Unfortunately, for every great travel experience across America, there are hundreds of people looking to make a quick buck at your expense. Travel scams are more common than you’d think—and more devious. Here are ten surprisingly common travel scams in the land of the free. We’ll also look at how to avoid them.
Featured Image Credit: Milkos/Depositphotos.com.
The Fake Taxi Scam
You’re probably exhausted when you land in America & just want to get to your hotel—that’s when you’ll run into the fake taxi scam. It involves someone pretending to be a taxi driver who takes you to your destination yet charges you much more than the going rate. You should stick to official taxi lines. Better still, only book rides through trusted apps like Uber.
The Timeshare Scam
As part of the timeshare scams, the other person will promise you a free tour or a gift if you just sit through a presentation. But these presentations are quite high-pressure and can sometimes make you feel forced into signing up for a deal that’s too good to be true. Do your homework before going to any presentation. And remember—you don’t have to sign anything on the spot.
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The Street Performer Scam
Street performers make any city visit more entertaining but sometimes they’re a distraction for something worse. While you’re caught up in the show and distracted, their pickpocket friends are stealing wallets & phones from the crowd. Keep your belongings close and stay on high alert while you’re watching the performance—no matter how good it is.
The Fake Petition Scam
In the fake petition scam, someone will approach you with a clipboard and ask you to sign a petition for a good cause. But it’s a scam—they’re distracting you while someone else picks your pocket or perhaps collecting your personal information for shady reasons. Either way, it’s best to just walk away.
The Closed Attraction Scam
There’s no worse feeling than going to a tourist destination and hearing that it’s closed for the day. When that happens, watch out for anyone who claims to know a better spot. They’re usually just trying to lure you into a shop or a tour where they’ll pressure you to spend money. Keep your wits about you and use the internet to check out the attraction first.
The Overpriced Souvenirs Scam
Souvenir shops can be hard to deal with because many of them jack up the prices big time. They’re betting that tourists don’t know the real cost of things—no matter how much cheaper that might be. Before you buy, take a look around at a few different shops to get an idea of a fair price. And never go to a souvenir shop near major landmarks—they’re always overpriced!
The Fake Police Scam
Some scammers will dress up as police officers and accuse you of some minor offense. Then, they’ll tell you that you can pay a fine right there & then—but real cops will never do this. If you’re ever in doubt, ask to see their ID or suggest going to the nearest police station to clear things up.
The Rental Car Scam
If you’ve found a rental car deal that seems too cheap, then you should watch out—it might be a setup. Later on, the company will claim you caused damage to the car and give you a hefty bill that you need to pay. Always inspect the car thoroughly before you take it out and take pictures of it. You should also only use reputable rental companies.
The “Broken Camera” Scam
Many scammers will prey on your goodwill by asking if you could take a photo of them with their camera. That sounds innocent enough—but the camera doesn’t work. When you hand it back, they drop it and blame you for breaking it, insisting you pay for repairs. It’s perfectly okay to decline taking a photo.
The Free Vacation Scam
Last but not least, there’s the free vacation scam. You get a call or email saying you’ve won a trip but they need your credit card info for “verification.” In reality, there’s no vacation—they’re after your money. Always check out the company that’s giving you the deal before you give out any personal details and remember there’s no such thing as a free trip!
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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