Vancouver police are issuing a urgent community warning after two elderly women were defrauded of more than $130,000 in total in separate, sophisticated "blessing scams" targeting the city's Chinese community.
Scammers Resurface in East Vancouver
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) confirmed that both incidents occurred in November within the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighbourhood in east Vancouver. Investigators believe the two cases are connected and fear there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward.
Constable Megan Lui stated, "We are working hard to identify the suspects in these scams, and are asking members of our Chinese community to be aware that they are happening." She emphasized that by the time the victims realized they had been deceived, the suspects had vanished with their valuables.
How the Elaborate Fraud Unfolded
In the first incident on November 16, a 74-year-old woman was approached by three women while walking. The suspects claimed to know a feng shui master who could bestow wealth and prosperity. They convinced the victim to take a bag home, fill it with money for a blessing, and return with it.
The elderly woman complied, bringing back $14,000 in cash. The scammers performed a fake ritual, swapped her bag with a decoy, and fled. The victim was instructed not to open the bag immediately, so the theft was not discovered until 11 days later by a family member.
A Second Victim Loses Life Savings
Just three days later, on November 19, a second scheme unfolded near Victoria Drive and Kingsway. In this case, three scammers approached another elderly woman, this time claiming knowledge of a "miracle doctor" who could guarantee her family's health.
The fraudsters accompanied the victim on transit to her bank, where she withdrew a staggering $120,000 in cash from her safety deposit box. After another fake blessing ceremony, the suspects absconded with the money. This scam was reported to the VPD a week later by the victim's grandson.
Police note a key link between the cases: the suspects in both incidents communicated in Toisan, a Chinese dialect. This detail suggests they are specifically preying on certain cultural and linguistic groups within the broader community.
Community Alert and How to Report
The VPD is urging anyone who may have been a victim of a similar scam, or who has information about these suspects, to contact investigators immediately. Authorities stress that these criminals exploit trust and cultural beliefs to commit devastating financial crimes.
"We have had two reported cases in November, and there may be others that we don't know about," Constable Lui cautioned in a Friday statement.
Victims or witnesses are asked to call the Vancouver Police Department's non-emergency line at 604-717-3321. Police are continuing their investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible for these predatory acts.
