East China - Shanghai

[QUOTE=NorthSouth;1760147]I really do not share Hobbiest1's negative opinion of Shanghai. I have mongered in a good number of places around the world as well and I found the quality / price ratio in Shanghai to be unequaled.

As a matter of fact, I am seriously thinking of hinting to my boss that I may be willing to stay on this "hardship" assignment in Shanghai when it ends in 2 years (And how about a raise if I stay on in Shanghai, boss? You know it is hard to be a expat).

If I cannot swing that, I am putting Shanghai at the top of the list of my vacation spots, and want to do two trips here each year (unless LE turned Shanghai into a moribund Dongguan.).[/QUOTE]I am not all that experienced but if I could be anywhere in the world right now it would be at Bodi spa. I am sure there are better options but Bodi spa worked for me.

[QUOTE=SimonWagstaff;1760458]I am not all that experienced but if I could be anywhere in the world right now it would be at Bodi spa. I am sure there are better options but Bodi spa worked for me.[/QUOTE]Ditto here, Bodi and SiYuan usually delivers great for me.

I am itching for the ear cleaning massage already. LOL.

After 15 years and about 90 trips to China, I have many great friends, female and male. I base out of SH and travel all of China. I love the scams. When I don't have anything to do I get a bottle of wine and sit outside at Xin Tian Di. I love it when the scammers girls come up and want to practice English. I just play along, sometime an hour or so. Then they get frustrated and leave and another shows ups. Anybody that travels the world should know not to go anyplace with anybody you don't know. Every time I go to the Bund to meet for dinner. Outside when I am waiting I must get hit on 5 times. I just NO or play along, it is hilarious to me to let them think they hooked me. Then I just walk into the restaurant and leave them standing there. I must have ten in my stable in SH. Keep in touch with them all the time on WE CHAT. Always bringing small gifts from US and hardly ever pay for anything. Sometimes they pick up dinner and taxi fares. As in any business, treat your customers and vendors with respect and it pays for itself in the end.

I feel for the guys that are scammed in SH or any other city in the US or the world, but thinking with the "little head" will always get you in trouble. I heading over to SH tomorrow and my problem is that I have three lined up for the first night, two will be disappointed, but will take care of them later in the week.

SNL is a good sight and helps all the "newcomers" , yes they have gotten expensive, . But Cathy is around, Beverly Jones is reliable, RAIN's girls are all reliable. There is a lot out there if you do your research. I have never been to Judy's or Manhattan's, just no need to go through all the hassle. (I am early to bed).

So if your planning a trip to SH, just do your research on another site or other forums like this one. There is plenty of information available to keep you safe and have an enjoyable experience. Thinking you can just get something cheap is just going to get you in trouble, as the saying's goes "you get what you pay for" "if it's too good to be true, it isn't there in the first place". If there were not gullible people out there in the world, there would be no scammers.

There have been so many posts about scammers in this forum and in the Shanghai Daily newspaper it is hard to believe some of you get caught up with them.

One time in the middle east many years ago, I went with two guys in Mercedes to visit a factory, because the businessman I was with knew the owners and didn't want to go, I was on a fact finding, kind of under cover mission. Got in the back seat and drove off. The two guys in front seat said to each other " I wonder how much we can get ransom for the American" . Scared the shit out of me, then they started laughing at me. Taught me a good lesson!

After the acrimonious rant ending with "boycott SCAMHAI", I doubt HB1 saying "see you in September" meant the timing of his next trip here. I think it was his "cute" way of saying goodbye: what high school students say to each other at the end of school year. But it was good for you to offer to point him in the right direction.

Acrimonious rant? Really? REALLY? Sorry but I am not going to lie down and let you and the few others beat me down. As I said, I did nothing wrong. YES! I admit I didnt get the full picture of SH by reading the forum posts. MY BAD and shame on me. Thanks for your compassion :) I also do NOT take back my original comments. Even after I have had over a day to reflect I still wish Shanghai was (or is in the future) wiped off the face of any map. Not just becuase of what happened to me and my friend but boosted because of you and a few (but not all) posters responses.

Here is my analogy of your collective responses. I am a young driver. I don't really know the roads and how to navigate them. ANALOGY HERE. Keep reading. ANALOGY. Yes I have studied enough to pass my exam and get my license but I still lack experience on the roads. SUDDENLY, I CRASH my car. Not because I didn't study but because I just didn't have the background that many other drivers with many years experience have. NOW. And take this to heart. I CRASHED MY CAR. OK?

So what do I get? I get from a few of the complete A-HOLES on this board a total A-HOLE response. Why did you crash your car? Translated, a few have said. Why didn't you study the threads? Its your fault! Really? REALLY? To those that were part of that dialog I say FUCK YOU! No wait. FUCK YOU and your mother. You dicks have zero compassion and I hope that karma comes back to bite your balls off. Because of your responses and the way I was treated in SCAMHAI I say. Thank You. Yes. Thats right. You totally made me reflect. I will NEVER go to Shanghai again and I will let everyone here in the US know what apathetic pricks you all are. Hey I have an idea. How about a tea ceremony? No wait. Lets go to Nanjing road and get MUGGED. Nah. How about the cheap phone switch. No how about the fake currency switch out. No wait. Why on earth would any civilized human being go to Shanghai? Muggings robberies and everything is WAAAAY over-priced including pussy. Pfffttt. I'm done.

[QUOTE=NorthSouth;1760532]After the acrimonious rant ending with "boycott SCAMHAI", I doubt HB1 saying "see you in September" meant the timing of his next trip here. I think it was his "cute" way of saying goodbye: what high school students say to each other at the end of school year. But it was good for you to offer to point him in the right direction.[/QUOTE]

You referred to the website that scammed you was SNL was this NGL? Or SNG (shanghai night life guide). I know for a fact that you would have gotten a reply from Steven.

Can you just clarify who scammed you and did not reply?

At least if you are going to bash a site can you let us know who you wronged you and what happened? At least the right guy gets the whipping. I promise not to say you used the wrong site blah blah, I just want the right person pointed out and for what.

Samcan.

When someone calls you an ass, he may be wrong. When 2 persons call you ass, it may be a coincidence. When everyone in the room calls you an ass, you should shop for a saddle.

I am from the States, and pretty much everyone who responded to you are expats living and working in China, so you can stick your racist ramblings in a place where the sun won't shine. When you look in a dictionary, your picture shows up under "ugly American". Please tell others you are from Remulak instead.

When one meets a brutish, overbearing and obnoxious person, one cut short the encounter as early as possible. The girl who had the misfortune to get you as a john should be commended for staying for 20 minutes.

Yes, you should not come back to SCAMHAI. Good luck with dodging bullets in Tijuana, something you alluded to in your other posts.

[QUOTE=NorthSouth;1760147]I really do not share Hobbiest1's negative opinion of Shanghai. I have mongered in a good number of places around the world as well and I found the quality / price ratio in Shanghai to be unequaled.

As a matter of fact, I am seriously thinking of hinting to my boss that I may be willing to stay on this "hardship" assignment in Shanghai when it ends in 2 years (And how about a raise if I stay on in Shanghai, boss? You know it is hard to be a expat).

[/QUOTE]North, I should try your trick on my boss. There are a few mongering heavens in the world I would sure like to find an excuse to visit more often. I hope Shanghai will join the club after my visit.

[QUOTE=Marty47;1760517]After 15 years and about 90 trips to China, I have many great friends, female and male. I base out of SH and travel all of China. I love the scams. When I don't have anything to do I get a bottle of wine and sit outside at Xin Tian Di. I love it when the scammers girls come up and want to practice English. I just play along, sometime an hour or so. Then they get frustrated and leave and another shows ups. Anybody that travels the world should know not to go anyplace with anybody you don't know. Every time I go to the Bund to meet for dinner. Outside when I am waiting I must get hit on 5 times. I just NO or play along, it is hilarious to me to let them think they hooked me. Then I just walk into the restaurant and leave them standing there.

I feel for the guys that are scammed in SH or any other city in the US or the world, but thinking with the "little head" will always get you in trouble.

[/QUOTE]I agree with your post and couldn't help but chuckle. Being prepared sure helps. I got scammed in Vegas once, and then read about how common that scam was a week later and really felt stupid. But that experience helped prepare me for 'scam sniffing'. For instance, first time I visited Istanbul (another scammers paradise) I was much better prepared and laughed off the myriads of scams thrown at me.

That said, it is still impossible to be 100% scam proof.

[QUOTE=Hobbiest1;1759879]After I got scammed a couple times I used a site I thought was solid. SNL. NOPE! I had a girl come over to my hotel. She showed up, showered and left all within 20 minutes. I let the SNL guy know but he never even bothered to respond back to me. Don't use SNL. [/QUOTE]Nothing personal but the Shanghai Nightlife Guide is about promoting it's clients. They are generally overpriced and overage like in most or all Shanghai internet businesses. My only experience with girls from there got me scammed for 2000 rmb. I think newbies like it because it offers them an easy solution.

So to all NEWCOMERS TO SHANGHAI. Read this forum to get the benefit of the experience that guys who know the place have. Instead of expecting it all to be brought to your hotel room on a platter go out and enjoy yourself. But be careful of course. Everything on a street is a dangerous scam. That is why they are on the street.

[QUOTE=Marty47;1760517]
SNL is a good sight and helps all the "newcomers" , yes they have gotten expensive, . But Cathy is around, Beverly Jones is reliable, RAIN's girls are all reliable. [/QUOTE]Or you could read the forum and have a great time with a beautiful 20 year old Chinese girl for 300 rmb (tourist price. Just pay it or she'll cry).

Since you called me a whinger for commenting on the advertising on this site last year I noticed no one has dared to open their mouths about it.

This forum used to be better. You could trust it and believe it. No one was trying to sell you anything.

Due to the city being the capital, it is completely safe and scam-free. Compared to Shanghai, the air tastes crisp, the areas with BBS' are well marked and the police have been taught to treat expatriates with respect as we are valuable guests and should not be messed with. The Beijing board is much more lively with much more rich intel so you don't need to deal with scandalous middle men with overpriced milfs.

So forget that number two city, come to where the real action is. Beijing.

[QUOTE=Hobbiest1;1760689]Acrimonious rant? Really? REALLY? Sorry but I am not going to lie down and let you and the few others beat me down. As I said, I did nothing wrong. YES! I admit I didnt get the full picture of SH by reading the forum posts. MY BAD and shame on me. Thanks for your compassion :) I also do NOT take back my original comments. Even after I have had over a day to reflect I still wish Shanghai was (or is in the future) wiped off the face of any map. Not just becuase of what happened to me and my friend but boosted because of you and a few (but not all) posters responses.

Here is my analogy of your collective responses. I am a young driver. I don't really know the roads and how to navigate them. ANALOGY HERE. Keep reading. ANALOGY. Yes I have studied enough to pass my exam and get my license but I still lack experience on the roads. SUDDENLY, I CRASH my car. Not because I didn't study but because I just didn't have the background that many other drivers with many years experience have. NOW. And take this to heart. I CRASHED MY CAR. OK?

So what do I get? I get from a few of the complete A-HOLES on this board a total A-HOLE response. Why did you crash your car? Translated, a few have said. Why didn't you study the threads? Its your fault! Really? REALLY? To those that were part of that dialog I say FUCK YOU! No wait. FUCK YOU and your mother. You dicks have zero compassion and I hope that karma comes back to bite your balls off. Because of your responses and the way I was treated in SCAMHAI I say. Thank You. Yes. Thats right. You totally made me reflect. I will NEVER go to Shanghai again and I will let everyone here in the US know what apathetic pricks you all are. Hey I have an idea. How about a tea ceremony? No wait. Lets go to Nanjing road and get MUGGED. Nah. How about the cheap phone switch. No how about the fake currency switch out. No wait. Why on earth would any civilized human being go to Shanghai? Muggings robberies and everything is WAAAAY over-priced including pussy. Pfffttt. I'm done.[/QUOTE]

Hi guys, this place is to help bro's to find opportunities and stay free from problems:

I can second Marty's elder statesman general very good advice.

Take all with a grain of salt!

About HB's outbreak: HB, can you give a short sober summary what happened please, so all guys here can benefit. AND do not give the lady's name in public, please!

Thanks and look forward to get any specific contacts via PM.

Gregory.

I will take Gregory be's advice as he and I have exchanged PMs in the past and he has helped me the most. First, I will appologize for offending any board members with my comments and don't really wish to keep the fruitless exchange going. The spirit of this board isto help one another and that was truely my original intent. To notify others of my bad experiences in Shanghai. I will summarize again for everyone now.

1. First night I went to Judys at 1:30 AM and there were many 7's but nothing above. I pulled a very nice girl from Vietnam for 1,000 rmb to stay from 4 am - 7 am.

2. Next I went to Hangzhou and didn't really get the feel that there was many freelancer bars like Judys so I ordered a few girls from Backpage which always has its issues but it was convenient. No issues but way overpriced at 1,300 rmb / HR.

3. Last night () Thursday) in Hangzhou went to Westlake to a bar that was pretty cool with live music. That was Thursday didn't see any freelancers. Had to get in 5 cabs before one understood how to get to my hotel. This really sucked and was very frustrating.

4. Friday arrived in Shanghai and didn't do much because of the weather so my buddy and I had a very expensive (2,000 rmb) dinner.

5. Saturday. SCAM Day! First went to Peoples Park and a few people tried the tea ceremony scam on us but since I did some (evidently very little) home work I was keen to this one. Next went shopping on Nanjing road. Didn't find a lot of stuff so on way back to hotel a lady stopped and asked if she could help us find stuff. She seemed nice / innocent enough so we took her up on the offer. She took us to a bunch of places and we got all the souveniers we set out for. Over the course of a few hours she gained our trust. My mistake I guess. Then she suggests if we want a nice cold beer and some ladies she knows just the place. She took us to some hole in the wall place (coffee and beer bar) and that's where my buddy got robbed of 17,000 rmb by 4 thugs - 1 with a gun. You can read my post on here from a week ago that details our "lesson". No "SCAM DAY" would be complete without a visit from one of Steve's girls (Shanghai Nightlife Guide). She stayed 20 minutes although I paid for 1 hour. I have RTFF and understand the protocol of pay at the end. I get it. You have to put yourself in my shoes and understand that I don't want any trouble so I was not going to bargain with her. Especially after the day I had at the "lady bar".

6. Sunday. I got another girl from some website (can't remember name of site). After all the crap from Sunday neither I nor my friend were going to go out so I "ordered in". Actually we were headed out to dinner and stopped into a hotel next to radison Blu and the guy at the hotel said the area was not safe for us to walk around and to just eat dinner in the hotel.

7. Monday. Ordered in same girl from Sunday.

8. Tues, Weds. Nothing spectactular. Stll not going out. To this point I have had Chinese food every day and pretty tired of it so I went to the big mall on the Bund where there is a Hooters and went there for my final night.

Overall, I had an 'OK' time but even though I RTFF and am a veteran worldwide monger I got scammed and felt I had to watch my back at all times. I do NOT speak Chinese so that was very frutrating to just get a cab and get around. There are many places that I have been including Germany FKKs and I have to say I am looking forward to my return to Germany in a few weeks and DREADING my next trip to Shanghai in September.

Again, I will refrain from any more negative comments and I hope this very lucid (sober) account helps someone who is new to Shanghai.

Gregory. Thank you for your assistance!

H1.

[QUOTE=GregoryB;1760744]Hi guys, this place is to help bro's to find opportunities and stay free from problems:

I can second Marty's elder statesman general very good advice.

Take all with a grain of salt!

About HB's outbreak: HB, can you give a short sober summary what happened please, so all guys here can benefit. AND do not give the lady's name in public, please!

Thanks and look forward to get any specific contacts via PM.

Gregory.[/QUOTE]

I have read in a number of posts about rip offs that resulted in situations where there were physical danger. The thugs had demanded the marks to sign for credit card charges, and as soon as the victims escaped to safety, they called the credit card companies to stop payments. Did that work? Do credit card companies actually cancel those transactions. ?

I guess the lessons may be:

1. do not fall for baits that result in you being robbed in a place where you cannot get help.

2. if canceling the credit card transaction is always possible, just pay whatever they asked for by credit card so you get out of physical danger, and then call the credit card companies to notify them. Don't even spend that much time to talk down the amount (Maybe haggle just a little bit to appear that they will get that money). You want to get out of there, fast.

But I am not sure how easy it is to try to stop payment, or the thugs will not be asking you to sign for a bill with credit card. They will take all your cash and valuables.

I also read when police was notified of the robbery, they helped to recover the cash taken in several occasions. Is that generally true, or those were not so frequent exceptions?