Originally Posted by SQ4000

On a more serious note, fellow flyers (male and female) should be aware of other schemes to get at your money in Shanghai.

Tea party / free guide – A group of young attractive Chinese (male and female) will start a conversation with you, it will start by talking about Chinese culture/Shanghai history/places you MUST see... “Have you tried some very special Chinese green tea? It is SO good for you … the best antioxidant in the world… the tea house is where all the up coming artists gather… it is VERY reasonable … it’s free…” You got the picture; their targets are middle-aged / elderly western people, single, couples or groups. The cost? The bill in the end will in the region of 1000 to 2000 RMB (USD 150 – 300). There are many variations of the scam – the little girls/boys lost (can you tell me how to get to …) this normally ends up in a bar, or a restaurant with whom the ‘lost girls’ have special arrangements. The cost is about the same, up to USD 300. There is also the ‘where you come from? Albuquerque? Wow, I have a friend who knows someone in Albuquerque! It seems they all have friends, or have been in Alice Springs/Friedrichshafen/Tombouctou…

A wife of colleague of mine was visiting Shanghai, she was ‘let out’ by herself one afternoon (the city is very safe day or night) She was interested in Chinese culture, especially Chinese calligraphy. She met some young ‘artists’ near the People’s Park, they took her to a ‘saloon’ and had a long disjointed intellectual discussion and very NICE cups of Chinese tea, the cost? USD 200.

There are a hundred variation of these scams, new ones are being invented everyday, so be careful. If you think you are been had, and you are in a public place such as a restaurant/bar down town where there are lots of people about, don’t be afraid to walk out, or call the police, they will back off.