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8 Common Tourist Scams
LEAD PARAGRAPH
When travelling to another country, especially one that you're not familiar with, it's easy to let the buzz and excitement of your new surroundings distract you and throw you off guard. We all think we're smart enough to not be scammed but the reality is, it's impossible to know when and if it's going to happen. The key to avoiding common tourist scams is knowing what to look for, you know what they say, knowledge is power. Being one step ahead of the game will set you in good stead and will actually allow you to focus on what's important - the adventure!
PARAGRAPHS
1. THERE'S SOMETHING ON YOUR SHOULDER - THE DISTRACTION SCAM
You're minding your own business when a helpful individual points …show more content…
If approached and asked to produce your passport or visa information, firstly check for valid identification. The scam happens when the officer or 'scammer' finds something wrong with the information provided and suggests that by paying a fine, all of your troubles will disappear. What they want is up front cash. My advice? Offer to escort the official to the police station and you might find that you're let off, just this once.
5. FAKE UP CALL
"Hello, it's the hotel front desk speaking, we seem to be having a few issues with your credit card and wondered if you could verify the details over the phone?" - ABSOLUTELY NOT. Firstly, credit card checks are usually carried out when you first check in, if there was a problem, it would have been flagged already and secondly, never ever ever give sensitive information like credit card details over the phone. If this happens, report it to your hotel immediately.
6. THE FRIENDSHIP BRACELET
This scam begins like this, one of the 'string men or women' as they are widely known, will approach you and engage in innocent conversation or maybe even offer to show you a magic trick. The next thing you know, you're wearing a bracelet tied so tightly it's impossible to remove and you've got a scammer demanding payment. Try not to let people approach you and keep your hands in your pockets!
7. THE SLOW
8 Common Tourist Scams
LEAD PARAGRAPH
When travelling to another country, especially one that you're not familiar with, it's easy to let the buzz and excitement of your new surroundings distract you and throw you off guard. We all think we're smart enough to not be scammed but the reality is, it's impossible to know when and if it's going to happen. The key to avoiding common tourist scams is knowing what to look for, you know what they say, knowledge is power. Being one step ahead of the game will set you in good stead and will actually allow you to focus on what's important - the adventure!
PARAGRAPHS
1. THERE'S SOMETHING ON YOUR SHOULDER - THE DISTRACTION SCAM
You're minding your own business when a helpful individual points …show more content…
If approached and asked to produce your passport or visa information, firstly check for valid identification. The scam happens when the officer or 'scammer' finds something wrong with the information provided and suggests that by paying a fine, all of your troubles will disappear. What they want is up front cash. My advice? Offer to escort the official to the police station and you might find that you're let off, just this once.
5. FAKE UP CALL
"Hello, it's the hotel front desk speaking, we seem to be having a few issues with your credit card and wondered if you could verify the details over the phone?" - ABSOLUTELY NOT. Firstly, credit card checks are usually carried out when you first check in, if there was a problem, it would have been flagged already and secondly, never ever ever give sensitive information like credit card details over the phone. If this happens, report it to your hotel immediately.
6. THE FRIENDSHIP BRACELET
This scam begins like this, one of the 'string men or women' as they are widely known, will approach you and engage in innocent conversation or maybe even offer to show you a magic trick. The next thing you know, you're wearing a bracelet tied so tightly it's impossible to remove and you've got a scammer demanding payment. Try not to let people approach you and keep your hands in your pockets!
7. THE SLOW