10 Popular Tourist Scams You DO NOT Want to Fall For
10 Popular Tourist Scams You Do NOT Want to Fall For
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be discussing some of the most commonly utilized methods of deception against tourists travelling abroad.
Beggars & Pickpockets
We hesitate to use the word “classic” when it comes to describing this vintage tourist scam. Perhaps “established” is more suitable when it comes to that age-old occupation of the Pickpocket. These con-artists want your wallet, and they’re not above impersonating the unhoused to play upon the sympathy of tourists. These flim-flam operators will try and ask you for a paltry donation while attempting to lift the whole shoot ‘n shebang. So, be sure to watch out where and how you carry a wallet, money clip, or purse. You know how the old saying goes: an ounce of prevention is worth a lifetime of cure.
ATM Skimmers
This illegal and immoral scam isn’t only relegated to the tourism sector, but it can very easily put a cramp in your vacation, should you not be paying attention. We’ve probably all needed to grab cash in a quick pinch while we’re on vacation. As a result, we may not exactly be totally focused on checking out our surroundings while hitting up an ATM. This is where skimmers come in, since they can easily be placed over or within a cash machine that’s left unmonitored. These skimmers can siphon off the unwary’s banking info from the card. They’re not only relegated to ATMs, either, since they can also be installed within innocent-looking card terminals at just about any store.
Substance Trafficking Scams
We’re gonna reference another grandpa saying for this next example when we state that “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” In other words, those travelling abroad should always be wary of an offer that sounds too good to be true… because it probably is. It’s not entirely uncommon for tourists to be approached by strangers offering them what sounds like the deal of a lifetime. Paid airfare or transportation, and the promises of lucrative windfalls. The only thing they have to do is go here, there, and everywhere on a planned itinerary. This is by design, of course, since the victims of these scams are basically being used as mules to facilitate illegal transport of goods across the border. Don’t fall for it.
Cashier Scamming
It sort of feels like a given that we should assume the cashier standing across from us at the checkout isn’t going to intentionally rip us off. Then again, we all know what happens when we assume, right? Unfortunately, some less-than-scrupulous cashiers aren’t above taking advantage of unwary tourists who aren’t keen on counting their change. Some of these employees will either move like molasses while switching out bills, or, even worse, attempt to snap a photo of your credit card as they’re processing payment. This one can be tough to catch, and even more complicated when it comes to accusations, so our best advice is to be as vigilant as you can during every financial transaction abroad.
The Ol’ Switcheroo
It isn’t only cashiers who might play around with your cash. Just about anyone handling your money could just have a trick up their sleeve that’s designed to take advantage of tourists' unfamiliarity with local currency. A driver might have a secret stash of bills that they use to swap out when you’re not looking or paying attention. An aforementioned cashier might drop you counterfeit coins or incorrect change, all based solely on the assumption that you, the tourist, are a stranger in a strange land. It’s always best to prepare oneself for any potential scams when it comes to handling money, and this includes knowing the values of coins and the proper exchange rate.
(Non) Helpful Locals
Let’s be clear: travelling can be a wonderful and life-changing experience. One that can include meeting scores of interesting new people. However, be careful about whom you trust, since not all locals can be friendly. Some may come up offering advice on how to stay safe, only to glean info about where you happen to be stashing that wallet. Or locals may try to offer physical help in some fashion, such as finding a seat on the train. Then, they’ll forcefully demand a tip for doing so. Some of these scams can just as easily double as traps, such as those locals that intentionally try to create situations where you, the tourist, are caught alone, unawares… and ready to be robbed.
A “Found” Ring
It could be a ring or something else, like a wallet, but always be suspicious if a stranger picks something up off the ground and asks if it belongs to you. The “Found Ring” scam is one example of this behavior, where a local or somebody else will point out a ring on the ground and offer it up to you. They’ll ask if you dropped it, but soon point out how it happens to be valuable. The scammer will then offer to sell it to you, even though this “found” ring happens to be the same bauble they dropped on the ground only moments prior to your arrival.
Shell Game
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, yet it still seems to work on unsuspecting tourists, so here we are with the shell game. It may look like an innocent game of chance while you’re walking down the street, but make no mistake: the odds are NEVER in the tourist’s favor with this one. The shell game is designed to be a con, where the player never correctly chooses where the ball is hiding. The house essentially always wins, and it doesn’t matter if the shell game takes the guise of cards or cups… the proper course of action is just not to engage, okay?
Friendship Bracelet
Hey, we all want to take home some souvenirs when we travel, right? The experience can be made even more memorable if those souvenirs are hand-made and indigenous to wherever we happen to be visiting. That said, always be careful about anybody attempting to place anything on your person while travelling. This includes items as initially innocuous as a “friendship bracelet,” which many con artists will try and put on before you can even notice. They’ll then try to either demand you pony up some money or pick your pocket when you’re not looking.
Taxi Overcharge
The modern travelling landscape is one with a lot more options when it comes to how tourists can get around from spot to spot. And yes, while ride-sharing services aren’t perfect, the act of paying on an app essentially circumvents one of the oldest tourist traps in the book: the taxi overcharge. Unscrupulous drivers have historically loved to take their fares the long way around under the guise of a, ahem, “shortcut.” Or, the cabbie in question might take an intentional wrong turn, skipping your destination altogether while that meter runs up a bill. Watch how fast that meter goes, watch out for “flat” fees, and beware that you don’t get taken for any extra rides in that overpriced cab.
Do you have any advice for the aspiring travel nut? Let us know some tips in the comments!
