🚩 Local Scams · Lanzhou
Last verified 22 Jul 2025
1 Scam Spotlight Table
"Heritage Beef-Noodle" Upsell
Zhengning Rd Night Market • Muta Lane snack streets
How it works: Stall advertises ¥×× bowl, then adds "hand-cut premium," "clear broth fee," pickles and beef-by-grams—bill doubles.
🛡️ Avoid: Order by fixed set (small/medium/large) and confirm quán-jià 全价 (all-in) before they ladle.
Zhongshan Bridge Photo Bundle
Zhongshan (Iron) Bridge ramps & White Pagoda foothill
How it works: Hawker snaps DSLR shots, prints "Bridge Certificate," demands ¥99–¥199 for 3–5 pics.
🛡️ Avoid: Use your phone or agree on price per photo first; refuse "certificate" add-ons.
Sheepskin-Raft Short Loop
Waterwheel Park → river piers
How it works: tout sells "Yellow-River raft" ride; actual loop lasts 8–10 min, no views, life jackets missing.
🛡️ Avoid: Book only licensed operators at the main kiosk; verify route time (≥20 min) and jackets.
Free Museum Ticket "Broker"
Gansu Provincial Museum gate
How it works: "Agent" sells scarce Gansu Museum entry—tickets are actually free timed slots; QR often invalid.
🛡️ Avoid: Reserve in official mini-program; never pay for free tickets.
Bingling Temple Speedboat Detour
City tour desks • Liujiaxia dock
How it works: Package tout pushes pricey jet-boat "shortcut"; skips main caves or arrives after last entry.
🛡️ Avoid: Take official ferry with fixed schedule; check opening hours/water level first.
Taxi "West-Station/ Airport Special"
Lanzhou West HSR • Zhongchuan Airport
How it works: Driver claims metro/CRH closed, offers "flat ¥××"; then long detour via bridge.
🛡️ Avoid: Use CRH airport rail or DiDi; if taxi, meter on + e-receipt—decline flat quotes.
Dried-Fruit / Yak-Jerky Switch
Night markets • pedestrian alleys
How it works: Sample is premium; bagged goods are lower grade; some stalls use rigged scales.
🛡️ Avoid: Buy sealed packs with printed weight; watch the weighing; keep receipt.
Cable-Car "Insurance" Add-on
White-Pagoda ↔ River cableway kiosks
How it works: Staffer sells mandatory "ride insurance" or "priority lane" for ¥20–¥40—neither required.
🛡️ Avoid: Pay only the posted fare; optional insurance is not compulsory.
QR-Code Phishing
Riverside boardwalks • café tables
How it works: Fake "¥1 bike" or "half-price latte" stickers over real QR; opens phishing Pay page.
🛡️ Avoid: Scan codes on devices/menus, not random stickers; verify URL before paying.
2 Why It Matters
Lanzhou mixes free, timed-entry culture (Gansu Museum) with riverfront micro-attractions (rafts, cable cars) and dense snack lanes—perfect terrain for add-on fees, route shrinkage and fake QR codes. Knowing the patterns saves time and keeps the trip focused on beef noodles and Yellow-River sunsets—no drama.
3 Pro Tips
1
Official channels only – Book Gansu Museum in its verified mini-program; tours to Bingling Temple via the official ferry timetable.
2
Meter > flat fare – At Lanzhou West & the airport, insist on the meter or take airport rail; refuse "night service" or "bridge fee" stories.
3
Say it out loud – Before eating: "quán-jià ma?"（全价吗？） locks a stall into an all-inclusive price.
4
Receipts matter – Weigh dried goods in sight and photograph the scale; sealed packs only for jerky and nuts.
5
Keep small cash – ¥10–¥20 notes help when stalls claim "QR offline".
6
Hotlines – Police 110 • Tourist service 12301 • Consumer complaints 12315 • Transport service 12328.
✨ Stay Smart, Stay Safe
Stay alert and keep Lanzhou about river light, museum bronzes and perfect "one-clear, two-white, three-red, four-green, five-yellow" beef noodles—No Tourist Traps. No BS.