Prayer fraud makes a comeback in New York’s Chinatown, Asian elders swindled out of tens of thousands of dollars.

Recently, fraudulent activities have been rampant in the Asian community, including “blessing scams,” bank card theft, and mailbox check theft. Just the blessing scam alone has swindled tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, with three incidents occurring this month alone. The local police department has issued a reminder to elderly residents in the city to be vigilant and aware of prevention methods.

During a community committee meeting held on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Kengming Chang of the local police substation reported a decrease in overall crime rates this month. He mentioned that due to judicial system reasons, some suspects in counterfeit goods sales cases were released the same day they were arrested, allowing them to return to the streets and leading to a proliferation of such criminal activities. Suspects in these cases often flee at the sight of the police on Kenney Road, prompting residents to be cautious and attentive.

The police also shared various scam tactics that have been prevalent recently. The Crime Prevention Department reminded the public to beware of the resurgence of the “blessing scam” in the Asian community. Scammers use various reasons to approach victims, such as offering prayers for their family, claiming to predict the future, or sensing an imminent misfortune befalling a loved one. They then assert that in order to eliminate the impending disaster, the victim must hand over money, jewelry, and other valuables for a “blessing.”

After concluding the so-called “blessing” ritual, the scammer will return a bag allegedly containing the “gifts” and instruct the victim to open it at home. Unbeknownst to the victim, the scammer has already switched the bags, tricking them upon realizing this deception at home.

The “blessing scam” has occurred in several Chinese communities across the United States in recent years, with a recent surge in New York specifically targeting elderly Asians. The police highlighted that this recent activity involved both the local and district substation, with significant amounts of money swindled in at least three similar cases this month, ranging from $60,000 to $150,000 to $200,000.

Typically, these scammers wear sunglasses and hats, operate in groups of three or four, and loiter around the victims looking for targets. Some survey the surroundings during the scam, while others engage the victims with persuasive speech, creating an aura of credibility. If individuals notice these occurrences, they are urged to report to the authorities.

In addition to blessing scams, there are also instances of impersonating law enforcement, where victims are falsely informed of pending legal issues that require a monetary fee to resolve. The police advise caution when receiving unfamiliar phone calls involving monetary transactions.

Another scam tactic is “Check Washing” incidents, where recently there have been numerous cases of postal workers being robbed in New York City. Criminals target postal workers, seizing their packages and all valuable items. When threatened, postal workers often relinquish all their possessions, including the most valuable item, the universal mailbox key possessed only by postal workers.

Once in possession of these keys, scammers pilfer mail from mailboxes, especially targeting envelopes containing checks. They may use tools to “fish” out the letters or directly open the boxes to steal checks. While not all cases are definitively linked to these mailbox thefts, the police recommend using more secure payment methods, such as online bill payment.

The third scam involves bank card skimming. A recent case of bank card skimming was detected in a Bank of America ATM, where culprits install counterfeit devices on the machine, concealing electronic equipment to capture customers’ credit card information and PINs. These counterfeit devices closely resemble genuine card readers, making detection challenging.

As these devices are difficult to spot, it is advised to consciously check the card slot every time you withdraw cash from an ATM, ensuring no additional equipment is installed. Some card readers, like those at gas stations, have special quality seals. If these seals appear tampered with, caution is advised regarding potential tampering. As establishments and banks do not inspect card readers daily, criminals exploit moments of inattention to execute their schemes.

Apart from banks, CVS, Target stores, and even small shops or pharmacies can be potential sites for card skimming devices. Conducting transactions directly at the bank counter, while more cumbersome, is comparatively safer. Another preventive measure is setting up alerts for minimum transaction amounts on bank cards. In case of unauthorized transactions, this feature will trigger a notification via text message.