A lot of travel scams have been experienced by travelers visiting a place for the time.

Here is a popular quote by Mark Twain:

IT’S EASIER TO FOOL PEOPLE THAN TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THEY HAVE BEEN FOOLED.

This interesting read will not only list the major travel scams but will also help you on how best to avoid them. Unfortunately they happen in various ways but take a stronger mind reader and cautions to combat them.

Here are highlights of 16 major travel scams to avoid while you are on trip:


#1 Dropped off distraction
Be careful when someone drops off something like money, coins or wallet on the floor (usually in a train exit) and when you try to help pick it up, their accomplice takes your valuable from the rare side and vanish into the thin air. This form of cheat is very common, mostly in the Europe countries. Always watch and keep calm in a situation like this, better still be very vigilant when you sense something like this.



#2 False beggars style
This could rarely be accepted as among the travel scam but it does happen in some part of Europe where a young local approach you to help him with money claiming he was robbed and has nothing with him. He gives you his address (fake one of course) and even the phone lines of neighbours (his accomplice) to call. These scammers in most cases claim to be Irish and require ferry to go home at the end of work. Be on your guard to avoid them.



#3 The taxi overcharge
This travel scam by cab drivers is a most common type. Most times you see the car meter go higher than usual or in most cases the driver tells you he has a bad meter. Whichever way, you should know that it’s likely to be false claim. The scammer wants to make extra gains from the initial charge. To be on a safer side, always find out the charges for a ride, usually through the hotel staff or hostel. If a cab driver tries to negotiate price with you beyond the price range, dismiss him and checkout for another cab. Never book an unlicensed cab no matter how nice the deal is. Recently, there are tourism boards governing city cabs so be smart to capture the cab driver id number and file a report against him in case of fraud.

Recommendation: Get a cheaper, safer, and best car rental deal instead.



#4 The wrong change
Never be in a haste to rush out from a cab. Count your change carefully before you leave. This is a case of countries where the currencies’ colours are almost the same and you have some money to be given as change. Some cab drivers who are crafty may quickly pack wrong bills of the same colour hoping you won’t notice. If you don’t check very well, you end up with having a wrong change.



#5 False claim of closed accommodation
If a cab driver tries to convince you that your booked accommodation is closed, try to insist on going there. Several cases like this have continued to happen to travelers. To be more on a safer side and avoid this travel scam, try to review the place and accommodation you are going to. Use of Google maps and phone GPS is very necessary. Again, cab services like Uber will help to reduce the risk of fallen into the wrong drivers.



#6 Spill on your clothes
A spill on your cloth while minding your business could ruin your day but be sure this is a strategy criminals use to rob strangers even in broad day light. If eventually someone spill your cloth, never mind the sympathizers (co-accomplices) coming close to you, pretending to help you wash off the dirt. They will skillfully ransack you. Before you could know it, they are off. What you need to do if such happens to you and these miscreants try coming close to you, push them away, move a bit out from the scene and clean it yourself.



#7 Street gambling cheat
This is just one of the foremost major travel scams, an old-styled cheat even watched severally on movies but it’s a reality. Never get suckered in a circle of gamblers playing cards on the streets. Here is an adage that says, “the house always win”. Seeing this attraction and playing for the first time, they declare you a winner only to rip you off when you now bet your money. You will definitely lose the game.



#8 Giveaway versus principal of reciprocity
Never get convinced to buy up service or product from a stranger who just entangled you with a giveaway. This is the surest way of manipulation which psychologically subjects you into buying something against your wish or even sub-standard. Be on your guard always and avoid people who try such to familiarize with you in other to patronize them.



#9 Motorbike renting scam
Tourists to countries in the Southeast Asia may have come across this embarrassment by a motorbike renter. They operate in the manner that they charge you extra cost on the bike you have already paid the rent, insisting that you damaged the motorbike after use. Some will go a long way to send their accomplices to monitor your movement and location so that they can use it when you have parked it and return it back whereas you are still enjoying your rent fee. Some will go extra mile to steal the motorbike, and of course, you pay the bill of the stolen motorbike.

Take the right caution and take a snap photo of the motorbike and take note of the condition of the motorbike before the renter. Get a lock of your own and keep the motorbike off the street when parked.



#10 The flirting man or lady
Among other travel scams, most travelers out of excitement fall prey to this cheat. When you visit a new city and head to a bar or restaurant, avoid those men or women who advertise themselves, and lure you with their talks, wine or whatever. They engage you in chat and before you know it, you are drugged or robbed of everything on you. Be sure to keep away from such people and their conversations. The ladies in most cases will tempt you to a hotel where you both sleep over the next day. She’s off early morning without you knowing. You are left with nothing and funny enough, you are to pay the hotel bills. This indeed is a terrible travel scam to avoid.



#11 Free gift(s) to attract and demand money
Never allow anyone who engages you on a speed chat to dash you freebies or try putting things like the necklace, little sprig of rosemary or bracelet on your wrist or your head. If they do, take it back to them. But if you keep calm and wear their gifts, then they will demand you pay them, and failure or trying to dialogue on this, they already raising alarm in the neighborhood and of course you are left with the best option of giving them money or face embarrassment.



#12 False claims of your attraction closed for lunch
The fraudsters in this business approach and misguide you that where you intend visiting is closed for a good number of reasons like ceremony, breaking time or under construction with the aim of taking you to their end where you will spend your money on their business. This can be avoided using your ticket counter or try finding the main entrance of the place keeping in mind that most attractions don’t close for lunch but rather close for the day. Check in your counter the open and closing hours which virtually all the information are there online for intending visitors.



#13 The “found ring tricks”
This is very rare among the travel scams. Funny enough you suddenly see an innocent looking person, usually a teenager pick up a ring or jewelry from the floor and ask if you are the owner of the piece. If you reply no, he tries to convince you the piece is gold or precious ornament worth big money. If you get interested in the deal, he bargains price with you as an offer for a resell. You better avoid any one coming up to you to buy up a piece of ring, they are scammers. Surprisingly what they lure you to buy is nothing but fake object not gold or precious ornament as said.



#14 Fake petition signing
This happens in popular streets and places in the city where kids or women approach you to sign a petition for them. These people pretend to be deaf or sometimes students. They usually come in group with the aim of demanding money from their victims after they must have signed the petition. Those who suffer this scam end up losing money or items from pick-pocketers while trying to control the crowd of scammers pretending to have good intention. To avoid such, avoid signing petitions from a group of people and walk straight to your destination.



#15 The drug deal gone bad
Drug deal is very common in developing nations. It is one of the worst travel scams travelers encounter. They operate in famous places like city tourist attractions. They offer you a drug and if you accept it, the game begins. Before you know it cop arrives the scene to arrest you as a victim caught red handed. You will rather pay the fine right away or wrought in jail. To avoid this embarrassment, don’t buy drugs in a foreign land.



#16 Giving out phone for a call
The last but not the least of the travel scams out there is giving out your phone to a stranger for a call. Never try to give out your phone to a someone you don’t know especially in the evening or early morning. Someone may approach you demanding that you help him do call as a matter of urgency. They sometimes ask to insert their own SIM card and you being so kind falls victim of this. The scammer will tell you he needs to go near the bar to make the call and you still agree to that. He goes from there and never returns back. You lose your phone within few seconds.



Feel safe, avoid these travel scams
In a nutshell, to be safer, and avoid losing money or valuables to scammers, get yourself a travel insurance coverage.



Tell us more of any scam which you have come across and not covered here. We shall be glad to share with our readers on this page.

Source: https://creigtour.com/major-travel-scams/

Interesting

Nice thread!!!

15 The drug deal gone bad They offer you a drug and if you accept it, the game begins. Before you know it cop arrives the scene to arrest you as a victim caught red handed. You will rather pay the fine right away or wrought in jail. To avoid this embarrassment, don’t buy drugs in a foreign land.

Alright! Noted!
I will come with my own drugs then .