Common Tourist Scams in Mong Kok, Hong Kong (and How to Avoid Them)
FAQ
- Are pickpockets common at the Ladies Market?
- Yes — the most common documented Mong Kok incident. Saturday and Sunday evenings 19:00-22:00 are the highest-density windows; phone-snatch from back pockets is the most common pattern. Defence: phone in zipped front pocket, wallet in front pocket, no backpack-on-back (move bag to front), no expensive jewellery, hold any bag in front of you in the dense crush. The Mong Kok Police Station on Prince Edward Road West handles reports promptly for insurance documentation. Bargaining at stalls is expected (40-50% off opening price).
- Are the counterfeit goods at Mong Kok markets a problem to buy?
- Risky and inadvisable. Counterfeit Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Adidas trainers offered by shop touts at the Ladies Market periphery are usually low-quality and overpriced — the 'real designer at HK$200' is fake at quadruple the local fake price. Customs at your departure airport may confiscate; UK/US/EU customs occasionally fine returning travellers carrying obvious counterfeits. The authentic Sneaker Street (Fa Yuen Street) shops sell genuine Nike, Adidas and regional brands at posted prices — that's the proper street for sportswear, separate from the counterfeit pitch on Tung Choi.
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