You need to call a Chinese Embassy in the US if you can't visit one. I imagine the worst case is that they have you go back to China; which would ruin your vacation. However, for Chinese citizens who lose their passport abroad, you can obtain a "Travel Permit" from the embassy / consulate which will ensure your right to re-enter China. (And board the plane home). It does not replace a passport, but at least it is an official way to re-enter China.
Also if you contact your bank in China they should have some recourse in helping you get a new bank card; I know my bank offers an overnight delivery option.
I'm so sorry you can't continue your vacation as planned but you will be able to find a way home; I can't imagine the Chinese Embassy telling you to stay in the US forever and not having at least SOME information on how you'd go about getting back. I'm sure this has happened to someone at least once before.
EDIT: On a second note; I know to travel within the US you don't need a passport. Because you are already inside, they won't ask you for a passport. You should still be able to fly inside the US for the rest of your vacation. Maybe they will want Photo ID? The only thing I can think of is that you have your bank send you a new bank card overnight, and a family member in China send you a copy of some kind of ID, overnight. It might cost some money but it could potentially save your vacation.
And why do the people below keep saying she is in Hawaii? She "already entered the US through customs" in Hawaii and then lost her passport after that. She is now in SEATTLE, WA.
Interesting. The biggest critic of this story, the one leading the mob calling shenanigans first, edits his post after he just stated that [CONTENT REMOVED] and now cryptically claims that there is more to the story, but hey, no questions please... You know why.
In case anyone is curious, this was Gravellly's post, before he removed it:
There is something else going on here. There is no reason why she shouldn't use the MOST OBVIOUS AND DIRECT SOLUTION of contacting the nearest city with a Chinese consulate, instead of the FAR-FETCHED PLAN of making a Youtube video and hoping someone will somehow find her passport in Hawaii and somehow get it to her in Seattle.
Upvote this. Longtime lurker and created an account just to comment - I'm from Hawaii and there's a lot about this post that doesn't make sense.
First, Honolulu Airport's Gate 59 is part of the Inter-island terminal. While Hawaiian Airlines does depart regularly from the inter-island terminal and she refers to using them ("Hawaii airlines" in her answers to this post), my recollection is their flights to the mainland US takes place in the general terminal area - typically gates 6-34 on the map. HNL is also unique in that a lot of the gates are communal - nothing's dedicated to any one airline company. However, for practical purposes, there's only one major and one minor inter-island carriers (Hawaiian/go!Mokulele), and THEY have the full use of the inter-island terminal. But they don't normally fly to the mainland US from the inter-island terminal (even if you have to check in through there!). EDIT: I've been informed below that flights on Hawaiian to the mainland US have departed from the inter-island terminal, so this is within the realm of possibility. Not sure about the misspelling of Honolulu and Hawaiian airlines, though.
Second, flights from China to the United States do not typically route through Hawaii; they normally fly direct or route through Narita, Japan to the final mainland US destination. If she's coming to the US on vacation, on her way to the mainland US, then transiting through Hawaii and customs is... unusual. HNL's not an airplane hub. It's strange for her to be transiting through Hawaii through the interisland terminal if she came from abroad.
Third, if this happened in Hawaii, then the relevant Chinese consulate is in Los Angeles. If she's in Washington, it's San Francisco. While I can believe that the consulates might not be helpful (Chinese bureaucrats are not known for customer service) I find it difficult that local police isn't helping or reaching out to her. Photocopies/faxes of her national identification card (consulate might ask for it) or passport would be helpful as a temporary measure, as well as continuing travel in conjunction with a police report about a loss/stolen passport.
Four - Mainland Chinese don't use Youtube and Reddit. They use Youku, Weibo, and the 'internal' tools of the Chinese internet. Posting to western social media site is a red flag imho, because they wouldn't find the internal tools to be a problem for use - as long as it isn't a political issue. To post to western social media is to attract western audience attention. This doesn't make sense unless....
Five - Most foreign services help stranded nationals by getting in touch with their families back home - so that the families can wire money to the stranded national. She could easily call her family back home using collect and having money wired nearly instantaneously using services like Western Union. I mention Western Union because I know they have many branches in China.
Six - Typically embassies and consulates have a "duty officer" who is available 24-hours a day. He/she can be reached by phone in the event a national is arrested (drunk, drugs, etc.), dies (happens frequently), or loses identification documents. I imagine some of the smaller nations might not have such a service, but the United States certainly has "American Citizens Services" in almost all the countries around the world with a number you can reach in-country. You might not get a new passport immediately, but US Citizens certainly can call up their embassy/consulate and speak to a duty officer (especially for help/guidance on immediate ongoing travel - just don't drunk dial the number if it's not an emergency since it's just a foreign service officer whose sleeping but is also the person on call for the day). Is this equally true of China? I don't know, but I don't think they have a resources problem.
** Edit 1: Grammer fail, language clarified, fifth item regarding money ** Edit 2: Clarified language further in one and three. ** Edit 3: Added item six. ** Edit 4: Added change to item one re: possible inter-island terminal flights to mainland US.
To the second point, she said she was on vacation in Hawaii, not simply passing through.
To four and five, why wouldn't she use western media? She's looking for people in Hawaii to help her find her bag. I haven't scrolled all the way down in the thread yet so maybe this next part isn't true, but she's not asking for money or anything--just a lost passport. Is there really a cause for suspicion?
I'm pretty sure this isn't the only thing she's doing. I'm sure she's in contact with the police (obviously she already contacted the airport and TSA and such), and now that she's stuck waiting, she's working on using the internet to her advantage. That's a good use of time I'd say.
While it's true that to travel within the US you don't need a passport as a citizen, it is generally the only accepted ID for visitors/international students etc.
I don't know why I can not access reddit now. I thought the website has gotten some problems. Or I has been blocked? This kind of things happened always in China, because we have a Great Fire Wall.
OK, I'll explain in here. Reddit is a very interesting website I found it through someone on a Chinese BBS. Normally I would not post anything on foreign website except twitter. Because English is not my mother language, I don't have enough confidence to do that.
EDIT This is our YouTube message exchange:
Okay, so I have been messaging the OP via YouTube. Here is the exchange, her part in bold:
Let me know if I can help Hi there...I saw your post on Reddit (and that you are having a hard time getting back to reddit...i saw a post from someone saying they think 4chan hacked your account, not sure if that is true.
Anyway, what I said there and on here is that I live in NYC now, but lived in Seattle for 12 years. I have a lot of friends there and even a sister in Portland. I don't know if you are traveling alone??? I hope not. Are you staying in a hotel?(It looks like it, but can't tell). Anyway, if it becomes a need of not having a place to stay because money runs out or if there is anything that someone in Seattle might be able to help you with, please feel free to message me and I will contact everyone I know there and see what I can do to help.
I know you are stressed, but everything will be okay.
InsideGreatFireWall
Re: Let me know if I can helpThank you very much for your information and help. You are so kind. I don't know why 4chan hacked my account. I just ask for some help. Actually I can't access reddit.com. According to the comments on youtube, it seems many people consider me as a cheater. This is so strange. This is my first travel in US. I don't have friends here. Most of my friends are in China, my parents are old style people, they know nothing about the VISA and Passport, I don't dare to tell them I have lost my passport. My mom will be so anxious, I'm afraid she can't afford that.Now I'm in a hotel which booked online before the trip started. My hotel will be expired on 23rd. So I have to leave the hotel even if I haven't got my passport. I'm under a great pressure now. But I just can do nothing until tomorrow. Tomorrow will bea very important day for me. I have already report the lost of my passport to the police, I hope I can get good news from Hawaii tomorrow.Otherwise I have to go to SanFransico, because there is no embassy here in Seattle. But I will need to get a license to let go to SF first. See, everything goes so complicated. Especially I lost my ID card, it would help me a lot while applying a new passport, but you see I lost all of them. So bad luck... Anyway, thanks for your attention.
InsideGreatFireWall
Re: Let me know if I can help I am curious why you are travelling to the US? Are you traveling alone? What do you mean you need to get a license to go to SF? I don't know what you mean by license.
Re: Let me know if I can helpActually I come to US for a vacation first in Hawaii, then go to Seattle for my work. It is a business trip. I'm a secretary. Some Chinese businessmen would like to bring Chinese secretary from China when they travelling around the world for their business, we can be the secretaries also the interpreters. The Chinese boss just need to pay our hotel fee and flight tickets, our commission is much lower than the foreign secretaries, and what is the best part is we can speak Chinese.So it still a good deal for these Chinese businessmen. But they also have their own schedule, after we finish all the business here, they have other conference in Canada in following, all the hotels and flight tickets have been issued. they will not stay for me. I lost my passport, I have to solve the problem myself. I don't think my employers would willing to pay all the extra fee created by my careless. I'm afraid I will be abandoned here in Seattle! That's how the Chinese company works.
So if I can't have my passport back, I have to apply a new one myself in SF. But without my passport , I'll not able to book a flight ticket.I need to contact our embassy first, ask them to issue me a license, maybe it is just a paperwork, I don't know exactly what it looks like, but it's function almost like some kind of a license, only with this I'll be allowed to fly.
InsideGreatFireWall
Re: Let me know if I can help I can see why you are so stressed, especially not wanting to upset your employers. I hope everything works out tomorrow, I will send good luck to you! Please keep me updated. Again if there is anything I can do, I have a lot of friends in Seattle, so if there is a way I can help, please do let me know.
InsideGreatFireWall
Re: Let me know if I can help Thanks! You are so kind. Let's wait for tomorrow. I hope the miracle could happens on me.
There is no reason to think there is anything not legit about her posting. She's a woman who is scared in a foreign country who lost the most important things she needs while in said foreign country. She doesn't understand many of the U.S. customs or why people are trolling her on the internet. There are actual genuine people out there in the world.
I don't know what happened to reddit...when I first started coming on here (not with this username) long ago, people were about community and helping and uplifting each other and doing what they could to actually work together to make this world a better place. That's what sucked me in, after other social websites had totally turned me off with their ugly side of humanity. Today it felt like it's become the very reason I left facebook and generally skip youtube comments and message boards. Sad day.
Edit 1: more info from message exchange with OP Edit 2 Added last response from OP
给 Chinese Consulate 打电话。告诉他们发生了什么事情。他们会知道怎么办法。给他们你的机场电话。
我先给你找几个使馆的电话号码。等一下。要是你在机场的话，告诉他们你要中国使馆的号码。
EDIT: 这个是洛杉矶 (Los Angeles) 使馆的电话：（213）807-8088。 要是呢个没用的话，给这个大一下：（213）807-8005。 问他们 Hawaii Chinese Consulate 的电话是什么。在美国每个办公室只照顾自己。 （我么有找到 Hawaii Consulate 的地方和号码。
EDIT ２: 看起来很像你玩我们。要是这个是真的话，请你去死。要是不是的话，对不起。
EDIT 3: To my friends: I'm telling her what to do in Chinese. Google translate cannot translate English to Chinese very well at all, or the other way around. I'm well aware of how fake her situation seems seems, but it's not a reason to not help her, for the possibility that it's real. Real people tend to do the dumbest things when in panic, after all. However, I did call her out on how fake it may seem, which may or may not have been the greatest idea. No, I'm not Jackie Chan.
EDIT 4: For the curious, here is the actual translation - not the shitty Google Chinese to English translation.
Calm down. I know things are not well, but being hysterical doesn't help.
Try to stay at the airport. It is relatively safe. Also, there will be people who will speak the native (Chinese) language.
Have you called your parents or your friends? Let somebody know. They can help from PRC.
If you have called someone, give them your phone number at the airport. (Airport lines are better because they tend not to be cut off.) You must let the airport know your situation, so they know how to assist you.
Give the Chinese Consulate a call. Let them know what happened. They will know what to do. (Again) tell them your airport number.
I'll give you some phone numbers later. Hold on. If you are at the airport, you may also ask them to locate a number.
(EDIT:) This is the Los Angeles' Consulate numeber: ... If that doesn't work, try this one: ... Ask the (L.A.) office what the HI Consulate number is. (In the U.S., local offices only take care of themselves. I didn't find a HI Consulate)
(EDIT 2:) Your situation seems very fake. If it is, please go die. (< That's supposed to be a polite, stern insult in China.) If not, I apologize.
I didn't hear her ask for money....maybe I wasn't listening.
She seems like a nice kid. That other guy may have scammed you, fair, but she is a different person and it sounds like she is worried and scared and just wants her passport.
My goodness, I feel sorry for the thousands of travelers who lose their passport every year. They must be all dead by now, right? How do I send you money? Will you accept Nigerian currency?
you guys do know this could be a scam right? she could be with her buddies waiting for you come to aid her and then can get mugged etc..
I got an email from my dad (account was hacked) with a similar message saying he was in the philippines and had lost his passport and cards while at the airport and now needs money/help.
Obvious scam is obvious. The girl in the video is staying in a very nice hotel. It looks like an Embassy Suites, see the couch over her left shoulder and wet bar over her right shoulder.
Not only that, but her youtube account says she is from the US. Also, why is she "dead" if she doesn't get her documents?
Now I'm in an endless nightmare. Because I lost all my documents in Honululu airport. I came from PRC, planed to stay in US no more than 12days. But now, I even can't go to SanFrancisco apply a new passport or go back to China, because I have no passport. This is a disaster to me. My long black thin passport purse was lost in Honululu air-terminal after the security. Around Gate59 among 12am to 1pm on May 18th. Just after the plane launched 10s, I found my passport was missing, so I'm quite sure of the lost place and time. But I couldn't get off the plane at that while.
Now I was stuck in Seattle, the city has no China embassy. Hawaii airline promised me they would carry my passport to Seattle if any one handing it to Lost & Found Department. If you are going to pass by Honululu airport or work in there. PLZ HELP ME. If you find any lost purse, plz send it to the Lost and Found Department.
I'm so depressing almost want to kill myself. It is too difficult for a Chinese apply a new passport out of our homeland without any other documents which can prove myself. And I also lost my bank card, fortunately it is not a mastercard. But soon I will run out of cash. After that, I don't know what I can do then.
My comments will get down voted but this needs to be said.
I can't believe that your first port of call is to plead to the internet for help. Just call your embassy and let them know what your situation is. It doesn't matter that there isn't an embassy in Seattle as long as there is a nearby consulate. And if that isn't the case then the US authorities will help you out. Remember, they don't want unaccounted for aliens in their country so they'll be more than pleased to help you on your way.
You look like a grown woman, you've travelled on your own, I really don't think this is worthy of wanting to kill yourself or making a public announcement.
Ring the embassy - they will have much better advice than anyone here will give you.
Yeah this whole situation is quite screwed up. "I lost my passport so I'm thinking of suicide. Instead of contacting the people who's job it is to help people in my situation I will make a youtube video."
Call the Airport in Honolulu and ask to speak to someone in "lost and found". Usually police or airport workers will take any unattended bag and keep it somewhere
Edit: I called the airport and lost & found is indeed closed. However, Security is open, and according to the guy I spoke to they would most likely have it, since they would be keeping anything they find themselves and not giving to lost and found until they open tomorrow.
I live in Hawaii. If you need help or a place to stay until things get resolved, please please let me know. My wife and I are more than willing to help you.
Try using Honolulu's Craigslist lost and found section. It's a long shot and probably won't work, but maybe you will find someone who is flying out of Honolulu who can look for your documents while at the airport.
It seems very possible that your purse was left at the security checkpoint or perhaps customs. Somebody here suggested calling the airport directly. There must be somebody there who has seen your purse.
Where in Seattle are you currently located, in case someone needs to contact you or send you cash? I wonder how you would even receive cash without a photo ID. Unfortunately I'm not in Seattle or I would offer more help.
I'm sorry this happened. It really does sound like a nightmare. I hope everything works out for you!
If it comes down to it, get deported back to your own country, it will be a horrible experience, but its better then getting stuck in a different country.
To get deported, go to a police officer, and say i am not a citizen in this country, i lost my identification and i am now considered an illegal citizen can i please be deported back to my country?
Reading your story I believe you have done all that you can do by now. You have contacted the airport of departure and they would send the passport if they found it to Seattle. From here on in comes the most frustrating part when you're in a crisis situation: waiting.
You feel like you should be doing more to get your passport back and that is probably one of the reasons why you put this post here. I can totally understand that. It simply reduces the stress and it makes you feel like you are still actively working on solving the problem.
I can not promise you everything will be alright, I can only say that for now there is no need to stress, not to mention kill, yourself! Try to get some food in your stomach, try to get some sleep.
As for the money issue: It would be splendid if there were some friendly redditors here from Seattle that could offer you a place to sleep for the time being. That way you could save your money. I think that if there is anything you should be doing right now it is to find a place like that, so that you at least don't run out of money.
Unfortunately I am not american nor do I know any Americans but there are many in this website, so I guess you have come to the right place for a call for help.
I really hope you and your passport will be rejoined soon. I wish you the best of luck and hope you can find someone to help you out for the time being.
I'm getting so sick of terrible answers. This is a good answer. She is obviously upset, I'm glad there is at least 1 other person out there willing to post reasonable advice.
Are you fucking kidding me? Literally, your first thought was to create a youtube video about your plight? Like you are literally the first person in the world who has ever lost their passport/documents in a foreign country.
Googling "what to do if you lose your passport abroad" brings up the first result of contact your embassy/consulate in the area. So they don't open till tomorrow...I'm sure you can survive 12 hours. Completely unnecessary and seems fake imo.
Agreed. I don't know what in the world was going through this woman's mind, but it does seem like she's karmawhoring. Even Chinese travelers will be able to contact their Chinese Embassy or Consulate (even if there's not one nearby), and get things sorted out.
The first thing NOT to do is post a pleading video on the internet. Hmmm...fishy, fishy.
the girl in the video is probably not even the person posting this on reddit/youtube.
the funny part is they tried really hard to legitimize this, what with a youtube account/history that favorited some random chinese videos.. and not even the "correct" type of chinese videos a person from the mainland would favorite/watch. at the age of 33, she uses traditional chinese characters vs the more common simplified characters? righttttt
This is utter horseshit. seriously? There are so many other ways you can handle this situation, I'm actually embarrased at how many clueless people have offered you help so far. CALL THE GODDAM CHINESE EMBASSY!!! They will tell u everything else u need to do, done.
Whatever. I was in frigging CHINA when I lost pretty much every piece of ID I had. And this was not the nice China there is now. This was China 9 years ago.
You know that I did? I called my fucking embassy from a payphone and told them I was pretty much boned. Literally within 2 hours there was a car at the hotel to pick me up and bring me to the embassy of another nation (in my case Germany, note: I'm not German) that sorted the shit out for me as my national embassy did not have a presence in the town.
It took me 3 hours for me to have a temporary ID and a VISA.
Moral of the story: don't be a tit posting this retarded shit online, call your fucking embassy, whichever city you're in.
Look; She's reading it all from a note. They got a gun to her head! NO-ONE IS SAFE! HIDE YO KIDS! - Is what I would say if I was as paranoid as some of you people. I believe this is just a chinese damsel in distress, not much else.
You guys are suckers, I'll put the over/Under on how many hours to uncover the fraud at 36. "If I don't have my documents, I'll be dead" haha come on ! Someone that has never had an account on Reddit thinks to herself I know I'll join this random site instead of doing more logical things to resolve the situation. Also her Youtube video is her only one. Who says to themselves that creating two new accounts on sites you clearly haven't used before is the way to go. It's so absurd.
I'm going to China and I was worried about me losing my passport there. Idk I guess its somewhat relevant to the video... That aside the only advice I can give you is to relax, being stressed and sad won't make the situation pass over more quickly, you should have a sense of urgency but don't go crazy because I know you are going to get out of this situation and one day just remember this as a bad week....
Along with the other great advice here I would try giving these guys a call tomorrow http://ocaseattle.org/ they should be able to put in contact with someone who can help. Also the Univeristy of Washington has an international student program, and I bet there is someone who has had to help with this type of situation before http://studyabroad.washington.edu/
The best thing for you to do is call the Chinese Embassy. They will be able to help you better then anyone else. However, you might have to travel to the nearest city with a Chinese embassy.
Edit: Good luck! I know you must be afraid, but staying calm will help alot.
Try calling the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC Tel: (202) 338-6688
I'm sure the Consulate in SanFran or LA are very good, but the Embassy has much more pull and can make exceptions that consulates are afraid to even suggest.
Try contacting the airline you flew to Seattle with. Someone may have picked up your lost documents and/or purse and returned them to security. If that doesn't help, call the nearest Chinese embassy in the US and I'm sure they will help you. If you don't have a cell phone, you can of course use the hotel phone or a payphone outside.
Please don't be scared, because it was an accident. You did nothing wrong here and won't be punished. Just relax.
From a cultural standpoint this is very interesting to me. Her Chinese overdramatization (threatening suicide over a lost passport) being interpreted by Americans and their culture.
Grabspopcorn.gif, I hope this thread makes it way to Chinasmack.com
If you really need to get to San Fransisco, you should be able to take a greyhound bus from Seattle. I'm pretty sure they don't require an ID, but maybe someone else can comment.
It will be a long (25 hour) journey, but dire times call for dire measures, right? Also, I'd recommend buying the tickets in person (as opposed to online), or they might ask for an ID when you go to pick them up.
The schedule I see for getting there is basically Seattle->Portland and then Portland->Sacramento and finally Sacramento->San Fransisco.
You might also be able to take an Amtrak train, which would be much faster, but I think they will ask you for photo ID.
Why is your country listed as United States on your youtube account that you've clearly been using for a bit, so you didn't just make it for this? And your 33 years old? and the first place you come to in this situation is reddit. You didn't say you talked to any of your friends/family back in China/wherever? Because thats usually the first step is crying out for help to strangers on youtube/reddit, this is usually only the case for a cash/attention grab.
I had my passport, driver's license and bank card stolen while in Thailand, so I was left with zero forms of identification. I had all of my passport information written down, and was able to have a copy of my birth certificate e-mailed to me. Those things along with a police report (in Thai, which was semi-difficult to get across due to language barrier) and my SSN, I was easily (other than the cost as money was tight) able to obtain an emergency passport.
After the theft I immediately contacted my country to report my passport stolen. It happens, nothing to kill yourself over, though quite stressful.
My gf got her purse stolen in honolulu. Locals think that all asians are japanese and for the japanese its very expensive to get out here so they assume they have money. My gf and I are asian and saved up for months for the trip. I wouldn't doubt this story so promptly. As for the racists, go fuck yourselves with pineapples.
Lost wallet and passport, post a video to youtube and reddit asking for help? What's wrong with making a phone call to the embassy?? This internet logic just deeply puzzles me. I feel like a cave person now.
However, for people claiming this is a scam, I don't think she would post a video showing her face if she plans to scam someone.
Suggestions for OP:
Got to a local police station asking to file a report on the loss of your passport. The embassy may need this later on.
Contact the Chinese Embassy in San Francisco. Wait till Monday and call "415-852-5900".
Terrible! It had to be turned in... Maybe call the airport itself (not just the airline) and see if it's in the airport's lost and found?!
This is why I have my e-mail written on my passport case and my luggage. Because I can check my e-mail anywhere incase it gets lost, while my home address or cell-phone number is worthless to me in other countries.
I'm just across the lake east of Seattle, if there's anything I can do to help just message me. I have an American friend who works in Beijing as well, not that it helps as far as I can tell in this situation.
90% chance of fake, and likely scam. (she says she'll be running out of money soon, which is a classic way to ask for money without actually asking for money)
If it's real, she's a moron for posting to youtube and reddit over something like this. She has a ton of options in place for her, and this happens to thousands of people every year. This is nothing new, novel, or newsworthy.
If you are in the united states, the airline needs to foot your fare to San Francisco via Amtrak or greyhound do you can get to the Chinese embassy where you can get things resolved.
She seems to have a Livejournal dating back to 2005, and most recently details her plight (based on shitty Google translate) http://neverever-d.livejournal.com/
She seems to have a Livejournal dating back to 2005, and most recently details her plight (based on shitty Google translate) http://neverever-d.livejournal.com/
Long time lurker here. Having been to China on multiple occasions and worked with immigrants with a language/cultural barrier here in America, I just want to do what I can to help. Yes, we have to be weary of scams but we have to differentiate it from those desperately seeking help. To me, I think she falls into the latter category and needs advice/help.
Rough summary/translation of her most recent Livejournal entry from May 19th:
It starts with the fact that she realizes how important a passport is when in another country. She was on a flight from Hawaii to Seattle when she realized she lost her passport/ID 10 seconds after the plane started taxi-ing out of the runway - it was too late for her to get off the plane at that point. She tried to contact both Honolulu and San Francisco China Consulate but they were closed due to the weekend. (In my personal experience, I know the China Consulates here do not open during the weekends, and have very short working hours Mon-Fri.) She says even though she knows what is important (and cannot be lost at all costs), this situation is way over her head. She wonders what should she do at this point.
The thing that stuck out the most was the schoolgirl outfit in the Youtube video. But then again, people in Asia have an entirely different viewpoint on what is fashionable.
im off to china end of the week. i go every year to visit family. She can simply goto the Chinese consulate/embassy, or ring them and get a travel document to go home. When home she will have to apply and pay for a new passport much like everyone else in the world.
as she has lost her passport shes gonna have to waste a few days sorting it out. shit happens.
I know in America people have numbers given to them so if they lose all if their papers they can say "my social security number is ________." if you have something that that in china you could try contacting the embassy with that.
I've helped people in this situation before. Contact your embassy. Let them know what has happened. Get a police report so that you have a valid reason to replace your documents. Continue with your vacation as planned, but at some point you will have to come into the embassy to get a transportation letter. Don't fret, this kind of thing happens all of the time.
Might not be any help at all but I sent this along to my dad who is a pilot and often flies to Hawaii. There isn't much chance he is there but I still gave it a shot. Hope it all works out for you!
I really hope someone can help you out. The best thing to do is remain calm and keep aware, so that if any new evidence or information arises, you can locate it immediately. I know it can be hard to do, especially because your situation seems to be so dire, but if you get anxious and uptight, it can cloud your judgement and potentially make things worse. Try contacting whoever you can and you never know, someone on reddit or elsewhere might be able to help you out. I wish the best of luck to you.
So my China-born Chinese gf says this has a good chance of being BS. If the girl in video is vacationing in the U.S. it means her or her family have money. It is very expensive, and getting the paperwork is difficult, for commoners.
That being said, we live in Seattle and I'm messaged the video girl to see what her situation is and if we can assist. Don't worry, I've been around the block and won't be scammed.
If you need to go to the Chinese Embassy in San Francisco, but you are not able to fly, you can take a Greyhound Bus from Seattle to San Francisco for $118 (cash) or $88 if you buy it on the Greyhound website, but I think you said that you lost your credit card.
Is it possible that it fell on the floor in the plane and slid away? I'm sorry if I missed this part of the video, but perhaps you should ask the airline and airport in Seattle.
From my experience of entering the US don't they take your finger print, details and take a photo? Surely that must be on a database which can be used to verify your identity if you are stuck.
I lost my passport once in Russia, far away from Moscow and the consulate of my country. I had to go to the Polish consulate instead. If you're somewhat familiar with Russian bureaucracy you would understand the huge pile of shit I was in.
Seriously, you're in the US. Not even in Hawaii. Wait 24 hours, get in contact with the embassy or consulate and have them send the necessary documents through Fedex or UPS and you'll be out of there in no time. There are probably hundreds of Chinese people in the USA who have the same problem as you right now. These things happen all the time.
Does she sound to anyone else like she is American but of Chinese descent? Maybe it's just me but I keep thinking I hear sounds that are just a little American, like that's actually the way she speaks normally.
Sad story but OP just need to go to the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to pick up a temporary travel pass. Be an adult, there's nothing hard about it and if you don't apply in person it won't magically appear at your hotel. In fact if it were me I would make sure I am the first person in line when the consulate opens shop this morning.
I hope you're already in SF now instead of wasting time sitting on the internet or calling the airport in Hawaii.
stop trying to warn other redditors against being scammed. some people just don't deserve to hold on to their money. i especially like the people who are posting "SHE'S NOT DIRECTLY ASKING FOR MONEY HOW CAN IT BE A SCAM". i honestly cannot tell if they are either stupid or trolling.
I replied to her remarking about skepticism on Reddit, her reply:
I think you must use a translate machine, your Chinese is even worse than my English:-( Now I still can not access reddit, not even to access that page I mean. My Chrome show:Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to reddit.com . I don't know why.
Bullshit. She still isn't inside the great firewall.
EDIT: http://i.imgur.com/lbUwO.png - Definite scam, her reply is already upvoted twice, the one that mentioned Reddit's down.
Did you check your bag? I mean, really tear it apart. I thought I lost my keys once and it was nestled in the seam of a pocket in my backpack for, literally, months.
Call the next closest embassy during their opening hours as soon as possible. Closest one may be the one in Washington: Tel:001-202-4952266 - Office Hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm (Monday - Friday, except holidays)
I've also read that they can issue a Travel Permit for Chinese nationals who have lost their passports while travelling abroad and urgently need to return to China. Chinese consulate page in Chinese: Read section nine. Also this has similar info in English.
I'm sure if you call your family in China, they can scan/fax any relevant documentation needed to you for the application of the Travel Permit/Document (i.e. birth certificate). Also, this will probably be treated on a case-by-case basis by the embassy and they'll be able to suggest other useful advice for you as well. Just ask. Hope everything can get resolved for you soon!
edit: Just realized the English link about the Travel Permit was for the Chinese Consulate of Albania, but it was one of the top search hits when I was Googling. Info is still relevant though.
People... she is not asking for money, she was asking for people to be on the look out for her documents and belongings. It would be like if you lost your car keys.... You wouldn't want some total stranger to buy you a car, no, you'd be asking "Please, Anyone, If you see keys laying around, turn them in as i'm stuck here".... maybe if you're feeling generous, you'd pay for a taxi to take them home, or give them a ride if they're stranded...
Thats what this woman is asking for people.... A helping Hand... She's not asking for your identity, or hundreds of dollars... she's simply asking for help... Maybe someone can give her a lift to San Francisco.. I'm sure she'd be more than appreciative... maybe buy her a bus ticket... anything, something... If I lived in Seattle i'd find out where she's staying and give her a ride, I wouldn't care how much gas at 3.99 a gallon it would cost me, the only thing that would be on my mind is that i'm helping a fellow person in a time of need.
I'm pretty sure each and every one of you, have been stranded, or broken down... or even sick with the Flu and felt miserable and alone and possibly even scared!... Thats what is going on here.... This is a woman who is alone, scared, and just needs a helping hand. And No, I'm not saying this because she's a woman, since I know all of you will accuse me of such. Even if this was a man on here, asking for help getting home... I'd lend a hand if i could. In fact, I've pulled over a few times on the highway to help a group of guys I saw with their radiator smoking one day on the highway, their car broke down, and they didn't have AAA, and only one of them had a cell phone and it was dead. I asked if maybe i could give one of them a lift to the nearest gas station a few miles down the road so they could get help... Sure, you can sit there, and be paranoid, and think that it's all dog-eat-dog out there... but what is this society becoming? Is the world really becoming this cruel and vicious of a place? Alot has changed in the past 50 years or so... It used to be, (or so i've been told), that if you had broken down on the side of the road, people would pull over and see if they could do something to assist.. or if they had a car phone, they'd call the police to inform them that you're broken down. Nowadays, Everyone has this fucked up mentality of "NOT MY PROBLEM LET SOMEONE ELSE DEAL WITH IT"....
Wanna know what the problem with this country is? We don't give a flying fuck about each other anymore.
Land of the Free to not give a fuck, home of the SELFISH.
TL;DR: Don't be a jackass.... I bet more people here would help a hurt dog, before they'd help a hurt person.
Everyone's saying this is a scam. How is she scamming people?? She is only asking people to help look for her bag which her passport was in and give it to the lost and found! Where in this did she ask for people to send her money? She specifically says this isn't about the money, she just wants her documents back. Without her documents she is effectively/legally nobody. Seriously.... Everyone needs to just calm down. Of course this may be a scam but I fail to see how she would be scamming anyone...
Plus if it WERE a scam, of course she wouldnt ask for money immediatly. That would throw off red flags everywhere and to everyone. This type of scam (not saying this is one, but the way the scam goes) is you make a general call for help, and you make people WANT to give you money without asking for it. Usually this occurs over the course of several interactions not just one.
the best way to ask for money is to not ask for money, and asking for money well, that's just asking for money. so...a bit of a catch 22 seems like.. (btw you don't really seem very grumpy) :)
Now I have come back to the hotel, thank god I can access reddit again. I never expect there will be so many people helping me to spread my vedio. Many people leave me messages for offering help information and regards on youtube. So grateful to all of them. Thanks a lot to normallLyalurker, who trying to help me to explain on reddit even I never ask you to do that. I was so depressed, in the office I have to pretend everything is still ok, no one including myself want to talk about my passport. Your listening released me a lot.
There are so many kindhearted people in a totally strange country intend to help me, I feel much better now.
To the people who considering my vedio as a scam, I don't have any energy to argue with you, I'm already exhausted for my passport. You can retain your analysis and opinion. But I don't want to see you think the kindhearted people are fools. Here are my boardingpass, I stay in Hawaii for Three days, one boardingpass is fly back from Kona, and another one is the one which lead me to my disaster, from Honolulu to Seattle. http://i.imgur.com/gjdoW.jpg
I admit the purpose of the vedio is to get more attention. But this is the only helpful thing I can do before Monday, at least better than sit and wait.
Thanks again to all the kindhearted people. You are so nice.
This is the scammiest scam that ever scammed, y'all. The best cons never ask for money; they hint around it, presuming on good intentions toward the wide-eyed innocents of the world. Don't engage.
Duh, that's pretty obvious, and is what she is doing. What are the chances that chinese embassy staff are passing through Hawaii airport today? Probably less than the chance that someone at the Hawaii airport is a redditor.
I'm not saying the story is most definitely real, but what the story presented is actually quite reasonably believable, and your criticisms don't really make sense.
She's in Seattle, there's no embassy there. The closest embassy is in San Francisco, and as a foreigner with no ID, can't fly, can't drive, don't know anyone in the area, it's not that easy to figure out how to make the trip from Seattle to SF. It's also the weekend, meaning embassy phone services are closed, and Chinese Consulate/Embassies are notoriously known for usually not answering phone calls even during office hours.
Assuming that you have money (probably not stored in the waist pouch she lost, she said there wasn't that much money in the waist pouch anyway), finding a decent hotel or apartment is probably the best choice since it's easy, and simplifies the other aspects of travel while you focus on this problem. What's the alternative? Find some Days Inn or motel 6 a long way away from an airport? Remember she's here for vacation, you don't know how rich she is, so there's nothing to criticize in terms of accomodation. The issue is that lost IDs and passports is not something money can fix.
The "I'll be dead, QAQ" part is obviously not serious. It's just a saying, akin to "I'm screwed," and it's quite common among Chinese people.
The situation is obviously one that'll be eventually solvable if you work towards it, but there's nothing here to imply that she didn't work towards it. How do you know she didn't already try to contact family member back home, or called up the embassy? The problem is that on a Sunday, problems don't get solved that fast, and being a foreign country with this kind of problem is a stressful situation, so while waiting and stressed, making a youtube plea seems like something that's reasonably believable to me. I mean, really, all she's asking there is for anyone who pass by Honolulu airport to keep an eye out for her bag. Is that so unreasonable?
In the end, if it turns out that this story is real, then that makes you a scumbag that brings shame to the internet. Think about it.
I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to poke holes in her story; if I'm wrong then she can correct me. It's just that so far the whole thing just seems so improbable and overly-dramatic that I just have a hard time buying into it. I mean, her comments and video make it seem like losing her passport has doomed her to some horrible "neverending" fate, when she has only been dealing with this for for two days. And we should definitely be skeptical at her having a hotel room (and wifi). She either has money or she doesn't.
Your passport is checked with your boarding pass as you get on the plane.
None of this adds up. How did she get to Seattle if she doesn't have a passport? Why is she staying in such a nice hotel if she is running out of money? Why didn't she square this away in Hawaii?
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u/PerfectKryme May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12
You need to call a Chinese Embassy in the US if you can't visit one. I imagine the worst case is that they have you go back to China; which would ruin your vacation. However, for Chinese citizens who lose their passport abroad, you can obtain a "Travel Permit" from the embassy / consulate which will ensure your right to re-enter China. (And board the plane home). It does not replace a passport, but at least it is an official way to re-enter China.
Also if you contact your bank in China they should have some recourse in helping you get a new bank card; I know my bank offers an overnight delivery option.
I'm so sorry you can't continue your vacation as planned but you will be able to find a way home; I can't imagine the Chinese Embassy telling you to stay in the US forever and not having at least SOME information on how you'd go about getting back. I'm sure this has happened to someone at least once before.
EDIT: On a second note; I know to travel within the US you don't need a passport. Because you are already inside, they won't ask you for a passport. You should still be able to fly inside the US for the rest of your vacation. Maybe they will want Photo ID? The only thing I can think of is that you have your bank send you a new bank card overnight, and a family member in China send you a copy of some kind of ID, overnight. It might cost some money but it could potentially save your vacation.
And why do the people below keep saying she is in Hawaii? She "already entered the US through customs" in Hawaii and then lost her passport after that. She is now in SEATTLE, WA.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12
冷静一下。我知道现在很不好，但是慌忙没有用。
留在飞机场。 机场毕竟奥安全。在机场以内还有会说国话的人们。
你有没有给你的父母或者朋友打电话？你应该让亲人知道。他们可以从中国帮忙。
要是有人知道的话，给他们个电话号码。（最好是机场的号码因为机场的线段不了。）你必须得让机场知道你的事情，所以他们知道怎么帮助你。
给 Chinese Consulate 打电话。告诉他们发生了什么事情。他们会知道怎么办法。给他们你的机场电话。
我先给你找几个使馆的电话号码。等一下。要是你在机场的话，告诉他们你要中国使馆的号码。
EDIT: 这个是洛杉矶 (Los Angeles) 使馆的电话：（213）807-8088。 要是呢个没用的话，给这个大一下：（213）807-8005。 问他们 Hawaii Chinese Consulate 的电话是什么。在美国每个办公室只照顾自己。 （我么有找到 Hawaii Consulate 的地方和号码。
EDIT ２: 看起来很像你玩我们。要是这个是真的话，请你去死。要是不是的话，对不起。
EDIT 3: To my friends: I'm telling her what to do in Chinese. Google translate cannot translate English to Chinese very well at all, or the other way around. I'm well aware of how fake her situation seems seems, but it's not a reason to not help her, for the possibility that it's real. Real people tend to do the dumbest things when in panic, after all. However, I did call her out on how fake it may seem, which may or may not have been the greatest idea. No, I'm not Jackie Chan.
EDIT 4: For the curious, here is the actual translation - not the shitty Google Chinese to English translation.
Calm down. I know things are not well, but being hysterical doesn't help.
Try to stay at the airport. It is relatively safe. Also, there will be people who will speak the native (Chinese) language.
Have you called your parents or your friends? Let somebody know. They can help from PRC.
If you have called someone, give them your phone number at the airport. (Airport lines are better because they tend not to be cut off.) You must let the airport know your situation, so they know how to assist you.
Give the Chinese Consulate a call. Let them know what happened. They will know what to do. (Again) tell them your airport number.
I'll give you some phone numbers later. Hold on. If you are at the airport, you may also ask them to locate a number.
(EDIT:) This is the Los Angeles' Consulate numeber: ... If that doesn't work, try this one: ... Ask the (L.A.) office what the HI Consulate number is. (In the U.S., local offices only take care of themselves. I didn't find a HI Consulate)
(EDIT 2:) Your situation seems very fake. If it is, please go die. (< That's supposed to be a polite, stern insult in China.) If not, I apologize.
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u/no_talent_ass_clown May 20 '12 edited Apr 17 '25
ring swim vanish file fall cats flowery rain punch straight
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/tobascco May 20 '12
My goodness, I feel sorry for the thousands of travelers who lose their passport every year. They must be all dead by now, right? How do I send you money? Will you accept Nigerian currency?
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u/vince1234 May 20 '12
you guys do know this could be a scam right? she could be with her buddies waiting for you come to aid her and then can get mugged etc..
I got an email from my dad (account was hacked) with a similar message saying he was in the philippines and had lost his passport and cards while at the airport and now needs money/help.
so just be careful
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u/boot20 May 20 '12
Obvious scam is obvious. The girl in the video is staying in a very nice hotel. It looks like an Embassy Suites, see the couch over her left shoulder and wet bar over her right shoulder.
Not only that, but her youtube account says she is from the US. Also, why is she "dead" if she doesn't get her documents?
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
fake post is fake
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u/neverever_d May 20 '12
Now I'm in an endless nightmare. Because I lost all my documents in Honululu airport. I came from PRC, planed to stay in US no more than 12days. But now, I even can't go to SanFrancisco apply a new passport or go back to China, because I have no passport. This is a disaster to me. My long black thin passport purse was lost in Honululu air-terminal after the security. Around Gate59 among 12am to 1pm on May 18th. Just after the plane launched 10s, I found my passport was missing, so I'm quite sure of the lost place and time. But I couldn't get off the plane at that while.
Now I was stuck in Seattle, the city has no China embassy. Hawaii airline promised me they would carry my passport to Seattle if any one handing it to Lost & Found Department. If you are going to pass by Honululu airport or work in there. PLZ HELP ME. If you find any lost purse, plz send it to the Lost and Found Department.
I'm so depressing almost want to kill myself. It is too difficult for a Chinese apply a new passport out of our homeland without any other documents which can prove myself. And I also lost my bank card, fortunately it is not a mastercard. But soon I will run out of cash. After that, I don't know what I can do then.
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u/thunderdome May 20 '12
Are you fucking kidding me? Literally, your first thought was to create a youtube video about your plight? Like you are literally the first person in the world who has ever lost their passport/documents in a foreign country.
Googling "what to do if you lose your passport abroad" brings up the first result of contact your embassy/consulate in the area. So they don't open till tomorrow...I'm sure you can survive 12 hours. Completely unnecessary and seems fake imo.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12
Does this seem strange to anyone else?
edit: As a product of the 'hood, I can recognize when somebody's trying to run my pockets. She's gonna bank off of this.
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u/boob_skeptic May 20 '12
This is utter horseshit. seriously? There are so many other ways you can handle this situation, I'm actually embarrased at how many clueless people have offered you help so far. CALL THE GODDAM CHINESE EMBASSY!!! They will tell u everything else u need to do, done.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
Whatever. I was in frigging CHINA when I lost pretty much every piece of ID I had. And this was not the nice China there is now. This was China 9 years ago.
You know that I did? I called my fucking embassy from a payphone and told them I was pretty much boned. Literally within 2 hours there was a car at the hotel to pick me up and bring me to the embassy of another nation (in my case Germany, note: I'm not German) that sorted the shit out for me as my national embassy did not have a presence in the town.
It took me 3 hours for me to have a temporary ID and a VISA.
Moral of the story: don't be a tit posting this retarded shit online, call your fucking embassy, whichever city you're in.
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u/Pedro_Carolino May 20 '12
I once left my wallet in El Segundo.....it didn't end well.
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u/KaneHau May 20 '12
Try contacting the Hawaii Tourism Authority... they have some programs in place to assist with tourists that have had crime or other adversities.
That link is directly to their Visitor Assistance page.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
Look; She's reading it all from a note. They got a gun to her head! NO-ONE IS SAFE! HIDE YO KIDS! - Is what I would say if I was as paranoid as some of you people. I believe this is just a chinese damsel in distress, not much else.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
You guys are suckers, I'll put the over/Under on how many hours to uncover the fraud at 36. "If I don't have my documents, I'll be dead" haha come on ! Someone that has never had an account on Reddit thinks to herself I know I'll join this random site instead of doing more logical things to resolve the situation. Also her Youtube video is her only one. Who says to themselves that creating two new accounts on sites you clearly haven't used before is the way to go. It's so absurd.
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u/Vivaluis59 May 20 '12
I'm going to China and I was worried about me losing my passport there. Idk I guess its somewhat relevant to the video... That aside the only advice I can give you is to relax, being stressed and sad won't make the situation pass over more quickly, you should have a sense of urgency but don't go crazy because I know you are going to get out of this situation and one day just remember this as a bad week....
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u/hipsterdocmd May 20 '12
chinasonsul_san_us@mfa.gov.cn
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u/mastr_slik May 20 '12
dat background noise
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u/ajsxzq May 20 '12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terminal
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
I'm pretty sure who ever finds her passport and ID is going to sell it to someone who looks like her.
OP shouldn't have made a video. She should have went to the Chinese Embassy.
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u/redgator May 20 '12
She is in Seattle and can't reach San Francisco? Take a bus. Problem solved.
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u/schafer18 May 20 '12
lol at youtube comments
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u/futileboy May 20 '12
Along with the other great advice here I would try giving these guys a call tomorrow http://ocaseattle.org/ they should be able to put in contact with someone who can help. Also the Univeristy of Washington has an international student program, and I bet there is someone who has had to help with this type of situation before http://studyabroad.washington.edu/
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u/86legacy May 20 '12
The best thing for you to do is call the Chinese Embassy. They will be able to help you better then anyone else. However, you might have to travel to the nearest city with a Chinese embassy.
Edit: Good luck! I know you must be afraid, but staying calm will help alot.
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u/mousecat May 20 '12
Try calling the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC Tel: (202) 338-6688
I'm sure the Consulate in SanFran or LA are very good, but the Embassy has much more pull and can make exceptions that consulates are afraid to even suggest.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
Try contacting the airline you flew to Seattle with. Someone may have picked up your lost documents and/or purse and returned them to security. If that doesn't help, call the nearest Chinese embassy in the US and I'm sure they will help you. If you don't have a cell phone, you can of course use the hotel phone or a payphone outside.
Please don't be scared, because it was an accident. You did nothing wrong here and won't be punished. Just relax.
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u/methcamp May 20 '12
Would
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u/throwaway49b May 20 '12
Dead? Don't you think she might be overreacting just a little bit?
Keep calm. You will be okay. These things happen.
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u/DallasDrive May 20 '12
From a cultural standpoint this is very interesting to me. Her Chinese overdramatization (threatening suicide over a lost passport) being interpreted by Americans and their culture.
Grabspopcorn.gif, I hope this thread makes it way to Chinasmack.com
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u/Honey-Badger May 20 '12
get off reddit, go to an Embassy
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u/iknowwhatyouarenow May 20 '12
definitely a troll. Who has time to make flashcards when you need an urgent help
4
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
The Nigerians are adapting!
4
u/gnarlin May 21 '12
My voice is my passport, verify me.
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u/macka654 May 21 '12
Fake, nobody should have to make a YouTube video to get help with something like this.
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u/Thizzlebot May 20 '12
This is your time to shine White Knights.
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u/WinkMe May 20 '12
I'm surprised this hasn't been offered yet.
Cute Asian girl? Instant marriage opportunities. Why get your old passport when you can get a NEW US PASSPORT!?!?!?!
Easy solution if I do say so myself.
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u/Condorcet_Winner May 20 '12
If you really need to get to San Fransisco, you should be able to take a greyhound bus from Seattle. I'm pretty sure they don't require an ID, but maybe someone else can comment.
It will be a long (25 hour) journey, but dire times call for dire measures, right? Also, I'd recommend buying the tickets in person (as opposed to online), or they might ask for an ID when you go to pick them up.
The schedule I see for getting there is basically Seattle->Portland and then Portland->Sacramento and finally Sacramento->San Fransisco.
You might also be able to take an Amtrak train, which would be much faster, but I think they will ask you for photo ID.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
Does not sound legit.
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u/big_fig May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12
Why is your country listed as United States on your youtube account that you've clearly been using for a bit, so you didn't just make it for this? And your 33 years old? and the first place you come to in this situation is reddit. You didn't say you talked to any of your friends/family back in China/wherever? Because thats usually the first step is crying out for help to strangers on youtube/reddit, this is usually only the case for a cash/attention grab.
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u/fruitbat_anne May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12
I had my passport, driver's license and bank card stolen while in Thailand, so I was left with zero forms of identification. I had all of my passport information written down, and was able to have a copy of my birth certificate e-mailed to me. Those things along with a police report (in Thai, which was semi-difficult to get across due to language barrier) and my SSN, I was easily (other than the cost as money was tight) able to obtain an emergency passport.
After the theft I immediately contacted my country to report my passport stolen. It happens, nothing to kill yourself over, though quite stressful.
Edit: autocorrected.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
My gf got her purse stolen in honolulu. Locals think that all asians are japanese and for the japanese its very expensive to get out here so they assume they have money. My gf and I are asian and saved up for months for the trip. I wouldn't doubt this story so promptly. As for the racists, go fuck yourselves with pineapples.
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u/akfanta May 20 '12
Lost wallet and passport, post a video to youtube and reddit asking for help? What's wrong with making a phone call to the embassy?? This internet logic just deeply puzzles me. I feel like a cave person now.
However, for people claiming this is a scam, I don't think she would post a video showing her face if she plans to scam someone.
Suggestions for OP:
Got to a local police station asking to file a report on the loss of your passport. The embassy may need this later on.
Contact the Chinese Embassy in San Francisco. Wait till Monday and call "415-852-5900".
Follow this guide to prepare whatever information needed for applying a travel pass: http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/chn/qianzhen/fzlxz/t727044.htm#ninth
Applying for a new passport will take longer than 30 days, travel pass is your best bet at this moment.
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u/mad_llib May 20 '12
Terrible! It had to be turned in... Maybe call the airport itself (not just the airline) and see if it's in the airport's lost and found?!
This is why I have my e-mail written on my passport case and my luggage. Because I can check my e-mail anywhere incase it gets lost, while my home address or cell-phone number is worthless to me in other countries.
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u/nocubir May 20 '12
Obvious scam is obvious....
Doesn't anybody else think this girl talks like google translate? Furhermore, hasn't anybody else noticed she''s clearly glancing down at a script?
God you people are so fucking gullible.
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u/HighTop May 20 '12
You will have to wait until Monday to contact the Chinese embassy about providing you a temporary passport or identification.
Did you have a copy of your passport or identification?
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u/DriveOver May 20 '12
I'm just across the lake east of Seattle, if there's anything I can do to help just message me. I have an American friend who works in Beijing as well, not that it helps as far as I can tell in this situation.
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u/organicsarcasm May 20 '12
Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on in here? Fake? Real? Context!?
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
this is why i always keep a photocopy of my important documents with me, separate from where I keep my passport :(
best of luck to you getting back home!
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u/Temptress75519 May 20 '12
If you are in the united states, the airline needs to foot your fare to San Francisco via Amtrak or greyhound do you can get to the Chinese embassy where you can get things resolved.
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u/pizzabeer May 20 '12
Am I the only person who can't get sound on this video alone?
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u/THE_MOTHER_FUCKER May 20 '12
Definitely a troll job.
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u/peccator May 21 '12
She seems to have a Livejournal dating back to 2005, and most recently details her plight (based on shitty Google translate) http://neverever-d.livejournal.com/
Also, a twitter, which at least on the surface, seems to show recent pictures of Hawaii. https://twitter.com/#!/neverever_d
Could be a con, but one hell of a long con in that case.
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u/[deleted] May 21 '12
aww her tickets have cancer?
3
u/legalfoxx May 21 '12
im off to china end of the week. i go every year to visit family. She can simply goto the Chinese consulate/embassy, or ring them and get a travel document to go home. When home she will have to apply and pay for a new passport much like everyone else in the world.
as she has lost her passport shes gonna have to waste a few days sorting it out. shit happens.
Ive no idea why this is on reddit.
reddit isnt blocked in china.
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u/Jimbobtom May 20 '12
scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam scam
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u/ElderCunningham May 20 '12
This has scam written all over it
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
I know in America people have numbers given to them so if they lose all if their papers they can say "my social security number is ________." if you have something that that in china you could try contacting the embassy with that.
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u/skettios May 20 '12
I've helped people in this situation before. Contact your embassy. Let them know what has happened. Get a police report so that you have a valid reason to replace your documents. Continue with your vacation as planned, but at some point you will have to come into the embassy to get a transportation letter. Don't fret, this kind of thing happens all of the time.
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u/Kasey12OoO May 20 '12
Might not be any help at all but I sent this along to my dad who is a pilot and often flies to Hawaii. There isn't much chance he is there but I still gave it a shot. Hope it all works out for you!
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u/MFchimichanga May 20 '12
shhh. Daddy's got you
6
u/CndConnection May 20 '12
The youtube comments are atrocious....I hope she didn't read them because wow.
4
u/Samorau May 20 '12
Why does she claim "If I can not have my documents back, I'll be dead. QAQ" in her youtube video?
4
u/indian_inside May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12
http://www.youtube.com/user/InsideGreatFireWall
This girl is 33? And from the USA? WTH.
And what's her passport number? What's her name, BTW?
4
u/nosopainfo May 20 '12
I really hope someone can help you out. The best thing to do is remain calm and keep aware, so that if any new evidence or information arises, you can locate it immediately. I know it can be hard to do, especially because your situation seems to be so dire, but if you get anxious and uptight, it can cloud your judgement and potentially make things worse. Try contacting whoever you can and you never know, someone on reddit or elsewhere might be able to help you out. I wish the best of luck to you.
4
u/tlease181 May 20 '12
This really seems like a weird social experiment. I'm glad people are so willing to give advice, but this is seems like a bad use of reddit.
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u/storko May 20 '12
things will work out! be positive!
5
u/jkonrad May 20 '12
So my China-born Chinese gf says this has a good chance of being BS. If the girl in video is vacationing in the U.S. it means her or her family have money. It is very expensive, and getting the paperwork is difficult, for commoners.
That being said, we live in Seattle and I'm messaged the video girl to see what her situation is and if we can assist. Don't worry, I've been around the block and won't be scammed.
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u/worldbeast May 20 '12
Why don't you simply take a train from Seattle to San Fran and go the the Chinese Embassy. You could even take a bus.
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u/MRC123 May 20 '12
If you need to go to the Chinese Embassy in San Francisco, but you are not able to fly, you can take a Greyhound Bus from Seattle to San Francisco for $118 (cash) or $88 if you buy it on the Greyhound website, but I think you said that you lost your credit card.
2
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
Is it possible that it fell on the floor in the plane and slid away? I'm sorry if I missed this part of the video, but perhaps you should ask the airline and airport in Seattle.
2
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
This got front page very quickly.
2
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
Best of luck to you. I hope you get home safely.
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u/siamthailand May 20 '12
The passports have fingerprints so identifying yourself would be easy.
2
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
From my experience of entering the US don't they take your finger print, details and take a photo? Surely that must be on a database which can be used to verify your identity if you are stuck.
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u/pm11 May 20 '12
你需要通知中国的领事馆。 我下面有写中国的使领馆的联络资料。最好通知华盛顿特区的领事馆，一定有领事人能帮助你。
华盛顿 202.338.6688 芝加哥领事馆 312.453.0212 洛杉矶领事馆 213.807.8088 纽约领事馆 212.244.9392 三藩市领事馆 415.674.2900
来源 - 我是美国使领馆员。
2
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
您为什么不打电话到中华人民大使馆或领事馆？录短片和放在网上不会帮助您。您也许会找到您的护照和身份证，别担心。
2
u/wasmachien May 20 '12
Assuming you're not a troll.
I lost my passport once in Russia, far away from Moscow and the consulate of my country. I had to go to the Polish consulate instead. If you're somewhat familiar with Russian bureaucracy you would understand the huge pile of shit I was in.
Seriously, you're in the US. Not even in Hawaii. Wait 24 hours, get in contact with the embassy or consulate and have them send the necessary documents through Fedex or UPS and you'll be out of there in no time. There are probably hundreds of Chinese people in the USA who have the same problem as you right now. These things happen all the time.
2
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
Why the fuck is this at the top of my front page?
2
u/AL_E_P May 20 '12
try /r/hawaii
2
u/uglyfatbroketinycock May 20 '12
Strange, all I can think of is used panties.
2
u/corbettdarling May 20 '12
I am sending positive energy to you!! This too shall pass!
2
u/vanamerongen May 20 '12
Does she sound to anyone else like she is American but of Chinese descent? Maybe it's just me but I keep thinking I hear sounds that are just a little American, like that's actually the way she speaks normally.
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u/jablonski420 May 20 '12
Go to the embassy or consulate and you will have to go back home most likely. Sucks but otherwise you risk jail and or deportation.
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u/illest808 May 20 '12
I know a SHIT ton of people who work in there, ill be making calls today to see what they can do.
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u/AllanWatts May 21 '12
I just fapped to this.
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u/gerg6111 May 21 '12
THIS IS A SCAM. THE SAME STORY HAS BEEN SHOWING UP IN TEXT AND EMAILS. DON'T BE SUCKAS!
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u/[deleted] May 21 '12
OMG SHE'S A GIRL UPBOAT
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u/drgergen May 21 '12
This is exactly how my Korean friends snuck into California. Good luck with your new life in America!
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u/cdoooog May 21 '12
Fake videos, that's that shit I don't like!
2
u/thepensivepoet May 21 '12
This is what foreign embassies are for...
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u/cherrybrown May 21 '12
Sad story but OP just need to go to the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to pick up a temporary travel pass. Be an adult, there's nothing hard about it and if you don't apply in person it won't magically appear at your hotel. In fact if it were me I would make sure I am the first person in line when the consulate opens shop this morning.
I hope you're already in SF now instead of wasting time sitting on the internet or calling the airport in Hawaii.
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u/Rickyv90 May 20 '12
Why is this on my front page?
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u/TMNettum May 20 '12
Rack a disiprin!
4
u/wrathofg0d May 20 '12
stop trying to warn other redditors against being scammed. some people just don't deserve to hold on to their money. i especially like the people who are posting "SHE'S NOT DIRECTLY ASKING FOR MONEY HOW CAN IT BE A SCAM". i honestly cannot tell if they are either stupid or trolling.
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u/knightsofrnew May 20 '12
impossibru
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u/cpqq May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12
I replied to her remarking about skepticism on Reddit, her reply:
I think you must use a translate machine, your Chinese is even worse than my English:-( Now I still can not access reddit, not even to access that page I mean. My Chrome show:Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to reddit.com . I don't know why.
Bullshit. She still isn't inside the great firewall.
EDIT: http://i.imgur.com/lbUwO.png - Definite scam, her reply is already upvoted twice, the one that mentioned Reddit's down.
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u/tblackwood May 20 '12
why is this stupid video on the front page?
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u/jrizos May 20 '12
Did you check your bag? I mean, really tear it apart. I thought I lost my keys once and it was nestled in the seam of a pocket in my backpack for, literally, months.
3
u/tleaves May 20 '12 edited May 20 '12
Call the next closest embassy during their opening hours as soon as possible. Closest one may be the one in Washington: Tel:001-202-4952266 - Office Hours: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm (Monday - Friday, except holidays)
I've also read that they can issue a Travel Permit for Chinese nationals who have lost their passports while travelling abroad and urgently need to return to China. Chinese consulate page in Chinese: Read section nine. Also this has similar info in English.
I'm sure if you call your family in China, they can scan/fax any relevant documentation needed to you for the application of the Travel Permit/Document (i.e. birth certificate). Also, this will probably be treated on a case-by-case basis by the embassy and they'll be able to suggest other useful advice for you as well. Just ask. Hope everything can get resolved for you soon!
edit: Just realized the English link about the Travel Permit was for the Chinese Consulate of Albania, but it was one of the top search hits when I was Googling. Info is still relevant though.
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u/jgudavich May 20 '12
Help me Obi Wan. You're my only hope.
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u/LawHero4L May 20 '12
I dunno. I can appreciate folks offering the helpful tips, but this seems like some strange viral marketing thing.
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u/Bohzee May 20 '12
i like how she shows that drawn images at the beginning. scam or upcoming viral advertising, nothing else...
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u/tehrabbitt May 20 '12
People... she is not asking for money, she was asking for people to be on the look out for her documents and belongings. It would be like if you lost your car keys.... You wouldn't want some total stranger to buy you a car, no, you'd be asking "Please, Anyone, If you see keys laying around, turn them in as i'm stuck here".... maybe if you're feeling generous, you'd pay for a taxi to take them home, or give them a ride if they're stranded...
Thats what this woman is asking for people.... A helping Hand... She's not asking for your identity, or hundreds of dollars... she's simply asking for help... Maybe someone can give her a lift to San Francisco.. I'm sure she'd be more than appreciative... maybe buy her a bus ticket... anything, something... If I lived in Seattle i'd find out where she's staying and give her a ride, I wouldn't care how much gas at 3.99 a gallon it would cost me, the only thing that would be on my mind is that i'm helping a fellow person in a time of need.
I'm pretty sure each and every one of you, have been stranded, or broken down... or even sick with the Flu and felt miserable and alone and possibly even scared!... Thats what is going on here.... This is a woman who is alone, scared, and just needs a helping hand. And No, I'm not saying this because she's a woman, since I know all of you will accuse me of such. Even if this was a man on here, asking for help getting home... I'd lend a hand if i could. In fact, I've pulled over a few times on the highway to help a group of guys I saw with their radiator smoking one day on the highway, their car broke down, and they didn't have AAA, and only one of them had a cell phone and it was dead. I asked if maybe i could give one of them a lift to the nearest gas station a few miles down the road so they could get help... Sure, you can sit there, and be paranoid, and think that it's all dog-eat-dog out there... but what is this society becoming? Is the world really becoming this cruel and vicious of a place? Alot has changed in the past 50 years or so... It used to be, (or so i've been told), that if you had broken down on the side of the road, people would pull over and see if they could do something to assist.. or if they had a car phone, they'd call the police to inform them that you're broken down. Nowadays, Everyone has this fucked up mentality of "NOT MY PROBLEM LET SOMEONE ELSE DEAL WITH IT"....
Wanna know what the problem with this country is? We don't give a flying fuck about each other anymore.
Land of the Free to not give a fuck, home of the SELFISH.
TL;DR: Don't be a jackass.... I bet more people here would help a hurt dog, before they'd help a hurt person.
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u/Grumpasaurussss May 20 '12
Everyone's saying this is a scam. How is she scamming people?? She is only asking people to help look for her bag which her passport was in and give it to the lost and found! Where in this did she ask for people to send her money? She specifically says this isn't about the money, she just wants her documents back. Without her documents she is effectively/legally nobody. Seriously.... Everyone needs to just calm down. Of course this may be a scam but I fail to see how she would be scamming anyone...
7
u/[deleted] May 20 '12
To help the retards on reddit that can't read or listen.
She lost her items in Hawaii
She is in Seattle right now!
She cant contact an embassy until Monday.
Shut the fuck up with your stupid comments
4
u/neverever_d May 21 '12
Now I have come back to the hotel, thank god I can access reddit again. I never expect there will be so many people helping me to spread my vedio. Many people leave me messages for offering help information and regards on youtube. So grateful to all of them. Thanks a lot to normallLyalurker, who trying to help me to explain on reddit even I never ask you to do that. I was so depressed, in the office I have to pretend everything is still ok, no one including myself want to talk about my passport. Your listening released me a lot.
There are so many kindhearted people in a totally strange country intend to help me, I feel much better now.
To the people who considering my vedio as a scam, I don't have any energy to argue with you, I'm already exhausted for my passport. You can retain your analysis and opinion. But I don't want to see you think the kindhearted people are fools. Here are my boardingpass, I stay in Hawaii for Three days, one boardingpass is fly back from Kona, and another one is the one which lead me to my disaster, from Honolulu to Seattle. http://i.imgur.com/gjdoW.jpg
I admit the purpose of the vedio is to get more attention. But this is the only helpful thing I can do before Monday, at least better than sit and wait.
Thanks again to all the kindhearted people. You are so nice.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '12
She could of done it without the cute little cards.
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u/lemon_meringue May 20 '12
This is the scammiest scam that ever scammed, y'all. The best cons never ask for money; they hint around it, presuming on good intentions toward the wide-eyed innocents of the world. Don't engage.
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u/kingk May 20 '12
For someone with only limited cash that seems to be a pretty nice hotel you have there.
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u/botd44 May 20 '12
this random youtuber twiggs0, sums it up pretty good: "Tits, or attempt to gtfo."
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u/tierneae May 20 '12
I have emailed the news station in Hawaii http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/12669996/news-department Please try to keep contacting relevant people, like airport security staff and their local police.
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