6 hours ago
Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 18:18 IST
Australian police arrested two fraudsters for scamming an elderly woman out of AU$130,000 in a "Chinese blessing scam."
Police said that the suspects deceived the victim into handing over her valuables. (Image: Representational)
The Australian police arrested two fraudsters accused of conning an elderly woman out of AU$130,000 (approximately US$85,000) in cash and jewellery through a so-called “Chinese blessing scam"- a long-running spiritual fraud scheme that has targeted elderly members of Asian communities worldwide for over two decades.
A 63-year-old woman was detained at Sydney Airport after an investigation by Strike Force Sentinel, a New South Wales Police task force formed in April to crack down on the scam network. The next day, her alleged accomplice- a 63-year-old man- was arrested at Brisbane Airport while attempting to board a flight to China.
The arrests follow the alleged swindling of a 77-year-old woman in the western Sydney suburb of Parramatta in June. Police said that the suspects deceived the victim into handing over her valuables by claiming her family was cursed and required a spiritual cleansing ritual.
How Chinese Blessing Scam Works
The “Chinese blessing scam" is a psychological fraud scheme in which criminals target elderly Asian women by convincing them that a loved one is under threat from evil spirits or a curse. Victims are persuaded to gather their valuables- usually cash and jewellery- into a bag for a supposed “blessing ritual." The scammer, often posing as a spiritual healer, swaps the bag with one filled with worthless items and instructs the victim not to open it for weeks or months, warning that doing so will bring misfortune.
“They’ll convince them it’s been blessed and to not open the bag for some time. When the victim finally does, they find their money and jewelry are gone. It’s disgraceful," NSW Police Detective Superintendent Guy Magee said.
The scammers are like “a pack of hyenas" as they “swarm" their victims with coordinated roles and prey on cultural beliefs and vulnerabilities in their own community, the police said.
Scam Network Expands Across Australia
The task force is investigating 80 reports of such scams across Australia’s east coast, with losses estimated at over AU$3 million. Police believe around 50 individuals are involved in the syndicate, with 25 suspects identified by name and 11 arrest warrants already issued.
“This is not random," the police said, adding, “It’s like a role play. Every individual has a deliberate part- from the ‘healer’ to the person who lures the victim."
The police further said that many cases likely go unreported due to the victims’ embarrassment and fear of shame.
“The actual number of victims may be double what we’ve currently recorded," they said.
Location :Australia
First Published:News world Get Blessed, Then $85,000 Gone: How Chinese Scammers Swindled Elderly Women In Australia
