Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

[diamonds24]

If it is any consolation, I have been done by this scam twice, and a few close times on top of that, although I never lost more than $100.
The second time, on my second trip, I was really pissed as I had taken precautions to see if it was a scam, such as making sure the room wasn't lockable from the outside. So when the trap was set I thought to force my way out, being a well built tall man against only 2 not as big guys. But they managed to trip me and I fell on a glass which shattered sending chards through my hand.
I needed medical help, but only knew in Mandarin how to ask for police. Thinking Chinese emergency services are integrated (they are not) I got someone to get the police.
The bar owner (different from the scammers) was called into the police and they agreed to pay up any money I paid plus some for treatment. Of course both me and them were interested in telling a not so honest story. Eventually the police got the pub people to take me to the hospital (how fucking stupid are they) but the people were honest about it and were helpful to me (of course the thugs were not there and they said they never existed). So money wise I only lost a bit because I later went to a overseas doctors medical centre to check what the hospital had done, but having a wounded hand the whole trip was a shit (try using chopsticks left handed for a taste of what I had to put up with).
The scam seems to be spreading, and on top of many other scams, there seems to be a similar one in Vietnam.
In more remote Chinese places, the girls who you meeet on the street will take you to non-scamming places, but it is your guess which ones are real. Safest just to have them in your hotel room.

 

[CatDad]

Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

After about a dozen trips to shangai and have been pulled into one "tea ceremony" scam myself, NEVER EVER go with a girl or guy somewhere. If the girl is not keen to go back to your hotel room to start the hanky panky right away, then there's a 99% chance you are being set-up.

I would avoid CL altogether.....the pics of the girls are never "like the one in the photo."

BTW, to my luck the night I was conned by a sweet friendly girl and her "brother" to go into a tea ceremony in some alley behing the Bund, I only carried RMB 100 and left all my other cash and credit cards in my hotel room which was 30-40 minutes cab ride away. I lost the 100, but they let me go as they were not interested in a 60-80 minute round trip cab ride to my hotel to collect the other 2,000 that they told me I owed.

 

[Rock Or Something]

Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

the number one rule is beware of all approaches by the 'natives' even foreigners the 'would you help me practice my english' 'would you like to see my paintings'
invariably lead to visists to tea houses / art galleries or other establishments. The invitation to a bar or to meet some 'nice' girls are also to be avoided.

Best read is http://wikitravel.org/en/Common_scams

Of course there are the girls you really want to meet and you neeed to make a judgement as to whether the approach is what you want or a scam, as to a failsafe method to distinguish these I do not know.

teltel

 

[Jim S]

Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

Take a look at this report in the Shanghai-section.
http://www.worldsexguide.com/forum/showthread.php?35422-Total-flop-on-SE-end-of-Nanjing-Road
You can translate it 1:1 to Beijing.
There are more reports similar to mine.

And thanks, ouyanw for your report. Good of you to have had the nerve and "out" yourself as victim!
Some wiseasses around here might comment about how stupid all this is, but your report is just another warning. Thanks again!

Best regards,

Concerned

 

[Missfit_?.]

Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

teltel- tell me more about the art/english student scams. knowing is half the battle right?

 

[Pompal 09.]

Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

This is a 'standard' scam im Beijing, variations are the tea house scam and art student/english student scams

The moral of the story is do NOT go where you don't know

teltel

 

[quakiss]

Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

I don't think you were in much danger of getting beat up. It's all about intimidation.
I had the same thing happen to me years ago before I knew better, and I told them I wanted to get the police involved because I didn't think the bill was fair or legal. I ended up settling for about $50 and telling the girl go go fuck herself. Violent crime is dealt with harshly in China and it's not like they could pick up their bar and run away with it.

 

[xmanconti]

Craigslist scam under "Casual Encounters" section

Hi Everyone-
Long time reader and first time post on China. I just got back from a trip to China where I stopped in Beijing for a few days. I want to share with everyone a story that happened to me where I got scammed in a pretty elaborate plot I thought and serve as warning to all you who may be thinking of entertaining a similar situation.

About 2 months ago, I was browsing under Casual Encounters section on CL Beijing hoping to find some "side" action in case I was bored. I probably replied to about 4 or 5 ads. I think all but 1 replied but most of them seemed like porn sites, escorts etc. One particularly stood out because the email was from what seemed like a normal girl; telling me about herself, work, interest etc. We emailed each other back and forth a few times and even exchanged pics. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as the pics were supposedly of her; they were not sexual or revealing in any way. She wasnt even that hot, I would say cute with a nice body. Her name was "Shuang Shuang."

Anyways I told her I would be in BJ in a few weeks for business and if she wasnt busy maybe we could grab a drink or do lunch or something. She seemed to be up for that and gave me her #. When I got to BJ I was extremely busy but shot her a text that I was in town. She did reply right away in that she understood if I was too busy but would love to meet up & had some free time at night to grab drinks. The day before I left I called her and agreed to meet in a pretty crowded area in BJ. BTW I am Chinese American and can speak mandarin fluently but cannot read. When I left my hotel to meet her, I gave my phone to the taxi driver to get exact location.

20 minutes later I get to the destination and there she was, waiting for me in front of some store she said she would be at. My first thoughts were that she resembled the girl in the pic but not exactly. In the pic she had short hair but in real life she had long. The 1st question I asked her was just that and she said the pics were from a year ago where she did have short hair and decided to let it grow. That shouldve been the 1st sign but I gave her the benefit of the doubt.

We walked around for a while and this girl seemed pretty friendly. She had just moved to BJ about a year ago for work and basically gave me her story which seemed pretty reasonable. After a while we decided to get a drink but not knowing the area at all, I asked to her to recommend a place. We saw a bar in an alley and she suggested grabbing a drink there. The place looked quite shady so I said lets pass and find somewhere else. That shouldve been the 2nd sign. Anyways we walked around for a bit and she didnt seem to know the area that well either. Eventually we stumbled across another alley that seemed to have several bars and there were people around the area so she suggested we give it a try. I said why not and we went in one of them.

The place (I forget the name) seemed like a normal Chinese pub. There were some patrons there and bartender gave us a menu and prices seemed reasonable. I ordered a beer for 50RMB and she ordered a glass of wine for 60RMB. She also ordered some snacks (peanuts and sunflower seeds) and a pot of tea. Everything was going well and before I knew it 1 drink led to 3 which led to a few more. It seemed that this girl was getting tipsy and started acting clumsy and stupid. We kissed a few times and I could tell she was into me. Of course I was getting a bit buzzed and thinking I can probably take this girl home. Finally decided to get going and when the tab came it was about 3500RMB!! (~ $550USD). I was like WTF and asked for a complete breakdown. Bartender itemized every charge which included a shitload of charges. The snacks were like $40 USD each and pot of tea was ridiculous amt as well. He charged me the bottle (~$250) for the wine because they said they opened the bottle just for us. There was also a 15% Service fee on top. I started to get pissed and even asked for the bottle. He gladly gave it to me and said it was mine to finish if I pleased.

I knew about stories like this and if I didnt pay they would surround me with gangsters until I paid. I decided the best situation for me was to pay it and call it a night to avoid any issues. The girl even tried to calm me down & suggested I pay the tab because there could be guys in the back ready to harm "us" if we didnt pay. She said "us". She even offered to chip in but after thinking about it, I thought the best solution was to pay it and get the fuck out of there. So while I paid the tab I noticed her chug the rest of the bottle of wine.

When we left, she was obviously drunk and get apologizing for taking me to that place. She was like I didnt their set up was like that and didnt realize they would rip us off etc etc. She couldnt walk well and I had to hold her up. Eventually she had to sit down to rest a bit. Then she's like I have to pee and get some water or else she was gonna throw up. Right across the street there was another bar; she said she needed to go in and use their bathroom. So off we went and she told me to wait at the bar while she went to the bathroom and asked me to order her some tea. So I did and bartender starts to make the tea and brings out a glass of wine. I said I didnt order this and he said your girl ordered it for you on her way to the bathroom.

Thats when it hit me!! I said no thanks and they said we already opened the bottle!! The girl came back and I was like lets get the fuck out of here. The bartender said I had to pay the tab which was another $300USD!! I had to pay for the tea, the bottle of wine and the serice charge. Pretty soon 2 or 3 more dudes came out. I was basically forced to pay otherwise I think they wouldve kicked my ass. I reluctantly pay it but at this time Im fucking pissed off and tell the girl lets go back to my hotel. I guess I was still thinking I could get laid.

She starts acting up, saying shes too drunk to walk; saying she wants to sleep on the street and that I should stay with her. I said no, lets go back and she refuses causing a scene. Finally I realized, that none of the events that happened this night were by chance. It was all seforum.xxxed. She was in on it from the beginning. She had orchestrated the entire set up. The first shady bar was to be the original target but since I passed she had to go to other options. The bar that we actually went to, she also was in on it. She pretended like she had no idea and offered to chip in was all a scam and to gain my trust.. This led her to be able to get me to go into that last bar. She knew it was late and tried to squeeze as much out of me as she could. She knew by acting drunk it would get me to stay with her with the hopes of sex later and she knew that was her upper edge.

That moment of clarity hit me like a ton of bricks. All of a sudden I realized I was in fucking Beijing and that the fact I was still unmarmed was pretty amazing. Ive heard stories of tourists getting drugged, robbed, beaten, kidnapped and even the urban legends like getting your organs harvested. So, with most of my money gone,I took off and let this dirty, lying fucking twat lie in street where she pretended to have been passed out drunk. Im sure as soon as I left she got up with no issues and went back to the 2 bars to collect her earnings.

I guess reflecting back I am happy that I wasnt hurt and I only loss about $1,000USD. Of course I felt fucking retarded afterwards but hey, lesson learned. Ive been all throughout Asia and have always been mindful of scams and smart enough to avoid them. This time, I definitely got it good.

Readers- sorry for such a long post but I thought I should share this with all of you so you can avoid what I did. You guys probably think I was stupid as well but when we are fucked up, people do dumb shit. I have this girls pictures, email address and phone numbers if you are interested. You can always email me for this detail. Dont let it happen to you!!!