🚩 Local Scams · Weihai
Last verified 17 Aug 2025
A clean, laid-back port city—yet classic coastal hustles pop up around ferry piers and seafood streets. Here's how to avoid them.
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
Weihai's pride is seafood + islands. Scammers exploit weighing ambiguity, unlicensed boats, and tour-bus detours. A few checks keep the trip delicious and drama-free.
3 Pro Tips
1
Receipts or walk—insist on printed fapiao at seafood halls; prices settle fast when a receipt's involved.
2
Boat basics—life jackets for all; operator license on cabin wall; weather can cancel trips—accept official refunds only.
3
Order like a local—state cooking method + weight + final price (e.g., "鲍鱼清蒸，两只，总价多少？").
4
Hotlines—Police 110 · Tourism 12301 · Market regulation 12315 · Maritime distress 12395.
5
Pay smart—QR in tourist strips is common; if a stall says "machine broken, cash only," expect a mark-up—walk away.
✨ Stay Smart, Stay Safe
Enjoy Weihai for clear water and calm nights—No Tourist Traps. No BS.