Top Travel Scams

Travel is one of life’s great pleasures, so it is little wonder travelers are more interested in researching which sites to see and which restaurants to visit than finding out what scams they have to watch out for. In a foreign country or city people let their guard down, relax, and often behave in a way they never would back home, leaving them open to highly organized tourist scams.

These scams often play on the traveler’s kind and trusting nature, desire to save on holiday purchases, and lack of local knowledge.

We’ve put together a list of the top travel scams to watch out for around the world. The key piece of advice:  Keep your wits about you and learn from past travelers’ mistakes.


Fake Police:  A street merchant may put something in your hand or around your wrist, then, when you try to give it back, complain that you're trying to steal it. A uniformed policeman—fake—happens to be passing by and threatens to arrest you if you don't pay for what you supposedly stole. Variations include trumped-up arguments with taxi drivers and merchants.

Distraction Theft:   Someone distracts you while an accomplice picks your pocket or goes through your baggage. The scenarios are endless: kids swarm around you asking for money, someone "accidentally" spills something on you, someone punctures the tire on your rental car and pilfers your stuff while supposedly "helping" you change the tire, someone throws a doll dressed up like a real baby at you. The list goes on and on, and it can happen almost anywhere.

Bar Scams:  These can take a variety of forms, but the basics involve a traveler, usually male, being approached by local women (sometimes a group of seemingly friendly men) who invite him for a round of drinks at a local bar. After a few beverages the locals are gone and the traveler is left with a ridiculously large bill!

Taxi Drivers: Unfortunately for all the good ones, cab drivers have a bad rep for ripping off travelers, but they do have a lot of tricks associated with their profession. Some of the most common cons are inflating fares or telling passengers their selected hotel/bar/restaurant is closed, but never fear, they know a better one just down the road. Always travel in licensed cabs and, if possible, agree on a fixed fare. Also, insist on going to your original destination and see if it is actually closed for yourself.

Photo Finish:  Someone offers to take a picture of you and your companion with your camera—and runs off with the camera.   Or you’ve just arrived at an amazing when a local in costume or with an intriguing prop shows up and offers to pose for a photo. This person isn’t just doing this for a bit of fun. The costumed conman is after your cash. Once the photo has been taken he or she will demand a crazy amount of money from you.

PIN Theft:  A cashier surreptitiously takes a picture of your credit card, or someone who "helps" you at a foreign ATM notes and remembers your PIN for later theft use.

Old-Fashioned Pickpocketing:  Pickpockets don't need elaborate scams or set-up scenarios. They can get as close to you as they need to on crowded public transit, intercity trains, and in busy shops.

Currency Capers:  A merchant counts out your change correctly, accidentally drops it, retrieves it, and hands you a substitute wad that's a bit lighter. Or you get a mix of counterfeit and real bills.

Bracelet Scheme:   A charming person comes up to you offering directions or sightseeing advice when, suddenly, he or she ties a woven bracelet around your wrist in a double knot then demands payment. If you refuse, the scammer starts yelling that you’re stealing the bracelet. Victims are often so shaken by the experience that they end up paying the perpetrator.  Be wary of overly friendly people offering services you neither want nor need and tell them to remove the bracelet before you call the police.

You can easily avoid some of these scams. If you can't tell the difference between an emerald and a fragment of green glass, don't buy "emeralds" on the street. Assume anything someone tries to sell you on the street is either a fake or carries a grossly inflated price. Know enough about the local geography that you can tell when you're being "taken for a ride." Dress modestly and try to fit in with the locals. Avoid constant glances at guidebooks or maps. But those strategies work only in obvious situations.

Yes, most locals you encounter are honest and genuinely want to help. But you need to remain alert at all times. Sad to say, but "paranoia is its own reward." As an obvious tourist, you have to be aware that you might be targeted in just about any situation.