42 Travel Scams To Watch Out For While Vacationing

A local offers to take a group shot of you and your buddies when you are hanging out at a popular tourist spot or landmark. You turn to pose for your fantastic new picture when you notice your new friend has disappeared entirely. Of course, with your expensive camera.

 

How to avoid it: This one is difficult; you must carefully consider the circumstances. Typically, you should ask for the favor rather than someone doing it on their own initiative. The most dangerous locations for this are crowded city attractions. If necessary, request other travelers to take a picture of you and do them the same favor.

A common scam in Europe is for a traveler to feel something drop on their shoulder as they are going down the street. This is usually bird poop or a fast-food sauce. After that, a kind stranger comes over and starts to clean up the mess while pulling your wallet from your pocket or purse.

 

How to avoid it: In cases like this, it is best to refuse help from others. Instead, go to an establishment with a bathroom and clean up the mess there.

Beggars will approach you and ask for money. They are frequently deaf, blind, or pregnant, and occasionally they are accompanied by a "helper". Also, begging gangs frequently employ children to collect cash, because it's hard for most people to say "no" to the young, injured, or elderly. It is possible that a partner nearby is simply keeping an eye out to observe where you leave your money so they can rob you later.

 

How to avoid it: Because it's so difficult to tell who is genuine and who isn't, never give money to begging people on the street. Instead, provide them with food or clothing. Your money won't be going to a criminal then.

This scam is frequently used by cab drivers near airports and train stations, but it can happen anywhere. Once the cab starts driving, the driver will announce that the meter is broken and charge an unreasonable fee.

 

How to avoid it: Agree on rates in advance or check that the meter is working before you get in the car. Get out of the cab and choose a different driver if the driver won't switch on the meter or claims it will be less expensive without one. Not all cab drivers work illegally.

To help you save local bank costs, someone approaches you at an ATM. In order to steal money from your account later, what they really want to do is watch you enter your pin number while scanning your ATM card with a card reader they carry in their pocket.

 

How to avoid it: Keep everyone away from you while using an ATM, and always use your other hand to cover the number pad as you enter your pin code. Take your card if someone comes, then find another ATM.

Even while Wi-Fi is now available practically everywhere, some of those open, free connections could be dangerous. In public areas, hackers may set up inviting unprotected Wi-Fi hotspots that naive users would happily connect to, giving the thief access to your computer, passwords, online accounts, and more.

 

How to avoid it: Always verify which Wi-Fi connection is the official one with the hotel, coffee shop, or airport employees, particularly if you come across an unlocked connection. Use a VPN to encrypt all of your online activity.

When the scammer discovers that you are able to communicate in English, he claims to have a friend or family who lives abroad and requests your help in writing a postcard for him. The idea is to get you into the store, possibly offer you some tea, and then push you into making a purchase. This makes use of the psychological concept of reciprocity: since he provided you tea and was friendly to you, you'll soon feel obligated to make a purchase for him.

 

How to avoid it: Never follow someone to a different location or believe they have a cousin who just so happens to live where you do.

A lady or child may approach you when you're at a well-known location and ask you to sign a petition, frequently by pretending to be deaf or a student. Since you have no idea what they are saying, you sign the petition in the hopes that it will make things less awkward. But the petitioner eventually requests a financial contribution. Anyone who falls for this scam will, at best, lose some money; at worst, they risk being pickpocketed while engaging in conflict with the petitioner.

 

How to avoid it: Simply ignore anyone asking you to sign a petition, especially if they approach you in groups and attempt to surround you. Just keep moving forward.

This mainly happens with clothing, accessories, rugs, and antiques all throughout the world. You find a designer item at a great deal while shopping. Perhaps they bought it in bulk? The owner finally decides to sell it to you after some negotiating. He switches the original when you're not looking and gives you a knock off instead.

 

How to avoid it: First off, keep in mind that designer goods will never be that cheap. Remember that anything that seems too good to be true probably is. Second, always check to be sure you are getting the exact item you requested by keeping an eye on what the seller is actually handing you.

While you're on a subway, thieves crowd around you to board or exit a vehicle and pick your pockets. Another strategy is jumping off the bus as the doors are closing while holding the wallet of a passenger who is standing at the door.

 

How to avoid it: Find a seat away from the doors and minimize access to your pockets and purse.

This scam mostly targets female travelers. A friendly man or woman will start a conversation with you before putting a "free" friendship bracelet on your wrist. Or give you a rosemary plant for good luck. After you have it, they'll require payment. They'll start a scene when you decline.

 

How to avoid it: Resist letting anyone put anything on your body, and only accept free things if there is a valid reason to do so. Particularly in heavily traveled locations. Ignore the scammers and continue on your way.

A local man mentions his successful side business of buying watches, jewelry, diamonds, and carpets and then reselling them for a nice profit in the US (or another country). He offers to explain how he does it and directs you to the best prices. The fact that these goods are fake is the true problem.

 

How to avoid it: No matter how good the offer looks, avoid purchasing pricey luxury things while traveling abroad. Always keep in mind that if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

When you first go to a new country, you find that the attractive ladies there seem to be much more interested in you than they were back home. One of them asks you out to a bar or nightclub. But after a crazy night, the woman leaves and you're left with a huge bill. Or even worse, robbed and drugged.

 

How to avoid it: Be skeptical of attractive ladies who approach you unusually openly or who make strong gestures. Although it's every man's fantasy to be approached by gorgeous ladies, if this rarely happens to you, it's definitely a scam.

These days, getting in touch with home owners who advertise their vacation properties online is simple. But scammers are also attempting to get your rental reservation. When you arrive for your holiday, you find out that other people have already reserved the same property because, the “owners” copy actual rental ads and pass them off as their own. Your money is gone, and you have no place to stay. Other scammers create fake listings for properties that either don't exist or aren't actually available for rent.

 

How to avoid it: Always get in touch with the owner of the property directly, and only book your stay through trustworthy websites.

Men in suits board the train and demand your identification. They have a notebook and an official badge, so they appear professional. They tell you you are in the wrong class and compartment when they demand to see your tickets, but they say you could stay if you pay the upgrading charge.

 

How to avoid it: Do your research. Ask the ticket desk how much it is to upgrade on the train and know the full cost of the ticket before getting on.

The most frequent locations for this kind of travel fraud are restaurants and cabs. When you give the employee your money at the end of the dinner or ride, they will claim that it is fake. They'll give you the bill back and request a new kind of payment. The issue is that even though you gave them a real banknote, they replaced it with a fake one while you weren't looking.

 

How to avoid it: Before traveling, make sure you are familiar with the local currency. Pay attention when you pay, and wherever possible, use exact change. Try to exchange large amounts of currency for smaller ones at your hotel or a bank.

In many big cities, there is a scam involving a fake police officer. A stranger will frequently approach a tourist and offer them illegal goods, like drugs. While speaking, one or two people will come, acting as police officers and showing their "badges." After that, they will demand that the unaware traveler turn out their wallet and passport. They are not, however, police officers.

 

How to avoid it: Never give over your wallet or passport to anyone. Ask them to show you their ID, then say you'll call the police to make sure they are who they claim they are. Or say you need their help getting to your hotel since your passport is locked up in the safe there. If they don't allow this, just walk away.

You receive a call from the front desk of a hotel in the middle of the night to confirm your credit card details. But instead of the front desk, it's a scammer who will empty your accounts by copying your card using the information you provide him over the phone.

 

How to avoid it: Give no credit card information over the phone. If there is an issue, come down to the front desk in person the following morning.

A colleague or "friend" will ask you to take a bag or parcel on an overseas flight or across a border in this scam. They can promise to pay you or trick you into believing that you are helping their family. These frauds have a connection to relationship scams. It's possible that the bag contains illegal stuff like drugs or guns.

 

How to avoid it: You should never transport luggage or packages for someone you just met. Find out what's inside any package even if you carry for a person you know and trust.

In countries where the banknotes resemble one another, this happens commonly. People prefer to look at colors first, so when you receive a pile of change that is the same color, you might assume that you received the correct change, when in fact you received the incorrect bills in an effort to persuade you to go quickly.

 

How to avoid it: Count your change carefully every time.