🚩 Local Scams · Foshan
Last verified 26 Jul 2025
1 Scam Spotlight Table
Zumiao "Lucky-Incense"
Zumiao (Ancestral Temple) front gate & lion-dance plaza
How it works: Roving "monks" hand you a joss stick, guide you to altar, then demand ¥188 "blessing fee."
🛡️ Avoid: Official temple incense is free—take sticks only from the fixed brass boxes inside.
Lion-Dance Photo Shakedown
Lingnan Tiandi pedestrian lanes
How it works: Performer invites you to hold lion head for a selfie, then insists on ¥50–¥100 tip.
🛡️ Avoid: Enjoy shows from the crowd; temple-sanctioned photo spots have posted ¥10 price boards.
Shiwan "Antique" Ceramics
Shiwan Pottery Street stalls
How it works: Vendors claim crackle-glaze figurine is Qing-era; start at ¥2 000, settle at ¥400 for modern mold.
🛡️ Avoid: Buy from museum store or workshops that issue QR anti-fake tags.
"Free" Martial-Arts Lesson
Zumiao side lanes & metro exit
How it works: Tout outside Huang Feihong Memorial offers sample moves; after 10 min asks ¥200 coaching fee.
🛡️ Avoid: Genuine classes are posted inside memorial hall with fixed ¥30 ticket.
Taxi Fixed-Fare at Foshan West Station
Foshan West HSR exit ranks
How it works: Driver quotes "station mandate" flat ¥120 to city—even when meter ride is ¥35.
🛡️ Avoid: Use DiDi/Meituan with in-app fare; licensed taxis start ¥10 + ¥2/km.
Shunde Food-Tour "All-Inclusive"
Shunde Daliang Canals & Qinghui Garden gates
How it works: Guide advertises ¥280 tour; midway adds "boat ticket" & "dessert fee," total doubles.
🛡️ Avoid: Book only via reputable OTAs; verify written all-inclusive list.
Lotus-World Ticket Scalpers
Sanshui Lotus World bus stop
How it works: Scalpers sell "discount" QR at ¥20 off; QR turns out child ticket—denied at gate.
🛡️ Avoid: Buy in "三水荷花世界" mini-program or onsite kiosk.
QR Code Phishing
Lingnan Tiandi cafés, Creative Park food court
How it works: Table sticker promises "¥3 herbal tea" coupon; fake WeChat Pay site drains wallet.
🛡️ Avoid: Scan only codes on cashier screens; check HTTPS domain before paying.
2 Why It Matters
Temple tourism pressure – Foshan's cultural heritage sites attract many visitors, creating opportunities for scammers to blend into crowds and target overwhelmed tourists.
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 dim sum, not "blessing fees."
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 Foshan about kung-fu lore, clay figurines and midnight pork-belly hot-pot—No Tourist Traps. No BS.