Despite being well-seasoned travellers, China being our 45th country and having just completed 4 months in Eastern Europe we have yet to come across many scams. We are not the naïve first-time traveller but at the same time, we consider many of the regions we have been to as being well-known for their honesty. Coming over to China then was a rude awakening, after 26 hours of travel and over 24 hours of being awake we fell for our first scam within hours of us touching down on Chinese soil! Luckily we got off lightly but this made us much more aware of the scams china commonly has on the go… here we’ve put together a China scam list to make you aware before you travel! Here are the common scams in china, the top scams in china and scams in Beijing to avoid when you visit this crazy and beautiful country including Chinese fake money, the tea house scam, fake monks, Shanghai scams and dodgy tour guides!
China Scam List Visa Scams First on our
Chapters
China Scam List
Visa Scams
First on our China scam list is before you even arrive in the country! Not exclusive to China but is common with many different countries that require visas. You should always be cautious of which website you use and go down either official channels via the government website. Or, if you need help with your China visa then use a trusted professional visa service to avoid being overcharged or worse not actually getting a real visa. We recommend using the ivisa service so you don’t fall foul of this Chinese scam before you even arrive!
Sort Your Visa Out
Best Place to Organise Your Visa
We all need visas for various destinations and organising these can be a nightmare and ruin the trip of a lifetime! Don’t be caught out and make sure you choose a professional service for your next trip and head off without worry.
We recommend using iVisa.
The Tea House Scam: (The One We Got Done For!)
The tea house scam, is the absolute classic Chinese scam! It all starts with a nice young lady, or a group of them approaching you and being really friendly and is one of the most common scams in Beijing so it’s one you really must look out for on our China scam list.
Asking where you are from and if they can speak to you and practice their English whilst they show you the way to your hostel. At first, it all seems really nice and a lovely exchange where you have already gotten to meet some locals. That’s when they enquire if you would like to join them for coffee or tea and they will share with you some advice for the city. This is when the real start of the tea scam.
This is where the tea house scam really kicks into gear. You’ll chat and order snacks, coffee and tea whilst having a lovely old time. That is until you are left with an extortionate bill for just a cup of coffee after your new friends have slipped away!!
The tea house scam is one of the scams China is quite famous for and is so easy to fall for if you don’t know about it.
We got off relatively lightly when we fell for the tea house scam, paying £30 for a cup of tea, coffee and some snacks. Some people end up with a bill totalling hundreds of £/$ as a result of the tea house scam!
But it was a lesson learnt and in the end, probably saved us from getting scammed again! This is probably one of the most common scams in china to be aware of especially in Beijing and Shanghai!
The Shanghai tea scam is also one of the most cynical in our opinion, taking the openness of travellers to meet locals and chat turning it against them.
The tea scam is a common Beijing and Shanghai scam too, if you want to see the local side of the city it’s best to do a tour.
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The main area of the pack opens like a suitcase, which is great for using packing cubes to keep everything organised and they even come with a detachable day pack!
Bar/ Karaoke/ Gallery scam
Another of the most common scams in China is the bar, karaoke or gallery scam. It’s pretty much the same M.O. as above.
You get approached by a friendly local who wants to chat with you or help you on your way. After building a rapport with you they will suggest going to a gallery, bar, karaoke or any number of local sights. It’s another frustrating trick on our China scam list as it makes you very paranoid. It’s one of the most common scams in Beijing and Shanghai but not seen as frequent elsewhere.
This seems like a great way to get some local knowledge, but in the end, you pay a fortune for this with overpriced drinks, entrance fees or even forced poker games!! This has to be one of the top scams in china that get unwilling tourists, especially after they had a drink! Large cities are where this is most common and it’s one of the Beijing and Shanghai scams to be really aware of.
The Classic Taxi Scam & Fake Taxies
Taxis the world over are known for their scheming and scamming and it has to be not only one of the top scams in China but in the world but with it being particularly common here it had to go on our China scam list.
Many in the cities here are fake cabs who charge double the fees for a ride. Some rig the meter or install a fake one, while others start with a preset initial charge that bumps up the cost. Some drive off with luggage in the boot/ trunk, or claiming a pre-agreed fee was per person or suddenly jacking it up from 40 to 400! It’s one of the scams in Beijing you really need to be aware of as well as in other big cities.
Make sure to only used licensed cabs, those in Beijing always have a licence plate beginning with B, and always used the meter and have an idea of how much the journey should cost. Keep your luggage with you if you can and don’t get out of the cab without it. Use the official lines at the airport and even take a photo of the driver’s licence plate to be sure to not fall foul of one of the most common scams China has “on offer!”
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Fake Discount Tours
In many touristy locations, you may be offered a discount tour, but often you get what you pay for. The best scenario is that you end up wasting a bit of time or getting a bit of a disappointing tour. The worse is that you end up spending all day being taken to a stream of shops where your guide receives a commission and you get completely ripped off, losing a lot of money!
They also often come up with reasons you must pay more or are run by guides with poor levels of English.
If you must take a tour then do your research and use a reputable company to avoid these China tourist scams. We recommend booking online from well-known companies and reading the reviews first to get an idea of what your experience will be. For tourists visiting popular spots, I would say this is one of the most likely common scams in China, you will come across.
Sort Your Tours & Tickets Out
Best Place to Organise Your Tour & Much More
A great site to check out if you’re looking to book tickets or organise a tour is Viator.
Viator often offers different tours to other companies, ones that aren’t otherwise available or have tickets still on sale when they have sold out. It’s the company we trust the most when it comes to booking top quality, unique and exciting tours when travelling.
Card Fraud
Another one of the top scams in China is the classic card fraud. Again, it happens the world over but the Chinese are well-known for it and it’s one of the most common scams in Beijing and other large cities.
There are many ways to fraud your card and a popular one is to refuse cash and then charge your card a fortune. There are also stores that have been known to use card swipers. This is one of the most common Shanghai scams to be aware of.
Always use the ATMs at the big banks where you can go inside. These are well monitored and also safe from opportunist thieves too as many have locks and guards. Only use your card at reputable establishments and use cash anywhere else. Of all the common scams in China, this is probably the one you will notice last and will affect you the most, be careful out there!
Fake Guides/ Advice For Major Attractions/ Fake Buses
We have noticed this one a lot around the Great Wall and Terracotta Warriors, luckily we read a really informative post and did our research before setting off to see these things so knew what to look out for and where to go. It’s one of the most common scams in Beijing and around tourist hot spots.
It is basically the same scam for each place but it was more blatant at the Great Wall. If you don’t take a tour you have to get the bus and a taxi up to Mutianyu, they take advantage of you not quite knowing where to go and basically drag you away from the correct bus stall and over to another bus.
With the great wall they usually take you away from the 916 and tell you it is now the 980. They even wear bus driver uniforms to make it seem legit. Now you are on a bus taking you further away from the wall than you need to be, once you get off you are stuck and the minibus drivers will charge a fortune. This is one of the Beijing scams you really need to be aware of if you’re visiting the Great Wall.
There are even people who get on the right bus all along the way and tell you to get off before the bus station and onto their dodgy minibus! It’s one of the top scams in China you are very likely to come across.
Along with the Chinese tea scam, this is one we personally came across many times and we got quite an angry reaction when they knew we were on to them!
Make sure when heading to popular destinations on your own that you do your research on which buses/ trains to take, how long they take and how much you should pay. Stick to your route no matter what anyone says! Another good way to avoid this trouble is to book an online tour instead.
Sort Your Tours & Tickets Out
Best Place to Organise Your Tour & Much More
A great site to check out if you’re looking to book tickets or organise a tour is Viator.
Viator often offers different tours to other companies, ones that aren’t otherwise available or have tickets still on sale when they have sold out. It’s the company we trust the most when it comes to booking top quality, unique and exciting tours when travelling.
Fake Monks
Fake monks are all over, we even saw some in Japan. Basically, they get you to donate to their cause and use manipulative tactics such as social pressure to get you to do so.
They also often give you things like prayer cards and then ask for a crazy price for them. Showing you a book with donations from people all over the world as proof that they are real! This is often found near to temples as well as being a common Shanghai scam.
They aren’t, the money won’t be going to the temple or some good cause, but straight into the pocket of the fake monk! Be sure to research what monks usually wear in each place and we are wary of any asking for monetary donations, especially outside of the temples and on the street.
Rickshaw Rides
Like with the tuk-tuks in Thailand you need to be very careful when getting in one of the Rickshaws in China, and honestly, the risk of being scammed is so high I really wouldn’t bother unless you get something organised by your hostel, it’s especially one of the most common scams in Beijing.
Many are very well versed in scamming westerners and often hike up the agreed price, stop in a secluded area and demand more money or take you well out of your way to shops it is also regularly combined with the China tea scam to make it even more profitable. They are everywhere and will shout you and follow you along the street. Just ignore them!
With the high probability of getting scammed not once but twice by the rickshaw riders if they combine it with accommodation scams and the tea house scam, Beijing is famous for. I would generally steer clear at all costs from road ride rickshaws and if you want to take one to organise one through a trustworthy accommodation or tour booking site. Rickshaws really are one of the biggest tourist scams in china!
Pickpockets
Not as a scam as such more just daylight robbery and not just one of the top scams in China but something you have to be wary of as you travel anywhere!
Carrying cash in China is a necessity as most places don’t accept western cards and you also don’t want to risk it at many places. Busier places are more dangerous and it’s a common Shanghai scam as well as in places like Beijing, Chengdu and other large cities, especially on public transport.
Pickpockets target tourists and can be very well organised. Make sure you keep your valuables close. I usually have them in a zipped compartment inside the middle section of my backpack that is then locked up with a padlock. Though nothing is impenetrable the harder you make it for them the more likely they will move on to an easier target.
Chinese Fake Money
Now another problem with the cash-heavy economy in China. Many visitors are not overly familiar with the appearance of Yuan at first and the local scammers will take advantage of this. You will be given Chinese fake money rather than legitimate notes instead or lower-value notes of similar colours.
Make sure to avoid shading-looking stalls and pay in correct change or small notes if you can as well as familiarise yourself with how Yuan looks so you don’t fall foul of the Chinese fake money scam.
Fake Tickets
The land of fakes strikes again. Even buying a ticket for major attractions is fraught with trouble. Make sure you know the correct price and search out the official ticket booths. If someone is selling you a cheaper ticket then you can bet that it’s fake! Be aware of the other stands outside the terracotta warriors and only buy yours from inside the large building near the car park. The main entrance is also inside here.
Sort Your Trip Out
Best Place to Organise Your Trip
Klook are great for booking tours, getting hold of an eSim, booking a restaurant or even organising some methods of transport and hotels too.
They are a great all-rounder when it comes to organising your trip and it’s great to be able to do it all in one place.
The Forbidden City I.D Scam
Recently scammers have been telling tourists at the Forbidden City and Mao’s mausoleum that you need official ID to get in or even proper shoes and dress which again needs a permit to say you are wearing the right clothes to enter! Of course, they offer to provide you with these for a price! This is not required at all, although you should take some ID with you to get inside the security perimeter around Tiananmen Square.
Your Accommodation Is Closed
This is also often used with “the attraction is closed”, taxi drivers or just local people trying to help you find your accommodation or the attraction will tell you it is closed and then direct you to their overpriced alternative. This is most common in Guilin and Yangshuo but we also come across it in Beijing. Be sure to make your own way to your accommodation and book via a reputable source.
Price Gouging On Menus
It seems that in most places in China they don’t have set prices, be aware that in most cases then the price will be pretty much made up. This is one of the common scams in Beijing to keep an eye out for when in tourist hot spots.
For westerners, this usually means a price hike of sometimes huge amounts. Always barter the price and have in mind what you want to pay. If they won’t come down then just walk away, you would be surprised when you can end up paying sometimes up to 90% less than their original quote.
Also, be aware of double menus at restaurants or those that change when you come to pay. Always try to get a bilingual menu from the start or make a note of the price in front of the staff. Not only one of the common scams in China but also common in Italy and Turkey too!
Common Scams In China: General Advice
There are so many scams out there in China that it can make you feel like you are watching your back at all times. In all honestly, it does spoil the experience a little and it makes you wary of every person who approaches you. It might seem to counter the traveller’s way of interacting with locals but honestly, it just isn’t worth getting scammed for, save that enthusiasm for other countries!! After falling foul of the tea house scam in Beijing it, unfortunately, had an effect on the rest of our time here for better and for worst.
In China, I would say that a general rule is to treat anyone who approaches you with suspicion, especially if they speak good English and go from there. Listen to them out but just be very careful as we experienced many of the common scams China is famous for during our time there on an almost daily basis. It can make travelling here quite stressful
Most Chinese people keep their distance from foreigners and despite maybe a few stares or the occasional photo of you will leave you alone! It does make your time in China feel a little on edge but my tactic after a while was to just pretend that I couldn’t speak English if I was suspicious of the person and if they were particularly persistent.
Of course, we had some great times in China and met some amazing Chinese people. The frequency with which we came across these scenarios we’ve mentioned on our China scam list was quite alarming and did sometimes make us feel a bit sceptical of the country and its people. But we had to try hard to not let it ruin our whole experience and also not to colour our impression of the Chinese people.
We just felt we had too much much more wary than we were in other countries before and after. We found that getting in a good hostel was a great way to organise trustworthy tours or experiences and get tips about how to stay safe and local things not to miss. Many hostels have a China scam list on a board so you are aware of what to watch out for.
China Scam List: Useful Numbers
here we’ve put together a China scam list to make you aware before you travel!
Police (Calling): 110
Police (Text message): 12110
First-aid Ambulance: 120
Fire: 119
Traffic Accidents: 122
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Hey! I’m Nic, one-half of The Roaming Renegades.
I have a passion for travel, photography, heavy metal music (particularly Rammstein), Arsenal FC, gaming, mountaineering and pugs (Dooku RIP & Billy)
I have a BA in Fine Art and an MA in Design & Art Direction before I started galavanting around the globe! So far, I’ve been to 68 countries in 5 continents.
I’ve spent 2 years travelling around Southeast Asia including travelling the length of Vietnam twice on a motorbike, visiting off the beaten track locations such as Myanmar and Brunei and seeking out adventure opportunities along the way like canyoning, climbing and mountain hiking.
I’ve also spent 6 months exploring Eastern Europe, again visiting more unusual places such as Moldova, Kosovo, Ukraine and the breakaway state of Transnistria. I’ve visited all but 3 countries in Europe whilst both backpacking and using the UK as a base to explore Western Europe.
I have also lived in Australia and New Zealand for a total of over 3 years whilst doing Working Holiday Visas. I called Melbourne and Christchurch home during this period and explored both countries extensively whilst using these as bases.
Get In touch: nic@theroamingrenegades.com
Gotta love the tea house scams and good to see you got off so lightly! Your final comments on not feeling like you can trust anyone is what we ended up feeling in Morocco. It’s a little sad when you end up feeling that way, but i guess it just makes the non scamming countries that much better!
Yes it is a shame to feel like that in a country. I was just saying to Shorty last night how much more relaxed we feel about talking to people now we are out of China. Of course, we are still wary and you have to be anywhere you travel, but we don’t feel that everyone who approaches us is trying to scam us in South East Asia!
Yeh it’s really a big weight off the shoulders and makes you enjoy a place sooooo much more when you don’t have to worry so much about getting ripped off. Watch out though, South East Asia still has a few of those not so fun people kicking around…. Have fun in Vietnam though guys, it’s one my favourite countries 🙂
Oh yes, we know !! But what I mean is that you learn in China that around 90% of the people with good English that approach you are trying to scam you, where as in other places it is many a smaller minority rather than the majority! Same as anywhere else!
I understand that scamming is a part of our world, but it is both bothersome and worrisome. This is a very helpful list for those traveling to China. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, it seems so in your face in China that is the thing and yet still so easy to fall for, you have to be so careful over there! Its crazy!
This is the type of post I’d go looking for before I travel somewhere. But,having said that, I then keep it in the back of my mind and try not to let it override my thoughts. For eg I read this about Vietnam recently and thought it was the scam capital of the world but it really wasn’t that bad. So sorry you got ripped off. I don’t think you’ve travelled though until you have a story like this.
Yes, I wish we read up more on scams before because we just had the opinion that we are seasoned travellers so it won’t happen! I think it was quite eye opening. But China seems to me to be one of the worst for it, its so sophisticated and once you know you see it all the time!
Its really sad that the Chinese people feel like they have to scam tourists in order to make money. One of the downsides of travel, I guess…
Yes and I am sure many of the honest people over there get annoyed, because at times you literally feel that anyone speaking English who approaches you is a scammer. And once you know their games it literally turns out to be true, you can see them trying!
I find these posts really useful as I like to be aware of scams but as you said, it shouldn’t take over your experience. I can see how the tea house scan takes people in, it sounds quite genuine!
You should know before you go for sure, I wish we had, especially for China as it is everywhere! But after a while we were able to look passed it!
I got caught out by the tea scam in China too. I thought I was really travel savvy but apparently not. I think they do know how to pick when you are fresh off the plane and overtired. I’ve heard taking photos of scam artists can get rid of them. You have photo evidence!
Its really frustrating isn’t it and such a bad start to being in a country, makes you really paranoid for getting scammed again. Yes that is also a good way to get rid of them…that’s when you realise you are being scammed!!
Thanks for sharing very informative article with us … Great article !!