China Travel Forum

[kamal]

If you got off the train in Yichang train station(most probably start from Xi'an at 18.10 and arrive in Yichang at 10.00 am),a thin young man ,the taxi driver with a red culoured taxi "T 1287 ",175cm high with glasses already been waiting for you who would ask you only for five Yuan RMB to take you to the hotel you want. So most of the travellers would think it's ok as there are carring backpacks so they quickly take it,however at that time you had already been ripped off,because not only will he get commission from the hotel,(if you find it by youself,it will be cheaper, for a three star hotel here in Yichang along the river road only 90 to 100 Yuan/night ,standard room for one,two or three beds. Yichang is a very small city with only three main avenues,so it's quite easy for you to find whatever place you want) but also he would use the chance when you were in his taxi to recommend you a cheap boat ticket from Yichang to Chongqing ,that's what he really wanted: as he will get a big bonus from the" special" travel service he took you to.

I'd like to recommand all of you to buy the tickets by youself

[darlin]

i was aware that there have been a couple of attempted scams at the beijing airport (mostly involving the airport tax). i was there like three weeks ago (or was it four weeks ago?) transferring from an international flight to a flight bound for kunming. i had missed my plane so i had to get a new ticket. after that was done, someone wearing what looked almost like a beijing airport uniform/dress, asked me where my next flight was headed. i told him kunming. i usually don't just tell every stranger out there where i am going, but i had been sent back and forth between officials, so for a second there i thought he was one of them. i said i was going to kunming and he said to folllow him. i had all my luggage with me and followed him... for about five steps. then a noticed a few things there were just to weird. a) he was not really wearing what all the other airport officals who had been trying to help me had been wearing b) he was trying to lead me away from the connecting flights and c) he actually opened a door that read anquanchukou and motioned me to follow him throw that door. come one, in what airport do you acutally have to open a door execept for when you use the restroom? so i told him that i wasn't going to come with him, he turned around to look at me and suddenly started running...along with two other folks who had apprently been trailing me. they ran right out the anquanchukou door. what were they running from? 3 REAL airport staff. ok, i guess they tried to rip me off, but what i would like to know is: has anyone out there heard of this scam before? what would have happened?