8 Common Travel Scams and How to Deal with Them

Common Travel Scams

I managed to find a seat while the other two girls sat next to me and spoke English. Five minutes later I noticed two guys sitting across from me watching them and the girls were completely oblivious to it. Nothing happened at the end of the trip, but it showed me that many travelers are watched most of the time when they are abroad. That's why it's important to be aware of various common travel scams and learn how to deal with them.

To learn about more common travel scams, visit Scams to watch out for in India.

Subways are thieves' favorite places. Keep your eyes peeled and alert to those who show too much interest in you and your belongings.

The good news is that just as lions prey on weak gazelles, travelers can avoid being robbed by being aware of what's going on around them. Thieves are willing to take risks, but they also calculate those risks. Simply put, if you are a confident, careful and, most importantly, sober traveler, thieves will most likely move on to an easier target. Examples of easy targets for travel scams include confused travelers, drunks, and overanxious newbies who cling to their belongings instead of protecting them.

In high-density tourist areas, a traveler's risk of being robbed increases, so be careful!

Opportunities for scammers come in many shapes and forms, and it makes sense to be prepared for them as they are often likely to happen during your time abroad. In our list below, we have shared common travel scams to make it easier for you to understand the danger and avoid bad situations.

Fake Officials

Dave and Deb: When you travel you think you can trust the police or security. But you often encounter fake officials on trains and on the streets who tell you they want to see your documents. They also ask you for a bribe to get your documents back. If you think something is wrong, do not give them your documents. Instead, tell them to take you to the police station and you will be happy to show them your documents there.

Fake attendants on trains

On trains in India, gentlemen who look like officers usually come on the train with a notepad and an official badge and say they want to see our tickets. When they look at them, they say we are in the wrong department and ask us for money. We were deceived like this once. Then, when another officer came and looked at our tickets, we realized that we had been defrauded.

These scams can be hard to swallow, especially in a place like India where the train system is complex. Many times we would board the wrong compartment and have to pay an additional fee. We also knew that if people did not show up even though we knew the train was full, it was possible to go to 1st and 2nd Class places and pay an additional fee. The best way to avoid paying additional fees is to do your research. Ask the office about the additional fees required for higher class and find out how much the ticket costs before getting on the train. Officers will never ask you for more money than necessary.

Grab and Run

The most common travel scam is purse-snatching, where one or a group of thieves distracts you with something and then steals your valuables from your pocket or bag. This method is very popular in Metros. The victims are usually people who are surrounded by several people who push them around and also have their belongings stolen. Another method is to stand next to someone who is sitting or standing, grab their bag before the door closes completely, and exit the subway.

The best way to avoid these types of travel scams is to stay one step ahead of the thief.

First, put all your valuables in separate places. Never keep your important documents, cards and passport in the same place. Secondly, do not put your wallet or anything valuable in your front or back pocket. Moreover, people should always opt for crossbody bags with zippers.

Bus Scams.

Some common travel scams involve a stranger helping you put your luggage on your seat while your accomplice robs you or your backpack. Another type of this scam is the Good Samaritan who helps you carry your bag but suddenly runs away with it or hands it to someone else next to the bus. The best way to avoid bus scams is to be extremely wary of helpful locals, never let your luggage out of sight, keep your most valuable belongings as close as possible, and never let strangers touch your bag.

Counterfeit Money.

These types of travel scams are very common in restaurants and taxis. At the end of the meal or trip, you pay the employee the bill and the employee tells you that the money is fake and asks you to pay in a different way. The problem here is that you gave the employee real money and he replaced it with a fake one while you were not looking. To avoid these types of scams, make sure you know the country's currency well, be very careful when paying, and try to use exact money if you can.

'There's something on you' Trick

There are two variations to this trick, but they both start with someone smearing something like mustard or ketchup on you (Travellers have also been reported to have had human or animal feces thrown at them). The thief stains something behind you, or this thing gets on you from an unknown source. Then a seemingly innocent third person comes and tells you there is something behind you or hands you a tissue.

The purpose of this travel hack is to get you to take out your backpack, purse, or camera. If someone tells you there's something behind you, don't take your backpack off to check! Instead, keep walking and ignore any Good Samaritans. Only remove your bag when you are in safe places.

ATM Scams

Always use ATMs from reputable banks and if the ATM swallows your card and does not give it back, go to the bank as soon as possible. For example, in Chile, most banks' ATMs outside require people to swipe their cards to gain access to the ATM area, and only one person is allowed to enter the ATM area at a time.

ATM card skimming devices can use different methods to steal your card and bank information. A card skimmer is a device that can be placed in an ATM opening and secretly records credit and debit card information when customers insert their cards into the machine.

Another fraud method is to put a sticky or plastic piece in the card slot to cause your card to remain stuck in the machine. Once again, a Good Samaritan may come to your aid and ask you to call a number, usually a fake number, to ask for help regarding the machine. Never tell someone your personal password over the phone or in person. If you lose your card, call your bank and cancel your card as soon as possible.

If It's Too Good to Be True, It's Not Real

Dave and Deb: We fell for this travel scam too. Someone offers you a ride that you think is a good price. In Asia, you take a taxi, and it's usually a third-party, and instead of taking you where you want to go, the taxi driver takes you to every jewelery store, carpet store, and tea house in the city. At the end of the job, you find yourself trying to save the day you wasted by going to all the stores in a place completely opposite to where you wanted to go.

To avoid such scams, know approximately how far away your destination is before taking a taxi. And if the price sounds too good to be true, it isn't.

Long story short, the best way to avoid these travel scams is to be prepared. The internet can be your best friend in this regard. You should use Google regularly and never leave home without proper travel insurance. Be alert, but most importantly, don't forget to have fun!