Europe is a surprisingly creative place when it comes to travel scams. Many of the most successful gambits require a naively trusting tourist, but seasoned travellers can be taken in, too. We should all be wary of the numerous subtle scams 鈥� a cabbie pads your fare, a hotel business-centre computer records your password, or a waiter offers a special with a 鈥渟pecial鈥� increased price.
But if you鈥檙e cautious and not overly trusting, you should have no problem. Here are some of the latest travel scams I鈥檝e discovered on my travels, and how to skirt them.
Money-wiring requests
You鈥檙e searching online for an apartment to rent in Paris and contact the owner, Pierre, through Airbnb. Suddenly, you get a private email from Pierre saying he can give you a better deal on the side 鈥� avoiding the website commission.
The price is right and the location is fantastic, but Pierre wants you to wire the money directly to his bank account. 鈥淚鈥檝e got others interested, too, so you鈥檇 better do it quick,鈥� he writes.
But once you wire the money, Pierre disappears, along with the listing, and there鈥檚 no way to get your money back.
Best defence: When booking accommodations, never wire money directly to a foreign bank account. Stick with a reputable, secure reservation website and use a credit card so you can dispute any fraudulent transactions.
ATM scams
In the heart of Barcelona, you are about to use an ATM when another tourist stands on the sidewalk with a selfie stick and starts taking pictures.
You don鈥檛 think much about it as you withdraw your money and head into the Metro. Five minutes later, after being jostled in a crowded subway car, you find that your wallet is missing.
When you frantically call your bank, you find out that someone with your PIN has already withdrawn hundreds of euros from a different ATM. It turns out the 鈥渢ourist鈥� with the selfie stick was actually taking a video as you entered your PIN on the ATM keypad. His accomplice then targeted you in the subway.
Best defence: Check your surroundings before withdrawing cash from an ATM. If there is someone suspicious nearby, find a different ATM. And always cover the keypad when you enter your PIN.
Fake tickets
Fresh off a long flight into Schiphol Airport and eager to get to your hotel in central Amsterdam, you approach the train-ticket machine with your credit card in hand.
But a friendly-looking passerby offers to sell you at a discount a legit-looking ticket, saying he accidentally purchased two. Later, when you feed the ticket into a turnstile, it doesn鈥檛 work 鈥� the ticket was either a fake, or already had its bar code scanned.
Best defence: Never hand over cash (or a card) to someone who鈥檚 not behind a counter.
鈥淒ynamic鈥� currency conversion
On your last day in London, you find a Union Jack coaster set you know your sister will love. You push your credit card into the reader, and it defaults to running the transaction in 鈥淯SD鈥� unless you select 鈥淕BP.鈥�
The shopkeeper explains that the U.S. dollar option is a service that lets you 鈥渓ock in鈥� your conversion rate. Later, when you鈥檙e in Edinburgh, an ATM offers two options: 鈥淵ou can be charged in dollars: Press YES for dollars, NO for British pounds.鈥�
You think 鈥渄ollars鈥� is the logical choice and press YES. But when you check your bank statements, you see a 鈥渇ee鈥� for converting transactions to dollars and a poor exchange rate. You鈥檝e been a victim of what banks call 鈥渄ynamic currency conversion,鈥� which may be legal, but is a rip-off.
Best defence: When a merchant or a bank asks if you want to be charged in dollars, always choose the local currency. Cancel the transaction if they say you must pay in dollars.
Fake officials
In Prague, two uniformed men stop you on the street, flash 鈥淭ourist Police鈥� badges and ask to check your wallet for counterfeit bills. After looking through your wallet, they say everything is fine and leave. You don鈥檛 even notice some bills are missing until later.
Best defence: Never hand over your wallet to anyone. If the 鈥減olice鈥� insist, tell them you鈥檒l do it at a police station, not on the street.
There probably aren鈥檛 more thieves in Europe than in the US. We travellers just notice them more because they target us. But remember, nearly all crimes suffered by tourists are nonviolent and avoidable. If you exercise adequate discretion, stay aware of your belongings and avoid putting yourself into risky situations, your travels should be about as dangerous as hometown grocery shopping. Don鈥檛 travel fearfully 鈥� travel smartly.
Rick Steves () writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at [email protected] and follow his blog on Facebook.
