Scammers never sleep. Well, of course they do — but given how creative and enterprising they are in coming up with new ways to separate you from your money, it could be easy to believe otherwise.
A new Bing Travel article describes some of the hazards to your monetary health to look out for when you’re traveling. Pickpockets are always a worry, of course, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Beware the taxi with the broken meter, the way-too-good-to-be-true vacation offer, the overinflated exchange rate, the extortionist “train inspectors” and the ever-popular shell game. Oh yes, and about those pickpockets: Be especially wary of any public disturbance, whether a street scuffle or roadside entertainment — sticky-fingered thieves are just waiting for you to pay attention to the distraction rather than to your valuables.
Fortunately, even though scammers seemingly stay up all night trying to outsmart you, there are ways for you to beat them. Keep up to date on the latest scams; searching Bing for “travel scams” is a good way to start. A fun way to educate yourself is to play the Federal Trade Commission’s online game, “Gear Up for a Great Trip.” Above all, cultivate common sense, a suspicious eye and the ability to say “no” and walk away.
What travel scams do you know about, and what tips do you have to beat them? Have you fallen prey to any scams yourself? Share your thoughts and experiences with fellow travelers in the comments section.
For people traveling in Spain: if someone tells you that there is something on your back (i.e. a bird has pooped on you, something is leaking from your backpack), do NOT listen!! They are trying to distract you so that someone can either pickpocket you while you are looking behind you or they will offer their assistance in helping you clean up while actually running away with your bag.
How true. Trust no one. My dad was so confused by this ruse that he had a heart attack on his return from Spain on a TWA flight.
Let me count them-
1. police officers in Indonesia and Cambodia - don't trust them - your guides certainly don't
2. big buddah closed - national holiday, can't go there . . . Thailand's tuk tuk drivers just want to take you to their shopping place/scam
3. the train is full - get on a bus instead - bull**** - Thailand's bus to the south is notorious for picking through your luggage as you sleep on the longer-than-promised ride-you'll get there, but your luggage will be lighter for it
And there's more . . . oh there's more - your backpacks a huge target by the way - as in they'll take out a knife, cut the bottom out of it - and pick up all your stuff when it falls out - don't keep your wallet there!! (I was warned of this in Hungary but find it a pretty good warning in tightly packed areas like metros)
In Turkey, especially in the big cities such as Istanbul, watch out for the little shoe-shine boy whose case spills in front of you. If you stop to help him pick up his belongings, he will offer you a shine as thanks...and then try to charge you for it. Just keep walking.
watch out for gypsies anywhere in europe!!! they are born to steal! i'm not being racist here, just truthful. first of all, parents drug their small babies in order that they stay quiet all day so mom can concentrate on begging and telling you they have 5 kids, no work and no husband. meanwhile, the husband is around the corner, faking a crippled leg to make you feel sorry.....(go back later and watch hime walk off down the road with a spring in his step like a kangaroo!!
by the time the baby is 4 or 5 years old, they are already being taught to pick-pocket. watch out for the kids who crowd and push against you pretending to beg......they are already in your pocket! bat them off you and watch them move on to the next tourist just a few feet away!
most of all, watch out for the grown-up's!! they are brilliant at taking what they like! they take pocket knives and carpet knives around with them and simply slash a big cut into your back-pack while you're in a crowded place, like an underground station or on the bus. they empty what they want and move on before you have a chance of knowing who it is out of a crowd of hundreds of possible suspects.
my advice:
(1)leave your things in the hotel locked up.
(2)don't walk about with back-packs on unless it's only
got food in it
(3)only take a camera if you really need it that day. keep
it to the front of your body and don't put it on the
table at the bar!! leave it in your pocket or around
your neck!
(4)wear jean-type pants or shorts with tight pockets at
the front and don't put things in your back pockets
or zip pockets on the side.
(5)wear a money belt but don't open it up in front of
anyone. keep some smaller notes and loose change handy
for spending.
(6) NEVER TRUST ANYONE WHO SAYS, "TRUST ME"! LOL....
ALL OF THIS IS FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN ITALY FOR 15 YEARS AND TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD. :) TRUST ME.....I'VE NEVER BEEN CONNED, SCAMMED OR HAD MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS STOLEN.....I'VE ALSO HAD EYES IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD LOOKING OUT FOR MY GULLABLE AMERICAN FRIENDS WHO THINK 'EVERYTHING' IS...."NEAT"!
oh, and try your hardest 'NOT TO LOOK AMERICAN'!! leave the sporty shades in america!!! don't be a typical, 'my name is bob', geek! keep your voice low, be confident but don't be cocky. i know it's a lot to ask for if you are american, but at least try....hahahahaha.
oh, ONE LAST TIP..... if someone offers you what you think is a stolen cell phone or lap-top for half it's real value....it's not stolen, it's just a way of making you think you'll be getting a deal! if you buy it, believe me, you'll be walking away with a fake, toy phone or the lap-top case with a brick inside....even if your eyes tell you otherwise, don't be tempted!!! ( ISN'T MY ADVICE WHEEEEEY BETTER THAN THE BOOK'S ??!! ) LOLOL...
I COULD MAKE MONEY FROM THIS!!! :)
Carry a weapon where ever you go. Do not be afraid to use it. Learn how to run away fast after you use it.
On Big Island, HI, avoid the local tours in town. They mark up the prices and pretend to give you a massive 25-30% discount if you have a "diamond card". To get a diamond card, you'll have to attend a 2 hour time share holiday house presentation. Of course, they'll all tell you that you don't have to buy anything in order to get this card but if that's true, why would they ask for your ID and credit card? I've heard about this scam before so luckily didn't fall for it and later found a reputable operator and ended up paying even less than the "discounted price" I was offered.
I've lived in Santiago, Chile, for four years, and believe me, I had never seen so many thieves and con men in my life. One con that I think is particularly worth mentioning I saw on TV, in a news report about fake taxis with fixed meters. Besides overcharging, they have a little trick they do when you go to pay. Let's say you hand them a 10,000 peso bill (worth about $20 dollars)they do a quick switch in their hand and make you think that you accidentally handed them a 1000 peso bill (worth about $2 dollars). The two bills almost look similar enough to have possibly made the mistake, especially for a foreigner who is unfamiliar with the money. And for someone who has just quickly handed a couple of bills to someone, as you might do when you're heading out of a taxi, it might be hard to argue that you had really handed them something different. I'm ashamed to admit that I fell prey to this scam the other day at work, even after having seen it on TV, and even though I AM familiar with their money, when someone asked me to change a 20,000 peso bill for two 10,000 peso bills. As I handed him the two bills, he handed me his, distracting me by saying to check it out to make sure it's not fake, at which point he made the switch. But I had already made my mistake in having just handing him quickly the money, without counting it out--"ten, twenty"--in plain view of both of us, and I couldn't really argue with him, there was no way for me to prove I had really handed him the right bills. So I learned my lesson... take your time in handing over your money, counting it as you do it, with it clearly in the view of both payer and reciever.
I got scammed few times from airport to my destination by Taxi drivers they always ask extra for luggages and even i know local language they turn on night charge on taxi meter even you traveling day time (night rate usualy tow or tree time higher )
Yes having traveled to Europe a few times the comments are true. I have used the services of the mentioned website and found them to be ok. I really want to travel to Thailand and my Thai wife assures me the comments are true about being scammed and being American.
When visiting brothels in Europe be careful of the ladies that ask you to buy them a drink. A drink could cost you 100 Euro and if you are alone with her there is not much you can do to avoid the charge.
Taxi scams also happen in the U.S. In 1962, as a young 18 year old Airman in the Air Force right out of basic, I had orders to go to Sheppard AFB, Texas. Arriving at the train station in Whichita Falls, Texas, I called for a taxicab. As the cab drove all over the countryside, I was beginning to think, "Wow, Sheppard AFB must be in the middle of nowhere." We finally arrive at the Air Base after about a 45 minute drive. I paid the bill and include a tip.
A couple of weekends later, I caught a ride to downtown Whichita Falls. It took no more than 10 minutes to go from the main gate of Sheppard AFB to downtown Whichita Falls? Only then did I realize that the cab driver had taken me for a cross country trip in every direction except to the Air Base! I am 65 years old now, but that memory of being ripped off in Whichita Falls still sticks with me!
Dominican Republic - Don't change your money on the streets for a "better deal". Two scams here.
Shortchanged in local currency:
===============================
A guy will approach you asking you to exchange dollars for pesos at a better rate than the bank because he needs dollars for (insert reason) and you're benefiting because of the higher rate.
He counts out the money in pesos and he makes a mistake. He asks for your money which you hand over and he recounts the pesos to show he's being honest. What happens during the recount is somehow he halves the money in his hand, so that if he's giving you 400 pesos, it's a 200-pesos bill folded in half (counting each side twice). After the exchange, you thank him, of course thinking you got a deal.
He then scurries off and you pocket the money. You later pull it out and count it and the 14,000 pesos you thought you were getting (or whatever) is really like 400 pesos.
Shortchanged in dollars:
========================
Again, a "do-gooder" wants to help you out with an awesome exchange rate. You pull out $10 or $20, maybe even $100. You give him the money and right before he hands over the pesos another innocent bystander (someone in on the scam) says "policia, policia". Thinking there's a cop there you turn to find him and he's not there. You turn back to the guy and suddenly he's 'scared' to do the exchange. He hands you back your "$100" folded up. He scrams for fear of arrest or being a public nuisance. You're a little shaken up at the thought of police coming by. As you leave you unfold the $100 to put it in your pocket and WTF! it's only a $1 bill.
They work quickly and on sleight-of-hand. No idea how they do it quick but all the people standing around are in on it.
I forgot to mention another time I got ripped off. It was 1965 in Metz, France. I was inside of a train car stopped in the train station. I had lowered the window to get some fresh air while waiting for the train to get going. Along comes a food salesman. He was selling sandwiches and soft drinks In American value, the sandwiches sold for 40 cents and the drink sold for 10 cents. I gave the vendor a $2 value note. The vendor seemed to be delaying returning my change. After about two minutes, I demanded my change...just as the train began pulling out of the station. The vendor shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and continued smiling as as the distance between us increased. Moral of the story?...never put yourself into a position of being ripped off by such people!
Watch out for the taxi driver's in Italy, especially Naples. If you take a taxi from the train station to the airport, for an example, they have some excuse on why that costs extra. Though the odds are in there favor to pick up another fare at that location. It's happened to me twice. The first time the meter read 14 euro, he switched it off quickly and said it was 28 euro. My firend who I was meeting(A Navy Attorney)refuse to pay and they argued about it til the taxi driver threatened to call the police. I was too tired from my day of travel that I unfortunatly caved in. The second driver got me from train station to train station. It was either pay up or miss my train.
A driver in Paris was the opposite. First got lost, then got held up by an ambulance blocking the route. Got to our destination, she got out, refused to take payment, gave us a kiss on the cheek and wished us a good night. Did not expect that but is one of many reasons why I want to go back
