4 tourist scams to watch out for

Unfortunately tourists attract theives, peddlers and con artists. They think we don't know what's coming. In most cases it's true though. We arrive off a flight or at a foreign train station. We're tired, desperate to find a bed at a cheap hostel or reach our hotel. We don't see what is what or feel our wallet being slipped out of our bag. We don't know what's a good deal and what is not, new currencies with strange names confuse us. It's part of travelling but if you know what to look for you may be able to stop if while (or before) it happens to you.

Here are four very common scams that are thrown at tourists every day in countries  all over the world. Keep your head on your shoulders and keep your eyes open or else you could be their next victim, and no one likes to be taken for a rich and wandering tourist. Always remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Say it to yourself over and over again.

1. Fake Police

Police scams happen even with legitimate police officers. They will ask to see your passport and identification. They will say, "There is a problem with your visa." The only way to remedy this is to pay some obscure fine and your troubles will be over. They'll ask you to pay it to them, in cash. If you don't have the cash they'll escort you to an ATM. In no country should you pay cash directly to a police officer. By saying "no" and asking them to go to the police station with you to sort it out will usually result in some nervous shuffling and suddenly your visa issue is no longer such a problem. If they persist, ask to see their badge numbers and demand to go to the station.

2. Airport taxis

Everyone wants to take advantage of tourists, not surprisingly the taxi drivers as well. Drivers know every trick in the scamming book to get some extra money for their time. They may ask for a higher price than a local would get or they may take you on a "shortcut" which really means the long way around in order to hike up the fare price a bit. Most drivers are harmless and just want to make what they can since their job doesn't pay too well. Only ride in officially licensed taxis. If it's not possible to pay in advance then at least agree on a fare before you start and only pay once you have arrived at your destination.

3. Hotel scams

You arrive in a new city, fresh off of a long bus or train ride. There are taxis waiting outside the stations, eager to take you where you need to go. You tell them the name of your hotel and off you go. Easy enough, right? When you check into your hotel, you pay for your entire stay upfront and in cash. You've even agreed to go on a few city tours and organized events. Then you're finally showed your room. You notice the halls are quiet, the hotel seems to be empty and dim, very unlike the photos and description of the hotel you looked at on the internet. 

This is when you should start to question what has just happened.

Think back. Did you tell someone on the bus or train which hotel you were staying at? Friendly locals indeed, they probably made a quick call to their "taxi friend" who was so earnest to pick you up from the station and take you to a hotel of the same name, of far less standard. Many hotels have the same or similar names, how many "Grand Hotels" are there in a city? Sometimes too many. Check the hotel name and address and always be wary when they ask payment for your stay up-front.

4. "It's closed"

Everyone and their brother will try to tell you that the hotel, shop, restaurant, pub... you're looking for "is closed" or has closed down. Instead they'll take you to a shop of their choice, no doubt where a friend works and will give them a slice of the profit from what you purchase. You'll most likely hear this from bus drivers, taxi drivers and tour guides or workers at the tourist information office. While there's no real harm, you'll still get fed at a different restaurant and you'll still get your pint at another pub but if you're set on visiting the one you've looked up then go and check it out yourself. It's more annoying than anything else.

Have you ever been scammed on the road or while on holidays? What happened?

Images: timsnell, el brown / Flickr cc.