Avoid Falling for Scams

We have all heard about online scams and the need to be wary. But did you know that residents in the Sunset District and our western neighborhoods lost more than $7 million from scams last year?

It’s a staggering number that represents 462 cases of various scams – computer and phone scams, investment scams, blessing scams and identity thefts – reported to the police station serving the Sunset. And this is only the scams that were reported. Many victims are too embarrassed to tell others and file a police report.

As a city supervisor, public safety is my top priority because it’s the concern I hear most from residents. People want safe and clean streets. We also need protection from scams. No one should worry about losing their life savings while going about their daily business.

One of the most despicable scams targets Chinese-speaking seniors with what’s called a blessing scam. Victims are manipulated into believing that a “blessing ceremony” for their valuables will protect their family from serious threats. My office learned of two Sunset residents who lost valuables in blessing scams – one lost $50,000 in cash and jewelry. Another lost $8,000 and wedding jewelry worth over $30,000.

Vindy Chan from my team came up with an action plan to address this situation. Vindy is the public safety liaison between my office and the Taraval police station. She is a civilian based in the police station and spends her time in the neighborhood helping residents and merchants who are victims of crime.

Vindy is also focused on crime prevention. That’s why she coordinated a workshop to provide educational materials on blessing scams. Vindy is fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin and was able to speak to more than 40 Cantonese-speaking seniors at Self-Help for the Elderly’s Sunset Senior Center. She also created warning flyers and posters with support from Brien Hoo, the Taraval police captain. Vindy distributed the flyers throughout the Sunset and put posters in windows of small businesses frequented by Chinese-speaking residents.

The good news is that the prevention efforts are working. We heard from several Sunset seniors who were approached by scammers on the street in separate incidents. Because these seniors attended one of Vindy’s workshops, they recognized the scam tactics and ran away. They reported the activities to the police and avoided financial loss.

The seniors who successfully avoided blessing scams are bravely sharing their experiences with other seniors and encouraging them to remain vigilant. They’ve even volunteered to participate in the police department’s educational video about blessing scams. These stories are powerful because true safety requires more than just enforcement. It requires empowering citizens with knowledge and creating networks of mutual support. When we look out for one another and share vital information, we build stronger, safer communities.

Community support is particularly important in the case of scam prevention. Anni Chung, CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, told me that for every one victim who reports to the police, there could be 10 cases that are unknown and unreported. Victims suffer in silence because of shame. We need to create safe spaces for people to learn about scams without fear of judgment. These spaces also break down the barriers of isolation.

That’s why our office is continuing our push on scam prevention by launching five more workshops throughout the year, weaving together law enforcement, nonprofits, churches and financial institutions to create a protective network.

At our next workshop on March 13, representatives from banks will discuss investment scams, and offer ideas to intervene before a victim loses their money. Vindy continues to be our lead in this effort.

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a scam in the Sunset, please report it to the Taraval Police Station. You can also contact Vindy at vindy.chan@sfgov.org.

Joel Engardio is the District 4 representative on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He can be reached at engardio.com/contact.