Many fake companies in Shanghai

by **horsemandk** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 2:06 am

Many foreigners get help from local Chinese, who offer to help you without a proper license. This of course destroys legal business and also sends off a signal to other Chinese that it's OK to do this kind of thing.
Some companies have recorded a 30-40% drop in turnover because of these illegal operations and thus had to increase their price!

What to look out for:
1. Ask for their business license number, if they don't have one, well you should know.
2. If they only offer a cell phone number something is cooking in the corners.
3. They might help you find an apartment but they make bundles from the landlord and the real estate agency (this is why rental prices seem to go up for expats)
4. If you can get a drivers license without taking a test, think twice.
5. Visas without signing a contract
6. Ayi services where you have to pay the ayi directly
7. Drivers services without a legal contract and insurance, if you have kids, well, you asked for it if something happens.

Things that can happen and happens all the time:
1. Drivers license scam
2. Visa scams where the visa is issued based on an illegal contract
3. Ayi services that are illegal and if spotted, deportation!
4. Foreigners loured into investing in a JV, which by the way is fake
5. Cooperation without a contract, something goes wrong and you're the one to be blamed.
6. A job without a written contract, which is required by law now!
7. Accidents where you have no insurance or the company helping you has no insurance, well, this is where you bring out your wallet and pay with a smile.

The most common illegal offered services include but are not limited to:
Drivers license
Visas and Visa extensions
Ayi Services
Apartment hunting
Real estate agents
JV offerings
Jobs without contracts
Car and driver without proper license and insurance
Tour guides
Language schools
Plane tickets (many foreigners payed for something they never got)
Electronics without proper "Fa Piao", which means no warranty!

Last but not least, you're the one to be blamed because you're the foreigner, who's supposed to know - would you do it back home?

by **Andreas** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 2:42 am

You better turn it around and make a list of what is not fake, illegal, or morally doubtful in this country. You would end up with a list of which you could count the items on one hand.
Peoples Republic of:

A) Cheats
B) kitties
C) Corrupt bastards
D) All of the above