Common Scams & How to Avoid Them in Suoluntun, Jilin, China

All Topics about Suoluntun All Cities in China

1. Taxi Scams

Avoid overcharging and unlicensed taxis. Always use metered taxis or pre-arrange rides with reliable services.

Metered Taxis: Official taxis have meters that calculate the fare based on distance and time.
Pre-arrangement: Booking rides in advance through apps or reputable services helps ensure a trusted ride.
Avoid Unlicensed Taxis: Unlicensed taxis may overcharge or not use a meter, putting you at risk.

Be cautious when shopping for souvenirs in street markets. Check for low prices, poor quality, or missing branding indicators.

Price: If the price is significantly lower than usual, the goods may be counterfeit.
Quality: Poor quality or materials may indicate a counterfeit item.
Branding Indicators: Missing brand logos, holograms, or serial numbers can be signs of a counterfeit product.

Stick to reputable exchange centers. Be wary of exchanging money on the street or with unlicensed providers.

Reputable Centers: Exchange centers with licenses and good reviews are more trustworthy.
Avoid Street Exchanges: Street exchanges may offer unfavorable exchange rates or attempt to give you counterfeit money.
Unlicensed Providers: Unlicensed providers may not follow legal regulations for currency exchange and can be risky.

Research hotel rates online before arrival. Be cautious of overpriced or unavailable rooms in tourist areas.

Online Research: Compare hotel prices across different booking platforms for accurate rates.
Tourist Areas: Hotels in tourist areas may be overpriced, consider staying slightly outside the city center.
Avoid Scams: Be cautious of suspicious or aggressive sales tactics when booking accommodation.

Research tour companies and guides before hiring. Check for licenses, reviews, and a pre-arranged itinerary.

Licensed Tour Companies: Tour companies with licenses are more trustworthy and follow legal regulations.
Reviews: Positive reviews from previous customers can indicate a reliable tour company.
Pre-arranged Itinerary: A pre-arranged itinerary with landmarks and attractions helps ensure you're seeing the sights you want.

Avoid logging into sensitive accounts on public WiFi. Use a VPN to secure your connection.

VPN: Using a VPN encrypts your data and protects you from potential cyber threats.
Sensitive Accounts: Avoid logging into sensitive accounts, such as banking or email, on public WiFi.
Public Hotspots: Public WiFi hotspots may be unsecured and susceptible to data theft.

Use ATMs inside banks or hotels. Avoid using isolated ATMs in tourist areas, as they may be rigged to steal your card information.

Bank ATMs: ATMs inside banks and hotels are more secure than standalone machines.
Isolated ATMs: Avoid isolated ATMs in tourist areas, as they may be rigged to skim card information.
ATM Safety Tips: Cover the keypad when entering your PIN and be cautious of any suspicious activity around the ATM.

Secure your belongings in crowded areas. Keep your valuables hidden and avoid displaying large amounts of cash.

Crowded Areas: Pickpocketing is more common in crowded places, such as markets or tourist attractions.
Valuables: Keep your valuables hidden and avoid displaying large amounts of cash to reduce the risk of theft.
Security Bags: Consider using security bags or anti-theft clothing with hidden pockets for safe storage of valuables.

Purchase tickets from authorized vendors or official websites. Be cautious of overpriced or counterfeit tickets.

Authorized Vendors: Only purchase tickets from authorized vendors or official websites to ensure legitimacy.
Overpriced Tickets: If ticket prices seem unusually high, they may be counterfeit or overpriced.
Counterfeit Tickets: Counterfeit tickets may not grant entry to attractions and can result in lost money.

Avoid restaurants with empty tables or overly aggressive staff. Check menus for prices before ordering and verify change.

Empty Tables: Restaurants with empty tables may be using scams to attract customers.
Aggressive Staff: Overly aggressive staff may use high-pressure tactics to increase sales, potentially leading to scams.
Check Prices: Always check the menu prices before ordering to avoid unexpected costs.

Haggle prices for goods but be reasonable. Be aware of scammers who may try to overcharge or swap items.

Haggling: Haggle prices for goods in markets, but be fair and reasonable.
Overcharging Scams: Scammers may try to overcharge for items, especially if they see you as an unfamiliar tourist.
Swapping Items: Be cautious when exchanging goods. Scammers may swap items without your knowledge.

Choose food stalls with a steady stream of customers. Check for cleanliness and proper food handling.

Busy Stalls: Street food stalls with a steady stream of customers are likely safe and hygienic.
Cleanliness: Check for cleanliness in the cooking area, as well as proper food handling.
Avoid Unattended Stalls: Avoid unattended stalls, as they may pose a higher risk of food contamination or poor quality food.

Research bars and nightclubs before visiting. Be cautious of overpriced drinks, drugged beverages, or aggressive staff.

Reputable Venues: Visit reputable bars and nightclubs to reduce the risk of scams.
Overpriced Drinks: Be aware that drinks may be overpriced at tourist-focused bars and clubs.
Drugged Beverages: Avoid accepting drinks from strangers, as they may contain drugs or other harmful substances.

Appreciate street performances but be cautious of performers who try to pressure you into giving large tips.

Enjoy Performances: Street performances can add charm and character to the city. Enjoy them, but remain cautious.
Pressure for Tips: Performers may pressure you into giving large tips or demand payment for unasked-for services.
Fair Tips: Offer a fair tip based on the quality of the performance, but do not feel obligated to give excessive amounts.

Admire street art but be cautious of artists who may pressure you into buying overpriced or low-quality artwork.

Appreciate Artwork: Street art can add beauty and vibrancy to the city. Enjoy viewing it, but remain cautious.
Pressure for Sales: Artists may pressure you into buying their artwork or demand high prices.
Quality and Price: Assess the quality of the artwork before making a purchase, and compare prices with other vendors to ensure fairness.