Every scam in this guide has caught someone in the last six months. Most of them catch people who consider themselves experienced travellers. They work not because travellers are naive but because scammers are practised, patient and very good at exploiting the specific mental state of someone who just landed somewhere new — slightly disoriented, trying to be polite, not wanting to cause a scene.
This is the complete guide — scams by category, destination-specific versions, the red flags that appear before the scam lands, and exactly what to do in each situation.
🚨 The Most Important Thing to Know First
Every scam has a hook — something that creates urgency, obligation or confusion before you have time to think clearly. Learning to recognise the hook is more valuable than memorising a list of scam names. The hook is always one of three things: you are being made to feel guilty (you accepted something, now you owe them), you are being made to feel urgent (this is disappearing now), or you are being made to feel confused (something official-seeming is happening). When you feel any of these three things from a stranger, stop. The scam has started.
Transport Scams — The First Thirty Minutes
The most common scams hit in the first 30 minutes after arrival, when you are most disoriented and carrying the most. These are all transport-focused.
🚕 Transport Scams to Know
The taxi driver's meter is "broken" or "not working today." They name a price. You agree without knowing what the fare should be. Fix: insist on the meter, use Bolt or Uber (available almost everywhere now), or pre-book a fixed-price transfer. If a driver refuses the meter, get out.
The driver takes a significantly longer route knowing you don't know the city. Fix: open Google Maps before you get in any taxi and watch the route actively. Most drivers stop detouring the moment they see you are watching the map.
Someone in the arrivals hall approaches before you reach the official queue. They may have a sign or a confident manner. They will charge 5–10× the official rate. Fix: walk past anyone who approaches you in arrivals and find the official taxi queue or Uber/Bolt pickup point yourself.
A driver offers a near-free city tour. The route includes shops where he earns commission for every minute you are inside. Say at the start: "I do not want to stop at any shops." Or use Bolt — it exists in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and most major Southeast Asian cities now.
Money and ATM Scams
| Scam | How It Works | How to Avoid It |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic currency conversion | ATM or card machine offers to charge you in your home currency. The rate is 3–7% worse than your bank's rate. | Always choose the local currency. Always. "Pay in your currency" = you lose. |
| Skimmed ATMs | A device on the ATM captures your card data. More common at standalone machines in tourist areas. | Use ATMs inside bank branches. Cover the keypad when entering your PIN regardless of location. |
| "0% commission" exchange booths | Commission is zero. The exchange rate is 10–15% below market rate. You lose heavily anyway. | Use Wise or Revolut — interbank rates with zero markup. Or use an in-bank ATM. |
| Short change | Vendor deliberately gives less change, counts fast. Common in busy markets. | Count change slowly and visibly. It is not rude. Locals count their change too. |
| Fake notes in change | Change includes a counterfeit note, especially in high-volume market situations. | Familiarise yourself with local currency before arrival using our currency converter. |
Street Scams — The Human Approach
🎭 Street Scams by Name
Someone "finds" a gold ring near you and insists it is yours — or offers it as a gift. Once you accept, they ask for money. Very common in Paris and Rome. Fix: decline everything. Walk away without making eye contact. You did not drop anything.
Someone starts tying a bracelet on your wrist before you can object. Once on, they demand payment. Common in Montmartre and tourist areas of Barcelona and Rome. Fix: keep hands in pockets near known spots. If someone grabs your wrist, pull back immediately and walk away without engaging.
Someone asks you to sign a petition. Accomplices approach while you are distracted and pickpocket you. Common around Paris tourist sites. Fix: never stop walking for anyone with a clipboard. A firm "no thank you" while continuing to walk is all that is needed.
Offers to take your photo with your phone. Takes the photo, then demands payment — or walks away with the phone. Fix: ask another tourist (who has their own phone and nothing to gain) or use a selfie stick.
Fake Police and Authority Scams
This is one of the most unsettling because it mimics authority. Someone in plain clothes (sometimes partial uniform) claims to be a police officer investigating drug dealers or counterfeit money. They ask to inspect your wallet. Money disappears during the "inspection."
Restaurant Scams
- The unlisted price: You order without seeing a price. The bill is far higher than expected. Ask for a menu with prices before ordering anything. If no menu exists, ask the price first.
- The "complimentary" appetiser: Bread, olives or nibbles arrive without being ordered. You are charged for them. Say "I did not order this" when it arrives if you don't want to pay.
- The inflated bill: Extra items appear on your bill. Always check the bill against what you consumed before paying. Asking for an itemised bill is completely normal behaviour.
Scams by Destination — Quick Reference
| Destination | Most Common Scam | Specific Watch Points |
|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷 Paris | Friendship bracelet, found ring, clipboard petition | Montmartre, Eiffel Tower, Louvre surrounds |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | Tuk-tuk shop tour, "today is special price," gem scam | Grand Palace area, Khao San Road |
| 🇮🇩 Bali | Broken meter taxi, money changer rate manipulation | Airport taxis, non-accredited money changers |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | Unofficial guide demanding payment after "helping" | Medina entrances in Fes and Marrakech |
| 🇨🇿 Prague | Bar invitation leading to enormous bill | Anyone who approaches you on the street suggesting a bar |
| 🇮🇳 India | Fake tour office with a name similar to the official tourism board | Any tour booking not made through a verifiable business |
| 🌍 Everywhere | Dynamic currency conversion at ATMs and card machines | Always choose local currency when given the option |
Pickpocketing — Still the Most Common Travel Crime
Pickpocketing is theft not a scam, but it costs more travellers more money than any scam on this list. High-risk situations: crowded public transport, busy markets, anywhere a distraction is suddenly created near you (a spill, an argument, a crowd forming). The four fixes that eliminate most risk: valuables in a front pocket or money belt; nothing in back pockets; bag across the body not hanging from one shoulder; phone in hand not visible from behind. These habits alone account for the difference between a trip with losses and a trip without.
🚨 Travel Safely
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🛡️❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Taxi meter tricks, dynamic currency conversion at ATMs, friendship bracelet forcing, fake police inspecting wallets, tuk-tuk shop tours, restaurant bill inflation, and pickpocketing during distractions. Each has a hook — urgency, obligation or confusion — that you can learn to recognise before the scam completes.
Insist on the meter. Use Bolt or Uber where available. Pre-book airport transfers. Never take taxis from anyone who approaches you in arrivals. Open Google Maps and monitor the route. If a driver refuses the meter, get out.
When an ATM or card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, the rate is typically 3–7% worse than your bank's. Always choose local currency. A Wise or Revolut card avoids this entirely by using the interbank exchange rate.
Say you would like to go to the police station. Real police will comply. Scammers will vanish. Never hand your wallet to anyone on the street regardless of what they claim — real police do not inspect tourist wallets in the street.
Front pocket or money belt for valuables. Nothing in back pockets. Bag across the body. Phone in hand, not visibly in a back pocket. Alert in crowded transport and markets, and anywhere a sudden distraction is created near you.
📚 Travel Safe — Related Guides
👉Do You Need Travel Insurance? — Honest 2026 GuideRead → 👉Wise vs Revolut — Beat Currency Conversion ScamsRead → 👉Is Morocco Safe? — Honest Safety GuideRead → 👉Is Bali Safe? — Complete Traveller Safety GuideRead → 👉Is Thailand Safe? — Honest Answer for 2026Read → 👉Solo Female Travel — Safest Destinations 2026Read →🛠️ Free Planning Tools
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✅ Final Verdict
Every scam here has a recognisable hook — urgency, obligation or confusion. Learn to identify the hook and you stop the scam before it starts. Use Bolt or Uber instead of unmarked street taxis. Use Wise or Revolut instead of exchange booths. Always choose local currency at ATMs. Keep valuables in a front pocket. These four habits eliminate the majority of financial risk on any trip anywhere in the world. 🚨