How to distinguish the REAL and the FAKE RMB (Renminbi) MONEY Notes VERY IMPORTANT!!! PROTECT YOURSELF 

We all face the same problem of how to distinguish other countries’ currency especially the fake money.

As a frequent traveler and tourist, we are always the victim or the target that local people will cheat us by giving the Fake Money Notes. It is because we will only traveling China for a very short time. Many things we do not how to handle without the help of the right local people. We are not used to the local fraud tactics and the customs. When foreigners need help, there are always problems of translation and interpretation. Therefore we have to have the wisdom to protect ourselves from rip off especially in money matters. For preventing your lost, you also have to check the money you get from the ATM machines.

According to year 2006 information, the ratio of real and fake money is 100:1

 When you spend money in China you can see the local Chinese people doing these four simple steps to distinguish your money notes especially the Hundred Dollars Notes (YUAN). The same STEPS that you can use: “See”, “Touch”, “Hear” and “Testing” (一看、二摸、三聽、四測)  

Step 1: “See” (看)Hold the money Note toward the light and you can see the clear watermark and magnetic micro security thread. You can see a fine printing. 

Step 2: “Touch” (摸)Use your fingers to touch the concave lines for hand feel. 

Step 3: “Hear” (聽)Use your finger to flick the money note to hear the money paper in a solid sharp and clear sound. 

Step 4: “Testing” (測)Use the fluorescence lamp to examine the money note with reflected dollars amount. Or simply use your finger nail tip to scratch the money note to see whether the color come out or not. If not the money is real. 

Please also refer to the RMB money note features.

Eerst en vooral vind ik deze spot zeer geslaagd. Maar laten we even verder kijken.

In een spot van 30, of in dit geval 40, seconden is het niet altijd even makkelijk om het hele verhaaltje duidelijk te maken. Daarom moet er soms een handigheidje bovengehaald worden om wel alles te kunnen vertellen. In het begin van deze spot moet er duidelijk gemaakt worden dat het hoofdpersonage aan zijn eerste dag begint op zijn nieuwe werkplaats. Omdat dit bijzaak is tegenover de boodschap van de spot moet dit snel afgehandeld worden. Hoe wordt er hier opgelost? Simpelweg door een sprongetje te maken in de verhaallijn. Het grote probleem is echter dat dit kan overkomen als een productiefoutje, een slechte montage meer bepaald. De oplossing is gewoon dit truukje meerdere keren te herhalen zodat het duidelijk wordt dat het geen foutje is maar een bewuste sprong. In de eerste 8 seconden wordt er 5 keer zo’n sprong gemaakt. Zo kan er dus in 8 seconden getoond worden wat er moet getoond worden (namelijk de locatie en dat het daar de eerste dag is voor het hoofdpersonage) zonder verbaal iets te verklaren wat zeer geforceerd zou overkomen. Probleem opgelost.

So far so good, maar een beetje verder in het spotje wordt er in de fout gegaan. Na 29 seconden meer bepaald (of -00:11 op de aftellende klok). Bij het wisselen van shot gebeurt er een kleine continuiteitsfout. Een continuiteitsfout houdt in dat er bij de wisseling van 2 shots iets niet meer klopt in het totaalplaatje. Een veel voorkomende continuiteitsfout in films is dat de stand van de zon helemaal anders is, omdat de shots zijn opgenomen met een tussentijd van enkele uren of langer. In dit geval is de continuteitsfout de plaatsing van de arm van het hoofdpersonage. Na 28 seconden bevindt de arm zich onder het bureau, een halve seconde later bevindt diezelfde arm zich bovenop het bureau zonder dat het personage deze arm bewogen heeft in de eindmontage. Dit is toch wel iets waar heel hard op gelet moet worden, zeker in spotjes van minder dan een minuut moet dit toch vermeden worden! Slordig foutje!

Most of the cities in China now have the pedestrian district. That is the motorcars road is blocked so the pedestrian can freely walk in the middle-of-the-road. Usually both sides of the road are with many different kinds of shops and shopping centers. Usually there will be many people gather around the pedestrian district during Saturday and Sunday. You can find food; drinks and some local entertainment there. Sometimes there are fashion shows or other charity shows performed. This is also one of the symbol of the city landmark. there will be many people from other China cities walking around the street too.

Since there are many tourist and like us the Hong Kong people will love to take a walk there, local pickpocket parties are there too. (Usually three people a team)

And sometime people will come to you and say that they have antiques with good bargain prices.

Some people will approach you and ask you whether you would like to change RMB (Chinese money) with good rate.

Some pretty young girls will approach you and ask you to give them some money to buy food because they came from other China city and they have no money to buy food. (When you take a deep look on their dressings, you can easily find that this is a lie).

If you are a single man walking there, you have to be very careful when one or two beautiful girls approach to you and say that they can bring you to some places for a drink or singing Karaok. Or a man approach to you and say that he can introduces beautiful girls to you as your companion. You better watch out! This certainly is a trap! Don’t be mislead by their beauty!

First, they know that you are a traveler from other countries by the way you dress. Second, they will judge you by what you are wearing and know that whether you have money or not. Third, they will make sure you don’t have local people accompanying you. Therefore they can approach to you and testing you whether you are greedy or not by their offerings such as best buy products or you want a female friend or not.

What if you like adventure trip and follow the unknown person?

The results are:

1.        You will still pay a much higher prices for the fake antiques.

2.        You will get fake money when you exchange your currency with them.

3.        You will have to pay for RMB3,000 a cup of coke per person in the place that pretty girls bring you to their suggested singing place.

4.        If you follow the pretty girls to their place. You might end up have to pay for a large sum of money before you can leave. Because you can hardly explain to the Chinese Policeman that what is the reason that you are with the girl and at her place.

5.        Also there might be some men are waiting for you when you enter the girl’s apartment. They will tie you up and take all your money and belongings.

6.        Sometime the girl will give you a cup of water or some soft drinks. After you drink the water or soft drinks you will find dizzy and fainted. And you will regret a lots when you wake up! You will loose all your money and passport or important belongings. Then one day,

you might see yourself naked in youtube!

 If the above mentioned happen and you don’t speak Mandarin, you better ask the Police Officer (Gong An) to call back to your staying Hotel and ask for the translator to do the explanation for you.Please always remember – “Don’t go out without your staying Hotel’s telephone numbers”!!!

In view of this, the police (Gong An) has arrange the men or women police driving the energy saving golf cars up and down the pedestrian district. Objective is to prevent any crime arise and help people easily even if you are asking location direction. However, there is no “English” that indicated that this is a mini Police car.

Ensure that you have followed these rules. This also applies to all the Airport in China too.

If you are going to China from Hong Kong by plane or plane back to your country, you need to check your hand carry bag that fit the Airport’s new requirement. Or else you have to check-in your hand carry bag. Other countries probably have the same requirement.

9.   Money:  This is the most important part for traveling China. The currency that China using is RMB (Ren Min Bi in Mandarin). The dollar is name “Yuan”. One “Yuan” has ten “Jiao” (one Jiao is equal to ten cents). These have notes or coins. The biggest money note in China is RMB100; then 50; 20; 10; 5 and 1 dollar notes. (the “Fen” notes are seldom accepted nowadays – one Jiao is equal to 10 Fen) There are 1; 10; 20; 50 cents coins. If you are going to pay for your bill of any kinds, you might hold all your coins in your hand, then people will pick the right amount for you.You can even use USD in the Airport Shops or some Foreign Trading Shops. To my experience it is better to exchange your local currency in your hotel which you are staying. The exchange rate is standardized by the China Bank. Never exchange your currency in your local and other transit Airports. However, you might need some small amount of RMB for your traffic fee to get to your hotel.. Please note that there might be a limit amount of the RMB that you can exchange.If you have a large sum of money that you want to exchange, then you have to go to the only Two Banks for the exchange (The China Bank and the Chinese Commercial Bank). Others than these two banks will not exchange your currency. Most Important Rules that save you from all the trouble in China is that “Don’t be Greedy” in terms of money and women! Outside your hotel or on the street or near the Banks area, there will be many people approach to you and saying that they will offer you a much better and higher rate for your currency exchange. There is a high risk that they will give you fake money which you certainly don’t know how to recognize. It is also forbidden to exchange your currency privately instead of from the banks or hotels.

One thing you have to bear in mind is that your money must be in perfect condition without broken corner notes. Or else the hotel can refuse to exchange your money.