I think the scams are the same throughout China, the borrow your phone, give me money, can you buy me some food, there's loads of them here...

Are there really that many thieves and scammers there?

Ted, you must be new in China. I can't even look at a Chinese person now and NOT wonder how they're trying to scam me.

I'm coming shortly,, on my own,, arrange everything myself,,, can't read or speak Chinese,,,bought my girl friend on Ebay,,,,I was only originanly worried about seeing a cobra

Watch out for the Tea Scam. Someone will approach you, probably a pretty girl or handsome guy, and invite you to a tea house. You'll have your tea and food and when you get your bill it'll be unbelievably expensive. The girl gets a cut and goes out to find the next sucker.

Make sure you always have your phone and wallet somewhere safe. passport too.

Try ur best to be cold, indifferent.
Don‘t talk to strangers, if he/she speaks Chinese, say u cannot speak Chinese, if he/she can speak English tell he/she u r not 'Merican, say some in French or Spanish…… I did that once, he spoke Chinese to me, I replied in English said I cannot understand Chinese, then he talked with me in English, so I spoke Korean…… He just went away……

U will be fine.