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40 Tourist Scams to Avoid This Summer

40 TOURIST SCAMS TO AVOID THIS SUMMER ON THE STREET THE FRIENDSHIP ROSE FOR YOUR THE FOUND RING BRACELET GIRLFRIEND Someone will approach you and A man will approach you while A woman will drop a ring right in offer you a friendship bracelet. you're with your girlfriend, and front of you and ask if you Regardless of what you say, they offer her a rose. He will then ask dropped it. When you say no, she will try to take your wrist and you to pay for it at an will inspect the ring and prove to begin making the bracelet on you, extortionate price, and make you you that it's real gold (it isn't). and ask for payment. This scam feel like a bad boyfriend if you She'll then offer to sell it to you čan also be used as a distraction, refuse! for a much, much higher price while their accomplice pickpockets than it's worth. you. Common in Common in Common in Paris O Rome () Paris O Rome Paris 4 Barcelona m Cairo O Barcelona THE STREET THE THROWN BABY GAMES DROPPED WALLET A woman will walk up to you and A man will perform a game such An empty wallet that looks as throw her baby (usually a doll) as guessing which cup a ball is in, though it has been stolen and into your arms. While you're in or a magic trick, on the side of the dumped on the floor, will be shock and your hands are street, and will have a group of placed on the ground. When you occupied holding the baby, her accomplices disguised as tourists walk past it, your instinct is to accomplices will go through your watching his show. This is to make check your own wallet to make pockets or bag. you curious and want to go over sure it's safe. An onlooker will and watch him. While you're make a note of where you checked distracted and concentrating on for your wallet, and will know the performer, his accomplices will exactly where to put his hands pickpocket you. when he pickpockets you further down the road. Common in Common in Common in Rome O Paris London Rome Ukraine STAIN THE WOMAN SELLING ON YOUR JACKET SHOE SHINER ROSEMARY Someone will purposely spill A man will drop his shoe brush An old woman will offer you a something (anything from right in front of you. When you sprig of rosemary, which is said to ketchup to fake bird poo) on your pick it up for him, he will thank be a sign of friendship. She will jacket – this could be subtly or by you by shining your shoes. Whilst grab your hand and possibly offer accidently bumping into you. it seems like a free gesture to to read your fortune. Then, you They will then point it out to you, begin with, he will then demand guessed it, she asks for payment and offer to help clean it. When money for the service. for her services. Oh, and if you they get their hands on your don't pay, she starts cursing you jacket to wipe it clean, they steal and your family - which can be a whatever's in the pockets. bit scary! Common in Common in Common in Buenos Aires C+ Istanbul Madrid O New Delhi Rio De Janeiro THE THE THE PHOTOGRAPHER MUSIC ARTIST DRUG DEAL When you're taking photos A friendly and enthusiastic man Taxi drivers, or tuk-tuk drivers, will (particularly when couples are will grab your attention as you sometimes offer you drugs if taking individual photos of each walk past, and ask you to check you're on your way to a party or a other), a friendly-looking local out his music, before handed you night out (particularly full moon will come over and offer to take a over his seemingly free CD. He will parties). When you accept them, photo of the two of you together. talk to you about how you would fake policemen will just 'happen' The best case scenario here is be doing him a really big favour to be walking past to catch you - ordering you to pay a large fine to avoid jail. that he will ask for a bit of by playing it in your home city. money for his services. The worst When you accept the CD, he will case is he'll run off with your ask for payment and, if you phone or camera. refuse, he and his friends will intimidate you until you do. Common in Common in Common in Europe New York City Koh Phangan TRAVELLING THE EXPENSIVE THE THE TAXI DRIVER OVERNIGHT BUS DROP AND SWAP Some taxi drivers will try to take People will offer travellers Taxi drivers, waiters, shop keepers advantage of your lack of incredibly cheap overnight bus etc. will 'accidentally' drop your knowledge about the area. They travel to get from city to city. You change, and pick up similar will purposely take longer routes, end up paying more than you looking (but less worthy) coins or side streets and take routes that think though, as they tend to notes instead. are likely to see traffic. Some rummage through the bags in the even have altered meters, where luggage compartment and steal the fare increases at a much any valuable items. faster rate than normal. Common in Common in Common in Worldwide Bangkok Asia THE TRAIN THE GETAWAY PUNCTURED TYRE PICKPOCKETS TAXI DRIVER Hire cars are usually pretty Busy trains are one of the most When you arrive at your hotel obvious, and can make you a popular settings for pickpockets. from the airport, the taxi driver will target to locals. They may People often have to stand in kindly take your bags out of the purposely puncture your tyre, to close proximity to each other, and boot for you. He'll seem in a rush then flag you down and kindly it can be very easy for pickpockets though, and quickly hop back into offer to help you replace it free of to go through your pockets or his car and drive off as soon as charge. While you're distracted bag. possible. This is because he's though, one of them will actually left one of your smaller rummage through your car and and less memorable bags in his steal any valuables. taxi! Common in Common in Common in San José Europe Las Vegas SHOPS AND SERVICES CASHIER ON AN AMAZING SLOW COUNTING THE PHONE JEWELLERY DEAL 123 A cashier in a shop will pretend to A cashier will count through your A friendly tuk-tuk driver will tell change painfully slowly, and often you that your desired destination take pauses, in the hope that you be on the phone while serving is closed, and recommend you. What she's actually doing though, is taking a photo of your will lose patience and just accept somewhere else for you to visit. credit card so it can be replicated the change anyway. However, When you arrive, you will meet later. they are counting through a much another friendly man, who will tell lower sum than you're owed! you how he buys diamonds or gemstones from the local shop, and sells them for much more back home. The aim is to get you to buy the jewellery, diamonds, or even carpets, after being promised they will sell for a high profit when you return home. Common in Common in Common in Barcelona Europe Bangkok O New Delhi THE THE FAKE THE DODGY DOCTOR POLICEMEN FAKE TICKET X. An off-duty 'doctor' will Official looking policemen will While you're queuing for the approach you and offer to sell approach you and explain that ticket office, an official looking you fake doctor documents, fake money has been circulating (but fake) staff member will offer promising that you can make a in the area, and they need to you higher priced tickets to lot more money from them if you check your wallet. When they bypass the queue. This can be use them to make a claim on return it to you, it will have some tempting, but the tickets do not your travel insurance. The money missing! They may also ask work! insurance companies know to see your passport or visa and about this scam though, and it pretend there is a problem, and will not work. demand a fine to solve the issue. Common in Common in Common in New Delhi O Mexico City Bogotá Paris London Bucharest Bangkok LOCALS AND CHILDREN THE OVERLY THE THE BEGGAR HELPFUL LOCAL MAP SELLER **** A nice man, who speaks your People will approach you and try A beggar, usually an old or language, will offer to help you at to sell you a map. They will unfold pregnant woman, will try to guilt the confusing looking cash the map in your face to show it to trip you into handing over some machine or ticket machine. Whilst you, but this is done as a loose change. This may not seem it may seem like they are being distraction while their accomplice too bad, but there is often a helpful, they are actually pickpockets you. pickpocket watching to see where memorising your pin code for you keep your wallet. when they pickpocket you later. They may also sometimes run off with your cash. Common in Common in Common in Europe Europe Worldwide PICKPOCKET THE FLIRT FREE MASSAGE WARNING A man will approach you while An attractive woman will Pickpockets will pretend to be you're relaxing on the beach and approach a lone male traveller, helpful locals, and will tell you offer you a massage. Even if you and start to flirt with him. She will that they've just seen someone say no, he will try to give you a ask him if he would like to go to a get their wallet or phone stolen - small sample massage for free. bar or nightclub with her, and the and tell you to be careful. They Once he has started, he will hang bill will be extortionate at the end will see where you check your around and pester you for a rather of the night! phone and wallet, and they (or high payment. their accomplice) will attempt to pickpocket you later on! They may also put pickpocket warning signs around the area for the same reason. Common in Common in Common in V Barbados Bahamas E Athens Europe THE EAGER ENGLISH SEEMINGLY FREE BROKEN CAMERA STUDENTS PEANUTS Someone will ask you to take a Innocent looking girls will A man will approach you when photo of them and their group of overhear you speak English, and you're sitting at a table, and offer friends. The camera won't work, come over to ask if they could you some peanuts by pouring and when you go to hand it back practice theirs on you. Their story them on the table. As soon as you to them, they will drop it and can quickly turn into a sob story, touch one, however, he will ask for cause it to smash! The entire and they will ask you for money. payment. group will then demand money This technique is also used for repairs, or pickpocket you whereby they invite you to their * during the commotion. favourite café to return the favour. When the bill comes, it will be incredibly overpriced, and the girls will be nowhere to be seen. Common in Common in Common in Worldwide 9 Shanghai, Beijing and Xian O Rio De Janeiro THE THE GYPSY KIDS POSTCARD CHARITY PETITION A poor looking child will shove a A group of children, who often A large group of Gypsy children postcard and pen in your face, pretend to be deaf, will ask you to will surround you in the street and and ask for help writing a letter sign a charity petition, and ask for hassle you until you hand over home. He will tell you about his a donation. While you're reading cash or other valuables. They may poverty and make you feel sorry the petition, their hands will also also try to sell you newspapers, for him, and try and guilt trip you wander underneath their and open them up to distract you into handing over some money. clipboards and rummage through while they pickpocket you. your pockets. Common in Common in Common in O Rome O Paris O Rome, Milan and Florence AT THE HOTEL THE FAKE FRONT THE CLOSED HOTEL DESK CALL ROOM INSPECTORS CLOSED Your taxi driver (who is in on the An identity thief will call your hotel Two people, dressed as hotel scam) will convince you that your room pretending to be from the employees, will knock on your hotel is closed for refurbishment, front desk. They will pretend there door for a routine room but will know of another place is an issue and will ask for you to inspection. One will distract you where you can stay. This hotel will confirm your credit card details. with conversation, while the other be ridiculously overpriced, and in They call you in the middle of the steals your valuables! an awful location. There have also night, as you are much less likely been cases of these hotels to go downstairs to sort it out copying the names of popular instead. hotels in a bid to trick tourists into thinking they have actually arrived at the correct hotel, and that the photos online were wrong! Common in Common in Common in Europe Worldwide Barcelona and Madrid THE FAKE SOURCES AND REFERENCES TAKEAWAY MENU ricksteves.com lonelyplanet.com wikitravel.org gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo usembassy.gov Scam artists will slide fake scambusters.org takeaway menus under your hotel door, in the hope that you order travel.cnn.com from them on an evening where you don't feel like going out. You thesavvybackpacker.com won't receive any food though, just a frightening bank statement after they have used your card details to make their own copy. JUST THE FLIGHT Common in justtheflight.co.uk USA

40 Tourist Scams to Avoid This Summer

shared by justtheflight on Jul 25
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Tourist scams are an unfortunate part of life and reality for many holidaymakers. Everywhere in the world are people looking for unscrupulous ways to make money, all at someone else's expense, loss, a...

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