Don’t Get Scammed on Vacation

Here's a list of common scams that you may encounter while traveling. Honestly, I've fallen victim to some of these scams. Some of the con jobs listed below happen domestically and internationally, so be smart. 

• Taxi scam: Thieves impersonating taxi drivers wait at the airport and offer rides at great prices to unsuspecting victims. They drive the victims to a remote location and then rob them. Something like this happened to me. The taxi driver veered off course and pretended he couldn't understand me. I showed him the directions on my phone, and he continued to go in the opposite direction. Luckily, I made a scene at a stoplight next to a police car, so the driver had to let me go.

  • How to avoid:

    • Use a ridesharing service or call a taxi beforehand.

    • Ask to see the taxi driver's medallion.
      

• ATM currency scam: When getting cash from an ATM, the machine offers an option to convert the requested amount to your local currency. Exchange rates change daily, so the ATM will give you the "current exchange rate" instead of your bank's. If this option is selected, you receive a poor exchange rate and other service fees. It's not uncommon to pay 6% or more in service fees. This scam is tricky because official bank ATMs have this option.

  • How to avoid:

    • Always decline the conversion and always select the local currency.

• Restaurant recommendation: A conman waits outside a popular closed restaurant. When tourists approach the restaurant and are sad that it's closed, the conman walks up to them and recommends a nearby alternative. That recommendation is a "hidden gem" and a "local favorite." The conman happens to be going in that direction, so they'll walk the victims there.
  
  In reality, that person works for the restaurant, and they receive a commission for bringing suckers to the restaurant. The victims are left to eat overpriced, bland food.
  
  These conmen are smooth; I read about this scam and still got duped!

  • How to avoid:

    • Always have a list of multiple restaurants to check out on a given day. If your first choice doesn't pan out, quickly pivot to the others.
      

• Rental car scam: A person initially rents a vehicle without issue. Upon returning the car, the employee blames you for the scratches that were already there. The employee insists on a kickback, or they'll officially report the issue. A scam like this happened to me at a reputable American rental car company, but I had pictures, so I got out unscathed.

  • How to avoid:

    • Take pictures of the car and ensure all dings/scratches are noted before driving it off the lot.

    • Get a credit card that offers primary rental car coverage.

• Wrong change: After paying for an item, the cashier gives the victim a handful of coins. In the process, they short-change the sucker and keep the rest. This scam is popular in countries with coins and bills worth the same amount.

  • How to avoid:

    • Always count change before leaving the store.

I have a list of many other scams. If you like this post, let me know, and I'll do part 2.

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