Originally Posted by
bigbird12
Any major tourist attraction is infested with scams. Just the way it is.
I work one block from Times Square and I see the scams everyday. Sign up for the free comedy show. Comedy show is indeed free, but your bottle of Coke or your mixed drink turns out to be fifty bucks. Take your picture with the lady dressed up as Statute of Liberty, or Elmo the Muppet and get stuck with a $20 picture taking gratuity charge. These scams go on everywhere and you just have to be careful. Nothing unique to China.
I don't know if I'd put your examples in the same category of "scams" as the China tea house ruse.
In the case of the "free comedy show", is there nothing on the ticket that tells you that there will be a minimum drink requirement? I would assume going in that I'm going to have to pay an inflated drink price. It's just common sense. They're not running a charity, nor are they giving away comedy because they are nice people.
Same with the photo people. Does anyone honestly believe that these people are there just so that tourists can take free pictures with them? Of course they're going to expect a tip.
This is very different than someone lying to you about wanting to practice English, innocently suggesting going to a tea house, and then being handed a bill at several thousand percent above the going rate for tea. THAT is a scam.
Your examples are merely tourist traps, IMO.