In the Outer Sunset, an elderly woman out for a walk on 37th avenue near Sunset Blvd was relieved of $30,000 after a trio of swindlers convinced her she had an unspecified medical condition. Claiming he could determine exactly what her illness was, one of the grifters used "some sort of black magic" to prey on the woman's vulnerable sense of wellness. Bay City News describes the treachery:
He poured water into a bowl and had his two accomplices touch the water. Nothing happened when they touched it, but when the woman touched the water, it turned black, according to police.The man said he had a cure for the woman that she could have for a large sum of money. The woman went home to get cash and came back to meet the suspects.
When she came back with the 30 grand, the con artists/illusionists handed over the alleged cure and told the woman they would be back with more. Of course, the 73-year-old woman (who has a surprisingly large amount of cash on hand, by the way) never saw the suspects again.
The three suspects all spoke the Cantonese Toisan dialect according to BCN, and their descriptions are unfortunately vague: two 5-foot-9 Asian males, one skinny and one chubby, along with a 5-foot-2 Asian woman between the age of 40 and 45. All were wearing dark clothing. As usual, any tips should be directed to the SFPD's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or by text to TIP411, so the economic crimes division can help this lady get her retirement fund back.
