A Chinese immigrant has been arrested at Sydney Airport and charged after allegedly stealing cash and valuables from an elderly woman in a “blessing scam”.
NSW Police on Thursday evening arrested 63-year-old Yuee Ruan as part of an investigation into the Chinese spiritual blessing scams, which police allege have netted fraudsters more than $3 million.
There have been more than 80 incidents reported in suburbs of Sydney including Ryde, Burwood, Parramatta and Hornsby, all areas where Australians now make up fewer than 50% of the population – in Burwood just 5.5% had Australian ancestry at the time of the 2021 Census.
The alleged scammer was charged with “dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity and demand property in company with menaces with intent to steal”, and was refused bail to face Parramatta Local Court on Friday.
Police allege she defrauded a 77-year-old woman out of a large sum of cash and jewellery in Parramatta last month.
Strike Force Sentinel investigators said blessing scammers were targeting people of Asian background, and warned they approach by asking directions to a Chinese herbal doctor or spiritual leader.
“Alleged offenders – generally targeting elderly Chinese women – exploit their cultural fears. As part of the deception, the women are convinced their families are at risk from spirits and need to have their wealth blessed to protect them from curse or illness,” police said.
“The women are deceived and once the scammers are in possession of their money and valuables including jewellery, the items are swapped with items of no value and the women are encouraged not to open the bags for an extended time.”
Victoria Police warned last year that female blessing scammers were targeting their own community in the Chinese immigrant-dominated Melbourne suburb of Box Hill.
Header image credit: NSW P0lice.
