Mainland Chinese tourists are often taken to go shopping by tour guides during their travels and sometimes end up buying counterfeit products. Recently, this old trick has taken on a new level, making it difficult for tourists at the travel destination to distinguish between real and fake products. Even if tourists realize they have been deceived, it is difficult for them to seek justice.
According to a report from Chao News on May 6th, there have been numerous complaints this year from tourists who have purchased hundreds of thousands of yuan worth of rare animal products overseas, only to return home with suspicions and regrets. However, the road to getting a refund is extremely challenging.
Wang Shaobin (alias) had purchased over a million yuan (RMB) worth of insurance from a life insurance company, making him a premium customer of the company. As a result, he was invited for a free trip, with the recent destination being Laos in Southeast Asia.
Nearly 30 companions joined him on the “VIP Thank You Tour,” all of whom were middle-aged and elderly individuals who had purchased high-value insurance policies.
During the first two days of the tour, the local tour guide continuously claimed that Laos had low industrial capabilities and lacked the ability to produce counterfeit products. However, on the third day, the guide took everyone to buy “health products,” claiming that ground rhino horn was good for eyes, cardiovascular health, and could reduce fevers in children.
Wang Shaobin recalled that the shopping store also had large signs like “China-Laos Cooperation,” resembling government agencies, which further increased credibility.
After some persuasion, almost everyone in the tour group made purchases. Wang Shaobin bought two pieces of rhino horn on the spot, spending 80,883 yuan, and also purchased half a bear bile piece, spending 27,088 yuan, totaling over 100,000 yuan.
But upon returning to China after the trip, Wang Shaobin became increasingly suspicious about his purchases.
There are now many “VIP Thank You Tours” organized by insurance companies, and he encountered a group of fellow travelers at the Laos airport on the return journey, all insurance company’s big clients, all participating in the so-called “VIP Thank You Tour,” with some even being his friends.
Wang Shaobin began to doubt whether the rare animal products he purchased were authentic. He searched online for comparison images of real and fake rhino horns and bear bile, only to discover that the products he bought in Laos had differences in color compared to the genuine ones found online. The more he looked, the more he felt uneasy. Additionally, the “rare items” he bought at a six-digit price were simply packed in a simple plastic bag.
Therefore, Wang Shaobin decided to return the products and contacted the shopping store in Laos. The store only proposed one condition for returns: “If you suspect that it’s fake and want a refund, you need to provide a legally recognized appraisal certificate.”
Wang Shaobin’s family had to seek advice from appraisal institutions, but several institutions in Hangzhou responded: “We do not accept private appraisal commissions.”
Furthermore, there was another dilemma: Laos, as a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), has listed rhinos, elephants, bears, and pangolins as protected animals, and the law prohibits their trade and possession. Chinese laws similarly prohibit any form of hunting, trading, transporting, possessing, and consuming, with offenders facing imprisonment and hefty fines.
This meant that once tourists obtained a legally valid appraisal certificate (regardless of whether the products were real or fake), they essentially confirmed their purchase of prohibited items, potentially facing legal consequences in both China and Laos.
Fortunately, Wang Shaobin eventually obtained a refund. The report did not mention how he overcame the obstacles mentioned above, only stating that he spent half a month communicating with various parties.
According to a volunteer from an animal protection organization, Huang Hongxiang, the organization has assisted over fifty consumers with similar experiences this year, involving amounts in the millions, with most unable to receive full refunds.
Huang Hongxiang concluded through on-site research in Laos that most of these so-called wildlife products are fake, especially rhino horns and ivory.
The report cited sources indicating that the “wild rhino horns” circulating in Laos’ black market are actually buffalo horns, resin counterfeits, or African smuggled goods; ivory consists of illegally trafficked African ivory or resin counterfeits; bear bile often comes from illegally harvested farmed bears or counterfeit pig bile; and “wild Laos pangolins” are either illegally poached, smuggled across borders, or are counterfeit products.
The report also noted that manufacturing fake goods is only one aspect, gaining tourists’ trust also requires careful planning. Hence, there are tactics like “originated from military units,” “used by celebrities,” and “visiting local wealthy families,” complemented by “VIP Thank You Tours” dressed in the endorsement of Chinese financial institutions, breaking down people’s psychological defenses. Some customers, even if aware of being preyed upon, dare not speak up.