Question 1

What is the "Fake Longjing Tea Scam" scam in Hangzhou?

Accepted Answer

Longjing (Dragon Well) tea is Hangzhou's most famous product, and fake or low-grade tea sold as premium authentic Longjing is the city's most prevalent tourist scam. Sellers in shops near West Lake, at tea villages, and along Longjing Road present cheap machine-rolled tea or tea from other provinces as hand-picked, first-flush authentic Longjing, charging prices 10–50 times the actual value. Some sellers show genuine samples but pack a different, inferior product. Purchase Longjing tea only from government-designated stores with official certification, or from the Longjing village cooperative shops with origin labels. Genuine first-grade Longjing is expensive — if the price seems like a bargain, the tea is not authentic. Watch your purchase being packed from the same batch you sampled.

Question 2

What is the "Fake Longjing Tea Plantation Guide Overcharge" scam in Hangzhou?

Accepted Answer

At the Longjing tea plantations in Meijiawu Village and along the Dragon Well Road area, unofficial guides approach tourists offering to explain tea picking and processing. After a walk through the fields and an extended tasting session, they present a bill of 300 to 800 RMB for the guide service and tea consumed, with no price agreed in advance. Some operators use the same inflated-bill structure as tea ceremony scams in city centers but set in a rural plantation environment that makes the transaction feel more legitimate. Agree on all prices in writing before beginning any tea tasting or guided walk. Legitimate Longjing tea farms near Meijiawu post standard prices per gram for their varieties. If a guide approaches you without a price board, politely decline and visit only registered tea farms with visible menus.

Question 3

What is the "Counterfeit Hangzhou Silk Products" scam in Hangzhou?

Accepted Answer

Hangzhou has a historic reputation for silk production, and many tourist-facing shops sell synthetic or blended fabrics labeled as pure Hangzhou silk at genuine silk prices. Machine-printed patterns are presented as hand-woven, and polyester scarves are sold alongside genuine silk without clear distinction. The price gap between genuine and synthetic silk is substantial. Purchase silk only from shops affiliated with the China National Silk Museum or from the Silk City (Zhongguo Sichou Cheng) market where vendors operate under licensed supervision. A genuine silk burn test (silk burns cleanly and smells like hair; synthetics melt and smell chemical) can help verify fiber content. Prices for genuine hand-woven silk are always high.

Question 4

What is the "Art Student Commission Shop Approaches" scam in Hangzhou?

Accepted Answer

Young people claiming to be students at the China Academy of Art (located in Hangzhou) approach tourists near Lingyin Temple and West Lake, showing artwork portfolios and inviting visitors to a private gallery or exhibition nearby. The gallery sells mass-produced prints at vastly inflated prices, with the student earning a commission. Social pressure is applied throughout the visit. Decline invitations from strangers to visit galleries, art shows, or student exhibitions. The China Academy of Art does not organize tourist outreach of this kind. If you want to buy art, visit the museum shops at Zhejiang Provincial Museum or established galleries in the city center.

Street Scams in Hangzhou

Fake Longjing Tea Scam

Fake Longjing Tea Plantation Guide Overcharge

Counterfeit Hangzhou Silk Products

Art Student Commission Shop Approaches

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