Travel scams and how to avoid them

Travellers have always been the targets for frauds and scams. This guide should give you an introduction into what to expect and how to avoid them.

Most scams are based on the ignorance and greed of travellers, or just sleight of hand trickery. Ignorance is abused when the traveller doesn't know how much things should actually cost and greed is targeted when people think they are getting a deal that’s too good to be true. The sleight of hand tricks abuse your trust.

You have to bear in mind that, in some poor countries, you will find a general consensus that visitors should pay more than locals. This is a whole different debate, but you will have to come to terms with this as a fact you can't change.

The whole point of travel is really going to places that you do not know about, so it in inevitable the scams that take advantage of this are generally the most effective and common. Judging the value of currency sometimes is the first stumbling block people come across and scammers are quick to capitalise on it.

A classic example can be seen as soon as you arrive with taxi services. I'm pretty sure most taxi companies or "limo services" that approach you while you are in an airport terminal are there to rip you off. So it’s fair to say that a quote from them should give you an indication of what NOT to pay. If you haven’t got a judge on the relative value of the currency try looking around a shop such as the duty free to find basic products that you find at home (such as a can of coke). This should at the very least indicate how much relative value the zeros on your notes have! Of course, having a currency converter to hand can take the brain power out of the situation.

On the subject of taxis, these men and women around the world can be both your best friend and also your next scammer. They hold a powerful position in the travel industry and are often given "incentives" from businesses to bring them customers. The common scam from a taxi driver is to take you to a different destination than you asked for, telling you that your chosen destination is "closed" and taking you to an alternative place at their profit. Another classic taxi scam is to plainly charge too much. It is advisable to agree a price before you depart or insist on using the meter. Prior research should make this a lot more predictable. If you are lucky you will find a nice driver who can give you local advice - so don't be too quick to judge.

Greed scams can be easier to spot. The golden rule that applies at home still applies when you are on holiday, if it seems too good to be true - it often is! "Special one day only diamond sales" and ridiculously cheap transport deals nearly always have a sour ending to them. You won’t get what you expect and you will be out of pocket in some way at some point. If a local is paying more than you (be it a bus ticket or a product) – that’s a pretty clear indication of a scam! It is unfortunate that we often let our guard down when we are abroad.

Sleight of hand tricks happen in many forms. They rely on confusion. For example, clever money changers can count out money in front of you, but somehow manage to give you far less than you think you are getting. In a shop you might be sold a product only to find the box doesn’t contain what you expect. Another example is disrupting your thought process such as handing you a "freebie" while you receive your change. The best way to defend yourself from these tricks is to re-verify everything before you leave the situation. Re-count your money, open the box, re-count your change. If in doubt, you can change your mind and get your money back and go somewhere else.

The irony is that you will probably find all of these techniques being used on tourists in your home town too - so try and extend the common sense that you would use there.

Tips:

• Don't say you are new to an area,
• Look confident, scammers prey on those who they think they can trick,
• Say you have a reservation to any hotel you are going too (even if you don't),
• Figure the value of the currency before you leave,
• Use ATMs and definitely not street money changers,
• Double check your purchases and change,
• Agree prices up front,
• If it sounds too good to be true, it often is, don’t be greedy
• Walk away if you are unsure,
• Don’t get so paranoid that you don’t enjoy your holiday - everyone gets scammed at some point!

If you have any scam advice please let us know in the comments below! If you write a blog about a scam on the site, make sure to tag it "scam".