[rangibaby]

Poor is better, because then you aren't worth their time. Why bother with the small fries when they are plenty of big fish out there?

When I was younger and traveling in China alone, I fell for one of the "tea house" scams common in the bigger cities. The leader of the heavies sent to intimidate me was somewhat nicer when he figured out that I didn't have much money or a credit card and wasn't lying about it.

He gave me some life advice: "don't go anywhere with a stranger" then took ¥10,000 (about 300 in Chinese money) and sent me on my way. It was pretty surreal.