Safe Travels in China: Avoiding Tourist Scams & Money Traps (2026 Guide)

This guide is part of Chinaoffbeat, a project created by travelers who love slow routes, human stories, and conversations that help you understand China beyond the obvious.

China is an incredibly safe destination overall – violent crime against travelers is very rare, and millions visit without incident. However, like any popular spot, there are a few common scams and tourist traps that can cost you money or spoil your trip. The good news is that with a bit of awareness and street smarts, you can easily avoid these pitfalls. Below we’ve compiled a list of the most frequent scams foreign travelers report in China (circa 2025-2026) and how to prevent them. Each scam is followed by practical tips on prevention and what to do if you encounter it – so you can explore China with confidence and peace of mind.

1. The Overpriced Tea House Invitation Scam

In tourist hubs (Beijing’s Wangfujing pedestrian street, around the Forbidden City, Shanghai’s Nanjing Road, etc.), friendly English-speaking locals – often young women or students – strike up a conversation out of the blue. After some small talk, they invite you to join them for a traditional tea ceremony or to “practice English” at a nearby teahouse or café. Once inside, you enjoy some tea and snacks, only to be hit with a monstrously high bill while your new “friends” conveniently disappear. Tourists have been charged anything from ¥500 to ¥30,000+ (USD $70 to $4,000) in these scams. Often, intimidating staff or even tough-looking men will insist you pay up. The “tea ceremony” scam is one of the best-known tourist traps in China – it’s been running for years around Beijing’s Forbidden City and has ensnared countless visitors.

2. Bar Scams and Nightlife Touts

This is a close cousin of the tea house scam, targeting travelers (often solo men) with promises of nightlife. In cities like Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen, you might meet a “bar promoter” (or even connect with someone on a dating app) who invites you to a great bar or karaoke. Once there, you’re encouraged to buy drinks – and attractive companions might join you, urging you to order costly cocktails or asking you to buy them drinks. After a round or two, you’re handed a ridiculously inflated bill and pressured to pay. The bill might include outrageous “service” fees or overpriced drinks you never expected. If you refuse, burly bouncers can appear to ensure you settle the tab. Scammers on Nanjing Road in Shanghai have lured tourists to dingy bars where victims lost anywhere from ¥500 to ¥10,000 (up to $1,500 USD) in one night.

3. The “Friendly Art Student” Hustle

You’re exploring a tourist spot when a pair of polite “art students” engage you. They excitedly explain there’s a special art exhibit or gallery showing local students’ art, and invite you to see it – sometimes saying it’s a one-day event or that they’d love your opinion as a foreigner. If you go along, you’ll end up in a small gallery or shop where a “teacher” or the students show you paintings, calligraphy, or silk art. The catch? They apply heavy pressure to buy something, often portraying themselves as poor students or claiming it’s for their tuition. The art itself is mass-produced or low-quality – definitely not worth the high prices quoted. While you’re not physically forced to buy, the relentless guilt-tripping and pressure can be very uncomfortable. Tourists have reported paying hundreds of dollars for “original” art that turned out to be cheap reproductions.

4. Taxi Scams and “Black Cabs”

While the vast majority of official taxis in China are honest and affordable, there are a few taxi-related scams to watch for. At major airports or train stations, unlicensed drivers (known as “black cabs”) linger in arrivals areas and approach foreigners offering a ride. They may even have a slick-looking sedan and claim to be an off-duty taxi or car service. If you accept, you’ll end up paying an exorbitant fare – often 2-5 times the metered rate, or a big flat fee. For example, some travelers who took rogue cabs from Beijing Capital Airport were charged ¥300–¥400 for a ride that would be around ¥100 on the meter. Another variation is a meter rigged to run fast, or a driver taking a very long route on purpose. In cities, a dishonest driver might refuse to use the meter and insist on a high fixed price, especially if you appear new to the area. There’s also the classic “your hotel/attraction is closed” lie – a driver claims your destination shut down, to convince you to go to a different hotel or a shop where they get commission.

5. Rickshaws and Pedicab Overcharging

The three-wheeled bicycle rickshaws (pedicabs) in tourist areas can be a fun throwback ride – but they’re also notorious for rip-offs. A typical scenario: a rickshaw driver near a site (like Beijing’s Forbidden City or a scenic lake) offers you a ride or a short “hutong tour” for a cheap price, say “¥50”. You climb in, take the ride (often quite short)… and at the end, the driver suddenly claims the price was **¥50 per person, per 10 minutes, or some other absurd calculation. The final demand could be ¥300-500 for a ride that should be ¥50 total! If you argue, the driver may get loud or aggressive, creating a scene until you pay. In some cases, they take you to a somewhat isolated spot before insisting on the higher fee. Motorized tuk-tuks in some cities have a similar scam. Pedicab scams are legendary in Beijing – many travelers have complained about drivers who agree on a price then jack it up **10-fold at the end】.

6. “Too Good to Be True” Tours and Shopping Stops

You might see super cheap day tours advertised (for example, a Great Wall trip for ¥100, including lunch and transport), or a friendly “guide” offers to show you around for a very low fee. The catch? These tours make their money by carting you to commission-based shops – jade factories, silk outlets, tea shops, herbal medicine centers, etc. You’ll spend more time in forced shopping stops than actual sightseeing. The guide (or tour company) earns a cut of anything you buy, and they might pressure you with the hard sell. In some notorious cases, if tourists don’t buy, the “guide” gets upset or even scolds the group – because their income relies on those commissions. Common victims are those taking tours from hotels or tourist info centers that seem official but are actually operated by businesses. The Great Wall tour scam is a classic: instead of a full day on the Wall, you get taken to a cloisonné factory, a jade shop, a medicine center, and maybe 1 hour at a lesser section of the Wall. Similarly, some packages advertised as visiting multiple attractions cram in unscheduled shopping detours at every turn.

7. Fake Monks, Beggars and Street Solicitors

Strolling through a temple area or shopping street, you encounter a “monk” in robes who hands you a small charm, bracelet, or a Buddha card. Before you know it, they’re asking for a donation (often with a clipboard of other “donors” and amounts). Alternatively, someone who appears to be deaf/mute may thrust a little trinket or card into your hands, then signal for money. These are common street hustles – the monk is usually not a real monk, and the money doesn’t go to a temple. The item offered (beads, prayer card, etc.) is worth only a few yuan, but they’ll push for a large “donation” (¥100 or more). It’s not a violent scam, but it preys on your surprise and goodwill. Another example is women with babies asking you to buy infant formula for them – they lead you to a store with overpriced formula and pressure you to pay there (the store and beggar share the profit). While not unique to China, these kinds of emotional appeals are something travelers often mention.

While the list above may seem long, it’s important to remember that millions of foreigners travel in China with very few issues. China remains one of the safer countries for travelers, and the government has a vested interest in keeping it that way. Use common sense just as you would at home: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is; if someone’s behavior feels “off,” trust your instincts and remove yourself from the situation. A huge plus in China is that police and security are usually helpful and approachable – even if there’s a language barrier, they will try to assist, often using translation apps if neededreddit.com. Don’t hesitate to reach out to authorities if you feel threatened or scammed; as one expat noted, Chinese police will take action if you flag down an officer regarding a scam, especially now that such incidents are rarer than before.