Where else but China can you talk on your fake iPhone while checking email on your fake MacBook Air (both bought from a fake Apple Store) and eating fake pork chops with a side of fake eggs? The country that is on the cutting edge of forgery is also a commuter’s nightmare—just imagine trying to get a seat on a bus in a country of over one billion people!

Of course, where there’s a will, there’s a way to rip off: recently, a number of women in China have been caught faking pregnancy to get access to priority seating on trains and buses.

These women are said to fool other passengers by using silicon packs traditionally worn by actors to make them look pregnant. The packs are available for purchase through the internet.

If you don’t mind the extra weight, the plan sounds perfect on paper: by simply putting on one of these babies before leaving home, anyone can enjoy a comfy ride in the priority seating of any bus or train in even the worst rush hours.

However recently, when a careless woman wearing her rubber baby bump was spotted in Hebei Province, the story was spread via social networking services, blowing the cover on this seating scandal.

The news made passengers aware of the scam and soon after, similar reports began popping up over the net one after another.

According to one silicon producer, the second trimester (5 to 7 months) is the hottest seller. And judging by the website, even men can get in on the action with a little makeup and a stuffed bra.

While anyone can easily purchase one of these packs through the internet, daily comfort doesn’t come cheap , with prices ranging from 1000 to 1600 Yuan (US$150-$250). Sales remain strong though, and faced with the reality of standing on a bus for hours a day, every day, for the rest of your life, there’s no telling what lengths people will go to for some relief.

Link: taobao.com (Chinese)


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