Eye & Pen: Lifestyle, Travel, Photography and Literature
  • Main
  • Blog
  • Topics
    • Accommodations
    • Bucket List
    • Cheap Travel
    • Culture
    • Essay
    • Destinations
    • Inspiration
    • Interviews
    • Narratives
    • Personal
    • Photography
    • Restaurants
    • Reviews
    • Safe Travel
    • Travel Planning
    • Trip Update
    • Weekly Wanderlust
  • Photo Gallery
    • Photo Gallery – All Places
    • Photo Gallery – Aruba
    • Photo Gallery – England
    • Photo Gallery – Europe
    • Photo Gallery – Iceland
    • Photo Gallery – Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Italy
    • Photo Gallery – Northern Ireland
    • Photo Gallery – Other
    • Photo Gallery – Scotland
    • Photo Gallery – USA
  • Services
    • Blog Coaching
    • Graphic Design
    • Hire Brandon
    • Advertising
  • About Brandon
  • Contact

Guest post – 7 travel scams that you should know

11/1/2013

18 Comments

 
Picture
If you’ve traveled at all, chances are you’ve either fallen for a travel scam, or have had someone try to pull one on you.  Going on a vacation or traveling shouldn’t be a scary experience.  If you know about the scams that are out there, you should be able to avoid them. Here are seven tricky travel scams that you should know about before you take that trip.    
Picture
1.  Scammed By The Police
Yes, there are actually police in other countries who will scam you.  It’s very easy to be caught off guard when you travel, and these police use this to their advantage.  Many times the police that are scamming you will ask to see your passport.  They will then tell you that something is wrong with it and that you owe a fine which you need to pay immediately.  In this case, since you have done nothing wrong, it’s best to refuse to pay, and tell them that you will resolve the situation at the police station.  They will then tell you that they will let it slide “just this one time”.  Sometimes these aren’t even real police that are confronting you, but often scammers who are impersonating police officers.  

Speaking of fake police, if you ever have police come up to you asking to see your money to check if it is counterfeit, don’t give it to them.  They are fake police, and will tell you that your money is counterfeit and take off with it.  Again, tell them that you will be happy to go to the police station to resolve the issue. 

2.  Wi-Fi Scams
When you travel, be very careful before hooking up to just any hotspot.  Especially, be very careful of ones that say “free wi-fi.”  You can actually be connecting directly to a hacker’s computer without even knowing it.  The hacker will be able to see your passwords, financial information and anything else that is stored on your computer.  Always look at a description of the network that you are connecting to.  If it says “computer to computer” rather than “wireless network”, than you are connecting to someone else’s computer and not to a real network.  Also, make sure you turn file sharing off on your computer if you aren’t connecting to a secured network.  Avoid identity theft and pay attention to what you are connecting to.

3.  That Restaurant Is Closed….That Hotel Is Terrible  
Taxi drivers get away with it all of the time.  You tell them to take you to a certain restaurant or hotel and they will tell you that it’s closed or a terrible place.  They will then try to take you to a place where they get a commission.  If they tell you a place is closed, tell them you still want to go and make sure, or if you have a phone, call and check.  And find another taxi cab.  Why give your money to unscrupulous taxi drivers?

4.  Too Good To Be True Deals At The Airport, Bus Or Train Station
If you’ve traveled, you are familiar with the crowd of people who stand around when you get off the bus or train with pictures of their accommodations. Be careful if the price seems too good to be true.  It usually is.  It is more than likely located far out of town or is not as good as it seems in the pictures.  I fell for this scam once in Greece and the hotel was so far up a steep hill that you had to walk up, that I seriously didn’t know at the end of the night in the pitch dark if I’d ever make it to my hotel.  Fortunately, I made it, but it’s always best to have your first night pre-booked at your destination and then walk around and look to see which place you like in person.  

5.  Don’t Share Cabs With Strangers
There have been stories of people jumping in people’s cabs at the last minute, and then robbing the people whose cab they jumped into.  This has been especially known to happen at train and bus stations where people are traveling with all of their electronics and valuables.  It’s always best to lock the door once you get in the cab and say no to strangers who want to ride with you.  

6.  Always Ask To See A Menu With Prices Listed On It Before Ordering
Do you see that lovely meal in the picture?  Would you believe that it cost me $160?  Well, the total came to $160 for the rental of three beach chairs, one drink, and this meal.  Why? Because I let the waiter on the beach tell me the menu without asking to see one.  Since I was on Boca Chica beach in the Dominican Republic, I didn’t figure it would be that expensive, so I didn’t bother to ask how much the cost would be.  At the end of the day ,the waiter told me I owed the equivalent of 160 US dollars!! He threatened to call the police if I didn’t pay, and I felt intimidated, so I paid the money.  Of course, a couple of days later when I was with my friend who spoke fluent Spanish, when we shook our heads no to all of the restaurants, they then said they would show us a menu with prices.  So, obviously this is a well-known scam on this beach.  This scam also goes on in other areas of the world, too.  Never order food or drinks (or beach chairs) without asking the price.  


7.  The Hotel Call From The Front Desk
One of the trickiest travel scams that has affected travelers has been one in which they thought they were receiving a call from the front desk.  The person tells the traveler that their credit card didn’t go through properly and that they need to get the information again.  Only it isn’t the front desk calling but a con artist.  Never give your credit card information over the telephone.  

Also, be cautious of calls from the front desk that attempt to get you to go on a timeshare tour. Sometimes they'll offer an extravagant gift such as a free Visa gift card, free show tickets etc. in exchange for 2 hours of your time to go on the timeshare tour. You can go on the tour to get the free gift, but whatever happens, don't buy the timeshare. It's a scam. If you accidentally bought a timeshare, consult with one of the many timeshare exit attorneys to help you get out of it.

Remember traveling is usually a safe and amazing experience.  Most people are helpful and kind and aren’t out to scam or harm you.  But having the knowledge of potential scams can go a long way in making your trip a great one. 

Have you been the victim of a travel scam?  Comment below and let us know about it!!

(Main photo by ckaroli via Flickr)

Picture

Val started Travel Scamming after people tried to pull one too many scams on her. She didn’t always fall for them, but thought it would be helpful to other travelers to make them aware of potential scams.  
She writes the travel blog Travel Scamming.

Enjoy the Ride. Don’t Get Taken For One.
18 Comments
Anne @ Pretraveller link
11/1/2013 12:47:32 pm

Val, thanks for sharing your travel scamming tips! I hadn't heard of the restaurant overcharging one before but I will keep it in mind for the future!

Reply
Brandon Elijah Scott link
12/11/2013 09:04:20 pm

Thank you for reading. Val is very knowledgeable when it comes to travel scamming. She has many tips, and knows the tools of the trade. I read her posts frequently to stay up to date with scamming. It is never fun to fall victim to a scam.

Reply
Mary @ Green Global Travel link
11/7/2013 07:40:53 am

I have been lucky enough to only encounter a few minor scams in my traveling life though really appreciate the heads up!

Reply
Brandon Elijah Scott link
12/11/2013 09:08:20 pm

I have as well. It is terrible when you find out that you have become a victim. I know a couple who traveled to Mexico, and when they got off of the plane there was a man who was known as a taxi driver. The couple wasted no time at all and got in the cab. The driver took them all over God's green acres and then once reaching the destination charged them an arm and a leg for the ride.

Reply
Jennifer link
11/12/2013 07:47:15 pm

Great list, Val! I didn't know about the wifi one. That really gives you something to think about.

Reply
Brandon Elijah Scott link
12/11/2013 09:17:02 pm

Val, is great, and I really appreciate her post on travel scams! She does give a person a lot to think about. I didn't think that the Wifi scam either believe it or not until I read her post.

Reply
Harold | Cheap Flights link
12/2/2013 11:48:17 am

Thank you for sharing your scamming tips Val. I have lots of scams during travel one of it is taxi drivers sue big amount even though it is not the right amount. Great tips ! thank you.

Reply
Brandon Elijah Scott link
12/11/2013 09:20:17 pm

I enjoy reading her posts. That is terrible that you have fallen victim to scams! It's never a good experience, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth for the place that you are visiting. I do a lot of research before travelling to any destination.

Reply
jhon link
12/7/2013 01:52:54 am

Thanks for sharing this nice info expect some more in near future.
http://infofaisalabad.blogspot.com/

Reply
Brandon Elijah Scott link
12/11/2013 09:22:09 pm

Keep your eyes peeled, she may be back for another guest post sometime in the near future. She is very knowledgeable about travel scams and has a lot of useful information to provide to readers. There are a few things that I didn't even think about!

Reply
Norma
12/30/2013 06:43:46 pm

Every blogs have a great importance for their readers and authors. I like so much your blog topic. I am a tourist and as a tourist I hopefully understand all the good and bad experience in our travels. I like you’re travelling trip. I am all time find in best of best areas for my all future travels and I think it’s a fine area, and I try must to use this area for my travelling.

Reply
James P. link
1/29/2014 02:47:51 pm

Good info! A helpful general rule is to NEVER trust taxi drivers or anyone in a touristy area or airport departure exit.

The hotel call is a relatively new one, at least I hadn't heard of it until recently.

Reply
Levi
2/10/2014 04:29:29 pm

Thanks for this useful information before read this blog i have no knowledge about scams. Because i have not faced these types of problems during my trips. I am a tourist and i have been visited a lot of best countries of the world. Next i will keep yours useful tips in mind during travel. I am planning a <a herf=http://www.getbustours.com/hawaii/>hawaii island tours</a> in next month.

Reply
johnson
2/12/2014 08:21:16 pm

I really appreciate her post in which she discussed about travel scams! She have explained all things that one person need to use during travel. I didn't think that the Wifi scam either believe it or not until I read her post. Honestly I like her ideas and I am going to use it in my <a herf=http://www.getbustours.com/2day-york-niagara-falls-corning-glass-center-tour.html/>niagara falls tours</a>.

Reply
Joan445
2/13/2014 06:47:58 pm

To safe myself from any troubles at the time of travel I preferred to the getbustours. In which bus tours most people are helpful and kind and aren’t out to scam or harm you. Now I think if we having the knowledge of potential scams for that we can go a long way in making our trip a great one.

Reply
Wei
2/13/2014 08:12:02 pm

Nice scamming tips! Your blog is very helpful for me because next week I am going with [url=http://www.getbustours.com/orlando-and-miami-tours/]miami bus tours [/url]. I was confused about my fist visit to Miami but now I don’t need to worry about my tour. I think I can easily enjoy a safe tour by following your suggestion.

Reply
Armando Magtalas Balajadia link
6/3/2014 06:11:14 am

Hi, how are you? Thanks for the great information and tips. You are absolutely right. Same thing in Philippines and other 3rd world countries. Even here in United States have scams and frauds. We have to be very careful all the time even in other 1st world countries. Have a nice day always.

Reply
supercruises link
10/6/2014 12:54:12 pm

your banner is so great!charming!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Sign up for my VIP email list:

Picture
Picture

Article Topics

All
About Blogging
Accommodations
Bucket List
Cheap Travel
Culture
Destinations
Discussion
Entertainment
Environment
Essay
Fine Art Feature
Gear
General
Giveaway
Green Living
Guest Posts
Inspiration
Interviews
Lifestyle
Luxury
Narratives
Not Recommended
Other
Personal
Photography
Restaurants
Reviews
Safe Travel
Trip Planning
Trip Update
USA Road Trip
Video
Weekly Wanderlust

RSS Feed

Monthly Archive

November 2021
September 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012

*Disclaimer: All blog posts featuring products, reviews, or suggestions for products or services are governed by our Disclosure. Products were received free to review, so to provide authentic opinions and content for our readers. The opinions and ideas in this post are the writer's own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business. We receive no compensation for product reviews. Links within non-product review posts may be sponsored.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.