You and your buddies just arrived in Beijing for a great vacation and want to have a good time. While trying to find out which are the hottest spots in Houhai, you might be approached by people with ‘recommendations’ (they spotted you from far away).

If you hear “Lady bar? Lady bar?” and say yes, this is what will probably happen: you are taken to a ”bar”(most likely on a darker street) where, once you sit down, a couple of girls will come to say hi and hang out. You don’t mind, order a few drinks, but what will also happen soon is that several other cocktails or shooters will come out of nowhere, although you never ordered them.

The girls will drink fast one after another, while the waitress will keep bringing alcohol to your table. When you try to say that those shouldn’t go on your bill, they will hide behind the language barrier and just say short phrases, such as: “tip, tip” or “drink, drink”.

You feel something is fishy and try to get up and leave, but a few massive men will come your way, asking you to pay the $3,000 bill. It is reported that several victims leave these places either: with their credit cards maxed out, without their jackets and jewelry, or beaten up. Several other times, they are escorted the closest ATM machines, to get cash out.

How to avoid: if you are escorted to a “bar” by the referrer himself --that should be your first red flag. Let alone the fact that the street where the bar is located doesn’t have a soul on it. The best spots in a city are always advertised in other ways. However, the scenario above could happen not only in Beijing, but also in any other town or country (especially in Eastern Europe - HUngary, Poland, Romania) – so beware.