Common tourist scams and how to avoid them
Stay Alert, Stay Safe. Most tourists visit China without any problems, but awareness helps! This guide covers the tea house scam, black taxi / unlicensed cab, fake monk / bracelet scam, restaurant overcharging, taxi meter manipulation, and unofficial money exchange. Learn to recognize and avoid these common tricks so you can enjoy your trip with peace of mind.
Friendly students/young people approach you wanting to "practice English" or "show you Chinese culture." They invite you to a tea ceremony or art gallery, where you're pressured to buy overpriced tea/art or presented with an outrageous bill (¥1000-5000+). Protection: Politely decline all such invitations, if already inside demand to see prices first, threaten to call police (110) if pressured.
Unlicensed drivers approach you at airports/stations offering rides. They quote flat rates 3-10x normal price, take long routes, or worse - take you to wrong locations demanding more money. Protection: Always use DiDi app or official taxi queue, legal taxis have visible license, meter and company name, take photo of license plate before getting in.
People dressed as monks approach tourists, give you a "blessed" bracelet or card, then aggressively demand "donations." Some place bracelets on your wrist before you can refuse. Protection: Real monks don't solicit on streets, firmly say "bu yao" (no) and walk away, don't accept anything "free," keep hands in pockets near temple areas.
Some restaurants in tourist areas have "special" menus for foreigners with inflated prices, or add mystery charges. Seafood restaurants may quote per 50g prices (not per kg) making dishes extremely expensive. Protection: Check prices on menu before ordering, for seafood confirm price is per jin (500g) or per gram, use Dianping app for reviews.
Some taxi drivers have modified meters that run faster than normal, or they take unnecessarily long routes. Others claim the meter is "broken" and quote inflated prices. Protection: Insist on meter ("da biao" -打表), use Baidu Maps to follow the route, DiDi shows estimated price before booking, note taxi number for complaints.
Unofficial money changers offer "better rates" but may give you counterfeit bills, short-change you, or switch bills during the transaction. Protection: Only use banks or ATMs, airport exchange is safe but rates are poor, better to use WeChat/Alipay with foreign card, Bank of China ATMs accept most international cards.
Step 1
Never follow strangers who approach you "practicing English" or wanting to "show Chinese culture"
Step 2
Always check prices before ordering food or services - never consume without knowing the cost
Step 3
Use official apps (DiDi, Metro apps) for transport and avoid unlicensed taxis or black cars
Step 4
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is - stay alert
Step 5
Stay calm and do not pay under threats or pressure; firmly refuse unreasonable demands
Step 6
Threaten to call police (110) - in most cases, scammers will lower demands or let you leave
Step 7
Keep receipts and take photos as evidence; note license plates, addresses, and other details
Step 8
If scammed, call 110 (police) immediately or go to the nearest police station to file a report
Step 9
Report the incident to your hotel front desk - they can assist and help you deal with the situation