A woman has been charged over an alleged spiritual blessings scam that deliberately targeted Sydney’s Asian community.

Police have been investigating the alleged crime syndicate since April this year, and believe it has been operating across Sydney since July 2023.

Investigators believe offenders fly into the country from China to target the Australian-Chinese community. 

Detective Superintendent Guy Magee said police had identified at least 50 offenders linked to the syndicate, which he called “highly organised”.

“They are best described as FIFO criminals; they fly in for a short period of time and prey on the community,” Magee said.

“It’s actually quite heartbreaking when you watch the footage, these offenders swarm like a pack of hyenas, to be frank.”

The scam allegedly targets elderly Chinese women to “exploit their cultural fears” by telling them their families were at risk from spirits and they need to have their wealth blessed to protect them from curses or illness.

The women are deceived into taking the group to their home and handing over a bag of their valuables to be blessed.

Once the alleged scammers have their money and jewellery, they swap them out for items of no value.

“They convince them that (the wealth) has been blessed and they tell them not to open that bag, and if they do it’ll bring bad fortune, ” Magee said.

“Unfortunately, when they do open the bags, they come to find their money and jewellery are not in there.”

They seem to randomly pick victims on site, Magee said. 

NSW Police have received reports of more than 80 victims across Sydney, including in Ryde, Burwood, Parramatta and Hornsby, with more than $3 million in cash and valuables allegedly stolen.

Investigations into the alleged scam led police to arrest a 63-year-old woman at Sydney International Airport at 7.15pm yesterday, with the help of the AFP.

Magee said she was re-entering the country to allegedly commit more scams. 

Police will allege that the woman defrauded a 77-year-old woman out of $130,000 in cash and jewellery at Parramatta last month.

She was taken to Mascot Police Station and charged with dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception, participating in a criminal group and other stealing offences.

Another 63-year-old man was arrested at Brisbane Airport this morning, trying to get on a plane heading to China.

Magee also said one member of the syndicate was in custody in New Zealand.

Police believe the entire East Coast was targeted in the scam, and say they think the number of victims impacted is double what they know about.

“I have no doubt this is under-reported, anecdotally I think the offending is at least double what we think,” Magee said.

“I really do call on those victims that feel embarrassed or shamed that please don’t be, come forward, let us stand alongside you.

“We also implore the younger generation of these asian communities to please talk to them about this scam, bring it to their attention, they should never take a stranger back to their house under any circumstances.”

The woman was refused bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court today.