Staying Safe in China: How to Avoid the Common Scams
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Let’s start with the honest, boring truth: China is one of the safest countries you will ever travel in. Violent crime against tourists is genuinely rare — walk through a Chinese city at midnight and the main thing you will meet is people coming home from dinner, not trouble. The scams you might meet are a different species: they are polite, low-stakes and financial. Nobody will grab your bag. Someone might charge you ¥300 for a cup of tea that should cost ¥30.
That distinction is the whole point of this guide. China is not dangerous. It does, however, have a handful of well-worn small cons that target tourists, and they are easy to dodge once you know what they look like.
The one rule to remember
Nothing a stranger offers you on the street in China is free.
Not the tea ceremony. Not the “free” art exhibition. Not the foot massage. Not the “special price” on jade. If someone you don’t know walks up to you with an opportunity, the polite answer is a smile and 不用了，谢谢 (“no thanks”) — and then you keep walking.
The flip side matters too, and it’s what keeps you sane: Chinese people are genuinely helpful, and a stranger you ask for help will almost always help you honestly. The rule only applies one way — people who approach you with an offer are usually selling something. People you approach with a question usually aren’t.
The scams, one by one
Here is the short list, with what each one looks like and how to dodge it.
| Scam | Where it happens | What it looks like | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi detour / no meter | Airports, train stations, late-night arrivals | The driver refuses the meter and quotes a flat “special price”, or takes a long route | Use Didi (price fixed up front); insist on the meter (打表); know the rough fare |
| Black taxi (黑车) | Outside stations and tourist sites | A private car approaches you with no meter and no app | Ignore them; use Didi, a real taxi queue, or public transport |
| Tea-house scam | Beijing hutongs, Shanghai, Xi’an near big sights | Friendly English-speakers invite you to a “free” tea ceremony or art show, then hand you a huge bill | Politely decline any invitation from strangers; never follow someone to a bar or teahouse |
| “Art student” gallery | Tiananmen, the Bund, museums | Two “students” ask you to see their professor’s gallery; you are pressured to buy overpriced “art” | Same as above — decline and walk away |
| Bar / drink bill padding (酒托) | Nightlife areas | A friendly stranger suggests a bar; the bill arrives at hundreds or thousands of yuan | Choose your own bar; never let a new acquaintance pick the venue |
| Fake money / bad exchange | Street changers, small shops | You are handed counterfeit notes or a terrible rate | Use bank ATMs, banks, or Alipay/WeChat; never change money on the street |
| Fake attraction | Outside famous sights | A driver or tout takes you to a “Terracotta Army” replica or an unrelated shop instead of the real site | Book transport yourself; confirm the exact name in Chinese and check the map |
| Overpriced jade / silk / tea | Markets, “shopping stops” on tours | “Genuine” jade or silk sold at 10× the real price | Buy nothing you didn’t plan to; treat markets as browsing, not buying |
| Costume photo tout | Scenic areas, the Bund | Someone in costume poses for a photo, then demands money | Ask the price before the photo, or skip it entirely |
| “Lost wallet” / borrowing | Streets, metro stations | A stranger claims they lost their wallet and asks for “bus fare” or a loan, then vanishes | Decline kindly; real emergencies go to the police, not to tourists |
Where it actually happens
Most scams cluster around four places. Knowing the scene is half the defence.
Airports and train stations. The moment you look tired and lost, the taxi touts appear. Use the official taxi rank, or better, order a Didi before you leave the terminal. The driver’s app shows a fixed price before you even get in.
Tourist sites. The big, famous sights (the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army, the Bund) have a permanent ring of touts selling overpriced tickets, “skip-the-line” offers and photo ops. Buy tickets from the official counter, mini-program or the site’s own website.
Markets and “shopping stops”. If you are on a cheap tour, it will almost certainly stop at a jade or silk “factory” where everything is priced for commission, not for you. This is not dangerous — just walk out and wait for the bus.
Nightlife and teahouses. The tea-house and bar scams both start with a friendly, English-speaking stranger. The script is always the same: a small invitation, then a big bill. Decline the invitation and the scam never happens.
General safety
Scams are the headline, but a few ordinary habits keep the rest of the trip smooth.
- Pickpocketing exists in the busiest places — markets, metro at rush hour, crowded squares. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket or a zipped bag. It is rare, but it is also the one crime you can actually meet.
- Your passport is the thing you most don’t want to lose. Leave the original in the hotel safe and carry a copy (paper or photo) plus your visa page. If a real police officer stops you, a photo on your phone is usually enough.
- Emergency numbers to save: 110 (police), 120 (ambulance), 119 (fire). 110 has an English translation service in most big cities. 12345 is a general government hotline for complaints.
- Real police never ask for money. If someone claiming to be police demands a cash “fine” on the spot, they are not police — walk into a shop or call 110 to check.
- Keep your cards separate. Carry one card and a little cash on you; leave the rest at the hotel. If one card is skimmed, you still have the other.
Phrases to have ready
Save these as a note or screenshot. Showing the Chinese is more reliable than saying it.
| What you need | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| No thanks (I don’t need it) | 不用了，谢谢 | bú yòng le, xièxie |
| Please use the meter | 请打表 | qǐng dǎbiǎo |
| Too expensive | 太贵了 | tài guì le |
| I’ll call the police | 我要报警 | wǒ yào bàojǐng |
| I don’t need a guide | 我不需要导游 | wǒ bù xūyào dǎoyóu |
| Where is a bank ATM? | 附近有银行的取款机吗？ | fùjìn yǒu yínháng de qǔkuǎnjī ma? |
In most situations, the single most useful line is 不用了，谢谢 — said with a smile, it politely ends almost every scam before it starts.
See all survival phrases: Survival Chinese Phrases
If something does go wrong
- Overcharged in a taxi? Pay, keep the receipt or screenshot the Didi trip, and complain through Didi (a one-tap refund in most cases) or call 12345.
- Handed a surprise bill? You are not legally forced to pay a padded bill, but in practice the calm move is to pay the fair amount and leave — call 110 if the staff block the door. The number usually wins the argument for you.
- Lost your passport? Report it at the nearest police station, get the report (报案回执), and take it to your embassy or consulate for a replacement.
Pre-trip checklist
- Save the phrases above, and the emergency numbers 110 / 120 / 119
- Install Didi and link a card, so you never need a street taxi (see the Didi guide)
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay, so you rarely carry much cash (see the payment guide)
- Photograph your passport and visa page; leave the original in the hotel safe
- Carry one card and a little cash, keep the rest separate
Keeping this page accurate
Scams change slowly — a tea-house con today looks like a tea-house con ten years ago — but the apps you use to dodge them change fast. We keep this page up to date: the date below shows when it was last checked. If you spot something out of date, contact us.