In a recent announcement, the San Francisco Police Department is calling upon the Chinese community to be wary of so-called "blessing scams," which have seen criminals abscond with an estimated $374,000 worth of cash and valuables. According to San Francisco Police Department reports, these scams have persisted from late November and into January, with perpetrators communicating in Chinese to exploit victims' trust and spiritual beliefs, sometimes claiming they can lift curses or illnesses through "purification ceremonies."
This criminal tactic involves instructing victims to place their valuables into a bag for a supposed blessing, only to later discover upon reopening the bag that their valuables were switched for worthless items. SFPD Chief Bill Scott described the deception and stressed, "These crimes against our most vulnerable community members are unacceptable," and assured ongoing efforts to apprehend and prosecute those responsible. Mayor Daniel Lurie and District Attorney Brooke Jenkins have expressed similar sentiments warning the public of the recurrent ploy and its detrimental effects on victims' finances and pride, as per the San Francisco Police Department.
Instances of these scams date back several years, often spiking around the holidays and Lunar New Year, times when individuals may be particularly susceptible to such predatory acts. The SFPD has cataloged at least seven cases since November, affecting elderly individuals with losses ranging from $7,000 to $91,000 in various districts across the city. Photographs of suspects and a vehicle have been circulated in hopes that public recognition will aid in their capture.
