Scamming Tourists? These Are the Biggest Tricks (and You’re Probably Falling for Them)

The world is beautiful, adventurous and… full of people who are more than happy to make money off unsuspecting holidaymakers. Because scamming tourists has pretty much become an Olympic sport worldwide. Whether you’re ordering a croissant in Bordeaux, taking a taxi in Budapest, thinking you’ve found a great deal on a hotel in São Paulo or simply trying to admire the Eiffel Tower without a pickpocket breathing down your neck: the chances of someone trying to trick you are high.

So here they are: the most popular ways of scamming tourists, and above all: how to spot them before your wallet is emptied (or worse: disappears altogether).

1. The taxi without a meter

The misery often starts as soon as you arrive at the airport. Naïvely, you get into a car with someone pretending to be an official taxi driver. Before you know it, you’re paying double the usual fare, or worse: you’re being “accidentally” taken along the longest route in the country. Scam check: no meter? No ride. Use a taxi app (download it before you leave) or agree on a reasonable price in advance.

2. The ticket that gets you in nowhere

Ah, the popular scam at popular attractions! What happens? A “friendly guide” sells you a ticket. It’s fake. Or you pay triple for a group tour that never leaves. Scam check: only buy tickets through official websites or reliable partners, never from shady characters outside the gate. Extra tip: buy tickets online in advance, so you’ll almost never have to queue (in the blazing heat, at that..).

3. The gift that isn’t a gift

You’ve probably experienced this before. Someone puts a bracelet, flower or lucky charm in your hand with a friendly smile. Overwhelmed by so much kindness, you put on the bracelet. Then that smile turns into a threatening look accompanied by the words: “Now you pay.” Scam check: don’t accept anything. No flowers. No bracelets. No lucky charms. Because unfortunately, the saying “There is no such thing as a free lunch” applies here too.

4. The ketchup trick (a.k.a. ‘your shirt is dirty!’)

Someone “accidentally” spills ketchup or ice cream on your back. Or (in my case, in front of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona) “a pigeon pooped on your back”. Startled, you check your jacket and—how kind—there’s the “helpful local” offering to help you clean it. Meanwhile, your bag is being expertly emptied. Scam check: stain? Keep walking. It’s not a stain, but a ‘red flag’!

5. The hotel that never existed

You book a beautiful hotel through a—so it turns out—shady website with promising photos. When you arrive, the address doesn’t exist. Scam check: book through reliable platforms. And always check the reviews and whether the hotel has a website.

6. The costume trick (photo = payment)

Someone in a historical costume (in Rome: the dressed-up Roman), a breakdancer or someone with a monkey on their shoulder asks whether you’d like to take a fun holiday photo. Fun, but afterwards they want €20 from you. Scam check: always ask beforehand: “Is this free?” Or better yet, just keep walking.

7. The banknote and coin switch

You pay with a 50 note, they give you 10 back and say you only handed over 20. Or you get your change in the wrong currency. Scam check: take your time when paying. Watch carefully. And use your card if possible.

8. The fake police officer

A “police officer” asks for your passport or money “for inspection”. Newsflash: your money will be gone afterwards. Scam check: always ask for identification and offer to walk together to the police station. Seriously.

9. The porter who helps with your luggage

Of course, in a posh five-star hotel this is completely normal. But at an ordinary hotel? Mwaw… Still, it happens often: someone snatches your trolley from your hands and carries it 10 metres for you. Then comes the discussion about tips. Scam check: do it yourself. You didn’t buy that trolley for nothing.

10. The €35 cocktail

Yes, this has happened to me too. You’re in a relaxed holiday mood, have already had a few drinks on the beach and then fancy one more drink on a tourist square in—yes, there it is again—Barcelona (strikingly, I haven’t encountered scams like these in Valencia.) You unknowingly order a drink without seeing a menu. The waiter even puts on a little show with a glass torch. The bill? Shocking. Try getting away then. Scam check: ALWAYS ask for the menu first. No menu = no cocktail.

11. The menu without prices

Another classic! You’re sitting on a picturesque terrace in Florence, everything feels cinematic… until the bill arrives. That charming waiter who brought you a carafe of water charges you €9 for it. And that delicious fish? At that price, you’re the catch of the day… Scam check: always ask for the menu first. Or ask how much something costs when ordering.

12. The bargain at the market

Without a price sticker, you are the price. “For you my friend… only €50,” says the market vendor, while stuffing that fake Louis Vuitton into your bag. Scam check: offer half. Or walk away. They’ll automatically shout that you can have it for just €15 after all.

13. The free hotel WiFi

You booked a hotel with free WiFi. But it only works in the lobby. Or between 02:00 and 05:00, when no one else is online. Do you really want internet? Then you have to pay extra. And that doesn’t work either. Scam check: check this carefully in advance and/or buy a local SIM card when you arrive at the airport.

14. The day trip with hidden surcharges

Transport? Check. Admission? Um… no. Lunch? Just the bread roll. Drink with that? €8 extra. And suddenly you’re sitting in a premium seat with extra legroom, which means another €7. Scam check: pay close attention to the small print on every organised tour.

15. Hotel with extra service

An extra towel, a coffee in your room or that one bottle of water? At some resorts, you receive a bill at the end of your stay that makes you hyperventilate. Scam check: ask in advance whether those nice extras are included in the price.

16. The passer-by asking for the time

Yes, another trick that ruined my holiday in Barcelona. You’re innocently sitting on a bench in the park when someone asks you the time. While you kindly answer (in your best Spanish), their accomplice steals your bag. Scam check: is the person sitting on a small BMX bike? Are they not alone? Don’t answer. And wear crossbody bags.

Tourist or not: always stay alert

Of course, you want to relax on holiday. But you don’t need to become a paranoid backpacker to think logically for a moment. With everything, simply ask yourself: “Is this normal?” And if the answer is “hmm, I don’t know”, just keep walking.

Read also:

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• 12 disgusting French dishes you might want to avoid on holiday