Crime

Boston Police Warning of Possible ‘Hypnosis Robberies’ Near Chinatown

Boston Police are warning of possible “hypnosis” robberies near Chinatown–particularly targeting elderly women.  The scam, which many consider unlikely, has also popped up in New York, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, and has allegedly already claimed the life savings of one woman.

What does the scam entail? Supposedly, victims are approached by a number of hypnosis-competent individuals, and then “hypnotized” into willingly turning over their valuables.

CBS elaborates:

…the victim claims three young women approached her on the street. One of the women asked her a series of questions – all in Cantonese — about her family.

In the span of just a few minutes, the victim alleges the women hypnotized her without her permission and convinced her to go back home and put all of her valuables in a bag.

When all was said and done, the victim handed over to these women $160,000 in cash and jewelry.

Boston Police Warning of Possible Hypnosis Robberies Near Chinatown

(Photo: Boston Chinatown)

But what do professional psychotherapists have to say on the matter?

…Lorna McKenzie-Pollock uses hypnosis on some of her clients. She says no one can be hypnotized to do something they don’t want to do.

“I’ve been doing hypnosis for about 20 years,” [she explained], “and I could never get someone to part with $160,000 . . . unless they wanted to give it to me.”

She says it is actually not impossible for someone to be hypnotized on the street by a stranger, as is alleged in this case. But more likely, she feels, is that in the Boston scam, the woman was just conned out of her cash by some very artful criminals.

“In order to really hypnotize somebody,” says McKenzie-Pollock, “they have to kind of trust you and you have to have some kind of rapport with them. And it sounds like these women did that…they asked her the right questions and kind of developed rapport with her. What happened next, I’m not really sure. I don’t think it was hypnosis but it was something pretty powerful.”

Do you believe it’s possible to be “hypnotized” into turning over your valuables, or is it just part of a larger scam?

Comments (44)

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  • sixtysix
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 3:55pm

    If I am hypnotized, I hope I am like Lou Costello who, when hypnotized and asked how he wanted to die answered “Old Age.” This after the hypnotizer tried to get Lou to step off a building. Lou may have been susceptible; but he wasn’t stupid.

    Report Post »  
  • NoU4EN
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 1:22pm

    In 2001, Obama spoke using normal sentence cadence. Then Candidate Obama changed the cadence along with odd emphasis on words at the end of each “choppy” phrase. Why did he change, who was coaching him?
    The Obama Phenomenon – “unaccomplished man’s unnatural and irrational rise to the highest office in the world as suspicious and frightening and to those who welcome it including why younger people are more easily affected”.
    This quote is from an interesting article that may explain the unusual speech changes – Obama’s use of a little-known and highly deceptive and manipulative form of “hack” hypnosis”. I was unable find a name to attribute the author:

    http://www.pennypresslv.com/Obama%27s_Use_of_Hidden_Hypnosis_techniques_in_His_Speeches.pdf

    Report Post »  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on May 6, 2012 at 2:40pm

      Obama’s hokey appeal is synonymous to that of Dr. Phil. If you wanna get the people on your side, shucks howdy, all ya gotta do is play to their sense of identity.

      Report Post »  
    • silentwatcher
      Posted on May 6, 2012 at 11:35pm

      Well,,,,,just look at our current government.

      Report Post »  
  • The Gooch
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 12:12pm

    Sounds like a Scooby Doo episode.
    This could also make a great legal defense. “But I was hypnotized! It’s not my fault!”

    Report Post »  
  • qpwillie
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 7:27am

    Hypnotized – conned, same thing when you get right down to it. Gain someone’s confidence and convince them to do as you request.

    Report Post » qpwillie  
  • johnpaulkuchtajr
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 6:30am

    As a young man, I was hypnotized by a strawberry blond in tight jeans at Mardi Gras.

    I believe she was living proof that a person can be hypnotize another on the street!

    I wonder what she’s doing now?

    Report Post »  
  • Shiroi Raion
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 4:40am

    I imagine hypnosis might work for calming the mind in order to remember something, but that’s about it. Imagine someone trying to hypnotize you into giving Debbie Wasserman-Schultz a big sloppy kiss. No way! Not gonna happen!

    Alzheimer’s? Senility? I could see that.
    Hypnosis? Poltergeists? “The devil made me do it?” Okay, let’s take a ride to see some doctors. Have you happened to see Elvis, Godzilla, Sasquatch, any unicorns, or little green men wandering around lately, ma’am? Maybe a one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater?

    Report Post » Shiroi Raion  
  • Twobyfour
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 3:32am

    Lorna McKenzie-Pollock says…“and I could never get someone to part with $160,000 . . . unless they wanted to give it to me.”

    Well, it’s all in the frame of reference. If you manege to make the person to believe that departing with $160k is in their best interest, then that’s the end of it. You could, theoretically, make someone commit a heinous crime by reframing the whole affair in proper way to remove ethical/moral barriers.

    The the first–in the form of a mild hypnosis is used by successful salesmen. The second–making someone commit a heinous crime is usually utilized by demagogues that work on principle of banality of evil.

    As the street hypnosis is concerned–it’s a piece of cake, and the concept that you can’t hypnotize someone against their will… untrue. It just takes a bit longer. All humans have built in shortcut mechanisms that make them susceptible to hypnosis (and even moreso to suggestibility). Even a knowledge of these mechanisms is not a guarantee that one is removed from susceptibility and imprevious to a hypnotic state.

    Report Post » Twobyfour  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on May 6, 2012 at 2:01pm

      @Twobyfour
      “You could, theoretically, make someone commit a heinous crime by reframing the whole affair in proper way to remove ethical/moral barriers.”

      When I read that, I could see the progressives in Government more clearly…..

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • MR_ANDERSON
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 3:00am

    ‘“I’ve been doing hypnosis for about 20 years,” [she explained], “and I could never get someone to part with $160,000 . . . unless they wanted to give it to me.”’

    Another college educated individual that thinks they know the end all be all of everything. You can be “hypnotized” to do just about anything.

    However in getting someone to get rid of their property like that, you just need to find a way for that individual to accept the reasoning behind it. There is always a way to make someone believe something. This is very possible.

    Report Post »  
  • Shiroi Raion
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 2:56am

    Most Wanted: Marvin the Martian
    Marvin is living in Boston’s Chinatown disguised as a Chinese woman and using hi Hypno ray gun to rob people of their valuables.
    Marvin has been seen with Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny. If you see Marvin, Bugs, and Daffy, do not approach them as they are considered armed and dangerous.

    Report Post » Shiroi Raion  
  • pwatkins
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 1:56am

    May be some new form of hypnosis going on bc some strange things are going on these days. I think Obama has everyone at msnbc under his spell and Hollywierd too….there is also most of the media a little sleepeyed over him….sometimes some at Fox. Maybe the SS were hypnotized. I better go to bed and get some rest…think I am losing it…lol.

    Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on May 6, 2012 at 12:52am

    I don’t buy the hypnosis theory. Sounds like the cops cannot figure out how it happened, so they’re making something up.

    Report Post » piper60  
  • Twilight Struggler
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 11:15pm

    Being the Manchurian candidate, Obama is trying to hypnotize (thru empty promises, lies, intimidation and violance) us to vote for him again OR demoralize us into not voting at all.

    Report Post » Twilight Struggler  
  • lukerw
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:59pm

    Worked for Obama!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • lukerw
      Posted on May 6, 2012 at 2:19pm

      COULD… and Education System… indoctrinate Students… with Hynotic Trigger/Control Words… that would cause them to do unexpected things… alike OWS?

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:43pm

    bet all the victims are democrats

    they are the only ones with weak enough minds to fall for this crap

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • burnbabylon
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 9:13pm

    Hypnosis/brainwashing starts in preschool.

    Adapted from 1984 to describe left wing progressives.
    The first and simplest stage in the discipline, which can be taught even to young children, is called, in Newspeak, Political Correctness. Political Correctness means the faculty of stopping short, as though by instinct, at the threshold of any intelligent thought. It includes the power of not grasping analogies, of failing to perceive logical errors, of misunderstanding the simplest arguments if they are inimical to Ingsoc, and of being bored or repelled by any train of thought which is capable of leading in a wise direction. Political Correctness, in short, means protective stupidity.

    Report Post »  
  • Kerstile
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:57pm

    Hypnotism? Garbage. Drugged her using something like scopolamine which is absorbed through the skin? Absolutely. Does this victim have a tiny little scopolamine patch on her? The elderly are very susceptible to scop’s actions.

    Report Post » Kerstile  
  • soybomb315
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:50pm

    they must have found romney’s old campaign materials….

    Report Post » soybomb315  
  • johnVMFA122
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:34pm

    My wife hypnotizes me every time I see her in the shower…

    Report Post »  
  • Libertyguard
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:07pm

    Hard to say. I know in the past I have willingly “lost” all my valuables and no one had to hypnotize me or anything!

    Report Post »  
  • phrogdriver
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:58pm

    Obama seems to have hyponotized congress into giving away all MY money, so I’m finding this pretty credible.

    Could someone hypnotize me so this doesn’t suck anymore?

    Report Post » phrogdriver  
  • blaaaaackwoman
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:55pm

    http://books.google.com/books?id=jkC0gvN12DMC&pg=PA263&lpg=PA263&dq=milton+erickson+aldous+huxley&source=bl&ots=wK7jlisTsO&sig=3A80f8giLZCK2LCRuUYV_1BJ7hM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Mr2lT63JBsOJtwe5xtDlBA&ved=0CGEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=milton%20erickson%20aldous%20huxley&f=false

    Report Post »  
  • PapaPatriarch
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:38pm

    Anyone remember all the hypnotism stories at the begining of the Obama campaign? The fainting women, congress gave him all our money, etc…
    Just sayin.

    Report Post » PapaPatriarch  
    • Baddoggy
      Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:55pm

      The media is still under the Demonic Democrat spell…

      Report Post » Baddoggy  
  • incognito.groucho
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:35pm

    I’m getting sleeeepy…..

    Report Post » incognito.groucho  
    • NancyBee
      Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:52pm

      Send me all your valuables….my address is………..lol

      Report Post » NancyBee  
  • beckwill
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:33pm

    Maybe it was the same technique Obama used to persuade mindless schmucks into voting for him.

    Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on May 5, 2012 at 8:13pm

      Ha. First thing I thought of : those Lefty, Democrat MIC check zombies from the primaries ! Group Think ( use that last term loosely ! ) Group Speak ( for sure ) Pete and Repeat ! Just hoping that the reality of ” this guy ain’t solving anything “ will win out over his ” hate and blame everyone ” rhetoric that Obama has been feeding these kids. Hopefully, the young will awake from their brainwashed/ hypnosis and Get Smart. Un-Occupy . Leave the Occupy Losers and their anti-capitalist , power-hungry gurus . Their very futures are at stake.

      Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on May 5, 2012 at 7:25pm

    Honestly, I have to wonder about this story.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
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