused of swindling an elderly woman out of tens of thousands of dollars in cash have been arrested by Australian police investigating a spate of “Chinese blessing scams.”

Chinese blessing scams have been reported worldwide for the last 25 years or so, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand.

Offenders typically target elderly Asian women and convince them that a member of their family is cursed or in danger. Victims are told the only way to ward off negative spirits is to have their wealth blessed.

“It’s a robbery by stealth. These offenders swarm these vulnerable victims, usually Asian, older females. They swarm like a pack of hyenas,” said New South Wales Police Detective Superintendent Guy Magee.

A 63-year-old woman was detained at Sydney International Airport Thursday after “extensive inquiries” by Strike Force Sentinel, a special task force formed in April to investigate 80 reports of the scams, involving the alleged theft of 3 million Australian dollars ($2 million). She’s been charged with a number of offenses.

Her alleged accomplice, a 63-year-old man, was detained Friday at Brisbane Airport as he attempted to leave Australia on a flight to China. He’s expected to be charged soon.

Detective Superintendent Magee said Friday the alleged perpetrators of Chinese blessing scams are targeting the entire east coast of Australia.

“They’ll fly in. They’ll prey on the vulnerable in their own community. They’ll capitalize on the vulnerabilities of that community around superstition,” he said.

Typically, the elderly victim is taken to someone purporting to be a spiritual healer, who tells them to put their money and valuables in a bag.

“They will convince them that it’s been blessed, and they’ll tell them not to open that bag for a period of time, up to months. And if they do, they will come across bad fortune,” said Magee.

“Unfortunately, the victims are opening those bags to find their money and jewelry is simply not in there. It’s disgraceful.”

The two suspects arrested this week are accused of defrauding a 77-year-old woman of cash and jewelry worth 130,000 Australian dollars ($85,000) in the western Sydney suburb of Parramatta in June.

NSW Police say they believe 50 people are involved in the scam, and they’ve identified 25 suspects by name. Another 25 people have been seen on camera allegedly taking part. Eleven arrest warrants have been issued.

“It’s like a role play. There’s nothing by chance in what they do, they all have deliberate roles,” said Magee.

He said police believe the crime is “profoundly underreported” due to the victims’ embarrassment and shame about being conned. The number of cases is “probably double” police estimates, he added.

Last November, New Zealand Police arrested three Chinese nationals as they attempted to leave the country on flights to China after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars.

Police allege the trio arrived in the country that October and within days started targeting elderly members of the community.

The alleged scammers conned two victims out of about 30,000 New Zealand dollars ($18,000) in cash and jewelry, police said in a statement.

A “substantial amount” of money was retrieved, they added.

NSW Police issued advice to the community to beware of people asking directions to a Chinese herbal doctor or spiritual healer.

“Do not bring strangers home,” the advice said. Do not hand any valuables to strangers and “do not put money or jewellery in a bag for any blessing ritual,” it added.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

previous post
Russia launches record number of drones at Ukraine after latest Trump-Putin phone call
next post
At 90, the Dalai Lama braces for final showdown with Beijing: his reincarnation

Related Posts

Quakers say London police arrested six people at...

March 29, 2025

‘I wanted to communicate’: Grammy-nominated Yemi Alade embraces...

February 1, 2025

Ukraine hit by another night of deadly Russian...

April 25, 2025

Iran is rearming its missile program and a...

February 14, 2025

White South Africans gather in support of Trump...

February 16, 2025

Putin makes first visit to Kursk since Russia...

May 21, 2025

How Pope Francis addressed the role of women...

April 27, 2025

Former police officer spared jail over death of...

March 28, 2025

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon freed from detention...

March 8, 2025

UK Supreme Court says legal definition of ‘woman’...

April 17, 2025

    Join our mailing list to get access to special deals, promotions, and insider information. Your exclusive benefits await! Enjoy personalized recommendations, first dibs on sales, and members-only content that makes you feel like a true VIP. Sign up now and start saving!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Editors’ Picks

    • 1

      Trump re-designates Iranian-backed Houthis as terrorists: ‘Threaten[s] security of American civilians’

      January 23, 2025
    • 2

      DeepSeek hit with large-scale cyberattack, says it’s limiting registrations

      January 28, 2025
    • 3

      Bank of America CEO says financial industry will jump into crypto payments if regulators allow it

      January 23, 2025
    • 4

      Universal’s ‘Wicked: For Good’ creates a unique marketing challenge

      January 27, 2025
    • 5

      FDA officially authorizes Zyn nicotine pouches for sale following health review

      January 23, 2025
    • 6

      UnitedHealthcare taps company veteran Tim Noel as new CEO following Brian Thompson killing

      January 27, 2025
    • 7

      Lara Trump to host weekend show on Fox News

      February 7, 2025
    • About us
    • Contacts
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Email Whitelisting

    Disclaimer: thefinancialcomet.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2025 thefinancialcomet.com | All Rights Reserved