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When I was going to Beijing for the first time, I did not even research scams. China is one of the safest places on earth, so it wasn’t really a priority of mine. This short story will prevent you from falling for this scam in Beijing.
Please note: this is more so a “trick” or a “trap”. It was completely my fault. You can count on being extremely safe on your trip to China.
When you’re in China, tons of locals will come up and talk to you and see if you speak English. Many people have never spoken with a foreigner before, so it gets them really excited to practice their English. (despite the propaganda that says China hates outsiders)
So when I was walking down the pedestrian street in Wangfujing, it happened again. It was extremely normal, it was just another nice guy. He mentioned he was a teacher in another providence and he came to Beijing to bring some art back to his students.
He said he was going to the museum and I should check it out if I’m heading that way. It was on the way back to my hotel actually, so I said sure just show me where it is, I was heading that way anyway. I was not pressured into anything, it was my own choice. He was not pushy or aggressive.
The Calligraphy Scam
We approached a normal office building that had a rinky dink sign saying “art museum” in English with an arrow pointing inside. At this point, I knew exactly what was coming so I immediately became annoyed. He clearly noticed my mood change so was explaining to me that China was very safe so don’t be alarmed.
It was gritty on the outside, but it was basically just offices. I did not feel in danger at all, but if you’re a solo female traveler, you likely would not have entered. There were people walking around and taking the elevators, he just had a rented space.
As we walked inside, it was a tiny room with some very cool art pieces. 99% not real, but still cool. He explained the history and meaning behind a few of them. Like I said, he was friendly, not your average tout.
My eyes wander and I see the weChat and Alipay QR codes of course. If you are unfamiliar, everything in China is on Alipay. I accepted defeat and realized how much effort he put into this trick, so I bought something small.
He wanted $25…I laughed and said no way. Even $10 was way too much, but that’s what I gave him….I’ve spent much worse money in my life. We proceeded back down the elevator and parted ways.
I don’t recommend adding this scam to you Beijing itinerary. Is this technically a SCAM? For China, yes. For other countries, no. In other countries, there are real scams to worry about. This is more so just an elaborate, more advanced tout trick.
Is This Common in Beijing?
Later that day, I headed down the same street to get hot pot. I hear a voice say “hello!! Nice to meet you….I am a calligraphy teacher!”
I smirked and said “oh really!” and listened to the same script LOL.
Outside of these two experiences, I never saw or heard a tout. So my answer would be NO, you will have an amazing time in Beijing, China. If someone asks you about art or calligraphy, just laugh to yourself and say No Thanks.