Steve Robinson

Travel Scams to Avoid in Europe

While cheap airplane tickets and discount hotel rooms as well as cheap vacation packages are available to Europe, prospective visitors should be aware of common travel scams being practiced there.

American tourists are known to typically carry their valuables in their bags and wallets.  The following are popular scams to avoid on your trip:

·      Beware of a cashier who appears busy talking on her phone while ringing up your purchase.  Dishonest clerks use phone cameras to take pictures of customers’ credit card numbers.  You can reduce your exposure by paying for most of your purchases in cash.

·      Be suspicious of any unusual close contact with someone unknown to you or a disturbance in crowded public places, particularly popular tourist spots.  By being alert and savvy you can avoid most problems.

·      If you sniff a whiff of a scam, just walk away.  Remember if you did not break something, do not get guilted into paying for it.  A favorite scam is for someone posing as a tourist to ask another tourist to take his picture at a popular spot.  The camera does not appear to work.  When returned, the “tourist” fumbles the camera whereby it falls to the ground breaking into pieces.  The real tourist is then either asked to pay for repairs or has his wallet lifted when he bends over to pick up the broken camera.

·      The most common scam experienced by many tourists is getting ripped off by a currency exchange bureau because they do not read their fine print first.

Europe is not a risky place to visit.  Using a little common sense, you should be able to avoid being scammed.  However, if it happens, remember that your loss will make for a memorable story when you return home.

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