China’s scam ecosystem is sophisticated. The people running these operations are professional, multilingual, and have been refining their scripts for years. They are also very good at picking tourists who look approachable, curious, or lonely. Knowing the script in advance is the only reliable defence.
Here are the eight scams you are most likely to encounter, with the exact lines they use.
Key Takeaways
- The #1 rule: never accept food, drink, or invitations from strangers who approach you near tourist sites.
- Always use DiDi instead of street taxis in unfamiliar areas — fixed price before you book.
- Real monks do not approach tourists for donations on the street.
- The art student opener is always: ‘Excuse me, do you speak English? We are art students…’
- If a price was not agreed before, you have the right to refuse to pay the inflated bill.
- Tourist police (旅游警察) exist in major cities — calling 110 is a legitimate option.
Scam 1: The Tea Ceremony
How it works: A friendly young woman or couple approaches near a major tourist site. They are practising their English, or want to show you something local. They invite you to a ‘traditional tea ceremony nearby.’ The tea is real and ceremonial. The bill arrives: ¥500–¥2,000 per person, sometimes higher. The menu was never shown. Refusing leads to intimidation.
The line: “”Excuse me, do you speak English? We are students and want to practise. Have you tried a Chinese tea ceremony? There is one very near here — very traditional!””
The fix: Decline any invitation from a stranger who approaches you near a tourist site. Walk away immediately. No legitimate tea house sends people to recruit customers on the street.
[Insert Image 1 Here: The entrance to a traditional Chinese tea house on a narrow street, with a wooden sign and lanterns hanging outside. No people at the entrance.]
Scam 2: The Art Student
How it works: A group of young people in smart clothing approach in English. They are art students from a local university. Their class is holding an exhibition nearby. Would you like to see? The gallery is real, the art is real, and the prices are ¥2,000–¥20,000 for pieces worth ¥50. Social pressure and manufactured rapport are used to push a purchase.
The line: “”Hello! Do you speak English? We are students at Beijing Art Academy — today is our graduation exhibition. Please come and see, no obligation to buy!””
The fix: This opener — ‘we are art students’ near Tiananmen, the Bund, or West Lake — is almost always the scam. Decline and walk.
Scam 3: The Fake Taxi
How it works: Unlicensed drivers (黑车, hēichē — ‘black cars’) wait outside train stations, airports, and tourist sites. They offer rides, often at what sounds like a reasonable price, then demand much more at the destination — claiming the price was per person, or per bag, or was in a different unit. Some take deliberate detours.
The fix: Always use DiDi (fixed price before booking) or the official taxi queue with a meter running. If a meter is not started, ask the driver to start it or get out. Airport: use the official taxi rank inside the arrivals hall, not anyone approaching you in the terminal.
Scam 4: The Fake Monk
How it works: A person in Buddhist monk robes approaches near a temple. They press a small item (beaded bracelet, card, coin) into your hand as a ‘blessing.’ The item is yours. Then comes the ask for a ‘donation for the temple’ — typically ¥100–¥500. Returning the item is made difficult. Some operate in groups.
The fix: Do not accept anything pressed into your hand near temples. Real Buddhist monks do not solicit donations from tourists on the street. Return the item, say duìbuqǐ (sorry), and walk away.
Scam 5: The Overpriced Restaurant
How it works: A restaurant near a major tourist site has no prices on the menu or uses a menu with Chinese-only prices in small print. The bill arrives at several times a fair price. Some venues employ people at the door to guide tourists in.
The fix: Ask to see the menu with prices before sitting down. If a menu has no prices, leave. Use Dianping (大众点评) — China’s local review app — to find restaurants with visible review counts and prices. Avoid any restaurant where staff are aggressively beckoning from the doorway near a tourist site.
[Insert Image 2 Here: The entrance to a Chinese restaurant on a street, with a menu board showing prices in the window. A couple is looking at the menu outside before entering.]
Scam 6: The Gem / Jewellery Investment
How it works: A friendly local explains they work in the jade or gemstone trade. There is a special factory sale today — gems at factory prices, a once-in-a-lifetime deal. The items are fake or worth a fraction of the price paid. Common in Chengdu, Kunming, and Guilin.
The fix: Do not buy jade, gems, or ‘investment’ items from any person you met on the street, regardless of how friendly or credible they seem. If you want to buy jade, go to a fixed-price, established jewellery shop.
Scam 7: The Closed Attraction
How it works: A tuk-tuk driver or rickshaw driver tells you the attraction you are headed to is ‘closed today — special reason.’ He knows somewhere just as good. This diversion takes you to a shop or restaurant where he receives a commission on anything you spend.
The fix: Verify attraction opening times on Amap or the official website. If told something is closed, check your phone before changing plans. Do not accept alternative suggestions from transport drivers.
Scam 8: The Currency Exchange
How it works: Street exchangers offer better rates than banks. The notes are counterfeit, the count is short, or the exchange rate is calculated to your disadvantage in a way that is hard to verify in real time.
The fix: Exchange money only at bank branches or official exchange counters at airports and major hotels. The rate is slightly worse but the notes are real.
If You Are Being Scammed Right Now
- Stay calm. Do not raise your voice or become physically confrontational.
- For inflated bills: ask to see the menu with prices. Take a photo of the bill and the menu.
- For amounts under ¥200: paying and leaving may be the fastest resolution.
- For larger amounts: call 110 (police) or ask to involve tourist police (旅游警察).
- Document everything: photos, receipt, location, time.
- Report it afterwards to your travel insurance provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the full picture of safety in China beyond scams, see Is China Safe for Tourists? and our guide to haggling at Chinese markets.