Caution about free trip offers

[enceeno]

Back in January, my chinese tingli teachers approached me and said she knew a collegue/person that wanted to meet me concerning an issue.

She introduced me to this guy who proceeded to offer to me a free trip to Kaifeng, Henan Province. The reason of the trip was to go and visit some sites there, do a survey/test (he was using these terms interchangeably) so that they can know what our western opinions are of these places. They being he and his friend who works for a travelism company (although in Kaifeng the guy he introduced to us said he was from kaifeng's travelism beareau). If we did okay on this test then they would take us to the Shaolin Temple which was in the same province. But first we had to take a couple of English comprehension tests here in Beijing that he provided, to ensure he was taking capable westerners. At one point, I remembered him asking me if I knew any people who had exceptional english, eg a English teacher would be best

We went to kaifeng, but when it came to writing the test, we declined. We left on our own back to Beijing because we felt like the whole thing was sketchy from the start. For example, the 1st day there we didn't even see the sites that he wrote down on his schedule for us. Also, I found out that my tingli teacher was his GF/fiance. He himself isn't a guy I would trust so much, he just seemed like the scheming type. There were other pieces of sketchy information...but on the whole we didn't trust what was going on. Who knows, they may have wanted us to take a english test in place of some people, which has been known to happen.

Now because we left without doing their survey/test, I still dont' 100% know if it was all legitimate or not. I did meet him when we got back in which he proceeded to try to convince me that it was, and how bad I should feel for leaving him with the bill of our trip.

What I learned from this: no matter who refers the person...BEFORE THE TRIP ask for a BUSINESS card so you can find out for yourself who they are. I think getting a formalized schedule of events in English, or what their purpose in English, or at least having a chinese friend look over it if it is in chinese is not too much to ask for. Having a chinese friend there to clarify anything would be best.

I just think that if it too good to be true, then maybe it is. We were pretty cautious, maybe overly, but I dont' regret it. He said he is having another one of these "trips" to yunnan province in May. He may approach you especially if you are a native English Speaker (he didn't invite any non english speaking westerners).

If you know of any other similar situations or any advice please feel free to post.

[djwebb2004]

Be careful about using the Internet to name individuals; I would certainly object if I were named on Internet forums.

Nothing bad seems to have happened to you - even if the full purpose of the trip was not realized.

[adrianlondon]

Don't think it's anything to do with BNU; just a standard "be a laowai for a day!!" scam by someone who happens to be a teacher there ;)

[enceeno]

I agree it does not have to do with the university, but it happened on campus so it has to do with the community of people here at BNU...

My purpose was only to raise awareness for people here at BNU and future students...

[adrianlondon]

I don't know whether you're someone I know (enceeno?) but friends of mine, also at BNU, had a very similar experience.

I was just saying that it could happen anywhere ;)

[enceeno]

djwebb2004,

Thanks for the caution of yours, and I would not normally name a person..but this person I felt should be named so if somebody was approached by him..they would be cautious...

yes, nothing may bad may have seemed to happen..but we did lose a whole weekend of our time..that was not good

[roddy]

I'm not convinced. You don't seem to have anything solid to demonstrate anything dodgy was going on - you 'felt' it was sketchy, he 'seemed' like the scheming type, but as far as I can see he took you to Kaifeng as promised and then you left before fulfilling your side of the bargain. Personally I don't think you've given enough info to justify naming the guy and effectively identified his girlfriend, and if you are going to do so I think you need to at least give some actual facts on what did / didn't happen, and tell the guy where you've posted the info so he has right of reply.

[gato]

The reason of the trip was to go and visit some sites there, do a survey/test (he was using these terms interchangeably) so that they can know what our western opinions are of these places. If we did okay on this test then they would take us to the Shaolin Temple which was in the same province.

But first we had to take a couple of English comprehension tests here in Beijing that he provided, to ensure he was taking capable westerners.

We went to kaifeng, but when it came to writing the test, we declined. We left on our own back to Beijing because we felt like the whole thing was sketchy from the start.

You took TWO English tests in Beijing and then were asked to do another written test after arriving in Kaifeng?

It sounds odd. What were the tests like?

[Lu]

The thing with China is that sometimes when it seems dodgy, it is, but sometimes it's perfectly legitimate. I agree with Roddy that nothing bad or wrong seems to have happened, except this man not taking you to the places he promised to take you.

I was an extra in a tv series once, the guy who arranged that took me and two friends to Tianjin, put us in a hotel, took us to the set etc etc. We didn't know anything about this guy except his name, and we took his word that we were indeed going to be in this series (which we didn't even know the title of), and that he would pay us. No proof, no contract, and in the end we were filmed and then paid, just like he promised. Sometimes, this is just how it works.

BEFORE THE TRIP ask for a BUSINESS card so you can find out for yourself who they are.

As anyone can get a business card made with any name and information on it he wants, I doubt this is of much use if someone seriously wants to scam you.

[djwebb2004]

I had a "sketchy" trip too - but I didn't think of posting about it on the Internet. It consisted of the following:

I met a rich Chinese man who paid for return plane tickets for me to go to his hometown during the spring Festival for 2 weeks. The deal was I prepared English lessons for him every day, and He put me up in a 4 star hotel with an INternet connection etc. I got there, he never had time to study English - claiming to be too busy with one of his numerous girlfriends in the room next door. Instead I was taken around all his relatives and asked to speak English to all his 5 year old cousins and nephews. I was living in good conditions in a 4 star hotel and spending nothing, but in fact I was spending most of the day waiting for him, and in fact spending 20 hours a day in my hotel room. He came at 11.30 to take me to his parents' house for lunch followed by one hour fo English practice for a little relative, and then back to the hotel. Then in the evening, he came to take me to lunch, often to very sumptuous surroundings, followed by visiting a relative to talk to a little child again, and then at about 7pm back to the hotel room until 11.30am the next day...

During the trip, it transpired he wanted me to move to his hometown, he would open an Englishs chool and let me be director, and his mother wanted to find me a Chinese girlfriend (which I wouldnt't want). In the meantime, driving round town, he continually emphasized how important he was: he told me if I ever sued him I would be in big trouble as the local officials are his friends (all this because we drove past a court house), and also that he had fights every month, and just paid off the people he injured. In the end, I wondered whether I should stay there for t he full 2 weeks or not. I was being dragged round like a trophy foreigner, so after 8 days I asked to go home early, and he paid for afull price plane ticket for me.

I am not sure if I conned him by going home early after he spent so much. So I had a sketchy trip too -but I didn't name names, as nothing happened to me, and in China some of these strange occurrences are completely innocent...

[enceeno]

Obviously I have offended some people here for naming the guy, and I apologize if I have offended you. I will consider it more carefully the next time I post a thread.

Convinced or not about this event, I think I've learned a few things from it and this thread...thanks for the constructive replies given

[roddy]

I don't think you've offended anyone, but you admit yourself you aren't 100% on whether it was legit or not and personally under those circumstances I wouldn't post identifying information, certainly not without giving the guy the chance to give his version of events.

I've edited specific names out of the original post - it can stand as a general 'beware of anyone bearing gifts' warning. Basically, if someone offers you something of any value for free, you're going to pay for it at some point.