Crete Scams 2026: The 5 Biggest Tourist Traps

How it worksThe bill is higher than the order suggested. At Chania harbour, menus are sometimes posted in a foreign language only. Some places add a cover charge, bring bread or bottled water you did not ask for, or charge for oil. At a seaside place in Chania, oil appeared on the bill even though nobody had ordered it and the salad already contained oil.

WhereIn restaurants, tavernas and cafés across Crete, including at Chania harbour.

How to protect yourself

• Read the menu by the door before you sit down. It has to be in Greek there. Another language may be added. Before you order, it is on the table.
• The prices are final. Frozen or already cooked meat and fish have to be marked on the menu.
• A cover charge applies only if you explicitly ask for it and it is listed as its own item.
• Send back bread, bottled water and oil if you did not order them. Oil has to be on the menu and ordered by you.
• If meat or fish is sold by weight, ask for the weight and the final price before you eat. Sealed bottles are opened at your table.
• Ask for a real receipt, not only the order slip, and read the lines before you pay. If a place refuses your card, that is a breach. The consumer line is 1520.

How it worksAfter you return the car, a charge arrives for damage, or the contract at the desk includes extra cover you did not book. Disputes about extras and damage charges after return are the most common conflict in car rental. Vehicle hire is one of the tourist scams in Greece.

WhereAt hire desks on Crete, including at the airports.

How to protect yourself

• Compare the reservation and the contract before you sign. Read what any extra cover includes.
• Photograph existing damage with a member of staff and have it written on the report.
• On return, get a signed note that the car is back as you received it.
• If a charge arrives later, ask in writing for the explanation and a repair invoice.
• Do not leave your passport as a deposit.

How it worksYou set off without seeing whether the meter is running. At the end, the total is hard to follow. If you pay by card, the amount charged can look different again.

WhereAt airports and busy destinations on Crete.

How to protect yourself

• Use the official rank, not an offer in the arrivals hall. Note the vehicle number.
• Use a licensed taxi and make sure the meter is running.
• Check the amount on the terminal before you enter your PIN.
• Ask for the receipt and read it. Goods and services come with a receipt.
• For a late ride back, arrange the car before you set out.

How it worksYou hire a quad or a scooter. Hire company insurance usually covers only damage to other people, not the vehicle and not your injuries. When you bring it back, you are told to pay for damage. If you do not pay, you can be held.

WhereAt hire desks on Crete.

How to protect yourself

• Check that your licence covers this exact vehicle before you sign.
• Ask for a demonstration and photograph the vehicle before you ride.
• Wear a helmet. Drivers and passengers both need one. Without a helmet, police can take your licence.
• Read whether your travel insurance covers quads. Many policies leave them out.
• Do not pay damage under pressure. Keep the photos and the contract.

How it worksOn ferries to and from the islands, pickpocketing, bag snatching and slashed luggage are common. In a café the bag stays on the back of a chair or on the floor. Valuables stay in a parked car. Break-ins and trick theft aimed at people travelling by car happen in Greece. In Athens, bag theft is especially common in the centre.

WhereOn ferries to Crete, in busy places on the island, and at parked cars.

How to protect yourself

• Keep your bag closed, in front of you, and in your hand.
• Do not leave the bag on the back of a chair or on the floor.
• Leave nothing valuable in the car. Lock it and park in a bright or supervised place.
• Keep money and documents separate. A copy of your passport makes a replacement easier.