It all starts with a simple plea for help, a friendly conversation and a promise of healing. But behind the emotional theatre lies one of the world's most enduring street cons — the Chinese blessing scam, and it's operating in broad daylight in Australian suburbs.
For decades, this scam has targeted vulnerable Chinese people across the world, preying on spiritual beliefs, cultural kinship and concern for their family.
Grace, not her real name, fell for it when she was told her son was at great risk of losing his life.
In tears and frightened she succumbed to the scam.
Since the 1980s millions of dollars have been stolen worldwide through the practice. In Sydney alone, police allege $3 million has been fleeced in over 80 reported cases since mid-2023.
Victoria Police claim $200,000 was stolen using this scam in 2024.
7.30 can reveal NSW Police are working with interstate police and authorities in New Zealand as part of ongoing investigations into Chinese blessing scams.
Strike Force Sentinel, established earlier this year, has so far arrested and charged two people. Police say one member of the group is in custody, in NZ.
Police have released images of seven individuals wanted on warrants in connection with the alleged scams and have obtained further warrants against two individuals allegedly involved in an incident at Eastwood, in Sydney's north-west, in 2024.
NSW Police told 7.30 that all nine suspects are believed to be overseas.
How the scam works
The scam follows a script: First the victim is approached by strangers who warn of an imminent threat to their family and offer a ritual blessing to dispel the curse. They're then persuaded to hand over valuables in a bag — which are then swapped for junk during a ceremony — and told not to open the bag or risk undoing the ritual.
Victims only realise they have been scammed after the offenders disappear.
Dr Sharon Kwok is a lecturer in criminology at the University of Western Sydney and told 7.30 the scam was common in China's southern regions of Guangdong and Fujian, which are typically more religious.
"It's not something new because during the 1980s, back in China, there were reported cases of this kind of religious scam," she said.
The scam exploits traditional beliefs where misfortune is blamed on ghosts and curses, and spiritual rituals are performed to dispel bad luck. Valuable items, such as money and jewellery, are commonly offered during traditional worship ceremonies to ensure good fortune and protection for one's family.
"Normally older generations tend to have that kind of traditional, cultural belief," Dr Kwok explained.
Compared to younger generations who possess the skills to work and engage with mainstream society, senior migrants who left their countries later in their lives can be profoundly isolated once they migrate to the new country.
"[Older migrants] come to Australia to reunite with their sons or daughters, often the family's only child, yet their life after migration offers them few choices," Dr Kwok said.
"Their social circles are often small, and their social lives limited, constrained by age and language barriers."
This isolation creates a fertile ground for exploitation.
'FIFO criminals'
As Chinese migration accelerated during the 80s and 90s, scammers also moved their operations abroad with cases reported in Hong Kong, San Francisco, Canada, the UK and Australia
The con has re-emerged across Sydney and Melbourne since 2023, with both Victorian and NSW police issuing arrest warrants against alleged blessing scammers.
"They're best described as FIFO criminals. They're organised criminals that fly in for short periods of time, on up to 20 occasions over two years, and fly out," Detective Superintendent Guy Magee told a press conference in early July, after two arrests were made.
Dr Kwok says policing the scammers is difficult because the scam deals with untraceable valuables, mostly cash and jewellery.
With large sums of money involved, these syndicates could also rely on underground banking networks within Australia to launder the illicit funds, she says.
According to Dr Kwok, the fraudsters begin the con with online research, seeking out neighbourhoods with dense Chinese populations.
They then conduct 'field work' to identify places where elderly Chinese congregate, such as Chinese grocery stores, clinics and herbal medicine shops, where they can collect intelligence from potential victims.
"That person's coming out from the clinic, then from the herbalist. That's very likely that the elder is not very healthy or maybe suffering some sort of health problem. That helps them to plan the plot," Dr Kwok said.
"They (scammers) will say your son will be dying in three days, so it has to be something very threatening, because that will project fear.
"Fearful people are very easily manipulated."
Preying on information
Grace became a target for this scam in part due to her health concerns.
"I was seeking medical treatment at the time. I thought I'd get the doctor's card, so I followed along," she recalled.
"You have high blood pressure and heart issues, but you can't seem to find out why through regular medical examinations, right?" one of the scammers asked Grace.
Grace nodded. She was baffled at how they knew her medical history.
The scammer told her the healer had a magical mirror that "could see everything".
Then, the swindler announced that a ghost was hunting her son: "He will have a car accident within three days. You must find a way to save him."
Grace's son was due to drive from Queensland the very next day. Convinced and desperate, she gathered all her cash and jewellery into a bag and handed it over for the so-called blessing ritual.
During the ceremony, the scammer commanded her to look into their eyes.
Amid the ritualised gestures, her bag of valuables was swapped. When her son returned home safe, she opened the bag, only to find a bottle of water and some rice.
She reported the crime to the police with the help of a translator.
"Many people feel ashamed after being scammed. They never tell anyone about it … most don't want to report to police," Grace told 7.30.
"But I want to speak out, because these people are evil and their tactics are professional. I want to warn others."
Fears that shame stops victims reporting the scam
NSW Police believe the number of victims impacted is double what has been reported.
"I really do call on those victims that feel embarrassed or shamed ... please don't be, come forward, let us stand alongside you," Detective Magee said in July.
The Chinese Australian Services Society (CASS) is one of the few settlement services in Sydney supporting senior migrants, and often times the first point of contact for many victims.
CASS' Senior Executive Officer Jane Lu says the organisation has seen an increase in senior members being targeted since late last year.
"I do think the cases are under-reported," she said, adding that the reasons could be a combination of the well-designed nature of the crime and traditional culture.
"Because of the shame in our own culture, we don't want to let people know if we have any bad experiences. They think being a victim of this scam is very shameful," she said.
CASS's case workers have been a lifeline for many victims, helping them take the difficult step of reporting their cases to the police. Yet their capacity is stretched thin, with just two and a half government-funded staff members assisting every police referral, all while providing essential settlement services.
Ms Lu believes that one way to address these challenges is by empowering volunteers within the same community to support and assist each other.
Over the years, CASS has trained more than 400 volunteers and over 30 activity groups were developed to help connect senior migrants with physical and social activities, such as English learning, calligraphy writing, games, fitness and dancing.
UNSW research in 2022 found that older Chinese migrants are motivated to become self-reliant, and that the volunteer model developed by CASS over 40 years is a supporting structure for volunteers when they struggle.
"It creates a safe space for them to meet new people, to tell friends they can trust, and to confide their troubles," Ms Lu said.
She encourages local governments to reach out and provide resources for senior members of CALD communities.
"Councils have a big role to play, for example, to provide some space for our volunteers to run their activities," Ms Lu said.
While NSW police have issued warning leaflets in Chinese and English, Ms Lu wants more in-language education to be distributed in hot spots and letter boxes.
"We heard about this scam a couple of years ago, even 10 years ago. We really want it not to happen again in our community."
Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV
