Vancouver woman loses $120,000 in blessing scam targeting Chinese community

VANCOUVER — Vancouver Police are warning of a blessing scheme that targets the city’s Chinese community where one woman lost $120,000.

Police say there were two separate cases involving the scam last month, with one on Nov. 19 where three suspects approached a woman near Kingsway and Victoria Drive.

The group told the woman they could perform a miracle to ensure good health for her family, then escorted her by transit to her bank where she gave them $120,000 in cash and jewelry.

Police say the group performed the fake blessing and made off with the valuables, and the theft was reported a week later by the victim’s grandson.

Just three days before than robbery, another woman was targeted in a similar scheme where the suspects offered a blessing for wealth and prosperity, then obtained $14,000 from the victim in the process.

Police say the suspects in both cases were speaking Toisan, a southern Chinese dialect.

Investigators say the two cases are likely linked and there may be others in Vancouver’s Chinese community who have been victimized who have not reached out to police.

Police are urging Chinese Canadian residents to talk to family members in order to protect them from being scammed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2025.