Twenty scams every traveller needs to know about (plus five new ones)

Scam artists have been preying on hapless travellers since the first pilgrims made their way to the Holy Land. There are said to be enough “pieces of the true cross” on which Christ was crucified to rebuild Noah’s Ark.

As the number of tourists travelling the world has boomed, so has the number of scammers and the schemes they’ve devised to part you from your cash.

Travel long enough and you will come up against a scam. Some you can see straight through, others are subtle, convincing and devious, and you’ll probably be kicking yourself long after you’ve been fleeced.

Scammers lurk in all corners of the globe. Spot the scammer in each of the following illustrations. Credit: Greg Straight

It’s useful to know the difference between a scam and a legitimate charge. Italian restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias will usually add a coperto (cover charge) of a few euros per person. It’s a charge to cover the cost of bread, among other things, and it applies whether you eat the bread or not. In an airport terminal you’ll pay an extortionate sum for coffee, a bottle of water or anything else you buy – that’s just the way it is.

What can you do in the event of a true scam? Most of them happen quickly, so if there’s anything you can do to remedy the situation, do it straight away, but be aware that recovery of whatever you’ve lost is rare.

The immediate reaction is usually anger, followed by frustration: “How could I be so dumb/trusting/naive?” But don’t be tough on yourself. Blaming yourself will only spoil your holiday so try to get over it, move quickly through the feelings of regret and reach acceptance.

Credit: Greg Straight

If it’s an expensive loss and you’re planning to make an insurance claim, a police report is crucial. So are photos, names, witness statements and exact details.

If fears of being scammed prey on your mind, consider taking a guided tour. An escorted tour offers some protection not present for solo travellers and couples.

Remember, despite all the people waiting to prey on us, the pleasures of the world ultimately outweigh the pitfalls. Be alert but not overly alarmed. Here are 25 travel scams, cons, tricks and ripoffs of which it pays to be aware.

The ‘how did I fall for that’ classics

The pigeon strikes twice ploy
“My friend, our pigeons have left a calling card on your shirt.” The kind and compassionate stranger is right, there’s a messy dribble. Just by chance, he happens to have tissues and a water bottle handy. Too good to be true, right? While you are being cleaned, you are also being cleaned out. When friendly Franco departs, you will most likely find that your wallet, phone or something else of value has gone with him. Beware the friendly stranger who offers a helping hand. Say no and don’t be afraid to make a noise as the last thing they want is attention.

Credit: Greg Straight

The it’s-my-cousin’s-shop scam
You’ve reached the end of your day tour and your guide has ushered you into a shop. Lights and air con come on, there’s an effusive welcome, offers of tea, coffee or soft drinks. There might be assurances that this is a government-approved facility and everything is handmade, possibly on the premises. Your guide will get a cut of anything you buy and the merchant inflates the price to cover the cost. The base figure is 10 per cent, but it can run to three times that figure. While it may sound unfair, in much of the world it is only by delivering tourists to merchants who pay commission that a tour guide can earn enough to support a family. At the end of the day, it’s your decision to buy.

The it’s-your-lucky-day ploy
“Monsieur/madam, you dropped this?” From the same school as the pigeon poo ploy, you’re in Paris, a pedestrian stops to pick something up as you pass by and voila! It looks like solid gold. “This must be yours,” says your not-so-good Samaritan. If you play along and express surprise and delight at its swift recovery, the finder will ask for a reward, and make it pretty obvious you won’t get away without paying. While it might look like the real deal, the ring is brass, and possibly worth 50 cents.

The it’s-gone-in-60-seconds ruse
You’re enjoying a coffee in the sunshine at a cafe when a passer-by stops and asks you the way to the metro station, or the time. You answer and he wanders off, but your phone, which was sitting on the table just a minute ago, has sprouted legs, or the bag that was looped over the back of your chair has gone. Distractions create opportunities for street magicians who can make your wallet or your phone disappear. Same goes for street performers. While you’re watching the act, an accomplice is circling behind the crowd, checking pockets and bags.

Credit: Greg Straight

The impostor syndrome

The guide-who-really-isn’t fakery
“You look like you need a guide.” He’s offering to show you around the city, take you to some places that tourists don’t get to see, but his aim is to get you into a shop where you’ll be pressured to buy something you really don’t need, or possibly guilt-trip you into buying food for his hungry family. Fake guides can also be found at major historic attractions. Genuine guides are licensed, they have undertaken study and they know what they’re talking about, all of which distinguishes them from the fakes. The local tourist office will usually have recommendations, or you should look online.

The temple takedown trick
“Thanks for visiting the Temple of the Mother Goddess, can you please leave a donation?” The priest who has just taken you around is showing you a visitor’s book. Alongside the names and country of origin is the sum each has donated, and the figures are celestial. This is intended to guilt-trap you into parting with something similar, but there’s no need. If you offer a far more modest sum, the priest will most likely snap the visitor’s book shut, or suggest you add a zero to the amount you’ve actually donated when you write in the book.

The teatime temptation
You’re in Asia, a young woman approaches, tells you she’s studying English and asks if you’d be kind enough to help her practise? Perhaps over tea at a nearby cafe? You agree, tea comes and you chat until eventually she leaves you, and then the bill arrives. It’s excruciatingly large, perhaps several hundred dollars, cash only. You may dispute it, but your bargaining position is not strong. This version is most common in China, but there are variations all around the world, whether it’s a nightclub in Spain or a bar in Istanbul. It’s almost exclusively men who are targeted by young, attractive women.

Credit: Greg Straight

The over-friendly stranger swindle
You’ve got a new buddy. He struck up a conversation while you were admiring the view over the Bosphorus, or wandering around the souk in Marrakesh. There may be an invitation to take tea or coffee together – his treat, no problem. He’s charming, smooth, knows his way around and soon comes the offer to change your money at a super-great rate on the black market, or help you find that carpet you’re looking to buy. This is a friend you don’t need. Rebut his advances – you can find your own way around and you’re in a hurry, so thanks and farewell.

The ‘rules are rules’ ripoffs

The petrol station surcharge scam
In Europe, many petrol stations are unmanned and it’s common to fill your vehicle by inserting your card at a central terminal before filling. As well as deducting the fuel charge, the system might also put a lock on an additional amount. That could be as high as $165, or $196 in Britain. This is a “pending” charge, but it may stay pending for a couple of weeks, depriving you of those funds if you’ve used a debit rather than a credit card. Pay with cash and you’ll escape the surcharge.

The resort-fee fleece
The receptionist smiles sweetly and tells you that a daily resort fee will be added to your hotel bill. “What for?” you ask. For gym access, Wi-Fi, free local calls, the poolside USB charger and anything else they can think of, and they’re not optional. Resort fees are common at hotels in Las Vegas, Hawaii and Florida, and on average they add $40 a night, but they can run as high as $138. Hotel websites as well as Booking.com and Expedia should tell you if a resort fee applies.

The hotel pre-authorisation card conspiracy
When you check into a hotel you may be asked to hand over a credit card and the receptionist will then block an amount as a deposit. That’s called a pre-authorisation and it’s usually an amount for each day you’re in-house and it can be anything from $30 to $150, or even more, a night. Use a credit card for your pre-authorisation. If you use a debit card the balance of your available funds is reduced and it can take up to 10 working days or longer for any unused credit to be returned to your account while you’re still on the road.

The dynamic currency conversion deceit
“And would you like that charged in Australian dollars?” You’re paying a hotel or restaurant bill or buying a fashion item duty-free with a card and the salesperson is offering what sounds like a great deal. However, if you choose to have the charge debited in Australian dollars you are subject to a Dynamic Currency Conversion, a fancy-schmancy name for a grubby exchange rate that will cost you up to 5 per cent more than if you elect to pay in local currency. Dazzle the salesperson with your finest smile and decline.

The not such transports of delight

The taxi meter manoeuvre
You’re in a new city, in a taxi, but the driver hasn’t turned on the meter. You may insist, but the driver fobs you off. At your destination the fare is astronomical. You could have taken a limo with a motorcycle escort for less. Ask the driver how much the fare is going to be before you set off. If he indicates a working meter, it’s probably above board. If not, negotiate. Another angle to the taxi driver scam: you gave the driver a €50 note but now he’s holding up €10 saying that’s what you gave him, and it’s short. Try saying out loud: “This is 50 euros, OK?”

The taken-for-a-ride trick
At the airport, there are several taxi counters offering transport to hotels. You approach one and the staff assure you it’s a long ride, it’s rush hour and so the charge will be enormous. You’re unfamiliar with the city, you’re probably tired and just want to get to your hotel – or maybe not. At Delhi Airport, the shysters at one agency wanted to charge me $50 for a 10-minute ride to my hotel in the nearby Aerocity complex. Another booth, and this one would do it for $7. As I walked back past the aforementioned agency, I snapped a pic and the agent behind the counter hid his face.

The return-the-hire-car-empty ploy
You’ve locked in a price for your hire car but now you’re at the desk and the agent insists you pay in advance for a full tank of petrol. “It’s policy,” they might tell you. “Just return it with an empty tank, no problem.” But it’s next to impossible to return your vehicle with the fuel warning light glowing. There’s no credit for any fuel left in the tank, and that’s a win for the operator. Hire from an operator that lets you drive away on a full tank and return it the same way.

The your-hotel-is-closed con
You’ve just arrived at the foreign airport clutching the name of the hotel where you plan to stay but now the taxi driver is telling you it’s closed, or it’s being renovated and noisy. He’s keen to take you to another hotel that’s better, cleaner, superior in every way. What he’s not telling you is this hotel will pay him a commission for every traveller he shunts through the door. Stand your ground and insist on being taken to your chosen hotel or you’ll find another taxi.

The suspicious-damage-to-your-rental-car sleight
On your return home, your credit card statement arrives and your car hire operator has debited your card for a fender-bender. You call the operator and sure enough, there’s an image with evidence of damage but the charge seems way out of proportion to the damage caused. When you take delivery of your hire car, document everything. Walk around it, take photos, better still a video. Repeat the same performance when you return the vehicle. If you have had any scrapes, fess up, have it inspected and any damage noted.

The worst of the rest

The commission-free currency exchange manipulation
Arrive at a foreign airport and you may run into a row of currency exchange booths offering “commission-free” exchanges. In any cash exchange, the crucial question is: how much local currency am I getting for my Australian dollars? The merchant may not be charging you a commission, but if they’re manipulating the exchange rate in their favour you’re getting less than you should. Check the true conversion rate on the reliable xe.com website or download the Xe app.

The sour note swindle
You’ve paid for an item with cash, watched the seller count out the change but when you walk away you’re short a note or two or you’ve got funny money from another country. You’ve fallen victim to sleight of hand, but if you go back to confront the scammer it’s already too late because he or she will turn the tables on you. Stand at the counter when he or she hands you the cash and do your own count, any funny business and you’ll know straight away.

The fake e-visa con
Several countries allow Australian passport holders to obtain an e-visa, available via an online application. E-visas are quick to process, cheaper to administer and more convenient for the applicant, but e-visa applications have created a business opportunity for scammers who create fake but official-looking websites that whack on a hefty administration fee that makes the e-visa many times more expensive than it really is. It’s also slower than applying through official channels, and once past the paywall, you’ve given your credit card details to an agency set up to fleece you. Who’s to say what they might do with that information? Look for an e-visa application website with “gov” in the title, indicating that’s the official government site.

Five travel scams on the rise

Fake ETIAS websites
Starting in 2025, Australian passport holders visiting Europe’s Schengen Zone countries will need to apply for an ETIAS authorisation, a visa-waiver system similar to the US’s ESTA. The application fee is $11.60, but expect opportunists to pile in with fake, official-looking websites offering to assist and even expedite the process while adding a huge service fee. Frontex, the European border agency, has so far identified more than 100 such unofficial ETIAS websites. Search engines profit from sites prepared to pay a fee for placement at the top of the search ladder, elevating them above the official e-visa website.

The booking.com email scam
You’ve made a hotel reservation on booking.com and just a couple of days before you are due to check in, an email comes purporting to be from booking.com asking you to confirm your credit card details – if not, your reservation will be cancelled. It looks legitimate, and you don’t want to lose your hotel room and so you comply, but you are now snared in a web of deceit that could see you losing a substantial sum. Do not click on any links in emails claiming you need to verify a transaction. Call your bank, hotel or travel agency using a number or using an email address that you know to be genuine.

The broken mirror scam
You’re driving along a narrow road, passing a stationary vehicle when there’s a thump on the side of your car. You pull over and the driver of the other car appears, pointing to his side mirror that’s hanging loose with just the wires holding it on. You check your own vehicle and there’s no sign of damage, but the other driver pantomimes your car hitting his. It’s clear who’s at fault, isn’t it? Straight off he or she names a sum, and it’s high. But it’s a sting. Get out your phone and start taking pictures – the car, your car, numberplates and the other driver. Say “police” and start dialling 112, the international emergency number and there’s every chance the scammer will leave in a hurry.

The Vietnam e-visa scam
Australians can apply for an e-visa to visit Vietnam, but beware. If approved, there is a good chance the details on the e-visa will differ from those on your passport. This means that when you show up at the check-in desk you won’t be allowed to board your flight, except by making emergency arrangements, at a cost of several hundred dollars. Vietnamese authorities are blaming travellers for submitting the wrong passport details but this is happening so often that some are suggesting it’s orchestrated.

Fake websites
You’re looking for self-contained accommodation or a villa for a small group in Bali and you find exactly what you’re looking for on a website. It raises no suspicions and the price is right, you get a confirmation of your booking and you pay a deposit to a bank account followed by a final payment, but when you rock up your accommodation isn’t where it’s supposed to be, or there’s a puzzled homeowner who has no intention of moving out so you can move in. Scammers have become skilled at creating websites that look like the real deal, but they have nothing to sell. Look for reviews of the property on Tripadvisor or get the address and check on Google Maps.