When you travel, it often rhymes with vacation. You are generally relaxed. This is when some bad people may interact with you. Scammers use schemes that are often well established and sometimes very sophisticated. Their task is made more accessible by mass tourism since, in a given situation, they will very quickly get feedback on the typical reaction of the basic tourist.
The worst scams for tourists
Before we start, we would like to talk about a Parisian practice against Chinese tourists. For a whole bunch of reasons, Chinese people are used to drink hot water. Historically hot water was drunk by peasants who did not have enough money to buy tea. But it is more complicated than that. Drinking hot liquid is good enough for the body, especially for the stomach and the liver. Nowadays, the consumption of hot water is no longer linked to economic reasons but is instead a recommendation of Chinese medicine. Our Parisian coffee maker friends have therefore decided to charge hot water to Chinese tourists. When you have to pay 5 or 6 euros for a glass of water, it still hurts your heart.
1. The most common scams in transport – taxis
The transports most affected by this type of scam are usually the trips between the airport upon arrival and your place of residence. When the situation is too complicated with taxis at the airport, I always advise my friends or readers to take the bus. It’s certainly a little longer – usually about 20 minutes – but it’s safer.
Loading all your luggage in the trunk of the taxi to get additional payment
Taxis are always a matter of debate. The first level is to charge you for all the bags that are stored in the trunk. For luggage it’s normal, but human beings are incurable, so some professionals may push you to store your handbag or a vulgar plastic bag with the sole aim of charging you for one more piece of luggage. Even if this trick is unpleasant, you won’t lose more than a few euros. It’s not a big deal.
Overcharging for the journey
This is a great classic. It can happen that the driver does not turn on his meter (taxi-meter). In Paris, this is quite normal because to avoid any confusion and detours. The driver must now apply a flat rate.
In Russia, it is a little different, because it is usually necessary to agree with the driver before the start of the trip. A Georgian friend of mine told me that when she arrived at the airport, the driver gave her a low enough price to get to the city centre. And then a few kilometers further on he told her that the price he had announced was, in fact, the cost per kilometer. She quickly got out of the taxi.
In Thailand, it’s a bit different, especially in Bangkok, where drivers may forget to turn on the taxi-meter. The price announced afterwards looks more like a trip made in Norway than in Southeast Asia.
In Ibiza, Spain, it is better to know which nightclub you want to go. Because if you ask the driver to take you to the best club, you can be sure that he will take you as far as possible. That is to say in the centre of the island. In addition to paying a lot of money, you’re going to have a bad night.
In Athens, in the evening when you go out to eat out, the taxi driver will insist that you eat in a restaurant. This is usually a fish and seafood restaurant with crazy prices.
In any case, the moment when you are most vulnerable is when you leave the airport. Fatigue is usually due to flying, collecting luggage and going through customs, so this is when you may be exchanging money at unfavourable rates or getting into a “stowaway taxi”. nIn fact, as soon as you leave the airport, many drivers will approach you with a chasuble and a small sign. Getting into an underground taxi means risking losing some money and sometimes getting robbed.
2. The currency exchange scam
Whether it’s a cash dispenser or a corner exchange office, the currency exchange scam is a great classic. We’ll explain it all to you.
An unfavourable exchange rate
For a bureau de change, the means of earning money are limited. The first is to practice an exchange rate with a high spread. That is to say a very low purchase price of currencies and a very high selling price. The difference is the margin of the exchange point. So if you want to know the cost of your foreign exchange transaction, you simply need to calculate the percentage between the purchase price and the selling price. Up to 7% is very reasonable (the commission compared to the central bank rate will be 3.5%).
The commission besides
Then some exchange offices will simply apply a small commission in addition to the exchange rate. And that’s where it starts to get abusive. Unless, of course, the exchange rate for the transaction is the Central Bank’s rate. But that rarely happens. This extra commission can be from a few per cent up to indecent rates that can sometimes go up to 30%.
The handing over of banknotes
But what happens next is more worrying, when the teller gives you the bills, he either leaves one in the drawer and hopes you won’t see it. Or the banknote count is not there. And that is why you have to recount the notes in front of the teller systematically. The third scam is simply to give you counterfeit bills. Or bills that are no longer short, a classic scam. Find out about it first.
Cash dispensers (ATMs)
Depending on the location of an ATM, the fees for withdrawing money can vary greatly. Generally, the least advantageous ATMs are located at the airport or near tourist attractions.
First, there is a commission which can be up to 7 euros. Then there is the exchange rate, which can be quite high. Especially if you opt for withdrawal with a euro equivalent, this service will necessarily cost you more.
As a small variation, when you make your purchases in a shop and pay by card, at the end of the transaction, you are asked whether you want to make a payment in euros or local currency. Generally, you may tend to choose payment in euros to be sure of the amount charged. This is stupid, and few people know it. By believing to secure his purchases, the consumer who thinks he is making the right choice accepts a service which will be charged accordingly. This is not a scam strictly speaking, but it is a business that is at least not necessarily very ethical because you are not aware that this manipulation will cost you more. It’s counter-intuitive unless you take your calculator and you know the amount of commission that will be applied for this service.
In any case, always try to withdraw cash from ATMs that are located in banks or belong to large national networks. Also, avoid talking to people when withdrawing money.
3. The rental scam
A car, scooter or jet ski rental company makes you sign a contract and gives you a shiny vehicle in exchange. The problem is that the rental company knows precisely what is wrong with the car or scooter and knows where the scratches are. As always, the vehicle is inspected very quickly, and when you return, the inspection will be very meticulous. You will be charged a few hundred euros for the repair. And you will pay because usually, the rental car has asked you for your passport as a deposit. This is always how things occurred when someone is renting a scooter in Thailand, even if it is forbidden by law.
When you take possession of a rented vehicle, do not hesitate to take photos and even a video of what you have borrowed. On the other hand, make sure that there is enough light and that the definition of the video is high enough. Otherwise, your pictures may be unusable.
Our tip: simply avoid renting. The risk and the costs involved are too high, and it is better to use more conventional means. A taxi scam will always cost you less than a damaged or stolen scooter.
4. The Petition Scam
People are waiting for you at the exit of the beach or near tourist places and ask you to sign a petition in order to help the construction of schools generally for deaf and dumb people.
After signing, you will be asked to pay a sum, usually a small one, usually between ten and twenty euros. If you refuse, you will be told that you have signed a contract. The swindler will threaten to call the police because he has the law on his side and will, therefore, force you to pay the amount indicated.
5. The bribe or kickback
Typically, this type of scam involves the “authorities” of the country, i.e. the police or customs officers. While you are walking alone in the street, a policeman approaches you to ask for your papers. Then you are bound to get something wrong—Visa, registration no matter what the pretext. If you want to get your passport back, you will have to pay for it. This situation is a classic travel scam. It’s called the authority scam.
In some countries, the French embassy expressly asks French citizens to leave their passport in the safe of their hotel and to have only a photocopy on hand.
Summary, travel scams
Don’t be gullible, avoid places that are too touristy and don’t dress up like a Christmas tree with your “I Love New York” T-shirt. And above all, avoid getting too drunk, because that’s how trouble always starts.