6 Scams to Watch Out for When You're on the Road

We hate to take away from the excitement of your upcoming trip, but unfortunately, scams are inevitable when you're on the road. Fraudsters are always on the lookout for vulnerable tourists to take advantage of since they know less about their surroundings. You might come totally prepared for all the scams in the world before you touch down at your destination. But trust us, these guys know all the tricks in the book, so the chances are they'll have something new up their sleeves to catch you out when you're least expecting it. It's impossible to be fully safe from scammers on your vacation, but if you're aware of these X common tricks, you'll give yourself a good opportunity to come back home unscathed.

The Overly Enthusiastic Beautiful Lady Trick

A common trick that's mainly aimed at men is the overly enthusiastic lady who approaches you in a bar. It starts off with her asking if she can join you for some drinks, and then things move to a bar she recommends. You settle down and order the next round, and before you know it, you're faced with a hefty bill and no way out. If you even consider trying to pull a fast one, you'll be stopped by the security team; they'll start to become aggressive with you and won't let you leave until you pay. Sadly, it can happen to anyone, so don't let your guard down, gents.

The Rip-off Taxi

Nobody knows the streets like taxi drivers who work around the city. This comes in helpful for them when they're pickup tourists as they don't know the fastest route, so the driver can go the long way to get the most out of the fare. Sometimes, you'll get a driver who says their meter isn't working; if this happens to you, just leave and wait for the next one. In most cities, it's the law to use the meter; however, in underdeveloped countries, this is rarely enforced. So you don't run into any hassle, it's best to use ridesharing apps like Uber and Bolt, which show you the fare before you purchase the ride.

The Broken Phone Ploy

The broken phone ploy begins with someone asking you to take a photograph of them at a tourist attraction. You, being the nice person you are, say no problem, take the picture, but as you're handing the phone back, the crook purposely doesn't catch it, and it falls on the ground. They'll then start to say you've damaged their phone and you need to pay them to get it fixed. It's such a horrible situation to put someone in, and regrettably, tourists often feel like they have no way out and feel obliged to hand over some money.

The Moped Rental Problem

You need to be particularly aware of this one if you're traveling to countries in Southeast Asia. Mopeds are the best way to get around in the Far East; they're affordable, easy to rent, and can help you see places you'd never be able to reach on a local bus. However, some bike companies are well aware of this, so they try to make some extra cash from their customers wherever they can. The most common moped rental scams involve deposits. Usually, when you're hiring one, a company will either ask you to leave a cash deposit or your passport (don't ever leave your passport). You'll set down your deposit and speed off into the sunset, but when you return, the owner will start hassling you, suggesting that you caused damage. Little do you know, the damage was already there before you left. They'll tell you you're not getting your deposit back, and that's that. You can prevent this from happening by taking a video of the moped before you hand over the money. That way, you'll have all the evidence you need to fight your case if they come at you saying that you damaged the bike.

The Dodgy Drug Dealer

If you visit any party destination, you'll always come across a few dodgy drug dealers trying to sell you some narcotics. While some of these people may be legit, in some instances, they're actually undercover police looking to arrest you. This scam unfolds when the tourist agrees to take some drugs from the dealer. They'll be guided to quieter areas to make sure 'nobody sees the deal happening,' however, as the drugs are being handed over, an undercover policeman/woman will appear to arrest the tourist.

The Fake Bank Note Fraud in the Currency Exchange

The first thing most people do when they arrive in a new country is get their hands on some local currency. While ATMs are handy, currency exchanges are the cheaper option if you bring your US dollars with you beforehand. Most currency exchanges are legit, but some con artists try to trick you into buying fake bank notes mixed in with real ones. Say, you changed 50 bucks into local currency, they might give you half of it in real notes while the other half is totally fake, so they've just made an extra 25 dollars from you without even knowing. As a foreigner, you won't even notice the difference until you're paying for something and your money gets refused. Only go to currency offices that give receipts; that way, you have evidence that you got your money from their company, and you can go directly to them with your complaint.

Stay Protected on Your Travels While Being Aware of These Scams

Scams can happen to tourists anywhere in the world. Oftentimes, it's actually the more popular destinations that have more scams than the places that are deemed dangerous. So, even if you're in Paris and it feels super modern and safe, something can still happen to you within a flash. As long as you've read this list and you're fully aware of the tricks these grifters try to pull, you'll be well aware of something bad before it's about to go down.