# 20 Tourist Scams to Watch Out For When Traveling Abroad This Summer



## MULTIZ321 (Jul 8, 2016)

20 Tourist Scams to Watch Out For When Traveling Abroad This Summer - by Autumn Rose/ Your Money/ Business Insider/ businessinsider.com

"When traveling abroad, it's not uncommon to get caught in a scammer's game — even if you consider yourself to be a relatively savvy traveler. However, knowing the usual traps scammers set for tourists at your destination can help you prepare and be on guard. Before embarking on your summer vacation abroad, become familiar with these 20 tourist scams common in popular destinations..."

Richard


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## MuranoJo (Jul 8, 2016)

We had something similar to the 'lost ring' incident happen to my DH in Paris last year.  As we were walking down the street, a local gal passed us on the sidewalk, then stopped and stooped to pick something up on the sidewalk in front of us.  She turned and approached DH and told him it was a good luck sign and that she was to pass it on to him.  He refused, but she insisted, so he took it and she continued on about 40 feet.  Then she stopped, turned around, and came back to us and told DH she'd really appreciate it if he'd give her just a little bit of money so she could get a coffee.  He handed her a couple of small bills.

Meanwhile, a local man from a sidewalk cafe nearby was watching and came running up to us just as the lady took off and told us to not give her anything as it was a scam.


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## isisdave (Jul 9, 2016)

They omitted "petition against drugs," which we found all over Italy. There'll be a card table and several young, attractive, and very fluent in English people, and one will ask you to sign a petition against drugs.

First of all, they ask for you email address.  If you supply a true one, you'll soon be hearing from Nigerian princes. When you've finished, they'll ask, rather persistently, for money to fight the problem.

One time when I declined, they asked "are you not against drugs"? I told her "no, like you, we find that people are easier to fool when they're high."

Also, if I were a pickpocket, even if not associated with these people, I would be standing nearby watching where the marks' wallets were.


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## myoakley (Jul 9, 2016)

Good heavens!  It's almost enough to make you not want to leave your house!


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## Passepartout (Jul 9, 2016)

Then there is the restaurant scam where they want to charge your credit card in US Dollars (at their computed exchange rate). Decline and tell them to run it in Euros (or Sterling or whatever the local currency is). Your CC will automatically charge you the low daily bank rate. If they refuse, just pay in local currency.

Jim


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## beejaybeeohio (Jul 9, 2016)

*#3 in Hungary*

A very decrepit old lady in a babushka with a cane barely made it onto the escalator going down to the metro tracks in Budapest. Sure enough, when she got to the bottom she "fell" getting off.

Both DH & I were suspicious the moment we saw her getting on the escalator- she was rescued from her fall at the bottom by a couple of policemen who took her away, and not in a good way!


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## clifffaith (Jul 9, 2016)

We had the "found ring" scam pulled on us in Paris.  But because we'd read Rick Steves' book we just cracked up and pointed at the woman saying we'd "read all about her" in a travel book.  But the real red flag was she looked like an old  gypsy and not a tourist.

We had friends who had the car damage signaled to them while driving so they pulled over -- but that happened on vacation in Florida.  She screamed (not sure what set her off) giving her husband time to get back into the car before they were robbed.  This was back some years ago when a German tourist to Florida was actually killed, and I think the rental car industry then stopped putting identifying marks on the cars about the same time.


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## MuranoJo (Jul 9, 2016)

clifffaith said:


> We had the "found ring" scam pulled on us in Paris.  But because we'd read Rick Steves' book we just cracked up and pointed at the woman saying we'd "read all about her" in a travel book.  But the real red flag was she looked like an old  gypsy and not a tourist.
> 
> We had friends who had the car damage signaled to them while driving so they pulled over -- but that happened on vacation in Florida.  She screamed (not sure what set her off) giving her husband time to get back into the car before they were robbed.  This was back some years ago when a German tourist to Florida was actually killed, and I think the rental car industry then stopped putting identifying marks on the cars about the same time.



Yep, turns out the gal we ran into looked sorta like a gypsy, but she wasn't really all that old--50's?

Re. the car damage scam, a friend & her DH were visiting Costa Rica and as they drove away from a restaurant, they had a flat not too far down the road.  Lo and behold, out of nowhere a bunch of locals showed up to 'help' them.  Before they knew it, the thieves were rummaging through their belongings in the back seat and made off with her purse + passport, etc.  They ended up stuck in CR for about a week longer than expected, trying to get things cleared up.  It was a frightening situation for them, as I could imagine (and no, they didn't help at all with changing the tire of course).


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## silentg (Jul 10, 2016)

MuranoJo said:


> Yep, turns out the gal we ran into looked sorta like a gypsy, but she wasn't really all that old--50's?
> 
> Re. the car damage scam, a friend & her DH were visiting Costa Rica and as they drove away from a restaurant, they had a flat not too far down the road.  Lo and behold, out of nowhere a bunch of locals showed up to 'help' them.  Before they knew it, the thieves were rummaging through their belongings in the back seat and made off with her purse + passport, etc.  They ended up stuck in CR for about a week longer than expected, trying to get things cleared up.  It was a frightening situation for them, as I could imagine (and no, they didn't help at all with changing the tire of course).



The thieves probably flattened the tire while your friends were in the restaurant.


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## MuranoJo (Jul 10, 2016)

silentg said:


> The thieves probably flattened the tire while your friends were in the restaurant.



Oh yeah, they figured that out pretty quickly, that it was a set-up.
I'm not really sure there's much you can do about those types of situations, except to keep valuables out of view, try to keep your vehicle in view if at all possible, and/or keep your doors & windows shut & locked if a few folks suddenly show up offering to 'help.'


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## jehb2 (Jul 14, 2016)

isisdave said:


> They omitted "petition against drugs," which we found all over Italy. There'll be a card table and several young, attractive, and very fluent in English people, and one will ask you to sign a petition against drugs.
> 
> First of all, they ask for you email address.  If you supply a true one, you'll soon be hearing from Nigerian princes. When you've finished, they'll ask, rather persistently, for money to fight the problem.
> 
> ...



Yes, we also saw this all in all the countries we went as well.


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## jehb2 (Jul 14, 2016)

My sister was waiting in line to buy a train ticket.  A man tried to pull her out of line and offered to take her around the corner and help her buy a ticket from the kiosk.  We had read a lot about this scam and she just ignored him.

On the second level of the Eiffel Tower a man tried to sell me 4 used tickets to the top.

A man tried to pick my husband's pocket in Tuscany but my husband only had a water bottle in his shorts pocket.


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## x3 skier (Jul 14, 2016)

In all the 50 years of traveling overseas and domestically, I've never experienced any scam, heist, hustle or other nefarious activity. I guess I'm lucky, but then I've never won more than $6 on the Lottery

Cheers


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## Passepartout (Jul 14, 2016)

x3 skier said:


> In all the 50 years of traveling overseas and domestically, I've never experienced any scam, heist, hustle or other nefarious activity. I guess I'm lucky, but then I've never won more than $6 on the Lottery
> 
> Cheers



You have been fortunate- except the lotto bit. With the influx of Middle Easterners, N. Africans, Eastern Europeans into Western Europe, there is great unemployment of the recent immigrants. They WILL find a way to feed their hungry mouths, and that will largely be petty street crime against unsuspecting (read: American) tourists. We are easy marks because for the most part, we are not 'street smart', and don't deal with this as regularly as the locals do.

I don't mean to paint a large segment of the population poorly, but that is the reality we live with as travelers today.

Jim


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## x3 skier (Jul 14, 2016)

Passepartout said:


> You have been fortunate- except the lotto bit. With the influx of Middle Easterners, N. Africans, Eastern Europeans into Western Europe, there is great unemployment of the recent immigrants. They WILL find a way to feed their hungry mouths, and that will largely be petty street crime against unsuspecting (read: American) tourists. We are easy marks because for the most part, we are not 'street smart', and don't deal with this as regularly as the locals do.
> 
> Jim



I think one reason is I must look like a local.

I been asked by tourists for information in London, Venice, Paris, Copenhagen and a couple of other places. Usually they try the local language on me and when I reply in "American", they seem startled.

Still I try and blend in and very seldom join big group "expeditions". I do take walking and biking local tours in small groups. The guides are very savvy about scams, etc. 

Cheers
Rick


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## dgoldfarb (Jul 16, 2016)

My son and I ENJOYED the "tailor scam" in Bangkok! My son is 6'4", had trouble finding well-fitting shirts. The tailor was great, gave many choices, and made him several perfectly fitted beautiful shirts available for pick-up several days later. The tuk tuk also took us to a jewelry manufacturing place and when we said we didn't want to go there (my wife was not with us) he said "look, that's why the trip is cheap, the owners of these places help me pay for my gas. So please go to the jewelry store, we'll make it fast". So we relented, enjoyed everywhere he took us, also went to a silk factory, saw every temple and Buddha he promised to take us to, and had a great time.


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## Talent312 (Jul 16, 2016)

I had an encounter with a pickpocket in Florence, but all she got was some wadded up paper, as the important stuff was inside my shirt, hanging from my neck.

DW had her wallet nicked outside Buckingham Palace. Fortunately, we had a different set of CC's back at the flat we rented, and we ordered a new DL online that was waiting when we returned.

In Paris, a fellow offered to help us with the ticket kiosk. Turned out, he actually did help.
.


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## travs2 (Jul 16, 2016)

On a funnier note......we recently were in Barcelona with friends who wanted to "test" the chances of being pick pocketed while strolling down La Rombla.  Our friend bought a cheap watch on our cruise ship and hung it from his belt to see if anyone would try to snatch it up during our walk.  Well, let's just say that theives know a cheap watch when they see it and nobody took the " bait".  We have had many a laugh telling this story to family and friends. :hysterical:


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## TravelAmore (Jul 16, 2016)

Passepartout said:


> You have been fortunate- except the lotto bit. With the influx of Middle Easterners, N. Africans, Eastern Europeans into Western Europe, there is great unemployment of the recent immigrants. They WILL find a way to feed their hungry mouths, and that will largely be petty street crime against unsuspecting (read: American) tourists. We are easy marks because for the most part, we are not 'street smart', and don't deal with this as regularly as the locals do.
> 
> I don't mean to paint a large segment of the population poorly, but that is the reality we live with as travelers today.
> 
> Jim



Jim:

While I appreciate your contribution to the discussion, a read of The Economist articles on unemployment in western European countries reveals the high unemployment rates are largely due to inflexible and unstable markets, as well as the lack of a minimum wage in some countries, rather than immigration. Certainly, the more recent large influx of people into western European countries has added to poverty and the unemployment rate overall (although most academics and watchdogs are trying to determine if the governments are counting these migrant populations in their joblessness numbers). Joblessness is rising in western Europe largely due to markets, not the influx of people from the Middle Eastern, Northern Africa, and Eastern European countries. Not all lower income and impoverished people stoop to committing such scams and just like here, not all scams are run by poor or impoverished people. Bernie Madoff, for example, was the tip of an iceberg - not the iceberg itself. 

Judy


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