Asians of Southern California, take note. An old scam has recently resurfaced in Los Angeles. Con artists are back targeting superstitious elderly women and duping them out of valuables with the old "Chinese blessing" scam.
Old con resurfaces in LA; how the 'Chinese blessing' scam targets the elderly
The con tends to pop up in various Chinatowns around the country, from New York to San Francisco to Honolulu. The scam has apparently made its way back to Los Angeles. According to the LAPD's Asian Crime Unit, an elderly Chinatown resident was recently swindled out of $75,000 in cash and jewelry.
The "Chinese blessing" scam usually starts out with two women approaching their target on the street, then introducing her to a third woman who claims to have spiritual gifts. She offers protection from evil spirits if the target brings over her valuables to pray over. You can probably guess what happens next.
