What Aussies need to know about the creepy new ‘supernatural’ scam that’s robbing people of their life savings
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Scammers promising to rid their victims of evil spirits have siphoned off at least $200,000 from elderly targets.
Police say a group of traveling con artists are targeting elderly Asian women on the streets of Box Hill in Melbourne’s east as part of an international scam.
It is said that the women convince their victims that a ghost is following them and that they, or a family member, are in grave danger.
It is said that the only way for the victim to get rid of the ghost is to bring money and jewelry to the scammers so that they can be prayed over.
When the victim returns, they are told to close their eyes while the group prays over the bag and exchanges the money and jewelry for other items of the same weight.
The victim is told not to look in the bag until they get home and when they finally do, they discover that their valuables have been stolen.
Detective Senior Constable Adam Stafford said one of three victims of the ‘vicious scam’, which originated in Hong Kong and China, had lost more than $150,000 – their entire life savings.
Two others lost as much as $50,000 combined — and there could be more victims yet to come forward.
Police have released photos of three women (pictured) who they say can help their investigation after three elderly women were scammed out of $150,000 in cash and jewelry
It is alleged that the three women also worked with two men (pictured) who targeted the Asian community with ghost and blessing scams
“It’s quite embarrassing for the victims; many of these cases are probably under-reported for that reason,” Det Stafford told reporters in Box Hill on Tuesday.
“This is not a physical violation; it is a psychological violation and the harm they are doing to them is not a good thing.”
Det Stafford said the victims were in their late 70s and 80s.
Police believe the scammers may be part of a traveling syndicate, with similar incidents reported in NSW.
“If your elderly mother or grandmother is visiting the Box Hill area and is of Asian descent, please ensure they are aware of this scam as they will most likely be contacted,” Det Stafford said.