Local Scams - China Travel No BS Kit

🍵

Tea-House Invitation Scam

📍 Where: Beijing Nanluoguxiang, Shanghai Nanjing Rd, Xi'an Muslim Quarter

🎯 How it works:

Friendly "students" invite you to a tea ceremony or calligraphy lesson, then vanish; staff present an inflated bill (¥1,000+).

🛡️ How to avoid:

Politely decline unsolicited invitations; always ask to see prices before ordering anything.

⚡ If you get caught:

Call 110, refuse to hand over your passport, insist on an itemised receipt.

🚕

Rigged/Fake Taxi

📍 Where: Airports, train stations, nightlife districts nationwide

🎯 How it works:

Unlicensed cars or tampered meters charge 2–4× the normal fare; some quote a flat fee and add "tolls" later.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Use the official taxi queue; confirm the meter starts at the city's base fare; or book DiDi (English).

⚡ If you get caught:

Photograph the plate and meter, pay only the metered fare, report to the 12345 city hotline.

🎨

Fake Art-Student Gallery

📍 Where: Beijing Wangfujing, Shanghai People's Park, Chengdu Kuanzhai Alley

🎯 How it works:

"Students" lure you to a private gallery selling low-quality prints at museum prices.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Skip street invitations; buy art only from reputable shops with visible price tags.

⚡ If you get caught:

Walk out; call 110 if threatened.

💆

Overpriced Massage/Foot Spa

📍 Where: Tourist strips in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Sanya

🎯 How it works:

Menu shows ¥88; hidden "herbal oil" or "VIP room" fees bloat the bill to ¥800+.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Agree on the total cost in writing before treatment; use chain spas with English menus.

⚡ If you get caught:

Ask for an official fapiao; threaten to call the 12315 consumer hotline.

🍸

Bar Drink & Hostess Scam

📍 Where: Shanghai Bund, Shenzhen Coco Park, Beijing Sanlitun

🎯 How it works:

Strangers lead you to a quiet bar; staff serve "lady drinks" at ¥300 each; bill hits ¥2,000–5,000.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Choose your own venue; decline drinks ordered by others; check menu prices first.

⚡ If you get caught:

Demand the police—bars usually settle once authorities appear.

🙏

Fake Monk Donation

📍 Where: Outside major temples, busy pedestrian streets

🎯 How it works:

Men in robes hand you beads or blessing cards, then demand ¥100–500.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Real monks never solicit money outside temple grounds; politely return the item and keep walking.

⚡ If you get caught:

Firmly refuse and report persistent harassment to security staff.

💴

Counterfeit-Note Switch

📍 Where: Night markets, small shops, street taxis

🎯 How it works:

Vendor swaps your genuine ¥100 for a fake, accuses you of paying counterfeit, demands another note.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Pay with small bills or mobile pay; note the serial number before handing over cash.

⚡ If you get caught:

Refuse to pay again; request police verification.

💎

Jade/Silk Market Overcharge

📍 Where: Beijing Hongqiao Pearl Market, Shanghai Yu Garden Bazaar

🎯 How it works:

Opening price is 10–20× wholesale; "certificates" are worthless; quality often synthetic.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Expect to bargain down to <15% of first quote; walk away to test their bottom line.

⚡ If you get caught:

File a complaint at the market's Tourist Help Desk.

🎗️

Charity Sticker/Bracelet Shakedown

📍 Where: Underpasses, station exits in big cities

🎯 How it works:

"Volunteers" pin an item on you, then block your path until you donate.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Keep hands in pockets; refuse unsolicited items; keep moving.

⚡ If you get caught:

Remove the item, place it down, and leave—payment is not legally required.

🚇

Metro Pickpocket Teams

📍 Where: Beijing Lines 1/2 rush hours, Guangzhou Line 3 airport runs

🎯 How it works:

Two block you, a third lifts phone/wallet as doors close, leaving you inside.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Wear a money belt; keep backpacks in front; stand away from doors.

⚡ If you get caught:

Report immediately to station police with carriage/time for CCTV review.

👮

Fake Police Passport Check

📍 Where: Budget hotels, late-night station areas

🎯 How it works:

Impostors flash a counterfeit badge, inspect passport & wallet, then issue a cash "fine".

🛡️ How to avoid:

Real police show metal badge + photo ID; insist on going to the nearest station.

⚡ If you get caught:

Refuse on-the-spot payment; call 110 or move to a crowded area.

🏯

Great Wall "Cheap Tour" Forced Shopping

📍 Where: Hostel flyers, WeChat group ads in Beijing

🎯 How it works:

¥150 all-inclusive tour, but 4h in jade/tea shops and only 40 min on the Wall.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Take the official Dongzhimen bus or Mutianyu shuttle; verify itinerary details before booking.

⚡ If you get caught:

Complain to the agency and the Beijing Tourist Hotline 12301; leave honest online reviews.

🎫

Counterfeit Attraction Tickets

📍 Where: Outside the Forbidden City (Beijing), Terracotta Warriors (Xi'an)

🎯 How it works:

Tout sells a "skip-the-line" paper ticket or QR code; at the gate the barcode is invalid and you're forced to buy a new ticket.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Purchase only from the official window or the site's verified WeChat Mini-Program.

⚡ If you get caught:

Keep the fake ticket as evidence, buy a legitimate one, report the scam to the on-site Tourist Police booth.

📱

Fake QR-Code Donation

📍 Where: Temple offering boxes, subway posters, roadside charity tables

🎯 How it works:

Scammer pastes their own Alipay/WeChat QR over the genuine donation code—your money goes to them, not the charity.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Always check the account name that pops up before tapping "Pay".

⚡ If you get caught:

Screenshot the transaction and report it in-app (Alipay/WeChat) and to venue staff.

🏥

"Free" Traditional Chinese Medicine Check-up

📍 Where: Tourist TCM clinics in Wangfujing (Beijing), Kuanzhai Alley (Chengdu)

🎯 How it works:

Doctor offers a free pulse diagnosis, then prescribes "bespoke herbs" for ¥2,000–¥4,000, pressuring you to pay on the spot.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Decline unsolicited health checks; go to accredited TCM hospitals if interested.

⚡ If you get caught:

Negotiate down, request an official fapiao, threaten to call the 12315 consumer hotline.

🎤

KTV Minimum-Spend Trap

📍 Where: Tourist KTVs by the Li River (Guilin) and Yangtze River cruises (Chongqing)

🎯 How it works:

Room advertised at ¥150 per hour, but once inside staff reveal a mandatory drink/fruit platter package costing ¥2,000+.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Ask for the total price in writing; stick to reputable chains like PartyWorld or Melody.

⚡ If you get caught:

Pay only the original room fee; call 110 if the door is blocked.

🚠

Great Wall Cable-Car Mark-Up

📍 Where: Mutianyu parking lot kiosks (Beijing)

🎯 How it works:

Hawkers sell a "package" ticket for ¥240 that actually costs ¥120 at the official booth inside the gate.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Walk past the car-park vendors and buy at the clearly signed ticket office after the entrance turnstiles.

⚡ If you get caught:

Demand a refund on the spot; report the vendor to the Beijing Tourist Hotline 12301.

📱

Fake Electronics Swap

📍 Where: Shenzhen SEG Electronics Market; AP Plaza (Shanghai Science & Tech Museum)

🎯 How it works:

Shop shows you a genuine iPhone/iPad demo, then boxes a refurbished clone for you to take away.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Buy electronics only from authorised Apple Stores or large chains like Suning/GOME.

⚡ If you get caught:

Record the interaction on your phone; involve mall security or local police immediately.

🍃

Longjing Tea Switch

📍 Where: Hangzhou Meijiawu Tea Village, tourist buses' "tea stops"

🎯 How it works:

Guide lets you taste premium West Lake Longjing, but the vacuum-packed bag you buy is low-grade or mixed leaves.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Examine the dry leaves before paying (flat, vibrant green, uniform size); shop at the National Tea Museum store.

⚡ If you get caught:

Confront the seller with the guide present; note the business licence number and file a complaint.

🏧

ATM Skimmer & "Helpful Stranger"

📍 Where: Convenience-store ATMs in popular nightlife or market areas

🎯 How it works:

Hidden skimmer copies card data while an accomplice "helps" and watches you enter your PIN.

🛡️ How to avoid:

Use ATMs located inside bank branches; cover the keypad; enable tap-to-pay or cashless options whenever possible.

⚡ If you get caught:

Call your bank to freeze the card immediately, then file a report with local police.

⚠️

Other Common Scams

Additional tricks tourists should be aware of

💸 Expensive "Local Restaurant"

Friendly locals recommend a "hidden gem" that charges tourist prices.

Avoid: Check online reviews first, ask for menu with prices.

📱 Fake QR Code Payments

Criminals place fake QR codes over legitimate payment codes.

Avoid: Only scan official payment codes, check merchant name.

🎪 Street Performance "Tips"

Performers surround you demanding tips after their show.

Avoid: Keep walking, don't stop to watch street shows.

🏨 Hotel Room Deposit Scam

Fake additional charges or refusing to return deposits.

Avoid: Use official booking platforms, get receipts for all payments.

🚨 Local Scams to Avoid

Stay Alert!

Tea-House Invitation Scam

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Rigged/Fake Taxi

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Fake Art-Student Gallery

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Overpriced Massage/Foot Spa

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Bar Drink & Hostess Scam

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Fake Monk Donation

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Counterfeit-Note Switch

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Jade/Silk Market Overcharge

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Charity Sticker/Bracelet Shakedown

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Metro Pickpocket Teams

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Fake Police Passport Check

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Great Wall "Cheap Tour" Forced Shopping

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Counterfeit Attraction Tickets

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Fake QR-Code Donation

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

"Free" Traditional Chinese Medicine Check-up

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

KTV Minimum-Spend Trap

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Great Wall Cable-Car Mark-Up

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Fake Electronics Swap

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

Longjing Tea Switch

🎯 How it works:

🛡️ How to avoid:

⚡ If you get caught:

ATM Skimmer & "Helpful Stranger"

🎯 How it works: