Avoiding Scams ⚠️
Everyone knows the classic shell game slight of hand with a coin under a cup or the 'find the queen' version with cards played on street corners in every city in the world. It's always a scam, the people ‘winning’ are plants, you will maybe win once if your bet isn’t high enough but then when you put more money down you will loose every time - its rigged. There is no excuse for falling for this one, but there are other more subtle scams you may not have heard of. However, with common sense, a healthy dose of skepticism, and learning to stand your ground, you can avoid being taken advantage of while traveling.
The Overcharge...
The best ways to avoid Overcharge Scams is to do your research ahead of time so scammers can't take advantage of your ignorance.
Know the Local Rates
Sometimes the scam is as simple as charging a higher price because you don’t know the local value. What seems like a reasonable price (what would be reasonable in your home country) may actually be 2 or 3 times the local rate.
Most of us can’t hide what country we come from, Americans in particular can be spotted a mile away in non western countries. If you look like you come from a wealthy place the locals will often quote you an insane price, banking on the fact that by comparison to your own metrics you won’t notice.
Merchants may also claim to not have change, or 'help' you count out the amount owed if you aren’t familiar with the local bank notes. I have a friend once make the mistake of taking out her entire wad of the days spending cash when asking the price of perfume and the seller quoted her the amount he could see in her hand and physically took it from her before she could react. It's a good policy to only carry small bills on your person, and have the right amount ready so you never have to sort through a wad of cash 💵 in front of someone.
Always double check the change you’ve been given, intentionally giving incorrect change is also very common. So make sure you do your homework, and don’t take yourself an easy, mark!
Be Cautious ⚠️ with Cabs
Another common version of overcharging is a cab’s meter being ‘broken’ (when really it's just never turned on) and the cabby quoting an absurd price for the ride. Some even have their meter rigged to go faster that it should. But if you’ve done your research you will know about what the ride should cost and know if the cabby is puling a fast one. (You can always ask at your hotel what a trip to your destination aught to be before going.)
Never get in an unlicensed car and always confirm the rate with the driver before the trip. If they refuse to put the meter on, or it looks like it is rigged to speed up, get out and find a another cab. (Don’t worry if they act offended - you should be offended they are trying to scam you. Don’t let them use your soft heart to manipulate you!)
Cabbies can also take long, round about, routes to overcharge you - if you are on a meter keep an eye on your google maps and make sure they aren’t going in circles. (You can download a cities map 🔗 ahead of time, GPS will work even without internet connection) If you notice them taking the long way point it out to them. They may offer an excuse - 'traffic', 'construction' etc. making the usual way inaccessible - don't let that throw you, just calmly get out and find another cab if they resist.
If you ever do have any cab issues, ask your hotel for the proper authority to report the company/ cab to. ☎️
A good way to avoid cab fraud in the first place is to use a ride share, like Uber 🔗, where trips are prepaid and drivers are held accountable. If there is no ride share option in your destination city have the hotel call you cab, they'll know the trustworthy companies.
Unasked for Help & Recommendations 🚩
A Cabbie may even try to convince you the hotel/ hostel you are going to is closed and ‘recommend’ one run by their cousin. This offer of 'help' is another classic ruse in many countries: ‘help’ or additional ‘special/ bonus’ stops and activities on a tour that are really just trips to a friend or family members place of business in hopes that you will spend money there. Cabbies and tour guides are both infamous for this. (If someone tries the 'hotel closed' line on you tell them you just confirmed that morning and insist they take you there.)
Sometimes it’s even a stranger on the street who combines this with an initial set up that the place you are trying to visit is ‘closed for lunch.’ (This is unlikely, if the place looks deserted you’re probably just not at the right entrance.) They then offer to take you somewhere 'cool' in the meantime. But the golden rule while traveling is Never Go to a Secondary Location with anyone that you haven’t preplanned, not a stranger and not even a tour guide..
Don’t accept ‘help’ from anyone at an ATM, and never use non bank ATM's that claim to avoid bank charges, they are just using a card skimmer to steal your card data. (Indoor ATM's at the bank are the safest, street ATM's are vulnerable to skimmers being installed 🔗 ) And just like at home, no one should get anywhere near you while you are at ATM if they do, find another.
Damage Fees ⚠️ on Rentals
Renting bikes, cars or other equipment can also be risky. Sometimes the rental place will find erroneous ‘damages’ when you return the equipment and demand excessive repair fees. You always want to make sure you are renting through reputable companies. Booking online ahead of time or through the hotel is a good way to make sure the company is legit.
Make a point of taking 'before' pictures (with the owner watching) of the condition of the vehicle. Use your own lock 🔒and 🚫 don’t leave the rental somewhere visible when not in use, some owners will go so far as to hire someone to damage it while parked just so they can charge you later. Always buy travel insurance (from an outside company) and Never Leave a Passport as Collateral. The company can hold it hostage for just about any amount.
The Don't be Rude...
Aggressive vendors, beggars & scammers are usually best dealt with by not engaging. Avoid eye contact and keep on your merry way.
Just say "NO" 🛑
Western culture doesn’t like negative confrontations, particularly in public. We aren't used to pushy street vendors and beggars and have a difficult time forcefully saying “NO” even when someone is rude to us - we don’t want to offend. Even when there is no overt scam, Westerner are vulnerable to manipulation in the more chaotic environments of street bazars and 3rd world cities.
Be mentally prepared - children will follow you selling trinkets for blocks on end, invading your personal space, even tugging on your clothing, if you make the rookie mistake of making eye contact with them. (But who wants to be mean to a child!) Sometimes the anxiety response created is enough to get a tourist to pay up, just to stop the harassment, we find this kind of interaction so unpleasant (some even find it threatening.)
Children begging 🚩 are also usually a scam, its nearly guaranteed that any money you give them will be taken by whoever's running them, so don’t feel guilty about saying "No" (offer food or give money to a local reputable charity outreach program instead.) Giving them cash is actually risky in itself; sometimes the scam is to just see where you keep your money so you can be pickpockets later.
Learning to have a stone faced, no nonsense “NO” or just not engage is an essential tool. (If you ever are interested in whatever souvenir is being hawked this same confidence is necessary while bargaining over the price - and why your earlier research into the local values is so important)
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Taking advantage of your home culture's norms for politeness can be the basis of it's own scam. A person (often attractive) may play on your desire to help, 🚩 asking for assistance writing a postcard or letter in English to 'a friend' in the States, or wanting to ‘practice speaking English’ and inviting you to their home or shop.
Once there the scammer does something nice for you, offers tea and snacks for example, then relies on you feeling obligated to buy something in return. Or they even may present you with a bill for what they had earlier led you to believe was just hospitality, knowing embarrassment at your mistake, or if needed, the threat of the police, will get you to pay.
Once again, the rule of thumb is Never Go to a Second Location with anyone you don’t know. Even if it is just off the street into a shop you hadn’t intended to visit.
Remember - Nothing is Free 🚩 Sometime people on the streets will actively hand or adorn you with something you haven’t asked for, like a flower or Monk with a religious bracelet, or they will start shining your shoes unbidden and then demand to be paid for it. Don’t accept anything a stranger tries to do for you or hand to you, it isn’t a gift, it’s a set up! Anything they succeed it putting on you immediately remove and hand back.
And just because someone starts a conversation with you doesn't mean you have to respond. I have had men on the street try to 'bet' me silly things like "I bet I can tell you where you got your shoes" (the riddle answer being "on your feet") and then expect a payment on the 'bet' they offered even if you didn't agree to it.
Street Scam Don'ts 🚫
🚫 Don’t buy any ‘found’ objects. Sometimes someone, usually an ‘innocent’ child, will ask if you have dropped something like jewelry they say they found on the ground. When you say it isn’t yours they ‘notice’ that it's 'valuable' and will try to sell it to you for a ‘low rate’ suggesting you can resell it for more back home, only of course it’s a fake.
🚫 Don’t buy drugs. This should be a no regardless, in addition to the safety issues of the actual advertised drug (and the risk of it being laced with something even more dangerous,) when traveling, particularly in a party destination, the offer of drugs is often followed by a ‘cop’ showing up and demanding a fine or a payoff to not be arrested. This cop may or may not be legit, depending on the corruption level of the city, either way you end up paying out the nose to avoid trouble.
🚫 Don’t do money exchanges with anyone not licensed - a particular problem around tourist attractions. The great rate offered is because they'll exchange you counterfeit bills (even if they go out of their way to show you they aren’t counterfeit they will be 90% fake)
🚫 Don’t use a free unsecured wifi hub in public places - your data is vulnerable to theft [using a VPN to keep your data secure is a good policy even in your home country.]
🚫 Don’t participate in street petitions asking for your signature - they are either trying to get you to sign something you can’t read that then means you’ve agreed to pay them money or they are trying to distract you while you're pickpocketed.
Some destinations, and even specific airports, are known for high levels of theft and specific scams.
Never hurts to do a quick Google search for any well-known local scams to be prepared.
Highway Robbery...
Avoid being an easy target for straight-up thieves.
The Pickpocket 💰
Pickpocketing is the most common form of theft (and if you are a fan of SNEAKY PETE you’ll know there are some very skilled pickers out there.) Thieves will use any excuse to touch you as an opportunity to pick your pocket. Never make their job easy by having valuables in obvious places like the outside zips of a backpack (which you would never feel being touched while on your back,) or visibly in your back pant pocket. But even an inside coat pocket is vulnerable in a tightly packed crowd or to someone who has ‘accidentally’ spilled something on you and is ‘helping’ pat down the mess.
If you must carry a bag or backpack wear it to the front of your body in crowds, on public transport or hot tourist spots.
Picking can be combined with 🚩 spilling a drink on you and helping mop it off or a shoeshine scam where someone will surreptitiously squirt animal dung on your shoe and then offer to ‘help’ clean it, (two scams opportunities in one - getting you to pay for the cleaning or keeping you still to pick your pocket.) If anything happens that gives someone an opportunity to invade your personal space push the person away and deal with the situation yourself.
The Bait & Switch
While shopping be careful ⚠️ not to let a merchant sell you one thing and then pack up a knock off while you're not paying attention. And like anywhere, if you see anything 'designer' at a bargain price, be wary, it’s too good to be true.
The Honey Trap 🚩
The honey trap is also common everywhere. Beware of any overly attractive locals paying you more attention than you’d expect, especially if they’re alone in a bar or popular tourist hang out. They’re likely a sex worker at best, or worse planning to rob you. (If you’re lucky that won’t include physical harm, but may also include a serious work up.)
Our Don’t Go to a Second Location rule applies here. Do not go with them to their favorite bar (filled with thugs who will hold you up) or to their hotel (where you will be drugged and wake up robbed and likely left with the hotel bill to pay.)
Help with Luggage 🚩
A surprisingly easy scam that's common at airports and train stations is men offering to help with your bags. They might look like a cabbie or just be pretending to be a gentleman - but when they get a hold of your bags they simply take off! I had a friend who nearly lost all her luggage in Italy, as soon as she landed, to this scam. (Another good reason to pack smart so you don't need others help carrying your own baggage.)