Earlier this spring, I watched a younger, solemn man dressed as a Buddhist monk and a visitor at the Mall. He showed him a petition to build a temple and slid a bracelet manufactured from prayer beads onto his wrist. The visitor was pulling money out of his wallet when I intervened and advised him that he had fallen for a scam.
When we are on our own turf, the scam artists are as apparent as that Nigerian prince presenting you a cut of his inheritance. But on foreign territory, we are extra liable to deceptions. Maybe we are strange with the nearby customs and don’t’ need to offend, or perhaps our jet lag has dulled our Spidey senses.
“This is a common, international problem, mainly in towns wherein you’ve got crowds, and people let their shield down,” said Michelle Bernier-Toth, the State Department dealing with the director for Overseas Citizen Services. “People don’t’ document it to the police or us because they feel silly and embarrassed.”
Bernier-Toth, who has lived in Africa and the Middle East, can empathize with scam victims. She has been one herself — twice. In Johannesburg, she began withdrawing her budget from an ATM when a man asked if she needed help. In a flash, he palmed her card, slipping beyond her buddy, who became posted as her lookout. The second time, she turned into a cab in Istanbul when the driver handed her out-of-stream forex as change.
To make certain, swindles occur internationally to every type of traveler. To reduce your probability of falling prey to unscrupulous types, Bernier-Toth offers this recommendation: “Be polite, but wary; believe, but verify, and just say ”No, thanks.'”‘” Also, check the State Department’s’ use of records for indicators unique to your destination. For instance, for the journey to India, the department warns, “Major airports, teach stations, popular eating places, and vacationer sites are frequently used by rip-off artists looking to prey on-site visitors, frequently with the aid of growing a distraction.”
To assist you in noticing the hoaxes, we assembled 10 of the most commonplace ploys worldwide and provided tips on how to defend yourself from them. We also contacted the State Department and Global Rescue, a corporation that assists imperiled vacationers, for a sampling of locations in which those scams often occur. Those scams are at the milder aspect of the criminal spectrum, with the perpetrators seeking to steal or squeeze cash out of you. They do not generally involve violence, even though they could depart a darkish bruise on your vacation — and your ego.
Corrupt cabbies
The scam: The cab driver (or tuk-tuk driving force) claims the meter is broken and charges an outrageously inflated fee . . . The cabbie informs you that your vacation spot — an inn, temple, museum, or teahouse — is overbooked or closed and takes you to his friend’s lodging or enchantment. He prices you a higher fare, plus earns a kickback . . . The motive force takes a convoluted route, jacking up the price.
How to avoid it: Never hail a cab from the road. Ask a reputable status quo to call you a cab or hire an authorized taxi through an authentic outpost. Know the experience’s general value — ask the hotel concierge or consult a web fare calculator — and verify that the meter works. Know the address and hours of operation of your vacation spot. If the driving force tries to take you to some other place, firmly repeat your desired location or terminate the journey. Use Google Maps to maintain the driver’s sincerity and on course. To avoid cabbies, use a journey-hailing service along with Uber or Lyft.
Bonus: No cash modifications hands, eliminating additional scams. Activate the Follow My Ride (Uber) or Share My Ride (Lyft) tool so buddies can hear your whereabouts.
Fake accidents
The rip-off: A passerby squirts you with a liquid, condiment, or fake chicken dropping. At the same time, you check out the splotch companion pickpockets. The squirter can also try to smooth the spot, another diversionary tactic. Other distract-the-traveler ploys encompass an elderly individual falling, a woman tossing a baby or cat at you, or someone dropping a wallet and accusing you of pocketing the contents after you pick it up. Similarly, someone on a scooter or in an automobile intentionally crashes into your car and tries to remedy the incident with disturbing cash.
How to avoid it: Secure all your valuables before heading out for the day. For example, stash wallets in lower-resistant baggage that locks or in hidden pouches — any strategy so that it will thwart sticky hands. Ignore your appropriate Samaritan impulses and no longer retrieve any treasured gadgets, including humans, from the ground. In the vehicular twist of fate state of affairs, wait for the police to arrive, assuming you may trust law enforcement. If you’re in a rustic with corrupt cops, contact the U.S. Embassy for assistance.
Sample destinations: Rome, Istanbul, India, Paris, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Egypt, Chile, Ghana
‘Free’ gifts
The rip-off: A guy in Buddhist monk apparel ties a bracelet around your wrist. A stranger affords you with a sprig of rosemary. A woman offers you vegetation or henna. A “disabled” person hands you a % of tissues. Think a thank-you’ll suffice? Nope. The so-referred to as present-giver wants money, and if you don’t’ pay after accepting the item, the person will propose a scene. In another attempted and proper scam, a person unearths a gold ring on the ground and asks whether or not it’s miles yours. You say no, but the character offers it and then badgers you for cash.
How to keep away from it: Never receive unsolicited items. In reality, don’t’ even look at the object, or you may find yourself with a friendship bracelet wrapped around your wrist. Return the item and stroll away.
Sample locations: Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, Paris, Cairo, Rome, Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona
Damaged items
The rip-off: You lease a motorbike, automobile, or water scooter and are accused of adversely driving the car. The condominium company demands cash for the maintenance. Be conscious that the damage may be real, though you have not been guilty. A worker could have trailed you and bashed up the condominium while you were out of eyeshots.
How to avoid it: Rent via a reputable company. Take images of the automobile before leaving the premises and always always keep a watch in your apartment. If the war of words escalates, touch the police or embassy.
Sample locations: Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Greece, Bahamas, Italy, Mexico
Counterfeit forex
The rip-off: The currency trading sales space offers you counterfeit cash or obsolete notes . . . A cabdriver, restaurant, or store claims you paid with faux money, switching your actual letters for fake ones. Or you receive (now not-so-) funny money as trade.
How to avoid it: Familiarize yourself with foreign money and alternate money only through valid assets, including banks and resorts. Always test the quantity of forex against the receipt in case the worker swiped some bills. Pay with smaller denominations and never rush the transaction: Count out the money as you pay and double-test the alternate. Use pay-as-you-go foreign money cards or ATMs to avoid changing cash altogether. For the latter, check out the gadget for skimmers (devices that steal your password) and put up a pal as a protection defense throughout the withdrawal.
Suspicious invitations and petitions
The rip-off: Someone nearby wants to exercise English or wishes help writing a letter in English. The person takes you to a shop, wherein an employee pressures you to buy something . . . A stranger invites you to a teahouse, restaurant, or bar. At the end of the meal or drink, the waiter delivers an outrageous bill and insists that you pay it . . . A disabled individual or a charity employee asks you to sign a petition and donate cash to a cause; an accomplice may carry your pockets for the duration of the interplay . . . A faux tour operator offers you a tour or safari that never materializes.
How to avoid it: Never take invites from strangers, offer translation offerings, or interact with individuals wearing a clipboard. Only take tours with certified operators.
Sample locations: China, Thailand, Turkey, Spain, Malaysia, India, Tanzania
