December 5,2025
RED FM News Desk
Vancouver Police are alerting the Chinese community to a new blessing scam that has left elderly victims out nearly $150,000 in cash and jewelry in November.
“We are working hard to identify the suspects behind these scams and urge members of our Chinese community to stay vigilant,” said Constable Megan Lui. “We’ve received two reports this month, but there may be more victims we haven’t heard from. In both cases, the victims didn’t realize they’d been scammed until after the suspects had vanished with their valuables.”
On November 16, a 74-year-old woman walking in the Kensington–Cedar Cottage area was approached by three Asian women who claimed to know a Feng Shui master who could bring wealth and prosperity. They handed her a bag and convinced her to go home and collect money for a blessing. When she returned with $14,000 inside, the scammers performed a fake ritual and then swapped her bag for a decoy, stealing the cash. They instructed her not to open the bag immediately, and the scam wasn’t discovered until 11 days later by a family member.
On November 19, three scammers approached another elderly woman near Victoria Drive and Kingsway, claiming they knew a miracle doctor who could safeguard her family’s health. The victim accompanied one suspect by transit to her bank, where she withdrew $120,000 in cash and jewelry from a safety deposit box. The suspect conducted a fake blessing and then disappeared with the valuables. Her grandson reported the theft to police a week later.
In both cases, the scammers spoke Toisan, a Chinese dialect.
“We believe these incidents are connected and that additional victims may be out there,” added Constable Lui. “We encourage families to talk with their elderly relatives to help protect them from these scams.”
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