Beware the students

One of the most common scams in Beijing today involves young Chinese tertiary students who approach Western-looking tourists around Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Wangfujing Shopping Street under the guise of wanting to practice their English. They'll mention that they are on a break from a part-time job at a nearby exhibition of traditional Chinese art. Naturally, "today is the show's last day", and before you can say "bu yao" ("no") you'll find yourself at said exhibition, pressured to buy at overly-inflated prices, of which they get a cut.

Another popular scam also sees these people offer to take visitors to a nearby Teahouse, Restaurant, or Karaoke bar for an ‘authentic’ local experience. Once you have enjoyed your tea, the chat, and the accompanying entertainment you’ll be presented with an expensive bill, sometimes totaling US$200-500. Be suspicious of any local person in these areas who approaches you looking for a chat or wanting to take you somewhere. If not entirely sure of the bona fides of your invitee, a good tip is to suggest another ‘safer’ location — say Starbucks — and you’ll quickly discover if they are indeed legit. Ironically, in Chinese culture when someone invites you somewhere often they will pick up the bill – don’t be afraid to ask upfront ‘do I have to pay and how much will this cost?’

Cash is king

Cash is still king in China and often at the bank you'll see people with huge wads. China has few denominations of its paper money — the highest being the 100CNY note. The reason is simple — counterfeiting has been a huge problem here. If you change money at banks you'll be sure your cash is legit, but keep an eye on the change handed to you in markets and small stores, and absolutely be wary of changing money with people on the street. Not only is this illegal, but you may be completely duped. And don't be personally offended at shops if you present a 100 or 50CNY note and the sales assistant goes over it with a fine-tooth comb.

Everyone loves a knock-off

Everyone loves a knock-off and the Chinese have mastered the art of copying — you'll see it in everything from cigarettes to cars. But buyer, beware: low prices too often mean poor quality. DVDs are an especially popular buy, with an enormous range of titles from current blockbusters to old favourites, all on sale for less than a dollar. But buy that big hit that only began in cinemas yesterday, and chances are, you'll get home to find it's a camera-in-the-cinema job with poor sound, picture and subtitles.

To tip or not to tip?

One of the big questions that confronts visitors when they arrive in China is to tip or not to tip. Amazingly, in a country with generally excellent service, tipping is not common, with the exception of top-notch hotels and restaurants. The problem is that "tip-happy" Americans are now influencing many tour operators in China that deal with foreigners, and they now expect and sometimes request tips. If this situation arises and you feel a bit miffed, politely tell your guide that you know tipping is not customary in China and you'll tip when and if you feel it is justified.

Next: Where the locals dine

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