A helpful stranger, a fare left unclear, a moment of distraction: travel scams often start with an ordinary encounter. Learn the recurring patterns, with documented examples and a few simple habits you can use wherever you travel.
The most common scams worldwide
A distraction while someone takes your valuables
How it worksSomeone bumps into you or stains your clothing. While you deal with the mess, an accomplice takes your belongings. A supposed charity petition can also draw your attention away from your bag.
WhereIn Italy, including stations and transport in Rome. Official advice also warns about distraction theft by teams in Spain, covered in our Barcelona guide. The police guide for Paris describes petitions as a possible distraction.
How to protect yourself
- Secure your bag and step away before dealing with a stain.
- Keep valuables close. Store money and documents separately.
- Keep your phone and wallet off café tables.
The fake police check
How it worksSomeone claims to be a police officer and asks for your wallet or cash. The supposed inspection encourages you to hand over valuables before thinking. Fake demands for fines are also documented in Czechia.
WhereOfficial advice warns about this in Spain, covered in our Barcelona guide, and Czechia, covered in Prague. Police in Paris also describe impostors asking for money.
How to protect yourself
- Stay calm and ask to see official identification.
- Keep your wallet with you during a supposed identity check.
- Take genuine requests to prove your identity seriously. Ask the local police to resolve any doubts.
The taxi with a surprise fare
How it worksSomeone offers you a ride before you reach the taxi rank. Or a driver leaves the meter off without explaining the fare. At your destination, you have little to check the payment demand against.
WhereThe police guide for Paris warns about unsolicited rides at airports and stations. For Turkey, UK travel advice recommends registered taxis with metered fares, also covered in our Istanbul and Antalya guides.
How to protect yourself
- Use the official taxi rank or book with an operator you have checked.
- Confirm the meter, any official fixed fare and possible extras before setting off.
- Choose another taxi if the fare remains unclear. Read more in our taxi scams guide.
The bar with an inflated final bill
How it worksYou enter a venue without checking the drinks menu. The bill reveals how expensive the evening has become. In some Paris cabarets, staff approach people on the pavement and then pressure them to buy costly drinks.
WhereOfficial guidance warns about inflated bills in bars and other venues in Czechia, covered in Prague. Paris police highlight certain cabarets in Pigalle, also mentioned in our Paris guide.
How to protect yourself
- Choose the venue yourself and check the menu before ordering.
- Confirm prices and what is included, even when someone invites you in from the street.
- Review the bill and query unclear items. Our restaurant scams guide covers more patterns.
The ATM conversion that costs more
How it worksAn ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency. This is Dynamic Currency Conversion, or DCC. Germany’s consumer advice service warns about poor exchange rates and added charges. It is a cost trap, not automatically fraud.
WhereWhen paying abroad in a different currency. Our Istanbul and Antalya guides explain the pattern when paying in Turkish lira.
How to protect yourself
- Choose the local currency and decline the offered conversion.
- Check the amount and currency before entering your PIN.
- Look for separate ATM fees. See our ATM and currency scams guide for details.
The accommodation that does not exist
How it worksAn attractive listing uses photos that may have been copied from a real property. You pay, but arrive to find no reservation. Sometimes the accommodation itself does not exist.
WhereThe UK police service Report Fraud describes this pattern in online holiday bookings. Germany’s Foreign Office also warns about fake apartment rentals in Czechia. Our Prague guide mentions these rental listings as an additional concern.
How to protect yourself
- Check the provider, address and independent reviews before paying.
- Be cautious about requests to transfer money to strangers.
- Book directly with the accommodation or through a provider you have checked yourself.
The sightseeing trip that ends in a shop
How it worksA ride sounds like an easy way to see the sights. Instead, the driver takes you to shops where you face pressure to buy counterfeit or inferior goods. A friendly introduction becomes a sales pitch.
WhereThe German Embassy in Bangkok describes scams involving taxi and tuk tuk drivers who take tourists to shops. Our city guide explains the gem shop version.
How to protect yourself
- Agree on the destination and route before the ride.
- Decline unplanned shopping stops and avoid buying under pressure.
- Choose shops and excursions yourself.
What our city guides say
- Hurghada: The guide covers taxis without an agreed fare and unclear hotel doctor bills.
- Paris: Charity petitions as distractions, fake police and unofficial taxis.
- Rome: Distraction disguised as an accident and unsolicited airport taxis.
- Marrakech: The guide covers unclear taxi fares, unsolicited guides and surprise photo charges.
- Lisbon: The guide explains distraction theft, taxi fares and couvert on restaurant bills.
- Barcelona: Distraction theft by teams, fake police and unofficial taxis.
- Bangkok: Gem shop tours and other pretexts for a detour.
- Prague: Fake checks, expensive taxis and inflated bar bills, with fake rental listings mentioned too.
- Antalya: Taxis with the meter off and immediate currency conversion.
- Istanbul: Taxis without a meter and the currency choice when paying.
- Dubai: The guide covers unclear transfers, cloned attraction booking sites and holiday prizes with sales pressure.
Travel with fewer surprises
Recognising the patterns helps you make clear choices on the move. TravelCheck on iPhone builds your own list for your destination and travel profile, available offline. Keep the advice that fits your trip close at hand.
FAQ
Which travel scams should I look out for?
Official guidance warns about distraction theft, fake police, unreliable taxis, inflated bar bills and accommodation that does not exist. Shopping trips with sales pressure and poor currency conversion are other patterns to recognise. The ones that matter most depend on your destination.
How do I avoid distraction theft?
Secure your bag first if someone bumps into you, stains your clothing or asks you to sign something. Keep valuables close and store money and documents separately. Never leave your luggage unattended.
What should I do about a suspicious police check?
Stay calm and ask to see official identification. Keep your wallet with you during a supposed identity check. Take genuine requests to prove your identity seriously and ask the local police to resolve any doubts.
Should I accept currency conversion at an ATM?
Choose the local currency and decline the offered conversion. Germany’s consumer advice service says your bank or card provider usually offers a better rate. Separate ATM fees may still apply.
How can I spot a fake accommodation listing?
Check the provider, address and independent reviews. Copied photos, vague details and requests to transfer money to strangers are warning signs. Book directly with the accommodation or through a provider you have checked independently.
Does an unexpected bill always mean fraud?
No. A high bill alone does not prove fraud. Check prices and what is included before ordering, then review the bill and query unclear items. Currency conversion can also be a costly choice without being evidence of a crime.