The 'come to a tea shop' scam

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shanghaijack

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Joined: July 12, 2007
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Posted: July 28, 2007 - 01:50 PM
Post subject: The 'come to a tea shop' scam

I've been in Shanghai for about 4 weeks now but today was the first time I'd been into the city alone, and it was a totally different experience.

I'd read about the scam where a group of students approach you and try to get you to pay lots at an expensive tea shop and also a friend who was here before who had suffered it warned me first hand, so I was ultra-cautious.

Sure enough, twice I was approached by a girl/group of girls saying they were from harbin and beijing and trying to get into conversations, and each time there was a guy/group of guys hanging about in the background who was/were later introduced.

The first time I chatted to them for a bi, but told them I had to meet friends in about half an hour, so we chatted for 10 mins or so and exchanged email addresses, and despite them saying they'd been going to go to some cafe I found them in exactly the same place about 25 mins later when I went back through to 'meet my friends'.

The second time I couldn't even be bothered and was fairly blunt, saying I was in a rush or something.

Basically, are they all scammers? Is anyone genuinly interested in chatting and improving their english? I wouldn't mind chilling out in peoples square with some students, I'm just sick of everyone treating me like a walking wallet at the moment! What have people's experiences with students in and around people's square been?