{"id":123,"date":"2018-12-28T14:00:04","date_gmt":"2018-12-28T14:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/?p=45929"},"modified":"2018-12-28T14:00:04","modified_gmt":"2018-12-28T14:00:04","slug":"14-major-travel-scams-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourfunjourney.com\/index.php\/2018\/12\/28\/14-major-travel-scams-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Major Travel Scams to Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A
\nUpdated:<\/strong> 12\/28\/2018 | December 28th, 2018<\/p>\n

Travel scams are real. <\/p>\n

When I started traveling, I fell for them too.<\/p>\n

On my first big non-tour trip, I got scammed twice on the same day. <\/p>\n

My friend Scott and I had just arrived in Thailand<\/a>. We were in Bangkok<\/a> trying to find a boat cruise to take us up and down the Chao Phraya River. A taxi driver suggested this one company; we went there, and found out that an hour-long tour was only $30 USD. Not even thinking about whether that was a deal or not, we agreed. To us \u2014 still thinking about prices back home \u2014 that offer seemed like a fair price. It was only as the boat tour ended early that we realized we might have been ripped off (later on, we found out that we paid double the price).<\/p>\n

Then, after lunch, we wandered over to the Grand Palace. When we got there, we didn\u2019t see any crowds. We looked down the left side of the palace, then over to the right. \u201cWhere is everyone?\u201d I asked. An enterprising tuk-tuk driver came over to us and told us the palace was closed for lunch. Scott and I looked at each other. Maybe that was right. After all, many museums sometimes do that, plus we didn\u2019t see anyone around. It seemed feasible. He offered to take us to a few that were open.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure,\u201d we replied \u2014 and found ourselves visiting not only a few temples but also a suit shop, a gem shop, and a souvenir shop.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, as he took us to the palace (which was unsurprisingly open). It was then we realized that it had never been closed \u2014 we had just been on the wrong side of the building.<\/p>\n

We had been scammed. <\/p>\n

My life as a traveler was not off to a good start.<\/a><\/p>\n

So, today, I want to give you a list of travel scams to avoid. <\/p>\n

Avoiding travel scams requires a lot of common sense and a healthy dose of suspicion. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! <\/p>\n

(Additionally, if you are carrying a travel guidebook<\/a>, they usually list the most common scams in that country.) Here are some of the more universal ones to avoid:<\/p>\n

1. The taxi overcharge<\/h3>\n

This is one of the most common travel scams out there. Either the driver will tell you the meter is broken and try to charge you a huge rate or you\u2019ll see the meter go higher and faster than Superman!<\/p>\n

To avoid this scam, first you need to know how much a ride should<\/em> cost. I always ask the hostel or hotel staff<\/a> what a ride should<\/em> be so I have a frame of reference. Next, if the cabbie tries to negotiate the rate with me, I offer him the correct rate. If he refuses, I find someone who will put the meter on. If the meter seems to be going up too quickly, I have them pull over and I get out. Many tourism boards let you report bad cab drivers, so be sure to always make a mental note of their ID number when you get in the cab.<\/p>\n

And never get in an unlicensed cab \u2014 no matter how amazing the deal is!<\/p>\n

2. Your accommodation is \u201cclosed\u201d<\/h3>\n

Another cab driver scam: your driver will try to tell you your hotel or hostel is overbooked or even closed. It\u2019s not. I mean, you wouldn\u2019t have booked it if it was, right? Just ignore them and insist on going there. If they keep trying, continue to insist. They will usually shut up about it.<\/p>\n

And while this seems like a scam no one could possibly fall for, people do. I\u2019ve been in many cabs where they insist my hostel has been closed for months.<\/p>\n

A note on taxis: <\/strong>In this smartphone era, we have our power back. We\u2019re no longer helpless, because we can look on a map and see the actual correct route. I like to look on Google Maps and see what the best route is. If it looks like they aren\u2019t taking it, I\u2019ll usually point to the map and insist they go that way. (I left a taxicab in Bangkok recently because he tried to pull a fast one on me by taking a longer route.) If I\u2019m going to a country where I won\u2019t have phone access, I preload the map onto my phone. Your phone\u2019s GPS will work even if you don\u2019t have a connection. Additionally, ride services like Uber place accountability on drivers, which greatly reduces the likelihood of you being cheated.<\/em><\/p>\n

3. The shell game<\/h3>\n

I see this one all the time \u2014 how people fall for it I\u2019ll never know. It\u2019s such an old and obvious scam. It\u2019s in movies, for heaven\u2019s sake! You\u2019ll see people on the street playing a card game (sometimes known as three-card Monte) or hiding a ball in a cup and someone guessing where it is and winning money. Then you decide to play \u2014 and you win! Thinking this is great, you bet more money\u2026 and then you lose \u2014 and lose again and again.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get suckered into this con. Remember, the house always wins!<\/p>\n

4. \u201cCome in for tea and help me write a letter!\u201d<\/h3>\n

While in Morocco<\/a>, someone tried this travel scame on me. I was walking out of a convenience store when a guy struck up a conversation. Finding I was from NYC<\/a>, he said he had a cousin who lived there (the first giveaway) and wanted to know if I could come to his shop to write a postcard for him (the second giveaway). The goal here was to get me in the shop, maybe give me some tea, and then pressure me into buying something. This uses the psychological principle of reciprocity: he gave me tea, he was nice to me, so soon I\u2019ll feel socially obliged to buy something.<\/p>\n

To avoid this, don\u2019t follow people to a second location or believe they suddenly have a cousin who happens to live exactly where you do!<\/p>\n

5. Free bracelets\/rosemary\/anything they can put on you<\/h3>\n

In this scam, common in Europe<\/a>, a friendly person will approach you for a quick chat, then place a bracelet around your wrist or hat on your head, or give you a little sprig of rosemary. Once you have it on your person, they will demand money. When you refuse, they will begin to cause a scene in the hopes you would rather give them some money than be embarrassed.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t allow anyone to put anything on your body, and be extremely wary of accepting anything for free. If they put something on you, simply take it off, give it back to them, and be firm about it. Then walk away and move on with your day. They won\u2019t chase you.<\/p>\n

6. The spill on your clothes<\/h3>\n

There you are, minding your own business, and someone spills something on you. Ruins your day, but accidents happen, right? They are profusely sorry and offer to clean it up, dabbing the stain, and apologizing. While you are all flustered, they are picking your pocket. By the time you realize what has happened, they are long gone.<\/p>\n

This scam is also common in Europe. Beware of people encroaching on your person if it\u2019s not a crowded area already. If this happens, push people away and clean it up yourself.<\/p>\n

7. Motorbike scam<\/h3>\n

You rent a bike, and then when you bring it back, the owner demands additional payment or expensive repairs because there is some damage you didn\u2019t know about. I see this scam a lot in Southeast Asia<\/a> and other developing regions of the world.<\/p>\n

To avoid this, take photos of the bike first to document any previous damage. Go around it with the owner so they know what you are taking pictures of. Use your own lock, and keep the bike out of sight and off a main street when you park it. Sometimes an owner will send someone to mess with the bike or steal it so you have to pay! Also, always make sure you buy travel insurance<\/a> so you can make a claim if there is an issue.<\/p>\n

8. The flirtatious woman<\/h3>\n

You arrive in a new country and head to a bar, where a beautiful local comes up to you for a chat. You can\u2019t believe your luck. You have some drinks and amazing conversation and go to a new bar or club that she suggested. However, after a wild night and lots of drinks, the woman disappears and you\u2019re forced to pay an overpriced bill with some really big guys bearing down on you to make sure you do. Or, worse, you get drugged and wake up completely robbed of everything on you.<\/p>\n

The simple solution to this is to be wary of attractive women who promise to take you to the world\u2019s best club, get you drinks, or are overly flirtatious, especially when you stand out like a sore thumb as a foreigner. Getting on a plane didn\u2019t increase your attractiveness by a factor of 10.<\/p>\n

Note: <\/strong>Why didn’t I mention a similar scam for women? Because let’s be real, we men are dumb and usually thinking with our little brain. Women are too smart to fall for this.<\/em><\/p>\n

9. Your attraction is closed for lunch<\/h3>\n

As mentioned, this is what happened to me and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker! A friendly local approaches and informs you that the attraction you want to visit is closed for any number of reasons (religious ceremony, holiday, etc.). Then they\u2019ll guide you to a different attraction or shop, where you\u2019re pressured to purchase something or pay a lot for entry.<\/p>\n

To avoid this, find the main entrance or ticket counter and see for yourself. Also, keep in mind that most attractions don\u2019t <\/em>close for lunch \u2014 they close for the day. Even better, look up the open hours before you go, so you know what to expect \u2014 opening and closing times are almost always available online. Don\u2019t be like me!<\/p>\n

10. The \u201cfound\u201d ring<\/h3>\n

An innocent-looking person picks up a ring on the ground and asks if you dropped it. When you say no, the person looks at the ring closely, then shows you a mark \u201cproving\u201d that it\u2019s pure gold. He or she offers to sell it to you for a better price. They make some money, and you get some gold you can resell. It\u2019s win-win! You think it\u2019s a good deal, buy it find out it\u2019s fake when you try to sell it at home!<\/p>\n

This is common in Europe<\/a>. One of my tour members almost fell for it when we were in Paris, but I intervened in time and sent the person away. The best way to avoid this scam is to not buy the ring. If it sounds too good to be true, it definitely is.<\/p>\n

11. The fake petition<\/h3>\n

You\u2019re at a popular sight and a woman or kid (often pretending to be deaf or a student) will try to get you to sign a petition. You don\u2019t know what they are saying, and to end the awkwardness, you sign the petition, hoping they will go away. But the petitioner then demands a cash donation. At best, anyone who falls for this scam is out some money; at worst, they\u2019re pickpocketed while fighting with the petitioner.<\/p>\n

Another one of my tour members fell for this scam (even after I warned him specifically about it), but I saved him in time. To avoid this scam, just ignore people coming up to you to sign a petition, especially when they are in groups and try to surround you. Just keep on walking.<\/p>\n

12. The drug deal\u00a0gone bad<\/h3>\n

This scam is common in many developing countries. You\u2019re in a popular tourist area (usually a party place<\/a>) and someone offers you drugs. You say yes, and before you know it, a (real) cop is on the scene! They offer to arrest you or you can pay the fine right there (i.e., a bribe). Caught red-handed, you\u2019ll probably pay the bribe rather than go to jail.<\/p>\n

Simply put: Don\u2019t buy drugs in other countries!<\/p>\n

13. The wrong change<\/h3>\n

This happens a lot in countries where the bills look similar to each other. People tend to look at colors first, so when you get a pile of change that is the same color, you think you got the right change \u2014 but they really gave you the wrong bills, hoping you won\u2019t notice until after you rush out.<\/p>\n

To avoid getting taken, count your change carefully every time.<\/p>\n

14. The switcheroo<\/h3>\n

This happens all over the world and mostly with shirts, carpets, rugs, and antiques. You\u2019re at a store and you see a designer item at a bargain price. Maybe they got it wholesale? After some haggling, the owner agrees to sell it you. But while you aren\u2019t paying attention, he gives you a knockoff.<\/p>\n

To avoid this scam, first remember that no designer anything<\/em> is going to be that cheap. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it\u2019s not true. Second, be sure to always watch what<\/em> the seller is actually giving you to be sure it\u2019s the exact item you wanted.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

To avoid getting scammed when you travel, be wary when it comes to people offering you something in a touristy setting<\/a>. Think of it this way: in your day-to-day life back home, would you go for it? If the answer is no, then chances are 99% that it\u2019s a scam you need to avoid. <\/p>\n

On the road, a little common sense goes a long way.<\/p>\n

What travel scams have you encountered or fell for that aren\u2019t included here? Comment below!<\/strong><\/p>\n

STAY PROTECTED ON THE ROAD!
\nWorried about getting something lost, stolen, or falling for a scam? Make sure you get travel insurance coverage so that if something does happen, you can be made whole again and recover your losses! I never leave home with it! <\/p>\n