Three foreigners who tried to confuse a local and steal his money with a confidence trick fled empty-handed when two of their former victims arrived on the scene, reports Beijing Times.

As Zhang and his family walked to a furniture store in the Chaoyang District, they met three foreigners who asked them for directions. As Zhang answered their questions, one of the foreigners said: "Do you have any renminbi? I don't know the currency well and I'd like to have a look."

Zhang's brother produced a 100-yuan (US$12) note, but the foreigners asked to see a 50-yuan (US$6) note instead.

The three men scoffed when Zhang said he had no 50-yuan notes.

When Zhang took all of his money out to show them, one of the foreigners seized the notes and began to count them.

Just then, two men who had been watching the exchange rushed out of the furniture store shouting, "cheaters". The foreigners immediately jumped into a car and fled.

The two men said they had run into the foreigners before.

Their 8,000 yuan (US$965) became 4,000 yuan (US$480) after they let them count their money.

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