Fremont, California - Police say a Fremont woman has been scammed out of $5,000 in cash and jewelry by two people who promised to cleanse her valuables of evil through the power of prayer.
Fremont police spokesman Bill Veteran says the 38-year-old woman had taken her valuables and cash to an abandoned home to be used in a spiritual ritual.
The Oakland Tribune reports that investigators have determined the woman met with the two people on a number of occasions since responding Sept. 24 to their advertisement in a Chinese newspaper.
Police learned of the scam Thursday when neighbors called police to report the woman had been standing outside the home for some time.
Officers searching the property found the home mostly empty, but they did find some fliers for a "European Psychic Fortune Telling" business.
