🚩 Local Scams · Beijing
Last verified 30 Jun 2025
1 Scam Spotlight Table
"Tea-House Invitation"
Wangfujing side-lanes · Nanluoguxiang hutongs
How it works: Friendly "students" invite you to a "cultural tea ceremony"; tiny pot → ¥600-¥1 000 bill and blocked exit.
🛡️ Avoid: Decline unsolicited invites; pick tea-houses from well-reviewed lists.
"Art-Gallery Opening"
Qianmen pedestrian mall · Houhai bar streets
How it works: "Fine-arts majors" steer you upstairs, hard-sell low-grade scrolls for ¥2 000+.
🛡️ Avoid: Real galleries post ticketed shows; walk away at first pressure.
Rickshaw Overcharge
Shichahai Lake circuit
How it works: Driver quotes ¥20 lake loop, then claims "misheard currency" and demands ¥600.
🛡️ Avoid: Use DiDi/Meituan pedicab with in-app price or walk—the loop is 1 km.
Fake Taxi / Fast Meter
PEK & Daxing arrivals
How it works: Unlicensed cab at airport or station runs rigged meter or flat ¥400 city fare.
🛡️ Avoid: Take official queue; plates start "京B-T…", ask for e-receipt.
Great-Wall "Private Bus"
Tian'anmen underpass
How it works: Tout sells Badaling package; detours to jade shops, reaches wall after cableway shuts.
🛡️ Avoid: Public bus 877 (¥12) or official mini-prog only; ignore street sales.
Silk-Market "Designer" Bags
Silk Street basement
How it works: Vendor swears bag is Italian leather, adds "airport scanner tag" story; PU replica at luxury price.
🛡️ Avoid: Expect replica; bargain to ≤20 % of first quote or walk.
Bogus Police ID Check
Sanlitun late-night
How it works: Fake plain-clothes "officers" demand passport + bank card to check for counterfeits; skim details.
🛡️ Avoid: Real police wear uniform or show metal badge with English; insist on station visit if unsure.
QR-Code Phishing
798 Art-Zone cafés
How it works: Sticker promising "¥1 latte" covers table QR; opens fake Pay page and drains wallet.
🛡️ Avoid: Scan only codes printed on menus or cashier stands; verify URL prefix.
2 Why It Matters
Visitor volume pressure – Beijing's massive tourist numbers create opportunities for scammers to blend into crowds and target overwhelmed visitors.
Cash-free habits – The city's QR-code payment system creates new phishing opportunities that tourists unfamiliar with Chinese apps may fall for.
Cultural politeness – Scammers rely on tourists' politeness and rush to tick off sights—knowing the patterns means you keep your yuan for dumplings, not "tea tuition."
3 Pro Tips
1
Official mini-programs only – Palace Museum, Great Wall, taxis all have verified apps; any street QR is a red flag.
2
Meter basics – legit taxis start at ¥13 + ¥2/km; anything higher or no meter = bail out.
3
Ask quán-jià ma? (全价吗) – locks tea-house or rickshaw into an all-in price before you sit.
4
Carry small notes – ¥10-¥20 bills limit loss if "QR offline" stories pop up at snack stalls.
5
Hotlines – Police 110 · Beijing tourist line 12301—store both numbers before heading out.
✨ Stay Smart, Stay Safe
Stay sharp and keep Beijing about palaces, noodles, and skyline strolls—No Tourist Traps. No BS.