Blessing scam targets older Chinese women around the world

Female crooks are exploiting superstition and family love to swindle other women.

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After a wave of cases on the streets of the UK, US, Australia and Canada, police are investigating and victims' families are trying to find the perpetrators.

The blessing scam is an elaborate piece of criminal street theatre. A gang of usually three women act out a well-rehearsed script in Cantonese for an audience of one - the unsuspecting victim.

Mungnee is a Chinese Malaysian Londoner in her sixties. She was approached in West London while on her way to yoga, by a crying woman. The woman asked in Cantonese if Mungnee knew a specific Chinese traditional healer in the area, as her husband was sick.

Quickly, a second Cantonese-speaking stranger appeared, claiming she knew the healer, and offering to take them to him. Mungnee was swept along, keen to help the woman who was so upset. On a quieter side street, a third woman joined the group, claiming to be related to the healer and went to see if he could help.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn5zn1l6g5yo

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