Scams, annoyances, and safety: the honest risk picture

First, the headline: China is one of the safest countries you can travel in. Violent crime against tourists is vanishingly rare, solo female travelers report fewer problems than in Europe, and cities are bright and busy at 2am. The annoyances that remain are mostly financial and small.

The scams that still exist (a short list)

1. The teahouse / English-practice scam (Beijing, Shanghai). Friendly “students” invite you to practice English, then lead you to a teahouse with a ¥2,000 bill. Decline invitations from overly eager strangers on the street — genuine friendliness usually happens over a shared table, not a destination.

2. The art student / gallery scam. Same shape: “my graduation exhibition is around the corner” → pressure to buy junk art. The moment a stranger has a destination in mind for you, politely exit.

3. Fake monk/beggar circuits. “Monks” who give you a bracelet then demand money. Real monks don’t solicit. Keep walking.

4. The unlicensed taxi tout. Airports and tourist streets. Use the official queue or DiDi (see the arrival guide). Everything with a meter or an app is fine.

5. Overpriced seafood in tourist zones. “Market price” (时价) seafood in some beach/park restaurants. Ask prices before sitting, or eat where menus have printed prices — which is nearly everywhere.

That’s genuinely most of it. The classic scams of other countries (ATM skimming, express kidnapping, police-demanding-passport tricks) are not part of the landscape.

Annoyances (not scams, just friction)

Persistent vendors at tourist sites: a firm “no” (不用，谢谢) and walking on works. Losing your temper doesn’t.
Photo requests: you may be asked for photos, especially outside big cities. It’s friendly curiosity; declining with a smile is fine.
Crowds: China has 1.4 billion people and they all had your idea. Museums on national holidays are a sea. Shift trips off Golden Week (Oct 1–7) and CNY if you possibly can.
Payment limits: hitting a per-transaction wall mid-purchase (see the payment guide’s limits section).
The internet: solved by a roaming eSIM (see the internet guide). Stop worrying about it.

Safety notes that matter

Police: 110 (emergency), and foreign visitors can call 12345 (city services hotline) for non-emergencies — many have English lines in major cities. Hotel front desks will make any call for you.
Hospitals: major cities have international clinics (English-speaking, pricier) attached to top hospitals. Travel insurance with direct billing is worth having; otherwise pay and claim.
Drugs: zero tolerance, including CBD. Don’t.
Politics: skip provocative T-shirts and distributing anything printed; normal photography is fine almost everywhere (military sites and some borders excepted).
Cash emergency: Bank of China ATMs take foreign cards if everything digital somehow fails you.

The meta-rule

Every scam on this list targets your politeness, not your safety. A cheerful refusal — 不用，谢谢 (bú yòng, xièxie) — ends every one of them.