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Two suspects joined the con, promising a Chinese medicinal herb to lift the curse. The victim ended up losing $150,000 and several pieces of gold jewelry, the complaint says, and for her

trouble was left empty-handed except for the “herb.” Outside of San Francisco, two other women were victims in Daly City, Calif., says Steve Wagstaffe, the San Mateo County district

attorney. One victim, 68, was approached on her way to a public library and told by the suspects they had a special flower to cure her ill son in China. She lost $6,000 and jewelry,

Wagstaffe says. The other victim, 57, was approached at a bus stop and ended up being fleeced for $5,000, plus a gold necklace and Chinese currency, Wagstaffe says. Talking about criminals

who prey on older people, Wagstaffe calls them the “worst offenders,” adding, “They are really picking on our most defenseless victims.” THE DECEIT BEGINS The deceit usually begins with one

or two scammers approaching a target, pretending to be looking for an herbalist, fortune teller or spiritual doctor. Invariably the target is questioned: “Where in China are you from?” “How

many children do you have?” “Which child is your favorite?” As an accomplice learns such personal details via an open cellphone line or texting, she’ll exploit the knowledge later when she

enters the picture and cons the victim into handing over valuables, Lai says. Some victims have the cash to pay because they don’t trust banks, so they keep their money under a mattress or

at the bottom of a bucket of rice, Lai says. Or to pay for a blessing, they raid their safe-deposit boxes away from a banker’s prying eyes. The two defendants in the San Francisco-area cases

have been identified as Mudi Wu and Fuxi Dai, and are charged in San Mateo County with theft from an elder and grand theft. In San Francisco, Assistant District Attorney Alex Bastian said

the two are charged with grand theft, extortion, elder fraud and other crimes.