Elder Financial Abuse and Blessing Scams

Thu, Mar 5 2015 - 12:00pm

George Gascón, San Francisco District Attorney

In 2012 there were 47 reported cases of blessing scams, a type of fraud that preys on elderly Chinese women and takes advantage of their love and commitment to their families. Blessing scam perpetrators tell victims that someone in their family is in potential danger. Fearful victims immediately jump into action to collect their cash and jewelry to be “blessed” by the scammers. During the “blessing” they switch out the bags, leaving victims to later find out that their valuables are gone forever. The San Francisco District Attorney’s office is the first jurisdiction in the United States to successfully prosecute blessing scam cases and secure the highest sentence. Come hear District Attorney Gascón discuss his office’s blessing scam public education campaign and how they successfully reduced scams from 47 cases in 2012. Learn how you can protect your friends, family and community from falling victim to elder financial abuse and scams.