When traveling, you’re often warned to be vigilant against scams and thieves —but what exactly should you be watching for, and how can you protect yourself? This article highlights some common scams designed to deceive travelers. While it doesn’t cover every method or every location, it provides valuable insights into how these happen and offers tips to help you stay vigilant and protect yourself.
Barcelona
Scam - Fake Police
Someone posing as a police officer will ask to check your money for counterfeit bills, claiming it’s part of a routine check. They then steal your money in the process.
What to do:
Be cautious if anyone claiming to be police asks to inspect your wallet, and always ask to see their identification. Keep your cash close. Don't just let someone grab your bag or wallet and start going through it.
Scam - Fake Tickets
Someone approaches you, claiming to sell you tickets for a concert, event, or museum at a discounted price. They are often fake and you end up with nothing.
What to do:
Always buy tickets directly from official outlets or trusted services.
Greece (Athens, Santorini)
Scam - Fake "Free" Tours
Someone offers you a “free” tour of a historic site or the city, only to demand a large tip at the end or sell you overpriced souvenirs.
What to do:
Always research and book official tours in advance to avoid this kind of scam. Using a travel agent prior to your trip is always a good idea.
Scam - Parking Scam
Fake parking attendants approach your car and claim that parking in a particular area requires a fee, even if it is free.
What to do:
Never pay for parking to an unmarked individual. Look for official parking signs or meters.
Indonesia (Bali)
Scam - Overpriced Taxi Scam
Unofficial taxis or drivers will offer rides at inflated prices or claim that the meter is broken, only to charge you much more than agreed.
What to do:
Use a reliable ride-hailing app like Grab. Don't get in a car if the "meter is broken." Be vigilant and hyper-aware of potential scams like this.
Scam - The Monkey Scam (Ubud)
A monkey “steals” your belongings in tourist areas and then demands money for its return, often with the assistance of a handler.
What to do:
Keep a close eye on your belongings in monkey-inhabited areas, and avoid interacting with the monkeys.
Mexico (Cancún and Playa del Carmen)
Scam - Timeshare Scam
A salesperson offers you a free tour or a discounted gift in exchange for attending a timeshare presentation, which turns out to be a hard-sell tactic for overpriced properties.
What to do:
Be cautious about offers that seem "too good to be true” and avoid attending timeshare presentations. The presentations will often rope you into long and pushy sales pitches.
Scam - Fake Taxi Scam
In tourist areas, unregistered taxis may approach you and offer rides at inflated prices.
What to do:
Again, use authorized taxi services or ride-hailing apps like Uber to ensure you’re getting a fair price and registered taxi drivers.
Paris
Scam - Survey Trap
If someone approaches you with a survey, it's likely a distraction. While the "surveyor" keeps you engaged with questions, an accomplice is nearby, watching your every move and waiting for the perfect moment to pickpocket you. Stay vigilant and don't let your guard down.
What to do:
Decline and keep walking. If they follow you, ignore them. Keep your belongings close.
Scam - Petition Trap
A person, often a woman with a clipboard, asks you to sign a petition. While you’re distracted, they or their accomplices steal your belongings. This is often in tourist-heavy areas like around Montmartre and near major landmarks.
What to do:
Decline and keep walking. If they follow you, ignore them. Keep your belongings close.
Scam - The Gold Ring
Someone “finds” a gold ring on the ground and offers to sell it to you for a cheap price, claiming they just found it. It’s usually a cheap imitation.
What to do:
Decline and keep walking. If they follow you, ignore them. Keep your belongings close.
Rome and Florence
Rome and Florence (and other large European cities) are pretty well known for their scams. We found that Rome was the worst we encountered so far.
Scam - Bracelet Scam
Watch out for scammers who will slip a bracelet onto your wrist and then aggressively pressure you into paying for it. This scam is especially common in Rome, where they target unsuspecting tourists in busy areas.
What to do:
Decline and keep walking. When this happened to us, a man pointed to my husband's shoes and said, "Nice shoes! Can I get a fist bump?" My husband declined and kept walking, but we watched someone else and when the person went to give a fist bump, the man slid a bracelet on the tourist's wrist and then started requesting money.
Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket)
Scam - Gem Scam
A person approaches you and tells you about a special gem or jewelry deal. They often claim the gem is of high value and can be bought at a low price, but it is worth much less.
What to do:
Steer clear of the street vendors unless you really want to purchase knock-off goods. Just know you aren't going to get the real deal.
Scam - Taxi Meter Scam
A taxi driver refuses to use the meter and quotes a high flat rate instead. Once you’ve agreed, they may take a longer route to inflate the price.
What to do:
Use a reliable ride-hailing app like Grab. Always insist on using the meter when taking a taxi, but be aware they've sometimes hacked the meter to go up faster than it should. Ride share apps or rides already arranged before travel from a private driver are your best choice.
Turkey (Istanbul)
Scam - The Tea or Coffee Scam
A friendly stranger offers to buy you a drink, but once you accept, they or their associates charge you exorbitantly for the tea or coffee.
What to do:
Avoid accepting offers for free drinks from strangers, especially in tourist-heavy areas.
Scam - The Carpet Scam
A shopkeeper offers to show you their "family business" or invites you in for tea, and once you’re inside, they try to pressure you into buying expensive carpets.
What to do:
If you’re not interested in buying, decline invitations and leave. Don't feel bad to tell them, "no."
United States (New York City)
Scam - The “Lost Tourist” Scam
A person approaches you, claiming they’re a tourist and need directions or money to get home. In the process, they try to guilt you into giving them money.
What to do:
Politely refuse and walk away if someone approaches you in this manner.
Scam - Train Performer Scam
Performers or musicians often jump on a train car and "perform" for tips, but they may get aggressive if you don’t tip them.
What to do:
Typically, people on the NYC subway are wearing earphones and looking down. That's usually the best way to avoid these performers aggressive requests. Don't make eye contact. Often, they jump off the train car at the next stop.
United States (Savannah & Charleston)
Scam - Sweetgrass Flower
A person will approach you offering a "free" sweetgrass flower or handmade item, claiming it’s a gift or part of their culture. Once you accept it, they demand a payment for it.
What to do:
Politely decline and keep walking.
Vietnam
I've been made aware of a number of people who have had issues with the ride shares in Vietnam, specifically in Hanoi, but in other areas of Vietnam as well.
Scam - Fake Ride-Share Driver
Travelers at airports have encountered imposters posing as ride-hailing drivers (e.g., Grab). They approach passengers waiting for their ride and claim to be the driver, often taking control of the passenger's phone to exit the ride-hailing app and prevent price comparisons. Once the traveler follows them, the scammer avoids disclosing the fare until they load the traveler’s bags into the car.
After quoting an inflated price, the scammer may lure the traveler into accepting by offering a slightly lower rate. Once inside the car, the scam escalates. The passenger is often handed off to another driver or vehicle, creating confusion and unease. The scammers may continue to pressure the passenger or delay returning their belongings, using intimidation to keep control.
Sometimes, the scam escalates further, with the driver taking the passenger to a remote location and demanding an even higher payment to return them to their destination.
What to do:
Always hold on to your phone and your bags. Never let anyone take either from you. Don't get into a car with someone who is not verified on your ride-share app.
Don't be afraid to cause a scene if you feel you are in danger. Get peoples' attention.
Scam - The Long Way
Vulnerable travelers have encountered situations where the driver takes the passenger on an unnecessarily long route to inflate the fare. Upon reaching the destination, they demand an exorbitant amount, sometimes using sleight of hand to switch out the cash handed to them, claiming the passenger hasn’t paid enough. If the passenger resists, the driver may resort to intimidation, locking the car doors (with the passenger inside), shouting, or refusing to let them leave until they pay more.
Make sure they don't try to "help" you with your money as they may also grab your cash from your wallet.
What to do:
Always confirm the car matches the app details before getting in and never hand your phone or bags to a stranger. Keep your cash close.
Stay alert, travelers! Keep your money close and your eyes open. While many people are wonderful and kind, you will meet those bad apples occasionally. If you know what to expect, you can protect yourself from falling into their traps.
Have you seen or been a victim of a scam while traveling? Tell us about it in the comments!
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