If you’re a traveller, then you must have heard of a lots of ways that people are scamming on the other side of the world. We are compiling a lists of travelling scam that most common and we want you to avoid of being a victim of these scams!
1. The friendship bracelet. Common in: Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Cairo
Here is how the scam works. Someone will come approach you and offer you a friendship bracelet. Regardless of what you say, they will try to take your wrist and begin making the bracelet on you and ask/forcing you for payment. This scam can also be used as a distraction, while their accomplice pickpockets you.
2. Street games. Common in: Paris, France and London, England.
This is common in Europe country. This scam is where a man will perform a game such as guessing which cup a ball is in, or a magic trick on the side of the street and will have a group of accomplices disguised as tourists watching his show. This is to make you curious and want to go over and watch him. While you’re distracted and concentrating on the performance, his other accomplices will pickpocket you.
3. The music artist. Common in: New York City and Los Angeles, United States.
Happening more at the US where a friendly man will ask you to check out his music as you walk past, where he will hand you seemingly free CD. When you accept the CD, he will ask for payment and if you don’t pay, he and his bunch of friends will intimidate you until you pay them.
4. The overcharging taxi. Common in: Malaysia
Well guess this happen a lot to us where we are frequent traveller over to Malaysia our good old neighbour. Some taxi drivers will take advantage of you as tourist. They will take longer routes, side streets and areas which sees more traffic. Some have altered meters where the fare increases faster than normal.
5. The drug deal. Common in: Koh Phangan, Thailand
This happens in our 2nd favourite place to go – Thailand. It’s common that a taxi drivers, or tuk-tuk drivers will sometimes offer you drugs if you’re on the way to a party or a night out (particularly a full moon party). If you accept them, fake policemen will just ‘happen’ to be walking past to catch you, ordering you to pay a large fine to avoid jail.
6. Eager English students. Common in: Shanghai and Beijing, China
How this scam works is that an innocent looking girls will overhear you speak English and come over to ask if they could practice the language on you. They will then invite you to their favourite cafe to return the favour. When the bill comes, it will be super overpriced and the girls will be nowhere to be seen.
Those are the common 6 Travel Scams that we commonly see. If you’re a frequent traveller, it’s best to know about these scam and stay safe. Make sure you also share this with your friends who travel a lot as well.
Of course don’t let the above scam scare you from holiday! You still need some holiday for sure. If you are still in midst of planning for travel, make sure you check out the Singapore Airlines deals that are happening now. If you need travel package, make sure you check out the Klook as the have the best travel package offered!