🚩 Local Scams · Ningbo
Last verified 26 Jul 2025
1 Scam Spotlight Table
Sea-View Seafood "Market Price"
Laowaitan Old Bund strip • Dongqian Lake lakeside wharfs
How it works: Waterfront restaurants display live-tank crabs with no price; bill shows ¥1 200 / kg "seasonal king crab" after cooking.
🛡️ Avoid: Check QR menu for weight & price before you choose; insist on weighing before cooking.
"Fresh Amber" Souvenir
Tianyi Square night stalls • Tiantong Temple parking plaza
How it works: Vendor demonstrates fire-proof beads "mined from Baltic amber"; actually resin-sandwich worth < ¥20.
🛡️ Avoid: Buy only from official museum shops (genuine amber ≈ ¥50/g) if you really want it.
Taxi Meter Jump
Ningbo East Railway Station
How it works: Driver flicks "remote" under steering wheel: meter jumps ¥10–¥15 at green-light start.
🛡️ Avoid: Use DiDi or confirm city rate: ¥11 flag-drop + ¥2.4/km; ask for e-receipt.
Old-Bund "Craft-Beer Tasting"
Laowaitan bar row
How it works: Hostess hands free 50 ml sample, leads inside, adds "tasting set" flat fee ¥298 to bill.
🛡️ Avoid: Accept samples outside only; ask quán jià ("all-in?") before entering.
Temple "Blessing Thread"
Baoguo Temple outer gate
How it works: Robed man ties red string to wrist, quotes "donation" ¥200 for temple upkeep.
🛡️ Avoid: Official monks never solicit cash outside ticket gate—politely decline.
"Port-Duty Pearl" Mark-Up
Ningbo Port cruise terminal
How it works: Shop claims price includes "customs duty"; offers 50 % refund after WeChat transfer—refund never arrives.
🛡️ Avoid: Ignore "duty-free" pitch inland; pay only final amount by card/QR.
QR-Code Phishing Bench
Sanjiangkou riverside
How it works: Sticker on riverside bench promises "¥1 coffee coupon"; opens fake Alipay page and drains balance.
🛡️ Avoid: Scan only codes printed on store receipts or inside café menus; verify URL.
2 Why It Matters
Port wealth blend – Ningbo blends container-port wealth with seaside snack streets—perfect for seafood price padding and quick QR hacks.
Seafood knowledge gap – Most scams hinge on tourists not knowing real seafood weights, official taxi fares or temple donation rules.
Maritime culture – Scammers rely on tourists' unfamiliarity with port city customs—knowing the patterns means you keep your yuan for authentic seafood, not "market price" padding.
3 Pro Tips
1
Seafood math – live mantis shrimp ≈ ¥180 / kg; anything labelled "King Crab 皇帝蟹" under research price first.
2
Meter basics – official taxis begin ¥11 for 3 km; late-night surcharge +20 % after 23 : 00.
3
Pay inside – never settle on street; request itemised e-receipt (fā-piào 发票).
4
Temple tickets – Baoguo & Tiantong issue printed tickets at main gate; outside blessings aren't official.
5
Emergency numbers – Police 110 • Zhejiang tourist hotline 12301—save before you stroll.
✨ Stay Smart, Stay Safe
Stay alert and keep Ningbo about canal nights, temple mornings and sea-wind dumplings—No Tourist Traps. No BS.