Question 1

What is the "Silk factory bait-and-switch overcharge" scam in Suzhou?

Accepted Answer

At large silk showrooms aimed at tour groups, a short 'how silk is made' demonstration leads into an aggressive QVC-style sales floor with limited-time bundles. Tourists report items priced around US$50 ringing up at over US$300 on the card, 'pure silk' bedding that turns out to be satin or only 5% mulberry silk with polyester filling, and contents swapped between packing and pickup. Sea-freight orders have failed to arrive with dead tracking numbers. Watch the price total on the card terminal before tapping, refuse bundled 'today only' deals, and check labels for silk content and fill. Carry purchases yourself rather than accepting shipping, and cross-check prices on Taobao before buying anything costly.

Question 2

What is the "Tampered QR-code payment sticker" scam in Suzhou?

Accepted Answer

With Alipay and WeChat Pay used everywhere, scammers paste their own QR code over a vendor's legitimate one at stalls and small shops, so your payment lands in a stranger's account. Fast pop-up stalls in busy tourist lanes are the prime spot, and a scanned code can also open a fake pay page. Confirm the payee name shown after scanning matches the shop before approving, and prefer letting the vendor scan your code instead. Be wary of loose stickers and don't scan random codes handed to you.

Money & ATM Scams in Suzhou

Silk factory bait-and-switch overcharge

Tampered QR-code payment sticker

Experienced a scam here?