Traveling to a new country for the first time is always exciting and will inevitable bring about a host of new experiences to be had. Many people enjoy traveling around, however tourists are the biggest targets for con men and scammers to potentially rip off. When you travel to a country where you barely speak the language and stick out, you are an easy target for people looking to make your vacation unpleasant. No one is immune to travel scams, and anyone could potentially be a target, which is why it is important to spot common scams and learn how to avoid them. So what are some of these common travel scams? Where do they take place, and how can you protect yourself? We are going to take a look at a few different travel scams that, as a traveler, you should be aware of.
Fraudulent Ticket Scalpers
At busy bus stations or train stations where lines for tickets can become exceedingly long, there are many people looking to make a quick buck by selling fake tickets to travelers. These people are like any ticket scalpers that you would see at a concert or sporting event, however their tickets are completely fake. This one is really easy to avoid: just suck it up and wait in line for your tickets. When someone is trying to sell you a ticket $30 dollars bellow its value, it’s probably too good to be true.
Luggage Jackers
Another scam that is relatively easy to avoid is people looking to steal your luggage. The best way to avoid this is to have your luggage on you at all times and to be constantly aware of your surroundings. Typically, scammers target people sitting close to the doors on a train. They wait right until the moment the doors close and then they grab your belongings and run out the door as it’s closing.
The Ring Scam
This is a common scam typically seen throughout the world and it involves a ring. The way this one works is a con man will drop a fake ring on the ground in front of you when you aren’t looking. They will then pick it up and approach you asking if the ring belonged to you. When you say “no”, they will then go on to tell you that it’s extremely valuable and that you should purchase it off them. Life pro-tip: don’t buy jewelry from random men on the streets of a foreign nation. The scam can get even worse after you do purchase the ring and then are approached by a group of people claiming that you stole it.
The “Professional” Photographer Scam
If someone offers to take your picture with a seemingly nice looking camera in a public space, immediately decline the offer. Sure, maybe they just wanted to take your picture, but more often than not, they want your money. These scammers will take your picture and then proceed to hound and harass you for money for the picture. Simply avoid these types of people, and remember that it’s pretty weird for strangers to go around asking to take pictures of people. Also be wary of who you give your camera too to take pictures of you and your friends, as sometimes they will back you up for the picture and then just run off with your camera.
Overtly Friendly “Helpers”
While we all would like to live in a world where everyone is friendly and helpful for no other reason than to be nice, this is simply not the case. These “helpers” tend to prey on travelers that stick out the most in a foreign nation. These people will approach unsuspecting travelers and pretend to be travel guides or translators. They will try and buddy up with you while working their scam, meanwhile looking for ways to exploit you. Maybe they “help” with loading your luggage on a train and then demand compensation or they attempt to pickpocket you. Obviously not every friendly person is like this, but you should be skeptical of strangers that go out of their way to offer you a hand. Again, if they seem shady, then they probably are and there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
The Confidence Woman at The Bar
Guys, she’s probably just not that into you. These type of women, often attractive, will flirt with you at local bars and coerce you into buying more drinks. She’s in on it with the bar and receives a commission, and then you end up with an extremely large bill at the end of the night. Check the drink prices, don’t go overboard with drinking (you are in a foreign country), and remember that you aren’t Brad Pitt.
The Long List of Taxi Scams
Taxi scams are probably some of the most common travel scams in the world, and they come in all different forms and sizes. “Gypsy” or illegal taxi cabs are looking to rip people off and take their money as they are not registered. Properly learn how to identify license plates, look for cab registration numbers, and make sure that the taxi you take has a mounted meter and credit card machine. If a cab driver passes you back a portable credit card machine to pay with, you’ve probably been conned. Additionally many cabs in places like Thailand, Mexico, and Eastern Europe can often be in partnerships with some shady local businesses. These cab drivers might take you to their friends souvenir shop instead of your hotel, in hopes that you buy something from them. Or they might tell you that your hostel is closed down, and that they know of a better place where they get money for brining in unsuspecting tourists. Taxis scams can also include drivers that rig meters, take longer routes to jack up the price, or ones that straight up take you to a remote location and rob you. These scams are difficult to spot since there are so many of them. The best way to avoid them is to use your best judgment, keep your wits about you, and avoid situations that seem sketchy.
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
