China SCAM - Guangzhou & Guilin (Jewels / Monks)

China SCAM - Guangzhou & Guilin (Jewels / Monks)
Jul 5, 2010 22:49
guest47130	Hi, I just wanted to report a jewellery scam that happened to a group of us from Malaysia when we visited China recently (20 June - 1 July 2010). We joined a local a one day tour that has it office in the hotel in Guangzhou which we stayed. Except us (6 foreigners) the rest of the tour members are from China. After visiting one sight-seeing spot, the tour leader separated us from the rest of the china group and arranged for us to join a "private tour". We were bought to a jewellery store and make most welcomed by the "boss" of the store. We were shown beautifully ruby, jade jewelleries and were told b'cos we are "Malaysian" and the his wife is also from M'sia and happened to recently gave birth to a baby boy (the boss of the jewel's store has 3 daughters). Due to this "special occasion", he decided to give us a very special discount for buying the jewelleries. We bought about RMB20,000 worth of jewels. However, we smell something fishy when we enter the van after buying the jewels as we noted the name card given by the store owner has no name of the store nor its address. When we call the store owner we cannot get through. When we reached the hotel, we seek the tour agency boss and informed him we think we have been swindled and asked him why his tour guide bought us to such a shop! Luckily for us, he told us he will be fully responsible as this happened under his tour agency and managed to get our monies back and returned the jewels to the store owner. So, travellers beware.... going to China... don't be tempted nor be greedy! Those swindlers in China is a fantastic salespersons. Also, BEWARE when visiting Temples esp. MONKS in yellow/orange robes... don't accept any thing from them as it will lead to you spending a lot of "RMB" for special prayers, lighting the lotus flowers or freeing the "kui"/tortoises. Sunny Lu (6 July 2010)

Jul 5, 2010 22:49

guest47130

Hi,

I just wanted to report a jewellery scam that happened to a group of us from Malaysia when we visited China recently (20 June - 1 July 2010). We joined a local a one day tour that has it office in the hotel in Guangzhou which we stayed. Except us (6 foreigners) the rest of the tour members are from China.

After visiting one sight-seeing spot, the tour leader separated us from the rest of the china group and arranged for us to join a "private tour". We were bought to a jewellery store and make most welcomed by the "boss" of the store. We were shown beautifully ruby, jade jewelleries and were told b'cos we are "Malaysian" and the his wife is also from M'sia and happened to recently gave birth to a baby boy (the boss of the jewel's store has 3 daughters). Due to this "special occasion", he decided to give us a very special discount for buying the jewelleries. We bought about RMB20,000 worth of jewels.

However, we smell something fishy when we enter the van after buying the jewels as we noted the name card given by the store owner has no name of the store nor its address. When we call the store owner we cannot get through.

When we reached the hotel, we seek the tour agency boss and informed him we think we have been swindled and asked him why his tour guide bought us to such a shop! Luckily for us, he told us he will be fully responsible as this happened under his tour agency and managed to get our monies back and returned the jewels to the store owner.

So, travellers beware.... going to China... don't be tempted nor be greedy! Those swindlers in China is a fantastic salespersons.

Also, BEWARE when visiting Temples esp. MONKS in yellow/orange robes... don't accept any thing from them as it will lead to you spending a lot of "RMB" for special prayers, lighting the lotus flowers or freeing the "kui"/tortoises.

Sunny Lu (6 July 2010)

Jul 6, 2010 15:06	#1
TEXAS80 Points: Join Date: Jun 13, 2010 Status: Offline	Thanks for the tip. All I really want to buy is a big Chinese flag for my sister and a smaller Chinese flag for me. Maybe a replica of one of the skyscrapers or older buildings as well.

Nov 12, 2010 21:20	#2
GUEST33761	Same scam is still being used. In October 2010, I was at Zhangjiajie, China on holiday when the same scam took place. This time the boss had 3 sons, and the wife just gave him 1 daughter. Gave us 90% discount on ruby & jade items... The whole group spent more than RMB 50,000. As I did not buy anything, I cannot comment on the quality of the jewellery that others bought.

Dec 15, 2010 23:50

GUESTGUANGZH...

I too visited a Jewellery shop on 14th Disember. Unknowingly, we too fell into the trap of the 'boss' having 3 daughters with a Malaysian wife from Malacca. He claimed that his wife has just delivered a baby boy the night before and he was feeling over the moon, so he decided to give us a special discount for the items which ranges from RM 200 to Rm 1,000. Many of us fell into the trap, the trays of jewellery were quickly being snapped up. 3 of us used our credit cards and we spent a total of RMB 14,000 (excluding those who used cash).
Upon arrival in Malaysia this morning, I checked into the internet and realised that it was a scam. My hubby phoned the bank to stop the payment as it was still pending.
I wish to warn future tourists to China to be wary of this scam. They are great liars.
Anyway, there are still many places to visit, besides China.

Dec 16, 2010 00:39

GUESTLIUWEI

GUESTGUA...,

I feel pity for your experience. But your experience can not prove that all Chinese are liars. Just be cautious. When the tour guides bring you into a shop, you should be alert. Do not believe all the words said by the tour guides and the shop owners.

I have been to other places in China and I never buy anything in those tourist attractions. The prices are too high and I am not sure if they are authentic.

Feb 9, 2011 21:25

GUEST47758

I just came back from Guilin and we visited this jewelry shop too! I felt suspicious over this too-good-to-be-true deal and try to search the web for more info and came across this forum.

He uses the same baby boy trick; claim that he's over the moon and according his Myanmar culture, he have to give gifts to people so that his baby son will benefit from this thanksgiving. That's the reason why he came to this Guilin branch to give red pockets to his staffs and it so happens that the manager that is suppose to serve us was on leave. Then they acted as if this boss have to give impromptu introduction over this shop but it turns out that day was his first day of becoming a dad and said that he won't be doing business with us and he'll let us know more about jewelries. If we like the items, he'll give huge discounts for us.

And so, he GENEROUSLY gave all of us a red emerald ring and also HUGE discounts on their 'super high grade' jewels. In turn of this great deal, we have to bless his baby son. And of course, we bought a lot from this shop and thought that we are so lucky to have bought the items with a superb deal.

Apr 10, 2012 06:15

GUEST28746

Dear all,

I just back from Guangzhou, China. The tour guide brought us to this so call government shop to have a look on their Jade galleries. So we just follow the group as I told myself we just going to have a look. First a sale girl showed us of some jades that she told out of 4 only 1 is genuine. So suddenly she told us that her boss his coming to see us so we must give her support to show that she did a good job. The boss came in introducing himself as the managing director of the company called himself Ah Long. He said he is super happy as she had 3 wifes and 7 daughters. Yesterday night his wife gave birth to a twin son. First son is save and the 2 nd is inside the incubator due to lack of oxygen. He said he is the owner of the Macau Golden Dragon Casino but told us not to gamble. He told us that the father went to the temple and he need to get blessing for unknown person so that his son will get well. So he professionally showed us on how to test the original jade by scratching the glass and using the equip to test for actual diamond. All of us was amazed. He again good us that he is not open for business today. But for all items in the glass he just told us to give a red packet money about 200 to. 400 RMB. so everyone bought. We we quickly pull by the boss to another section showing better grade A jades. So we bought another RMB 20k worth of jade. However we smell something fishy as i did research and found that the jades doesn't worth that much. So after seeking help for our county tour agent we managed to get the refund. Beware of this scam.

Apr 11, 2012 02:36	#7
RAINDROP Points: Join Date: Aug 24, 2009 Status: Offline	GUEST28746, I am sure that you have learnt a good lesson. Next time you come to China, do not buy anything at the tourist attractions. Things sold there are either low quality or fake.

Apr 11, 2012 06:10	#8
WANHU Points: Join Date: Feb 20, 2007 Status: Offline	Maybe how they promote is very convincing. Wan

Apr 11, 2012 21:46	#9
JIMMYB Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by WANHU Maybe how they promote is very convincing. Wan Yes, otherwise there won't be many tourists who have been cheated. Just open you eyes and never buy anything at the tourist attraction.

Apr 12, 2012 03:08

#10

GUEST42159

China lot of place it scam from Yunnan to Guilin. Jewelry store are big scam telling me a story his grand father 100 yrs birthday. need to give everything away 80% off.
It a tour guy fault taken us to this Fooking place. it ok to sell me the jewelry but it not ok to use a scam telling me a story. folk if you want to travel don't go to China. I been a victim every where. hotel, restaurant, tour guy, free airport pickup even to local people keep chasing you buying thing. I'm very piss going a tour to China.

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