Travel Scams: Common Tourist Cons to Avoid

Holidays are meant to be a time of relaxation, but falling victim to con-artists and scammers can quickly turn your vacation into a very stressful experience. This moneyland.ch guide explains a number of tricks that travelers are likely to encounter, and tells you how to avoid them.

1. Fake listings on booking platforms

If you encounter this scam, it will often be from the comfort of your living room. You find your dream hotel on a booking platform, with a fantastic price to boot. Only when you arrive at the hotel do you realize that your booking – or even the hotel itself – does not actually exist.

It is always important to exercise caution when booking accommodations. A good first step is to check, insofar as is possible, that the hotel or holiday apartment does really exist. You should also find all the important information about the company that operates it. Taking a look at online ratings and reviews can also be beneficial. If you only find negative reviews, or none at all, then you should be cautious about that offer. Make time to get familiar with prices charged by legitimate travel accommodation providers in your travel destination, as that will give you a good point of reference. Often, prices that seem too good to be true are, in fact, too good to be true.

Many legitimate hotels and holiday home operators give you the option of paying for your reservations in person when you check in. This is safer, but you lose possible discounts for booking early online.

2. Fake requests from hotels

Popular booking platforms like Booking.com provide an integrated messaging function for communication between you and the hotel or other travel accommodation provider. But if you get requests for your credit card information via these chatlines, then you are likely being targeted by scammers. Important: Never share your credit card or debit card information with anyone. By doing so, you run the risk of scammers charging your card and making off with the money.

Contact the hotel or other service provider directly instead of via third-party chatlines. Most likely, the hotel will not even be aware that criminals have gained access to its accounts.

3. Taxi cons

Once you arrive at your destination, the next step is normally to get from the airport to your hotel. But it pays to be alert when choosing a taxi, as doing so can mean the difference between a laid-back pleasure ride and a total nightmare. The fake taxi driver con is most common in less developed countries, but it can show up in European countries as well. In the best case, you may get off with paying an excessive fare. In the worst case, you could become the victim of an armed assault.

Following the tips below can help you avoid getting caught in this trap:

• Look for a taxi license: Check if the taxi has a valid taxi license. This will normally be displayed on or near the windshield. While the presence of a taxi license provides some legitimacy, it is important to understand that a license can be faked.
• Count your change: When paying cash, check your change before leaving the taxi. This will help you avoid getting short-changed by unscrupulous taxi drivers.
• Get taxis through hotels, airlines, or travel booking platforms: Contact your hotel and ask them to call a taxi for you. Many hotels also offer a shuttle service from the airport or train station. Alternatively, you can often book shuttle services through online booking platforms and travel agencies.  
• Use public transportation: Many countries have well-developed and secure public transportation, especially within large urban centres. If your destination is reachable by public transportation, then using trains, buses, or trams to get around can be cheaper and in some cases safer than using a taxi.
• Get informed about taxi prices before you arrive: Standard prices for taxis vary hugely between travel destinations. Getting to know the prices before you arrive will help you avoid getting ripped off. 

Ride hailing services like Uber are also worth considering. These have the advantage that you know exactly how much you have to pay before you get into the taxi.

4. Fake police

In this scam, criminals dressed like police officers demand your passport and wallet during mock police check – a traffic control, for example. Normally, the scammers accuse you of some kind of legal violation for which you have to pay a fine. It is worth noting that there is a chance that real police officers may target tourists with incorrect fines to line their own pockets. 

Politely ask the officer to show you their police credentials. It is also advisable to politely insist on paying the fine through the official channels. Ask the police officer to accompany you to a police station to pay the fine there.

In the case of fake police officers, there is a chance of the scammer becoming aggressive and threatening you with violence. For these cases, it is advisable to carry some money with you that you can turn over to appease the criminal and avoid an escalation.

5. Fraudulent money changers

Money changers are often the first stop for getting needed local currency in cash. But not all money changers are equal. Many popular tourist destinations have their fair share of enterprising scammers looking to make a quick buck off gullible tourists with poor knowledge of currency exchange rates.

In the best case, the fake money changer may just give you a terrible exchange rate. In the worst case scenario, they may outrightly scam you by swapping notes for low-value or worthless bills in a sleight of hand.

Following the tips below can help you avoid fraudulent money changers:

• Only change money in official bureaus de change.
• Count the money immediately before leaving the money changer.
• Get informed about the currency exchange rates (between Swiss francs and the local currency, for example) before you travel. This will arm you with the knowledge you need in order to assess whether a currency exchange rate is favorable or not.

Alternatively, you can also consider changing money in Switzerland before you travel. Money changing services are provided by many reputable Swiss service providers, including the SBB/CFF and numerous banks. Many Swiss banks give their customers the option of ordering foreign currency via online banking, with the money being delivered by courier. This can take several days. 

While using the bank where you have your main accounts is convenient, it can be worth comparing the fees and exchange rates. In many cases, you can save money by changing money at a different Swiss money changer or at your travel destination.

6. Fake tickets

Many small-time crooks lurk around tourist hotspots selling supposed tickets for popular attractions. But often, the tickets sold are either overpriced, or are simply fakes. In the latter case, the money paid is lost completely because the ticket does not get you into the desired attraction.

You can avoid disappointments by only buying tickets for tours and attractions at official ticket offices. While independent ticket salespeople are not automatically scammers, you should be particularly skeptical of dealers that are sketchy or who are overly pushy in their sales approach.

7. Shell games scams

Winning some money in a shell game may seem like a bit of holiday fun, but many shell games are nothing more than scams. Shell game confidence artists often set up shop in heavily-frequented tourist hotspots. Often, one or two bystanders are in on the show, and these will sometimes “win money” to encourage the tourists to take a chance.

But the chance of winning is next to null, and you will almost definitely leave with nothing other than a short adrenaline rush to show for your money. As a general rule, you are better off avoiding shell games altogether.

8. Pickpockets

Pickpockets often prowl busy areas in big cities and tourist destinations. They typically prefer crowded places where they can work their handicraft unnoticed. Many work in groups, with part of the group creating a distraction while the others relieve you of your possessions.  

Keeping your wits about you while traveling is always important, but especially so when you are in a crowd. You can minimize the risk of loss by keeping valuables out of sight or in your hotel safe, and not carrying more money with you than you need. Using a security belt worn under your clothes to transport important items while traveling is also advisable.

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