Yeah, id be less embarrassed crapping my pants on live tv than admitting to this. Hopefully somebody somewhere learns something from the story they couldn't have guessed themselves
This happened to me on my high street a few months ago. I managed to walk away because I realised very quickly that there’s no such thing as super coincidence. How could three strangers suddenly have a connection on a suburban high street. I told them I don’t believe in superstition or the supernatural. I was more concerned that my parking was running out and I could be hit by a hefty penalty. I asked them for a mobile contact number so I could get back to them but they refused. They kept saying: don’t you want to help your family? I insisted that I would have to consult my spouse. I ran away as fast as I could! Close call, indeed!
I was approached two Chinese women in Leeds market, the first one looking for a healer and a second one ‘coincidentally’ knew where he was…. I just said if you guys knew this healer i don’t need to go with and just refused to go with them. I suspected something wrong, now I see your report i’m glad I didn’t budge. Thanks for the report!
This is why people don't respect BBC anymore. We all know scamming is an industry in India not China, so are they making this hit piece "exposing" China? Not only do almost all the scam call originate in India but if you do visit the country itself, almost every Indian you will encounter will try some sort of scam on you.
OMG that is exactly what happened to me in Croydon High Street 2 months ago. I m not a religious nor superstitious person at all however because they were so convincing that I didn't want any harm to my son I agreed to go to the bank to get cash for them. Whilst I was waiting in the queue I started to question why they only wanted pure white/ gold, diamonds, rolex, jade & cash - allegedly items closest to our touch/body (to ward-off evil spirts) and not my underwear, jumpers, socks etc that's when the penny dropped and realised it's a scam. Be warned of strangers befriending you in the street!!!
Nobody is that naive to befriend strangers, I am always cautious about people who are extra friendly and reach out to you first. I grew up around less-fortune people than me, they see you as nothing but a prey. I don't befriend new people, unless they're richer than me.
@Rinshidotokata Why only people richer than you? Why not befriend people with the same amount of money you have? I'm not judging, I'm just curious because I don't feel comfortable around rich people (they act like they live in another planet), but I know people who are a lot poorer are likely to try and take advantage of you, so befriending the same social class makes more sense to me.
Good on you for realizing it! Just think if that queue had been short and you hadn't had time to stop for a moment and think about the situation. It might have turned out very differently. That's one of the tools of scammers: if they rush their target, they not only get their adrenaline running, which inhibits rational thought, but the target is also more likely to do what they say and then only realize the problems later.
Unfortunately, it's to do with the cultural beliefs of some of the older population. The fact that the scammers look like you & speak your language means that their 'act' seems more plausible, ie. they share my superstitious/spiritual beliefs 🤦🏻♂️
@@dtks888especially in the context of all being abroad in third country , as different race immigrants. You subconsciously trust your country/race/religion mates
As a Chinese, I’m ashamed of the those who committed such crime. In China there used to be scams like this too, just leave them along and refuse talking to them, you’ll be fine.
Why are you feel ashamed? These criminals have nothing to do with you!! If you live in UK, US, or any civil society, you should call the police right away if you encounter such scammers so that no one gets harmed by these criminals. Their ethnicity has nothing to do with their crime. They are criminals first and foremost.
@@delta8402 It’s really hard to walk away when you see someone in need. But these street scams are really abhorrent and we have to protect ourselves by being uncaring. Such a shame!
@@lindal7842if someone really needs help they’ll call 999, we live in the U.K. our ambulance and police services are easily available. Just ignore them and walk away.
It is still present in China, albeit probably not anymore as openly. The level of creativity some Chinese people come up with to invent scams is absolutely astonishing to me.
Hi, I am from Australia, it had happened to my mom back in 2018 when she went to shop and got scam by 3 Chinese ladies exactly the same story with your mom, they took away her money as well as jewellery, we did reported to police but nothing they could do about it, can’t believe that they still doing it.
@@babajaga158 As if it matters. Police & policing system is the same in all Britishit erstwhile colonies and current shell companies like America, Canada, NZ & Australia.
Perhaps a better word is the "Judas gospel", as he was the disciple with control over the money of the group of followers. The love of money is the root of all evil, say's the bible. So "pastors" that claim that riches are a good thing and preach about the love of money are not people to be trusted, they are clearly using people seeking kindness, love and peace, and using those that are thinking of fellow Christians as brothers and sisters. Wolves in sheep's clothing.
Thank you. Something similar happened to my mother over 40 years ago. It's these criminals who prey on the unsuspecting devout.... And not knowing Scriptural truth 🙏🏼🕊️ So, yes, these "wolves in sheep clothing" continue - they just refine their tactics!
The aggrieved woman's last sentence has an astonishing impact. She really made a great impression of doing good things would reward you with amazing blessings.
Good to see Chinese issues being discussed on the BBC. East Asians and South East Asians make up a large minority in the West but they hardly get any airtime.
The Chinese have had a lot of coverage by the BBC over the last several years but it's been usually negative so it's nice to see some more balanced reporting from them
@@henbane2247 no they have not. You're confusing Chinese with China. China is a country, Chinese in the West are citizens and residents. I wasn't referring to China, but Chinese communities in the West. They deserve to be represented and their concerns highlighted.
Same thing happened to me. They told me my son is cursed and they can remove the curse. I told them I don't have a son. They said they meant my daughter is cursed. I told them I don't have a daughter. Then they told me my cat is cursed and they can help if I give them money. I handed over my money. After I got home, I realized I don't even have a cat.
Sun Tzu ( author of Art of War) said one of the ways to manipulate someone is through their superstitions. Therefore this strategy has probably been going on at least since the 5th centuary BC!
This is when BBC are on form imo....proper documentaries, with no apparent messaging or attempt to influence beliefs etc.. The Japan/Subway Stalker doc and the Monkey Abuse doc were incredible too.
@@Accuface2000🤐 this is a specific Chinese scam praying on Chinese (usually older) folks as this is relying on their cultural beliefs. How is this misnamed? 🙃😅 tell me you didn't watch the full video without saying so 🥴
Great documentary raising awareness of this situation! Been hearing this around the Chinese community. Still baffled on how it works and how they manipulate people. This 'Devils Breath' plant is intriguing.
The Devil's Breath part isn't fully accurate, particularly the part about it simply being blown in people's faces and them becoming compliant to hand over money/pins. These claims have so far not had much of an evidence base and are more urban legends. I think there's more evidence of people having drinks spiked with it, e.g. in clubs. Makes you wonder why they interviewed a journalist in this video and not a proper scientist/toxicologist to comment on that part directly. A scientist would have said it's unlikely Devil's Breath was used in these scams. People doing these scams are professionals at it and they target vulnerable folks using tried and tested methods of scamming people.
Jeez this old trick was being mentioned on a TV programme sponsored by the police department 20 years ago in Hong Kong, can't believe people still fall for this...
It's been all over the world, for decades! All of these scams - remember the 1990s? You would get an email from a Nigerian prince. Those same scammers have sons/grandsons. Now they use dating apps and social media and claim that they work on an oil rig.
I watch recent catfish shows and my mind is boogled. They think they are "dating" a famous person! And makes me realize - It's just an attack on the vulnerable, pick on the runt, a bird of prey swooping in on a helpless kitten. Predators target little old ladies walking down the street alone. They creep around online, finding widows and other vulnerable types - women in unhappy relationships is huge. They post - it's complicated - as a relationship status!!!
You don't agree to a blessing ritual on the sidewalk by someone you met a moment ago. You must be street smart to find your way around tricky situations. Handing over your jewellery to a total stranger is unbelievable. The red flags were so obvious. I'm glad she spoke up, and I hope she finds the strength to get over this traumatic experience.
I feel sorry for the mothers who lost their savings to the scammers. In China, it's very common that family and relatives ask someone for money to invest in shares or stupid businesses, and promise they will return the money. Most of the case they will lose most of the money and refuse to return what they borrowed. I think it's worse than scams. It really damage the relationship, which it's not like money that you can earn. This happened to my family and myself. I donated money to the templs until I found out those how those people in the religion industry spend the donations, I realized it's a scam as well.
London has this 2 sides: the wealthy and high productivity but in other side a lot of scams, snatches and money laundry. It's traumatising for the people who has good intentions. It's so sad.
@NotYet2Set If you had lived what many people in London is suffering , maybe you could emphatize with them. It's funny to make fun of a comment perhaps my comment is from a person who had a hard time in London and saw many people having this same hard time.
It's exported internationally. Like pickpocket has been around since human existence, yet it is still victimizes people everywhere in the world. Old tricks never die
Sorry to hear that. I feel for your mum and her friends. There are criminals everywhere and in every ethnic community. One just has to be vigilant regarding safety!!
I'm of Asian descent, middle aged, ill, and alone. I grew up in an abusive, neglecting family. The desperate need to have emotional connections and being too polite, not wanting to hurt others can make me drop my guard easily. But, I draw the line regarding evil spirits and blessings and allowing strangers access to my valuables/money and home. Nor do I believe in good or bad karma. You have to be street smart, vigilant, and use common sense. I hope these victims forgive themselves and not let this destroy their lives.
There are a lot of people being judgemental here, but just listening to the woman who was interviewed makes you realize that these are not necessarily stupid people. The woman who was scammed was articulate and fairly intelligent. So it makes you wonder if these scammers use some form of drug as mentioned in the report as well.
Being articulate doesn’t mean you can’t be stupid. Giving over your life savings to a complete stranger so she can perform a blessing over them is beyond stupid whichever way you look at it
it is easy to assume the victims are stupid people unless you grew up in a culture where people believe in superstitions. I grew up being told this uncle is an evil person and this aunty is an evil person. pastors will say "xyz family member is out to get you so you have to pray all the time " . Like the woman who said she grew up going to temples, I would probably believe these scammers even though I am still unlearning these things.
Hello there, it takes 2 hands to clap. These ‘victims’ just did not want to admit they were stupid. Most of these elderly women had ruled their household like a dictator, remember ‘Asian Tiger mum’; these missed this power when their children grew up and they felt useless/powerless. So when someone come along and say they can help their sons, they jump to it. They are willing victims. I know, I am from that culture.
Once they get the fear into the victim, the emotions and fear will override any rationality in the victims head. This crime is well known here in Asia, especially in Hong Kong for over a decade. Now the criminals are just moving to another place to find new victims.
Fear. The weak spot through which the scammers hook themselves into a person's mind is fear-fear for loved ones. This is where the rational mind stops functioning, and the victim can be operated like an infected computer. The more I discover the workings of the human psyche the more I can see how we (definitely me) run like computers, executing a program in the background we are not aware of. A program we picked up in early childhood very often. My heart goes out to the people who got scammed and at the same time, they learned a very valuable lesson which hopefully will allow them to 'reprogram' themselves and become a more whole person. No experience in life is wasted :)
Kudos to the victim for sharing her story. Hope she will be blessed in other ways…….So many scams these days literally anyone can be a victim there are so many.
this exactly happened to my mother in law and my mother in China. My in law lost money and jewelry. My father stopped mother from falling into the trap. These people are so bad.
I think she was hypnotized somehow. In India there is news about criminals hypnotising ppl who withdraw large amount of money from the bank. Victims somehow handover the money willingly under effect of hypnotizing. This happens inside the bank itself. There was also news about a hypnotist criminal making a bank manager hand him Indian Rs 93,000. The bank manager did this as told by the hypnotist.
This happened in San Francisco as well. I remember reading about it a year ago. Exactly same story except the 1st lady that approaches is on a phone call with the 3rd lady. You don't know that she is on the call because she has her phone in her pocket. When the 1st lady approaches the victim, the 3rd lady can hear the entire conversation. So later when the 3rd lady comes, she pretends she is psychic and knows things about the victim.
Didn't you watch the documentary? They have the same ancestry background and age. If you live abroad, then meet someone of the same race, you will feel a sense of 'familiarity'. You should be careful too. Don't ever think you'll never get scammed, always be careful.
@ There are millions of people that share my ancestry and billions that share my race, and many of us "live abroad". That doesn't change the fact that these people are strangers. Someone can have the exact same background as me, but that doesn't mean they are automatically a good person. On the contrary, women are most likely to be harmed by a person they know or are close to, let alone a random on the street. Yes, I too have been scammed. Which is precisely why I do not entertain the predictions of strangers who request a bag full of money from me. There has to be an element of accountability and scepticism if we hope to survive these kinds of scams. In what scenario is it ever a good idea to hand a stranger a bag full of cash?
@gee_emm nevermind, I can't help you put yourself in other people's shoes. You should travel and read more and expand your friends circle if you want to understand. It has to do with their culture and generation (age).
Hi Ms. Chong, your documentary is very interesting and really scary..I have to aware my family here in the Philippines about this ruthless criminals...you look cute too!
Man I can't even finish this. Someone scamming your spiritual beliefs is so low, but hey there is no bottom to human depravity. If I was this woman I don't think I could appear on this show, I would be too embarrassed. But hey with all the valuable she had taken from her, maybe its empowering to put a price on her shame.
This has been a normal part of everyday life for most of history, throughout much of the world, especially the Middle East, South Asia, the US Deep South, Appalachia, China, Russia.
I believe part of the con is that the scammers know after the event the victim feels so stupid they never mention it again and that's how they get away with it. But this lady is stronger and braver and has had the courage to shine the light. The scammers took advantage of her faith but it's her faith that makes her brave. She will know that she has been a beacon and has helped spare many more people the same humiliation, and that's worth more than money. I wish her good fortune for the future.
The greatest scam of all scams. The “Bible” was the “devil’s breath” used as a mental pacifying agent while they were busy looting with massive cargo ships.
OMG. What a bad news it is? I never thought in my life that such scamsters exist in a country like China. I'm sure the officials of Chinese Governmenet will definitely catch these culprits. Rightly said she - the victim - that she will be rewarded soon as she did not do anything wrong in her life time. I thank the BBC media for having spread this news and I believe, publit at large should remain alert always. May God shower on her all happiness, prosperity and longevity! All the very best.
Growing up and having seen what i've seen, ghosts, spirits, evil mojo and all that bs doesn't faze me one bit anymore, if i saw someone dressed up acting like one coming at me, they would either be put to sleep or be sent to another world. Being poor is the only thing that scares me now; the things people would do for money when they have none or very little is a scary thing.
Quite the same thing happened to my mother eight years ago. She got scammed in quite the same way with all her family jewelries and thousands of yuan, some of which was borrowed from her neighbor. It's detestable!
Happened to my mum multiple times near Leicester square. Its well known amongst her friends its a scam. She swears at them and just runs off. It has been well over a year the first time i heard of this from her
I got scammed by a Hindu Yogi. He came to me and asked me for money to pay for his charity to care for the children. We spoke and I didn’t want to give him money but I did. They wanted to meet me again for a blessing. I got their number and the next day we met and I went for the blessing. They asked for more money so I said that I would have to return home to get my debit card. I went home and never went back. They kept on calling me. They texted me and I said that they were scamming me and they said that if I didn’t pay then someone bad will happen. What I should have done was got the police involved but I just wanted it to go away.
Thanks Mungnee, Tuyet, Elaine, BBC and team for spreading this awareness. Please tell the BBC team in Indonesia too. I think it's already happen but not so much news about this.
This is a silly scam that only a fool would fall for because you can see this type of scam in so many Chinese movies and drama that’s so laughable 😂. Can’t believe people still fall for it 😅
You don’t believe it until it happens to you. I believe it because it happened to my cousin. It’s like you’re being hypnotised and just follow their instructions and only realised what just happened after they left you. Thank you for sharing this. Hopefully people will be aware of this, believers or not especially Asians as they are most targeted. Maybe this has been happening ages ago and it needs to be brought up again to remind us and to be aware.
Wow, such scam has now spread to the Western countries. My mum & auntie have experienced the same incident in Malaysia, approached by Chinese people from China, using the same story, threats & fear techniques etc. Thankfully my mum was alert & quickly walked away from their conversations. As for my auntie, she almost bought into it until they asked her to pass them her valuables & money to perform the rituals. They were very convincing. For a few days to a week, my auntie was afraid to tell anyone about it as she doesn't want bad things to happen to her loved ones. But she couldn't hold her breath in the end & she finally told my mum about it. My mum laughed & said it's a scam! Thank God for protecting these 2 oldies! 😅😅
In Italy they scam granpas and granmas with a slightly different, but similar scam: they ring a phone call, claiming that one of their family member had an accident and either caught in a fight with their victim for having destroyed their car, or arrested by the police, needing a large sum of cash to pay off their victim or the attorney's bill. They keep the old person engaged on the phone, so that granpas are not able to double check. Then they ring the door bell to collect the cash, and disappear. I have to say that most old people in Italy: 1) are richer than young people, because retirement monthly pays are higher than a current working person's monthly salary, which usually depletes in one month to pay the bills and young ones have zero savings. 2) they don't trust banks; at least, they don't trust banks at 100%, so they tend to spare a certain % of their savings as cash at home.
Oh my god!! My aunt was a victim. They took my aunt to an ATM machine. Good thing the daily withdrawal limit was $1000. All her jewelry were taken by them.
I had an experience where it was a Mr. Singh who spoke Cantonese fluently and offered me a fortune telling session. He asked me to write a few things on paper and to blow into some paper in his hand. Unknowingly- it was probably “Devils breath” in his hand which I inhaled to blow. I became very obedient and gave him money and cash as he said this was the solution to my problems and good luck. My mother had a separate incident when she was shopping for fresh groceries in the Wood Green area London. She told me that someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned around and it was 3 ladies talking in Cantonese and said they need to offer her blessings. She ended up going home and taking her jewellery for a blessing and ignoring my father who was also at home at the time. In the end the jewellery was taken away and by the time she realised she was scammed it was too late. She thinks it was when she was tapped on the shoulder as she turned around, she must’ve been sprayed with “devils breath”. Please be careful everyone.
I can feel her pain because last year theft happened in my home and theives took all the gold , silver jewelries my mom had that was more than 30 years old 😢. They took all the cash that was kept at home. Police didn't do anything. We all are still traumatized 😔. We feel vulnerable. I really bad for my mother she is left with nothing.
This happened to me in East London whilst returning to work from lunch. I had one woman asking if I knew a healer for her husband who is very ill and I said no, thinking shit I need to get to this meeting on time but I can’t leave this poor woman, then a second woman came along and they both started talking. I felt relieved there was someone else there to help her and dashed off. What a lucky escape! This was a few weeks ago and I hadn’t realised it was a scam until I saw this report so thank you for raising awareness. BUT here is the catch… I am in my 30s! They clearly see (I hope) I am not their demographic, I am the typical 30 something still trying to pay expensive rent in London and trying to get by on pennies a month. I have no jewellery left to me as my elders are still alive (thank goodness). What could I possibly give to them? The few pennies I have left over from my paycheck?? So it leads me to wonder if they have ‘diversified’ their crimes? Trafficking??
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More and more education is needed even for the elderly … Magic powers or superstition must be eradicated, that is the belief in them
This girl (host) is extremely hypnotizing to me :))
This is a VERY basic hustle it’s not deserving of a video
@@Mr.aAdDies Right. It's giving good old fashioned witchcraft. lol
The victim has been commendable for telling us her story
This happens in Asia too. But no details such as this , first time hearing of the Devil's plant.
Yeah, id be less embarrassed crapping my pants on live tv than admitting to this. Hopefully somebody somewhere learns something from the story they couldn't have guessed themselves
If only she could have been commendable by having the most minimal level of common sense and social intelligence
This happened to me on my high street a few months ago. I managed to walk away because I realised very quickly that there’s no such thing as super coincidence. How could three strangers suddenly have a connection on a suburban high street. I told them I don’t believe in superstition or the supernatural. I was more concerned that my parking was running out and I could be hit by a hefty penalty. I asked them for a mobile contact number so I could get back to them but they refused. They kept saying: don’t you want to help your family? I insisted that I would have to consult my spouse. I ran away as fast as I could! Close call, indeed!
You are the smart one! 🤣🤣🤣❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍
@@weareallgodschildrenlovefr9556 😅🥰🤪
If I were you, I'd call the police or threaten to call the police right away!!
@@dr.gaosclassroom I should have, I suppose. It’s becoming rife. I’ll go share with my local police. Thanks for the nudge.
@@lindal7842 Good on you!!
I was approached two Chinese women in Leeds market, the first one looking for a healer and a second one ‘coincidentally’ knew where he was…. I just said if you guys knew this healer i don’t need to go with and just refused to go with them. I suspected something wrong, now I see your report i’m glad I didn’t budge. Thanks for the report!
This is why people don't respect BBC anymore. We all know scamming is an industry in India not China, so are they making this hit piece "exposing" China? Not only do almost all the scam call originate in India but if you do visit the country itself, almost every Indian you will encounter will try some sort of scam on you.
OMG that is exactly what happened to me in Croydon High Street 2 months ago. I m not a religious nor superstitious person at all however because they were so convincing that I didn't want any harm to my son I agreed to go to the bank to get cash for them. Whilst I was waiting in the queue I started to question why they only wanted pure white/ gold, diamonds, rolex, jade & cash - allegedly items closest to our touch/body (to ward-off evil spirts) and not my underwear, jumpers, socks etc that's when the penny dropped and realised it's a scam. Be warned of strangers befriending you in the street!!!
Nobody is that naive to befriend strangers, I am always cautious about people who are extra friendly and reach out to you first. I grew up around less-fortune people than me, they see you as nothing but a prey. I don't befriend new people, unless they're richer than me.
@Rinshidotokata Why only people richer than you? Why not befriend people with the same amount of money you have? I'm not judging, I'm just curious because I don't feel comfortable around rich people (they act like they live in another planet), but I know people who are a lot poorer are likely to try and take advantage of you, so befriending the same social class makes more sense to me.
@@TianWong-pi1pt ?
@@RinshidotokataYou think they are richer than you
Good on you for realizing it! Just think if that queue had been short and you hadn't had time to stop for a moment and think about the situation. It might have turned out very differently. That's one of the tools of scammers: if they rush their target, they not only get their adrenaline running, which inhibits rational thought, but the target is also more likely to do what they say and then only realize the problems later.
The conversation should stop right after the word "cursed" and "evil spirit"
Yes… it’s already weird enough to hear it from strangers.. walk away fast..
right
Unfortunately, it's to do with the cultural beliefs of some of the older population. The fact that the scammers look like you & speak your language means that their 'act' seems more plausible, ie. they share my superstitious/spiritual beliefs 🤦🏻♂️
@@dtks888especially in the context of all being abroad in third country , as different race immigrants. You subconsciously trust your country/race/religion mates
@@dtks888 Also, you're surrounded by 3 strange women. I'd be scared of refusing.
Poor lady, so proud she spoke out.
It has also happened in Bristol. I wish they could translate this programme in Cantonese for the older generation.
you could get scam any time
As a Chinese, I’m ashamed of the those who committed such crime. In China there used to be scams like this too, just leave them along and refuse talking to them, you’ll be fine.
Why are you feel ashamed? These criminals have nothing to do with you!! If you live in UK, US, or any civil society, you should call the police right away if you encounter such scammers so that no one gets harmed by these criminals. Their ethnicity has nothing to do with their crime. They are criminals first and foremost.
@@delta8402 It’s really hard to walk away when you see someone in need. But these street scams are really abhorrent and we have to protect ourselves by being uncaring. Such a shame!
@@lindal7842if someone really needs help they’ll call 999, we live in the U.K. our ambulance and police services are easily available. Just ignore them and walk away.
It is still present in China, albeit probably not anymore as openly.
The level of creativity some Chinese people come up with to invent scams is absolutely astonishing to me.
why do make it like every chinese people does this? yes you should be ashamed
This is why when I’m not at home I always check the Ring Cam when my elderly parents return home to see if they are accompanied/followed by anyone.
Good on you!!
The lesson is ‘Do not talk to strangers’.
In the violent U.S., if some bum talks to you and you ignore them, that could cause them to attack you
Stranger danger 😮
Hi, I am from Australia, it had happened to my mom back in 2018 when she went to shop and got scam by 3 Chinese ladies exactly the same story with your mom, they took away her money as well as jewellery, we did reported to police but nothing they could do about it, can’t believe that they still doing it.
Can’t believe people are falling for it
Probably the police department got their share.
@@ndahiya3730 its Australia not f china
@@babajaga158 As if it matters. Police & policing system is the same in all Britishit erstwhile colonies and current shell companies like America, Canada, NZ & Australia.
@@ndahiya3730 oh so u think police take money from chainese scammers. Lol
In the U.S. it’s called the “prosperity gospel”…it’s disgusting and horrible and these preying pastors will get what they deserve.
Well spoken
The Lord, God is Justice and His Word is righteousness!
Perhaps a better word is the "Judas gospel", as he was the disciple with control over the money of the group of followers.
The love of money is the root of all evil, say's the bible. So "pastors" that claim that riches are a good thing and preach about the love of money are not people to be trusted, they are clearly using people seeking kindness, love and peace, and using those that are thinking of fellow Christians as brothers and sisters. Wolves in sheep's clothing.
only naive believe such bs
Thank you. Something similar happened to my mother over 40 years ago.
It's these criminals who prey on the unsuspecting devout.... And not knowing Scriptural truth 🙏🏼🕊️
So, yes, these "wolves in sheep clothing" continue - they just refine their tactics!
The aggrieved woman's last sentence has an astonishing impact. She really made a great impression of doing good things would reward you with amazing blessings.
Wow this is crazy. Thank you for raising this issue it helps to be aware.
Good to see Chinese issues being discussed on the BBC.
East Asians and South East Asians make up a large minority in the West but they hardly get any airtime.
The Chinese have had a lot of coverage by the BBC over the last several years but it's been usually negative so it's nice to see some more balanced reporting from them
@@henbane2247 no they have not. You're confusing Chinese with China.
China is a country, Chinese in the West are citizens and residents.
I wasn't referring to China, but Chinese communities in the West. They deserve to be represented and their concerns highlighted.
I don’t see asians in ads often
you think the bbc really care oh my
@@annaniki9649 what's wrong with you?
Same thing happened to me. They told me my son is cursed and they can remove the curse. I told them I don't have a son. They said they meant my daughter is cursed. I told them I don't have a daughter. Then they told me my cat is cursed and they can help if I give them money. I handed over my money. After I got home, I realized I don't even have a cat.
Good thing they didn't curse your gerbil.
😂
😂😂😂
Hahahahaha 😂
Should have paid attention in science class.
Good reporting Elaine Chong! I love everything you cover. Its so relevant. I reviewed it with my mom so she wont be scammed this way! Thank you!
Sun Tzu ( author of Art of War) said one of the ways to manipulate someone is through their superstitions. Therefore this strategy has probably been going on at least since the 5th centuary BC!
Absolutely!!
Us election just happend
I've been scammed, and you always feel stupid. You're not stupid, though. Bad shit just happens to good people all the time.
This is why logic and reason are important
This is when BBC are on form imo....proper documentaries, with no apparent messaging or attempt to influence beliefs etc.. The Japan/Subway Stalker doc and the Monkey Abuse doc were incredible too.
The reporter is biased though. Calling it a Chinese scam as if there are no scams in the UK.
@@Accuface2000 Chinese are scammers
@@Accuface2000🤐 this is a specific Chinese scam praying on Chinese (usually older) folks as this is relying on their cultural beliefs. How is this misnamed? 🙃😅 tell me you didn't watch the full video without saying so 🥴
Anyone that tells you to reject doctors, heal by praying, or offer a remedy, is probably doing a scam.
Great documentary raising awareness of this situation! Been hearing this around the Chinese community. Still baffled on how it works and how they manipulate people. This 'Devils Breath' plant is intriguing.
The Devil's Breath part isn't fully accurate, particularly the part about it simply being blown in people's faces and them becoming compliant to hand over money/pins. These claims have so far not had much of an evidence base and are more urban legends. I think there's more evidence of people having drinks spiked with it, e.g. in clubs. Makes you wonder why they interviewed a journalist in this video and not a proper scientist/toxicologist to comment on that part directly. A scientist would have said it's unlikely Devil's Breath was used in these scams. People doing these scams are professionals at it and they target vulnerable folks using tried and tested methods of scamming people.
Jeez this old trick was being mentioned on a TV programme sponsored by the police department 20 years ago in Hong Kong, can't believe people still fall for this...
Well, people who live in the UK don't generally watch HK tv !
It's been all over the world, for decades! All of these scams - remember the 1990s? You would get an email from a Nigerian prince. Those same scammers have sons/grandsons. Now they use dating apps and social media and claim that they work on an oil rig.
I watch recent catfish shows and my mind is boogled. They think they are "dating" a famous person! And makes me realize - It's just an attack on the vulnerable, pick on the runt, a bird of prey swooping in on a helpless kitten. Predators target little old ladies walking down the street alone. They creep around online, finding widows and other vulnerable types - women in unhappy relationships is huge. They post - it's complicated - as a relationship status!!!
Chinese are superstitious. Hong Kongers are superstitious.
How silly of us - everyone knows HK media broadcasts globally and has been doing so for at least 20 years.
You don't agree to a blessing ritual on the sidewalk by someone you met a moment ago. You must be street smart to find your way around tricky situations. Handing over your jewellery to a total stranger is unbelievable. The red flags were so obvious. I'm glad she spoke up, and I hope she finds the strength to get over this traumatic experience.
Scams similar to this have also happened in Malaysia and the common target seems to be elderly Chinese women
I feel sorry for the mothers who lost their savings to the scammers. In China, it's very common that family and relatives ask someone for money to invest in shares or stupid businesses, and promise they will return the money. Most of the case they will lose most of the money and refuse to return what they borrowed. I think it's worse than scams. It really damage the relationship, which it's not like money that you can earn. This happened to my family and myself. I donated money to the templs until I found out those how those people in the religion industry spend the donations, I realized it's a scam as well.
London has this 2 sides: the wealthy and high productivity but in other side a lot of scams, snatches and money laundry. It's traumatising for the people who has good intentions. It's so sad.
[insert any big city in the world] has 2 sides... etc.
@NotYet2Set If you had lived what many people in London is suffering , maybe you could emphatize with them.
It's funny to make fun of a comment perhaps my comment is from a person who had a hard time in London and saw many people having this same hard time.
I love London. But I almost got scammed there.
Nobody in their right mind would bring a stranger home, and then show the stranger her valuables.
Yeah. But it's clear these women are doing witchcraft on others. It's similar to hypnotism.
Fear is the key. If you want to control or manipulate people than induce fear in them.
Like Trump & Vance 🤦🏻♂️🤬😭
DJT
That how religion works
This type of scam had been happen in China for a long history.
It's exported internationally. Like pickpocket has been around since human existence, yet it is still victimizes people everywhere in the world. Old tricks never die
There must be records of ancient scams in China and through out the world. Someone needs to compile them together into a popular book.
My mum has been scammed thousands of dollars 9 years ago in Sydney Australia. 2 of my mum's friends also were scammed last year in Sydney Australia.
Sorry to hear that. I feel for your mum and her friends. There are criminals everywhere and in every ethnic community. One just has to be vigilant regarding safety!!
Same with my mother in Sydney :(
What is the ethnicity of the scammers?
@@rachelsplanet6282 Ask me.
I'm of Asian descent, middle aged, ill, and alone. I grew up in an abusive, neglecting family. The desperate need to have emotional connections and being too polite, not wanting to hurt others can make me drop my guard easily. But, I draw the line regarding evil spirits and blessings and allowing strangers access to my valuables/money and home. Nor do I believe in good or bad karma. You have to be street smart, vigilant, and use common sense. I hope these victims forgive themselves and not let this destroy their lives.
This happened to my Mum in St Albans. Thanks for investigating this and helping make this scam known.
Would love some Chinese subtitles on these videos that aim to warn the Chinese diaspora
I'm impressed with the daughter. She's brilliant!
That’s so sad. Those scammers would be so angry with me. I would only have a value bag of around $5 they can bless
I’d need to ask them for a loan 🤣
There are a lot of people being judgemental here, but just listening to the woman who was interviewed makes you realize that these are not necessarily stupid people. The woman who was scammed was articulate and fairly intelligent. So it makes you wonder if these scammers use some form of drug as mentioned in the report as well.
Being articulate doesn’t mean you can’t be stupid. Giving over your life savings to a complete stranger so she can perform a blessing over them is beyond stupid whichever way you look at it
Not stupid, naive and superstitious
it is easy to assume the victims are stupid people unless you grew up in a culture where people believe in superstitions. I grew up being told this uncle is an evil person and this aunty is an evil person. pastors will say "xyz family member is out to get you so you have to pray all the time " .
Like the woman who said she grew up going to temples, I would probably believe these scammers even though I am still unlearning these things.
Hello there, it takes 2 hands to clap. These ‘victims’ just did not want to admit they were stupid.
Most of these elderly women had ruled their household like a dictator, remember ‘Asian Tiger mum’; these missed this power when their children grew up and they felt useless/powerless. So when someone come along and say they can help their sons, they jump to it. They are willing victims. I know, I am from that culture.
@@Devils-advocate78 don't speak too soon my friend, calling the victims stupid
Once they get the fear into the victim, the emotions and fear will override any rationality in the victims head. This crime is well known here in Asia, especially in Hong Kong for over a decade. Now the criminals are just moving to another place to find new victims.
You’re bravery is an inspiration . Thank you for your courage.
Thank you, for this warning...i am going to start wearing my face mask now....
There are scammers everywhere. So, don't believe people very easily.
Most likely from Fujian
extacly even romance scammers
Same problem here. Critical thinking should be mandatory in schools.
Unfortunately it would never be allowed in schools. All kinds of people are threatened by independently thinking kids.
Fear. The weak spot through which the scammers hook themselves into a person's mind is fear-fear for loved ones. This is where the rational mind stops functioning, and the victim can be operated like an infected computer. The more I discover the workings of the human psyche the more I can see how we (definitely me) run like computers, executing a program in the background we are not aware of. A program we picked up in early childhood very often. My heart goes out to the people who got scammed and at the same time, they learned a very valuable lesson which hopefully will allow them to 'reprogram' themselves and become a more whole person. No experience in life is wasted :)
😊
Kudos to the victim for sharing her story. Hope she will be blessed in other ways…….So many scams these days literally anyone can be a victim there are so many.
Yes, I can see how that wouldn't work on just anybody, definitely only on a small targeted group.
this exactly happened to my mother in law and my mother in China. My in law lost money and jewelry. My father stopped mother from falling into the trap. These people are so bad.
Absolutely horrible
Thank you for sharing your story. It shows us that people periodically need to check their values and beliefs.❤
Dam, this hit home so much. Such a bad scam
😢 Sorry to all the victims out there.
I think she was hypnotized somehow. In India there is news about criminals hypnotising ppl who withdraw large amount of money from the bank. Victims somehow handover the money willingly under effect of hypnotizing. This happens inside the bank itself.
There was also news about a hypnotist criminal making a bank manager hand him Indian Rs 93,000. The bank manager did this as told by the hypnotist.
You have to believe in hypnoses
I believe there was some sort of pressure/coercion involved as well
@@catherinebrau3523
Hypnotists have even hypnotized 🐔. You can google it. Chicken believes in hypnotism to get hypnotised?
This happened in San Francisco as well. I remember reading about it a year ago. Exactly same story except the 1st lady that approaches is on a phone call with the 3rd lady. You don't know that she is on the call because she has her phone in her pocket. When the 1st lady approaches the victim, the 3rd lady can hear the entire conversation. So later when the 3rd lady comes, she pretends she is psychic and knows things about the victim.
That’s a messed up trick but this whole thing is a trick…
A stranger approaches you, predicts your future and requests a bag of cash. How can people be so naïve?
Didn't you watch the documentary? They have the same ancestry background and age. If you live abroad, then meet someone of the same race, you will feel a sense of 'familiarity'. You should be careful too. Don't ever think you'll never get scammed, always be careful.
@ There are millions of people that share my ancestry and billions that share my race, and many of us "live abroad". That doesn't change the fact that these people are strangers. Someone can have the exact same background as me, but that doesn't mean they are automatically a good person. On the contrary, women are most likely to be harmed by a person they know or are close to, let alone a random on the street. Yes, I too have been scammed. Which is precisely why I do not entertain the predictions of strangers who request a bag full of money from me. There has to be an element of accountability and scepticism if we hope to survive these kinds of scams. In what scenario is it ever a good idea to hand a stranger a bag full of cash?
@gee_emm nevermind, I can't help you put yourself in other people's shoes. You should travel and read more and expand your friends circle if you want to understand. It has to do with their culture and generation (age).
the harm of religion and superstitions continues...
Hi Ms. Chong, your documentary is very interesting and really scary..I have to aware my family here in the Philippines about this ruthless criminals...you look cute too!
Man I can't even finish this. Someone scamming your spiritual beliefs is so low, but hey there is no bottom to human depravity. If I was this woman I don't think I could appear on this show, I would be too embarrassed. But hey with all the valuable she had taken from her, maybe its empowering to put a price on her shame.
Do you mean she got paid? It’s the BBC, they don’t do chequebook journalism
This has been a normal part of everyday life for most of history, throughout much of the world, especially the Middle East, South Asia, the US Deep South, Appalachia, China, Russia.
What do you think religion is?
@@NeidlichesSchwert:
This is not religion. This is magic.
There are similarities, but they’re not the same.
she is spreading awareness so that others do not fall victim. Maybe the culprits can be caught.
Thanks for the info I'm sorry for the victims
I don’t think it is spiritual thing , that’s an excuse. It’s the control/ being useful thing. These scammers know that.
Thanks for your coverage on this subject matter! Good work!
I believe part of the con is that the scammers know after the event the victim feels so stupid they never mention it again and that's how they get away with it. But this lady is stronger and braver and has had the courage to shine the light. The scammers took advantage of her faith but it's her faith that makes her brave. She will know that she has been a beacon and has helped spare many more people the same humiliation, and that's worth more than money. I wish her good fortune for the future.
This happened in Kenya
A similar crime happened recently in Japan too!
This happened to me,but my fifth sense stood up😂😂 I heard give me your stuff,I just begun walking so quickly and ran off.There are so convincing.
Can BBC do this for the Indonesian one. Scammers disguising as "orang pintar"...
LOL i said the same thing 😂
Exactly what happened when the Europeans colonized Africa. Gave them a Bible and stole their valuables.
The greatest scam of all scams. The “Bible” was the “devil’s breath” used as a mental pacifying agent while they were busy looting with massive cargo ships.
Bible scam 😆 🤣
Same thing happens in the Philippines. They would target elderly women. Same modus operandi.
This is sad
Crazy!! Thanks for keeping us updated
OMG. What a bad news it is? I never thought in my life that such scamsters exist in a country like China. I'm sure the officials of Chinese Governmenet will definitely catch these culprits. Rightly said she - the victim - that she will be rewarded soon as she did not do anything wrong in her life time. I thank the BBC media for having spread this news and I believe, publit at large should remain alert always. May God shower on her all happiness, prosperity and longevity! All the very best.
Growing up and having seen what i've seen, ghosts, spirits, evil mojo and all that bs doesn't faze me one bit anymore, if i saw someone dressed up acting like one coming at me, they would either be put to sleep or be sent to another world. Being poor is the only thing that scares me now; the things people would do for money when they have none or very little is a scary thing.
I hope they’ll soon find the scammers!
Quite the same thing happened to my mother eight years ago. She got scammed in quite the same way with all her family jewelries and thousands of yuan, some of which was borrowed from her neighbor. It's detestable!
Happened to my mum multiple times near Leicester square. Its well known amongst her friends its a scam. She swears at them and just runs off. It has been well over a year the first time i heard of this from her
I got scammed by a Hindu Yogi. He came to me and asked me for money to pay for his charity to care for the children. We spoke and I didn’t want to give him money but I did. They wanted to meet me again for a blessing. I got their number and the next day we met and I went for the blessing. They asked for more money so I said that I would have to return home to get my debit card. I went home and never went back. They kept on calling me. They texted me and I said that they were scamming me and they said that if I didn’t pay then someone bad will happen. What I should have done was got the police involved but I just wanted it to go away.
Thanks Mungnee, Tuyet, Elaine, BBC and team for spreading this awareness.
Please tell the BBC team in Indonesia too. I think it's already happen but not so much news about this.
WOW! This is a ridiculous scam.
Ridiculous this may seems, but it is as old as time in Chinese history.
@virginiawai8485 Wow! I hope both western and Chinese media can get people to understand it is a scam and tell these scammers NO, NO, AND NO!
If they use any drugs it's not ridiculous at all.
Anyone can be a victim of scams and frauds. Sadly, I have been a victim about 5 times. This is not solely, but attributed to my aspergers.
Similar scam is happening in Bangladesh too.
If someone has an unfounded belief, or emotional weakness, someone will exploits those vulnerabilities, like hackers into your IT devices
This is a silly scam that only a fool would fall for because you can see this type of scam in so many Chinese movies and drama that’s so laughable 😂. Can’t believe people still fall for it 😅
Lmfao. They definitely learn it from Rishi Sunake, Kampala, Starmrr and legit scammer from Delhi 😂
Shame on the people in the comments who blame the victim!!
You don’t believe it until it happens to you. I believe it because it happened to my cousin. It’s like you’re being hypnotised and just follow their instructions and only realised what just happened after they left you.
Thank you for sharing this. Hopefully people will be aware of this, believers or not especially Asians as they are most targeted. Maybe this has been happening ages ago and it needs to be brought up again to remind us and to be aware.
Good point
You are wrong, if the victims accept the blame, these scammers will have no further victims.
@@virginiawai8485how Miss Marple?
Chinese and Indian people are so similar..
I've seen videos about similar sorts of scams, and it really doesn't require the target to be drugged. Psychology is crazy, man.
It was exactly the same trick happened to my mom 15 years in Alhambra, California, USA.
Wow, such scam has now spread to the Western countries. My mum & auntie have experienced the same incident in Malaysia, approached by Chinese people from China, using the same story, threats & fear techniques etc. Thankfully my mum was alert & quickly walked away from their conversations. As for my auntie, she almost bought into it until they asked her to pass them her valuables & money to perform the rituals. They were very convincing. For a few days to a week, my auntie was afraid to tell anyone about it as she doesn't want bad things to happen to her loved ones. But she couldn't hold her breath in the end & she finally told my mum about it. My mum laughed & said it's a scam! Thank God for protecting these 2 oldies! 😅😅
In Italy they scam granpas and granmas with a slightly different, but similar scam: they ring a phone call, claiming that one of their family member had an accident and either caught in a fight with their victim for having destroyed their car, or arrested by the police, needing a large sum of cash to pay off their victim or the attorney's bill.
They keep the old person engaged on the phone, so that granpas are not able to double check.
Then they ring the door bell to collect the cash, and disappear.
I have to say that most old people in Italy:
1) are richer than young people, because retirement monthly pays are higher than a current working person's monthly salary, which usually depletes in one month to pay the bills and young ones have zero savings.
2) they don't trust banks; at least, they don't trust banks at 100%, so they tend to spare a certain % of their savings as cash at home.
Lol. Why they gotta bless valuables and not books , clothes or whatever
Oh my god!! My aunt was a victim.
They took my aunt to an ATM machine.
Good thing the daily withdrawal limit was $1000.
All her jewelry were taken by them.
I had an experience where it was a Mr. Singh who spoke Cantonese fluently and offered me a fortune telling session. He asked me to write a few things on paper and to blow into some paper in his hand. Unknowingly- it was probably “Devils breath” in his hand which I inhaled to blow. I became very obedient and gave him money and cash as he said this was the solution to my problems and good luck. My mother had a separate incident when she was shopping for fresh groceries in the Wood Green area London. She told me that someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned around and it was 3 ladies talking in Cantonese and said they need to offer her blessings. She ended up going home and taking her jewellery for a blessing and ignoring my father who was also at home at the time. In the end the jewellery was taken away and by the time she realised she was scammed it was too late. She thinks it was when she was tapped on the shoulder as she turned around, she must’ve been sprayed with “devils breath”. Please be careful everyone.
I can feel her pain because last year theft happened in my home and theives took all the gold , silver jewelries my mom had that was more than 30 years old 😢. They took all the cash that was kept at home. Police didn't do anything. We all are still traumatized 😔. We feel vulnerable. I really bad for my mother she is left with nothing.
if you're a Chinese, don't socialise with other Chinese just because you share the same heritage or culture or language, end of story.
This happened to me in East London whilst returning to work from lunch. I had one woman asking if I knew a healer for her husband who is very ill and I said no, thinking shit I need to get to this meeting on time but I can’t leave this poor woman, then a second woman came along and they both started talking. I felt relieved there was someone else there to help her and dashed off. What a lucky escape! This was a few weeks ago and I hadn’t realised it was a scam until I saw this report so thank you for raising awareness.
BUT here is the catch… I am in my 30s! They clearly see (I hope) I am not their demographic, I am the typical 30 something still trying to pay expensive rent in London and trying to get by on pennies a month. I have no jewellery left to me as my elders are still alive (thank goodness). What could I possibly give to them? The few pennies I have left over from my paycheck?? So it leads me to wonder if they have ‘diversified’ their crimes? Trafficking??
Hypnotized
Wow, what kind of a world we are living in ?
Such a shocked 😲
there is no police in this story
So many questions…
"You don’t know us but let’s go to your home and ‘do’ a blessing over a bag of cash" 👀
I've heard of this scam many, many years ago in China. Don't know why it's getting the spotlight now.