China – Traps & Scams – real life experience…

[Sinoview]

Originally Posted by DeepFuuk

My personal experience in Shanghai and Beijing:

In Shanghai as I was window shopping near the Bund, a pretty lady came up to me and said she would like to be friends with me and as it was her weekend off she can accompany me around. She then suggested that we go to a cafe for a chat.


In Beijing, while taking photos at tiananmen, I was approached by a young lady with a old granny and she tells me that she and her mother are visiting as tourist and she has lost her handbag, and she asks me for some money so that she and her mother can have some food and take a bus back.


somehow, I felt bad about ignoring their plea as it is hard to tell whether it is genuine or not ???

Both cases are confirmed Scams.

In Shanghai u ll find many of these "ladies" along Nanjing Lu. Guys not wif their gf or lady partners ll be approached "many times" when u walk on these tourist attraction.....Their main target are their own kind fm other places on visit here...

The "lost" money scam is fairly common in big cities normally in tourist attractions n train station....

Once i was with a Shanghainese friend when we met this young well dressed guy in the train station to Suzhou. Same bull shit, lost his wallet.. bla ..bla ..bla.... I didnt scamble to his story but my shanghainese friend out of pity gave him 60rmb. Later, my Sh friend looked very angry when he came back fm a toilet. He was %$&* upside down. "shit...I saw this con man counting a stack of bills in the toilet. It's more than all i hv in my whole body."... Hehe....

Like u, sometime i m not sure if they r genuine or not. Once i was on my way to the train station in SZ, a middle age lady kept following me telling me like she lost her belonging, hasnt eaten for days etc etc. I realised then i hv sometime to spare before i can catch the next train. i told her i would buy her a nice meal. She thanked me n kept walking wif me. Half way thru, she told me why not i give her cash instead so that she can buy a train ticket home. Sensing she's breaking up i insist No way...only ll buy meal for her. On arriving at the train station she told me she would settled for some bread instead. I bought two breads of her choice for her. I paid for it. Shit, when i turned to move off, she was trying to give the bread back to the cashier in exchange for money... The cashier refused knowingly that i bought the bread for her...n my shut scared that con lady away... From that incident onward, i ll ignore all these pleads.....

A lessoon learned...

[goo_ey]

Originally Posted by Sinoview

Both cases are confirmed Scams.

Sensing she's breaking up i insist No way...only ll buy meal for her. On arriving at the train station she told me she would settled for some bread instead. I bought two breads of her choice for her. I paid for it. Shit, when i turned to move off, she was trying to give the bread back to the cashier in exchange for money... The cashier refused knowingly that i bought the bread for her...n my shut scared that con lady away... From that incident onward, i ll ignore all these pleads.....

A lessoon learned...

CO Sir,

alot of scam i encounter. also must be careful of buying food for these conster, as i saw one incident when my friend buy them food and after they ate, they will pretend to have stomachache or food poison, then said he have given them bad food...then all the craps comes along, very troublesome....

[manU98]

to all bro ,
in SZ do not take any private car offer even if the taxi queue is damn long.
HK paper reported a man, in hurry , board one of those and he was con. 4 men tie him up for few days, got his ATM and credit card password ....

[Huzige]

Originally Posted by manU98

to all bro ,
in SZ do not take any private car offer even if the taxi queue is damn long.
HK paper reported a man, in hurry , board one of those and he was con. 4 men tie him up for few days, got his ATM and credit card password ....

Amen. The man is luckier than a Taiwanese business lady who was robbed and killed after boarding one of the pirate taxis from Shenzhen Airport. Like FLs, these pirate taxis should be avoided unless someone you know either directly or indirectly recommends the driver. Most of the frequent travelers would have a list of “proven” drivers. Better safe than sorry.

[84gunner]

With regards 2 my post on SGPeans’ used 2 “safe” & “secure” life in SGP, vs the environment in China:

When I went 2 China 3 years back, it was the worst period in my life. I had lost practically everything, career (in SGP), $$, family life, etc etc. I was full of debts. There was not much motivation 2 live either, die oso dun lose much, no big deal. Until I had a job offer in Shanghai, which I thought 2 myself, this is a 2nd chance in life 4 me. If I die overseas or die in SGP, I still die, not much difference. If I can turn things around, the sky’s the limit 2 my achievements! Anyway, enuf is enuf of SGP, I’m simply sick of SGP liao. When I went over, all I had was SGD 1k in my pocket, which was borrowed from overdrafts (2 the limit liao). Today, everything I have is thanks mainly to China.

Thinking about beggars, conmen & robbers I might meet, I tell myself, probably I’m poorer than them. They dun have enuf $$, but at least they’re not likely to have debts like me, not 2 mention my debts was up 2 the neck liao! If I die, I probably juz lose whatever the remaining of this 1k SGD. Maybe oso a relief, say goodbye 2 all the debts.

In SGP, u may be looked down, outcast, etc, if the clothes u wear are not branded or expensive enuf, yr watch, wallet, shoes, belt, etc etc. Then oso, yr posture is important; cannot anyhow kiao kar, squat by the roadside, etc. The life I led there, u may see me squatting by the drain or rubbish bin / dump eating my meals, squeezing in the public buses, etc etc. How many post-65ers ever experienced life like this b4? How many went thru hunger b4?

When we are outside SGP, the language accent, dress / fashion sense, remains wif us most of the time. These crooks are fucking sharp & observant. Well, tat’s their rice bowl.

From the look of yr dressing, they can oredi tell whether u are local in tat city anot. By making u say a few words, they observe yr accent & can tell or know more about yr background.

In 上海, along 南京路，u may be approached by men & gals! The gals try 2 bring u to some places, whether it’s teahouse or karaoke, u’ll most likely end up wif an inflated bill. When u pay the bill, they may try 2 see how much $$ u have in yr wallet, ATM / credit cards, etc.

I was approached by some guys, trying 2 strike up a conversation, make frens wif u, inviting u 2 some teahouse 4 a drink. They started wif, “hey, tis t-shirt is v nice, where did u but it from?” See, tat is how observant they are, knowing tat t-shirt is not bought locally.

After a few words, they asked me 2 join them go some café or teahouse 4 a drink & chat. I declined, but they said weather’s warm, go 4 a drink 2 relax & cool down. In my mind, I was tinking, “knn, temperature’s 16 deg, wind blowing some more, u still say it’s hot?” I insisted on going my own way. They asked 2 stay in touch, I gave them my name card (dun have hp no).

Once, I had a stomach-ache, I wanted 2 go into 和平饭店 to use the toilet. At the door of the hotel, a man asked me if I wanna a local Shanghainese gal’s service! The only thing in my mind was get 2 toilet b4 the shit comes outta my ass!

Another occasion, a man approached me, asked me if I wanna some gals’ service. Having the confidence tat I know 上海 well enuf oredi, & I was in a good mood, I replied tat if I really want, 休闲洗头店 are all over the streets in 上海!!! By the way, I cheong BBS regularly when I was in 上海. Some of the BBS, probably thousands of men used the beds b4 liao!!!

[84gunner]

In 无锡，I stayed juz across the railway station. There was 1 evening, as I was juz wandering around, walking 2wards Sheraton area, a man who was squatting by the roadside at the beginning of the street where many shops are, stood up & asked me if I wanna gal’s service, 100 RMB only! I was tinking, 无锡 leh, where got so cheap. He asked me 2 follow him. Nvm, I followed, but most likely will not go ahead wif the deal. Indeed, he walked back 2wards railway station direction, but turned left 2wards the street where there's several pubs. He wanted to lead me into a KTV at 2nd floor of the building, but I knew tat’s the limit oredi, go any further, I’ll likely encounter unpleasant incident oredi. Even tips 4 KTV gal is unlikely 2 b 100 RMB in 无锡，not 2 mention anything else!!! So I juz simply walked away, outta the KTV ground floor reception. When I was in 苏州，along the bar street, (十全街 if I remember correctly), I saw this familiar looking man (dressed like those lookouts) walking 2wards me. I commented 2 my frens tat tis guy look familiar. I only recalled after he passed me, tat he was the guy who tried 2 waylay me into the KTV wif 100RMB gal in 无锡！I immd told my frens about it, but when we turned ard, he’s gone!

In 无锡，there’s quite a number of sauna / bath houses 2 go, wif many different concepts. 1 of the most expensive is 海阔天空, near the railway station. Another cheong place, there’s a row of BBS tat provides direct fuck service, at the corner is a bone hospital. Cant remember the name of the street, can tell the taxi driver under some bridge. Oso got some FLs along outside of tat main street, b4 turning into the road leading into the hospital. ST is 200 RMB, take the outta the shop (go home or hotel) is 250 RMB.

[84gunner]

In 十堰 and 襄樊，2 really ulu cities, which is not really considered city. It’s really those countryside / farm area, at the foot of 武当山 (I stayed there for about 5 – 6 months). These are the cities where the beggars are real beggars! U see them searching & rummaging the rubbish bins 4 food, & if they really find, they really ate the food from the dustbin straight!!! That is the only place I saw real beggars! But not many, only a few, and they dun bother / harass pple.

十堰is the town where the farmers in 十堰and 襄樊bring their crops to sell. On top of tat, a big local enterprise had it’s admin HQ there too, and many of the city’s “big” businesses (a few hotels, biggest only 3-star) are run by tat coy, for it’s business visitors! The people in 襄樊are more violent, they r oso damn skilful at picking pockets. They oso wont hesitate 2 fight or stab anybody. Many of my colleagues had their pockets picked in 襄樊 w/o even knowing when or where! 1 of my colleague, he kept his hands in his trouser pocket, to constantly hold or touch his wallet. When he picked up a phone call on his hp & spoke 4 about 5 mins, when he put his hp back into his trouser pocket, he realized his wallet is gone!

In 武汉, especially at 汉口 railway station, when u alight from the train, u have many touts trying 2 “help” u carry yr luggage, wanting u 2 take their taxis. Many of the taxis oso park somewhere else, dowan 2 queue at the taxi stand (so those who rushing 4 time lan-lan or gan cheong, will take those “taxis” not at the taxi stand). Many times, it’s the women who try 2 carry, or “snatch” yr luggage, trying 2 bring u 2 their taxi. I usually oso don’t hesitate 2 even throw my punch at these women if they get 2 persistent.

When u take those tout taxis, they usually dowan turn on meter, they wanna negotiate price. If still got enuf seat, they even wanna car-pool, until the taxi fully loaded oredi, then they move! Even along the way, they may try 2 pick up passengers going the same direction!!!

Usually, observe the crowd, queue awhile at the taxi stand, wont take too long 2 get a taxi.

[84gunner]

In 成都, I cant remember the name of the road, but it’s an area where there’s quite a lot BBS, take home overnite only 150 RMB per gal. Can take 2 gals & do 3-some, or 2gether with other brudders, each guy take 1 gal, can change partners after 1st round, sometimes can oso 4-some or orgy. But orgy not so likely.

There is a bath-house, abit ulu, cant remember the name or road liao, on the 5th floor of the building. Went there 2gether wif a HK fren. When they ke+++, their pattern is, whether u get pure massage only or massage + special, u still pay the same price & massage + special. I got massage + special, but my fren insisted he dowan special, & not going 2 pay 4 special price. A quarrel ensued, end up, we both fought our way outta the joint. We damn lucky it was late oredi, many of their staffs went 2 eat snake. Their bouncers / men din come in time. In the fight, mostly were gals, about 6 gals, & 2 guys vs we 2 guys. I think we smashed the front reception area of the club, smashed flower pots, dustbins, desks, lamps, etc. We pulled no punches & kicks, even 2 the gals. In our minds at tat time, we have only 2 choices, fight out way outta the club, or die inside there. I believe several of them couldn’t work 4 at least several days, cos all our punches were rained at their faces, I think we even broke several of their teeth! While we suffered quite some bad scratches from their fingernails.

[84gunner]

In 广州, I lived in 花都区 for a period too. 花都is generally ok, but in 广州 city center, things are quite different. 1 of my associates, her husband is a soldier, imagine, there was 1 evening, she was to meet her husband outside his camp, & she was robbed of her laptop bag juz outside the army camp!

广州火车站can be said 2 b the messiest railway station in the whole country, & 1 of the messiest & most dangerous place in 广州! Pickpockets, robbers, conmen, etc. When the robbers snatch yr stuffs, if u are fast enuf 2 grab hold & resist, the robbers may have a chopper or parang 2 chop off yr hand on the spot! Or, if they ride motorbikes, they may drag u on the floor till u let go. I’d seen them chop off 1 woman’s arm on the spot, oso seen another woman kena drag on the floor cos she was holding on 2 her handbag when the robber snatched!

Even near the railway station, especially if u are carrying some luggage, some pple might juz come up & bump into u, & then say u knocked into them & injured them, wanna u 2 compensate medical fees. When I was in 广州, I may have a knife in my socks. I met this situation once, I didn’t even wanna talk nor answer, I was about 2 take out the knife & fight & start stabbing liao, luckily a policeman nearby saw the incident & shouted at us, asking wat we (they) are doing, wanna create trouble in front of him, as if he transparent? Those guys split off & ran away immediately.

When in the taxi, do not sit by the window & talk on the handphone wif yr right ear & window rolled down. My colleague had her hp snatched away like this! In 广州’s 黑道规矩, if the loot (cash + valuables) from a victim are worth less than 300 RMB, then they must see red, meaning they are damn unlucky, they need red color to make them luckier / wash away the bad luck. Which means, the victim must bleed! So they’re gonna stab or slash the victim!

In 中山, the only area I see beggars & pickpockets is the city center, the area around 国际酒店, KTV / restaurant street across the hotel & 步行街. In 步行街, 1 of the pickpockets is a small boy from 新疆. And he is very daring, he dare open up ladies’ handbags, on the pretence he’s curious to see inside! But then, I’d seen inside 上海’s MRT, a kid tried 2 pickpocket. His victim was some renovation worker. He caught the kid in the act, a fierce quarrel ensued wif I assume is the syndicate woman, assumably the child’s family. Somehow, tat guy used the wooden block he was carrying to smash not only the woman, but oso the child’s head!

There’s lotsa FLs around 国际酒店, around the overhead bridge. There’s oso some FLs along the road near the football fields. There’s oso quite some FLs opposite the KTVs across 国际酒店. Cant remember the price liao, should not be more than 200 RMB for ST.

In 珠海, 拱北customs area & basement shopping mall near customs is the most common / popular crime scene. Lotsa pickpockets & syndicates, like those currency (HKD, MOP, RMB) changers, tout taxis, etc. In fact, I should say 莲花路 is relatively ok, wif police & security guard patrol. But the beggars & child “singers” are a nuisance & pain-in-the-ass.

In cities like 北京，深圳、罗湖area, there’s enuf descriptions by other brudders oredi.

[84gunner]

In general, I’d say, show no mercy to beggars anywhere. Notice tat the beggars are only in cities / areas where there’s lotsa people, especially tourists. There’s simply too many of them, u cant help all of them, not to mention those cheats / conmen. If they are really tat poor, then they should be searching 4 food in dustbins, like I saw in 十堰 n 襄樊。I dun see the beggars in ulu cities / parts of cities. The railway stations in any city in China are 1 of the messiest places in tat city, which is commonly a popular crime scene.

In China, I usually try 2 dress the way locals dress. I know, many brudders may feel they’d rather die than dress the way locals dress. Up 2 u, yr looks / image is more important, or security. This way, u wont appear 2 different from locals & attract more attention than u need.

Especially in 广州, do not even carry yr wallet. I usually estimate the cash I need 2 spend, mebbe bring abit more. Deposit yr hotel room key or card at the hotel reception / concierge. If u afraid the hotel staff my steal yr things in yr room, wat makes u tink they dun have spare key or another key 2 access yr room? If ID document is needed, I usually either bring the green resident booklet (居住证), or the punched holed IC of SGP. So if kena waylaid, the losses are minimized / limited.

I dun tink many brudders will carry a knife around like me, but I ever forget & crossed customs from 深圳with the knife to HK! To me, I consider myself as died-ed b4 liao, my life now is pick back one. But I’m not going 2 let anybody take easy advantage. Wanna rob / fight, by all means come. I try 2 make sure he / they dun have it easy, dun go away unhurt 2. I still regard myself as financially poorer than the crooks, robbing me means I’m gonna go hungry! The more afraid of trouble u are, the easier target u are 2 these crooks!

[84gunner]

Even in Thailand, I’d seen the syndicates telling the beggars 2 move 2 another area to beg, etc. Seeing many crippled beggars on the streets, n they are there every day, same street, same location, u know tat these are syndicates. If I donate, I feel tat indirectly, I’m encouraging these syndicates 2 victimise & cripple more pple 2 be beggars on the streets. Remember the 2 kids who went missing around 1985? It was rumoured some years ago, tat they were spotted begging in Thailand (not sure if it’s Bangkok), tat they were seen, but w/o hands & legs liao.

In Thailand oso, I heard of a Taiwanese businessman whose business failed. He lost so much $$, he couldn’t afford the airfare back 2 Taiwan, & had 2 beg on the streets for food! He was lucky enuf, he met another Taiwanese businessman who employed him. Today, he runs a very successful business in Thailand.

[84gunner]

In Australia, be careful or the aborigines & Vietnamese. The aborigines are usually not violent, they usually just steal / pick pocket, & kinda nuisance by “stealing” (or they call it borrow) yr laundry when u hang-out 2 dry. Funny part is, they may return yr clothes 2 u after wearing for a few days! The Vietnamese in Australia are damn violent, many of them carry guns & sub-machine guns, not to mention knives. Often, during the gang clashes amongst themselves, they dun bother about the innocent people around.

In Europe, be careful of the blacks. Places like Amsterdam, especially near the red light district, u may encounter them asking if u wan some marijuana, drugs or pills, etc. When marijuana can be cheaply & easily bought in coffee-shops everywhere in Netherlands! Or, they may oso ask u, if u wanna see some kinda gals or women not available in the red light district. I never bother about them, cos I feel these are simply bullshits. Often, dead bodies are found in small / quiet / ulu lanes in Amsterdam, mostly waylaid in the wee hours.

Other popular crime scenes are at the train platforms, where many syndicates are at work. They usually strike by distracting yr attention, like helping wif some luggages, then an accomplice picks yr pocket, or runs away wif 1 of yr luggages, etc.

In Antwerpen, not far from the railway station, near 佛光山temple, is the red light district. But most, if not all the women there, cant make it one. They are mostly blacks, if not very dark skin! Oso, a few of the bars there got some kinda strange smell when I stepped in, I juz u-turn out almost instantly too. In Brussels, some striptease / lapdance bars, especially near Brussels Noord (north) railway station is quite ok. But check yr bill properly when they come. In Cologne, pick pocketing along the red light district (stretch of road / area) is pretty common. 1 of the safest but most boring cities I went in Europe is Eindhoven. But the bar street, Stratumsdijk, can have quite nice parties on Thursdays, & very lively on Fridays & Saturdays, with many University students.

[hcmanic]

Originally Posted by Sinoview

Both cases are confirmed Scams.

From that incident onward, i ll ignore all these pleads.....

A lessoon learned...

Well, China Scams does not stop inside China alone. I was flying from BKK to China last month when 3 chinese (3 generation of grandma, mum and daughter) approached me in Bkk airport and told me the same thing...from shanghai, over used expenses.. borrow $$ and will pay me back kinda thing. But I gave them about US$50 (all the US currency that I had) even though I know it was most probably a scam). This is because I saw the grandma already about 80 years old n still have to do this kinda things and I took pity.

Inside the airport after clearing custom, a chinese man approached me and before he continues, i just say "mai cow chai" and pretend I do not speak Chinese and walked off.

It's rare that I post on these forums. I don't come to PRC very much any more. My friend who was in Shanghai on business too and I had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe(now not around). After that he had itchy dick and decided he wanted to go to a KTV after leaving the Hard Rock Cafe. There are usually some guys that ask you if you want to go somewhere special. Anyway, being one of my first trips to PRC, I was very naive I had heard Shanghai was very safe and thought that there should be no issues going out by yourself etc.... We said OK and went with him to a KTV. He asked us for some money so we gave him 100 RMB (too much I know!). After that we went in to this small KTV. We went inside and the "daddy" I am guessing, explained the room rates. 50 RMB per hour .. we figured we would only be in there for 1 or 2 hours so thought cheap! We went upstairs, they bring some girls, we pick the girls and start to sing. Then they bring food, we thought ok no problem usually KTV provide some fruit and tibits to eat. Then my mm asked for drink, I said OK. She drank some "yang jiu" whiskey and asked me to drink too so I oblige and drink also. Then my friend's mm started to ask for drink too. She also drank yang jiu. I thought, that's strange! Then 10 minutes go by, then mine asks if she can order food. I said OK. After that my friend's ask for some more to drink. This cycle happens 2 or 3 time then I start to get suspicious. I tell my friend we should probably leave. He says relax, this is Shanghai. I told him no let's get out of here. He says there is still a lot of food on the table, so I hang around uncomfortably. Then my girl asks for more drink at which point I say "mai dan" (get the bill). She tries to calm me down, my friend also not too happy. I tell her, I don't care I want to mai dan! The bill comes and is 8500 RMB! I am not lying! 8500 RMB. My friend and I are shocked beyond belief! The manager come and I asked him to explain the bill. He said the prices are all in the menu - what menu? Then he brings out a menu I never see before. The food and the drinks were ridiculous money! We had a total of 10 drinks, they said they needed to open a bottle for that and the bottle price was 5000 RMB ... for fucking whiskey! Then there was the food and the girls accompanying. Total was 8500!

I stare at my friend and my friend stares at me. We say there is no way that we have that kind of money! We only have 500 RMB between us (which is a lie). So then they bring in 2 gangster looking guys! Both my friend and I are worried at this point that we will have to fight our way out. So I think fast, OK use credit card! So I ask them is they will take credit card. They agree to take the credit card. But shit their machine is broken, so they make us get into a car and there is one gangster on each side of my friend and I and they drive us to a shop that sells liquor ... I am scolding my friend all the way to the shop in English. We get out of the car and they usher us inside. They take my credit card and swipe it for 8000 RMB. Then ask me to sign it. I sign it with cursive handwriting "Mickey Mouse" (seriously) . After that they kick us out and we walk calmly round the corner and run to get a taxi back to the hotel. I am still cursing my friend KNN chibai! When we get back to the hotel, I go up to my room and call the credit card company and told them my credit card had been stolen. I asked them if any charge had been made on it in the last 24 hours. They said no. I told them to cancel it immediately and send me a new card. Next day I checked out of the hotel and flew home. 2 weeks go by and then I get a statement for credit card. It shows 8000 RMB charge. I call the credit card company back up and told them that I had cancelled the card before the transaction. They said they would investigate and get back to me. I found in my next statement they reversed the charge phew! . We got lucky that time ... very lucky! We learnt a big lesson that day! Not long after that I discovered these forums .. very helpful and can prevent you from being conned! Thought I would share this in case anyone encounter this issue. We lost 500 RMB vs. 8500 RMB.

Happy cheonging!

[sassina2]

I am not sure how the "end game" is supposed to play out but this is what happened and I had been prewarned that something like this could happen.

Along the beginning of Lian Hua Lu in Gongbei, Zhuhai,

I was walking & dragging my bag behind me on the way to go check in to Min Ann Hotel.

One guy walked passed me and as he passed me, something fell to the ground near him.

At a glance, it looked like a thick bundle of US$ wrapped together in a plastic bag.

I looked and the guy walking behind him stooped to pick it up.
He looked at me as if to tell me something - sort of wanting me to react.

I looked away and walked on and he just pocketed it and left.

Had been told that this can happen and if you somehow get involved, some bad things will come out of it after which you will suffer some loss one way or another.

Anyone knows what the "end game" would have been?