Tourist Scams: 2002
Tourists are targeted by scam and rip-off artists everywhere in Europe. If you know the games (spilling the mustard, bus 64 in Rome, etc.), you're less likely to be a victim. Let's share and collect the most common scams so we can all travel more safely.
Back from yet another trip to Italy where, I'm sorry to report, thieves are as plentiful as before. Yes, there are the usual gypsies and people holding up the "due bambini" signs, hounding you at tourist areas. But as far as thieves go, the vast majority we were able to observe were either black or Arab, usually working in small gangs (anywhere from 2 to 5), and often wearing sneakers (easy to run in, but you'll rarely see "regular" Italians wear them, so it makes the thieves somewhat easier to spot). It really hurts me to stereotype, but I'm merely reporting the facts.
Thus, for instance in Florence, we saw a black 2-person "team" hiding behind the columns in the arcade leading from Uffizi to Ponte Vecchio--they gave us an understanding smile and continued staking out their next victims: 2 Japanese girls who were walking towards the bridge. We just walked away because we really did not feel it was safe for the two of us to confront two big young guys on a deserted street.
While waiting for the train at Rome's Termini, we saw two young African men walk past our table at least 50 times between the two of them (they alternated every few minutes). They were eyeing our (securely attached) backpack. When I got up to check the departures board, I walked around the corner and saw both of these gentlemen in a remote corner, talking with another one and an elderly lady. It was abundantly clear that they were not travelers as they didn't have so much as a small bag between the 4 of them, and they weren't happy to see me interrupt their discussion.
We are always very aware of our surroundings, and we saw many more examples
of petty crime(including a young man whom my husband saw run into the
bathroom to check the contents of a lady's purse); too many to list here.
Don't let your guard down thinking that Rome has been "cleaned up" because
of the 2000 Jubilee year--it's the end of 2002, and things are back to
normal in Rome, Florence, and all of Italy.
USA 12/28/02
ATM stuck-card scam
Here's a way to avoid the infamous "card-eating ATM" scam. Before you start your "real" transaction,
insert your card and hit "cancel" immediately without entering your PIN. If the
machine doesn't spit your card right back out, you'll know the machine is either
defective, or booby-trapped. Either way, you'll be left without your card, but
at least the thieves, if any, won't have your PIN. If you're really lucky, there'll
be a cop nearby so you can point out the thieves as they go to retrieve your
stuck card!
Peter
Brussels, Belgium 12/27/02
disguise your valuables
Here's a tip my friend gave me that has worked so far: she used it all over Europe
and I did too, with no ill results: Rather than carrying a backpack around town,
which is an easy target, carry your camera or other stuff you want to bring in
a regular shopping bag. I used a plain plastic bag that was opaque. If pickpockets
even realize that you are a tourist, they'll think you bought some lousy souvenir
and not waste any time on trying to steal your bag.
Cynthia <email>
Portland, OR USA 12/25/02
More Rome Scams
I've had to deal with the leather jacket guy twice. He gets very upset when I
try to keep the jacket and walk away. I wonder why that is? The other Rome scam
is the "Where is the "famous street that's no more than 20 meters from where
you are talking" charade. From there, the eternally grateful jerk tries to get
you to accept his offer of a drink in a bar. If he gets you in the place, then
he either takes off or buys you one, orders two for himself and then leaves,
sticking you with the bill. He's working with the bartender/owner to get the
business. It's been my experience that Rome is one big price-gouging scam, especially
in the tourist-centric neighborhoods. You have to keep a close eye on what the
waitstaff are doing. My Roman pals are always telling me about the dual-pricing
policies in cafes, bars and restaurants.
Alan Z <email>
Oceanside, CA USA 12/20/02
ATM Usage
To followup on Kitty's posting, I think it is good idea to only use an ATM card
during banking hours. If there is a problem, this allows you to address the problem
quickly. Many years ago we were depending only on a debit card when it did not
work in a ATM. It was the weekend and we were nearly out of cash. It did create
a bit of a panic. However, the card worked in the next machine around the corner.
BUT we resolved never to get into that position again. Since then we make sure
we get cash prior to being nearly broke and always during banking hours. Also,
we try to use only ATMs outside of banks so if there is a problem we can walk
inside. Since we started following this practice, we have not had any problems.
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 12/20/02
London Soho Red Light District
Of course the sex trade in Soho is a scam! It is so very well documented I am
constantly amazed that people still ignore all the vast amounts of warnings about
it. If anyone enters one of these places ( particularly via a darkened staircase
) they are NOT going there because they wish to expand their knowledge of the
19th century London reform work of Lord Shaftsbury or Dr Barnardo. For most of
the people who get roughed up by bouncers and taken to an ATM this is a blessing.
Had their mission been sucessful, their chances of becoming HIV positive would
have been very high and given the choice of death by AIDS or losing $500.00 I
know which I would opt for. If anyone feels they have been a victim in Soho there
are plenty of Police Stations close at hand and plenty of Police Officers on
the streets - why not report it ? The reason the overwhelming majority of people
who fall for this trick find themselves scammed is because they are not thinking
with their brains but with a part of their anatomy found lower down the body.
If you're looking for excellent small family run restuarants or 'character'
pubs such as the Coach and Horses or the best of British jazz, Soho can't be
beat, but if you're looking for a romantic encounter with a mysterious 'Lady
of the night,' it's time to stop being so naive. The best you will get if you
are sucessful is a drugged up refugee from the former Soviet Bloc and a disease
of one sort or another.
Alan Bishop <email>
Nottingham, UK 12/20/02
ATMs in Europe
I am not certain where to put this but watch out for people who mysteriously
get your ATM number. WE were extremely careful through 7 weeks in Italy, Spain
and France but three days before we were to leave France for home, someone got
our ATM number. We were using the Bank across the street from the Hotel Leveque
on the Rue Clare in Paris. The ATM "ate" our card and we were told by a couple
behind us in line that we would have to get it from the bank on Monday (this
was Sat. night). We watched and waited to see if it came back out and it didn't
but it wasn't at the bank on Tuesday (bank closed on Monday). We called our bank
at home and they put a stop on it, but by that time someone had taken about $1200
out in cash advances. Thank God for insurance but be doubly careful.
Kitty Brilliant <email>
Colorado Springs, CO USA 12/18/02
London Soho Red Light District
London Soho Scam. The so called Red Light District in London is one scam after
another. They take you down a starecase where you are alone. Give you a 30 second
dance and then demand 500 dollars (250 pounds). When you refuse to pay a large
bouncer comes out and takes you to a cash machine where he forces you to pay.
Avoid this entire area. Amsterdam is the place to go for Red Light District.
David
Joliet, IL USA 12/17/02
DFDS Ferries between Copenhagen & Oslo
This may not be what one would think of a the usual scam, but our experience
on the DFDS ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo was less than we expected, and others
might what to consider whether this is really the way to travel. There is no
denying that the overnight ferry is a way of saving time on what would otherside
be a l-o-n-g train trip via Sweden, but these ships are worked hard, and we found
cabin cleanliness to be less than what we have come to expect in the Nordic countries.
The furnishings and bedding had seen better days, and there was a lot of mold
in the shower and on the shower curtain. More annoying was the high cost of meals
(even for Scandinavia), the lack of variety in food offered (particularly for
my vegetarian daughter), and the poor presentation of food. Ferry passengers
are really a captive audience. If you are planning to take this overnight trip,
I would recommend that you make time for a good, substantial, hot mid-day meal
in Copenhagen, and take your own sandwiches and beverages with you on the ship.
One further tip: If you are traveling via DFDS ferry in the off-season, consider
purchasing your tickets after you arrive in Europe, shortly before your intending
sailing date. It appears DFDS becomes more aggressive in filling unsold space
as sailings appraoch. After all, the ship will sail whether full or not, and
any money they can get for cabin space is better than no money at all.
Richard Young <email>
Gresham, OR USA 12/15/02
Warsaw Poland Pickpockets
In Poland be especially careful when boarding public busses. They are great transportation,
but crowded and a favorite hangout of pickpockets. As an older englishman and
his wife were getting on the bus and trying to sit down, a pickpocket took his
camera. Another lady pointed this out to the englishman, he confronted the pickpocket,
and grabbed his camera back. The pickpocket acted dumb like he did not understand
English, and hopped off the bus at the next stop. Only after the pickpocket left
did the Englishman find his wallet was gone too.
Ed
USA 12/12/02
World Wide Scam Network
I would recommend that people check out the website worldwidescam.com (World
Wide Scam Network). It is mostly about MLMs (Multi-Layer Marketing) schemes.
There are some travel sites mentioned in there. Make up your own mind, but it
is always better to be informed before you plunk your money down. (There are
also links to articles explaining MLMs and highlighting many, many other scams
on the web. You can take or leave what they have to say, but it never hurts to
be informed.)
Steve
MN USA 12/11/02
Metro Scam in Paris
I was planning a trip to Europe with some Girl Scouts. A friend who had just
come back sent me a printout of what she spent so I could get a feel for the
prices. Included in the report was "$100 Metro con man"! When I asked, it turned
out to be the same con that Johanna mentions below. So we were at least forewarned.
Later I saw it on this board, also. As far as the trip went, we had few problems
and went to London, Paris, Switzerland, Venice and Amsterdam. The only problem
was in Venice when, after taking one bite from a sandwich, I noticed it was covered
with mold and the vendor wanted to charge me for it even thoough I showed him
and returned it right away. I speak no Italian and he spoke no English but we
managed a pretty animated argument and I did not have to pay. CZ
Clare Z <email>
Escondido, CA USA 12/11/02
Thieves in Marseilles, France
Crime in Marseilles, France: Scanning Ricks tips and this board, I see nothing
about Marseilles, so I will give a heads-up. Summer of 2002 we were driving through
Marseille connecting from one freeway to another, and a band of robbers jumped
out and tried to stop our car as we slowed to get on an on-ramp. One boy walked
out calmly in front of our car and raised his hand for us to stop, he seemed
like a pedestrian crossing the street at first, then when we slowed, another
boy ran out of some bushes on our right and headed for the passenger door. We
accelerated quickly around the first robber, but it was very close. Since then,
I also heard of a friend this year who parked in Marseilles for an event, and
came back to their car totally broken into, and everything stolen. So watch out
in Marseilles (and keep your doors locked!)
Scott
USA 12/05/02
Faux Artwork in Paris
While my husband and I were in Paris last week, one of the items we wanted to
buy and bring back were paintings/posters of different scenes of the city. We
bought two from a gentleman along the river between the Notre Dame and the Louvre.
I think we paid 50 Euros for them - we asked the guy if he painted them and his
reply was that he was an art student (didn't say yes or no, however!). The next
day we bought two more outside the Orsay from a different guy for 30 Euros. A
couple days later we started our souvenir shopping and lo and behold there were
the same or very similar "paintings" in the souvenir shops for about 3 Euros
each!! Shame on us for not checking around - we still love our paintings but
we definitely paid too much for them. Morale of the story I guess is if the artist
is not actually painting something as you stand there - he's probably making
a terrific profit on your gullibility! We'll never tell our friends the truth
though!
too embarrassed to say!
CO USA 12/03/02
Venetian Glass, Murano
Heads up if you are in Venice and visit Murano. My wife and I were there three
weeks ago and I purchased two pieces from the Nuova Venier glass factory. The
agreement that I made with them was that the pieces would be inscribed with our
family name, the date purchased, and signed by the artist. When I received the
pieces, they had our family names and the date inscribed but no artist's signature.
I complained by E-mail and they forwarded a couple of certificates but refuse
to allow me to ship the pieces back to have the artist sign them. I have filed
a complaint with my credit card company and replied to yet another E-mail from
the vendor today. They are being difficult to say the least. I am going to continue
to attempt to keep the charge back on their account in place until we come to
terms. I reccomend that you find somewhere else to buy Venetian glass. To say
the least, I am very disappointed in the conduct of this company. They have turned
what I thought was a good experience into an unhappy aggravation.
Hugh Hines <email>
Colorado Springs, CO USA 12/03/02
Problems with check cards and travel.
Check Cards do not function as a traditional credit card. Hotels and car rental
companies, pre-authorize your card and then settle your bill after the services
are recieved. Because services are being rendered first, your card is authorized
for more than the charges are estimated to be. This is done as they have no idea
what the final bill will be. Nation wide banks see the authorization and the
settlement of the final bill as two separate transactions. This normally corrects
itself within 24 hours, but in the meantime you could have checks bouncing.
Brett Tribbey <email>
Ada, OK USA 11/23/02
Paris Metro Scam
My friend and I were scammed out of 187 euros last time we were in Paris -- I
wanted to share this story in hopes that others won't be duped. We had just arrived
in on a flight and were exhausted. While struggling with our luggage in Gare
du Nord (big train station), a friendly, well-dressed man approached and offered
assistance. He helped us operate the luggage barriers so that we could more easily
get our bags over to the train. He then asked if we spoke French and how long
we were going to be in Paris. When we told him 5 days he said "Oh! You need to
get a 5 day travel pass -- the tickets you have aren't valid after this journey." He
said he worked for the metro and flashed us a badge. Then he took my friend over
to the ticket machine while I waited with the bags (he was very insistent that
I wait with the bags while my friend go upstairs to the machine alone -- which
at the time made me suspicious, but I thought I was just being paranoid).
He took my friend to the ticket machine and then typed in a bunch of
stuff in French. It came up that the price was 187 euros for two 5 day
passes. When my friend tried to put his credit card in, the machine rejected
it (apparently the machines will only take credit cards issued by French
banks -- we didn't know this at the time). So then this "kind" metro
worker offered to put it on HIS credit card, and then my friend could
go to the ATM and pay him back. Next thing we knew, we were stuck with
two one use tickets (valued at like 3 euros) and out of a big sum of
cash! This happened on the first day of our trip and, as poor students,
nearly ruined our holiday. Please beware of anyone who tries to "help" you
out. I hate to sound cynical, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Johanna <email>
Memphis, TN USA 11/23/02
Madrid "Tourist Police" Scam
On Nov. 4 2002, we ran into the Madrid "tourist police" scam. As soon as the "plainclothes
cop" flashed his ID too quickly to be read, I knew something bad was going on.
Being angry and suspicious and yelling "this is bs" caused them to disappear,
but we later heard that some French people in our hotel pulled out contents of
their wallets, and later found their money had vanished.
Kathy Urban <email>
Plymouth Meeting, PA USA 11/11/02
Beware on trains in Poland and Hungary
My husband and I just returned from a trip to eastern Europe with the Eastern
Europe Pass. There are many warnings to beware at the train stations, but we
noticed all the real crimes occured ON the trains. When boarding the train from
Gdansk to Warsaw, 5 very well-dressed men stormed the car my husband and I were
boarding and separated us. These men created a gridlock on the train, so neither
of us could get through. My husband's pocket was picked. Most of what we had
was in the secret pocket inside his pants, but they did get his wallet and a
days worth of spending and a credit card. While waiting on the platform, we noticed
two police waiting for something to happen but they never bothered to see what
was happening on the train, or when the 5 men jumped off just as the train was
leaving. When we told the conducter what happened, he just said it was a common
occurrence.
We were even more aware after this. While waiting for a train in Warsaw, a
man approached us and asked if we were going to Vienna. We replied no. When
we boarded the train to Vienna, he was walking the cars and looking for unaware
victims. We closed the compartment to our door so he wouldn't bother us. While
waiting on the train in Budapest, we watched another young man do the same
thing. We think we saw him take something from someone, but wasn't sure. This
was just moments before the police came to patrol the platform. The real dangers
seem to be on the train, just before it leaves. The thieves know when the police
start patroling and where and when to get off the train. Don't let your guard
down, even after you have sat down.
lr in Florida
USA 11/09/02
Ireland
My Dad and I returned to our hotel via taxi after a late night of pub hopping.
The next morning, the hotel phone rang: the taxi driver was on the the line,
informing my Dad he had found his passport in the backseat! The taxi driver drove
50 miles on a Sunday back to our hotel and returned it! After a short debate,
my Dad convinced the honest driver to take his $50 thank you reward. Ireland
is not only the land of the polite but honest too!
Erin
Seattle, wa USA 11/08/02
Thieves
After reading all the stories here I thought I might as well add my two cents.
Last summer in Barcelona I had encountered two separate incidents. First was
a regular looking teen ager, who slowly came up to a bench where a number of
french tourists were sitting and slowly reached for their backpack which they
for some reason they kept behind their back. He started walking away with the
bag until I screamed to the tourists at which point he took a few steps back,
placed the bag on the ground and walked away as if nothing occurred.
Second incident was on the borderline of violent. Returning from the discos
on the waterfront in Barcelona, I noticed a nicely dressed man walking in front
of me. He was approached by two Middle Eastern looking men who initially asked
him for the time. After he answered, one grabbed his neck and the other one
went right into his pockets. It happened quickly and I'm not sure if they got
anything. However, I'd strongly suggest anyone to be highly cautious when approached
by two people at night.
Arnold <email>
New York, NY USA 11/06/02
Madrid Plaza del Sol Internet Point
A women had her wallet stolen at the internet point in the Plaza del Sol in Madrid.
Pickpockets find you an easy target when you are preoccupied.
Marie
Verona, NJ USA 11/06/02
No scams in Rome
Back from Italy, Rome, Florence and Siena, Venice. No scams that I saw or pickpockets.
There were some gypsy women sitting near churches begging for money but nothing
out of the ordinary. We traveled on the Rome metro and no problem, even late
at night. Took a taxi and it was legit. I even gave a tobacco stand vendor too
much money and he gave it back to me. Just take note that all restaurants charge
a cover charge which is customary. It averages 1.60 per person for the tablecloth
service and bread. At the Termini train station there seemed to be a shady character
standing on line with me eyeing bags while I was waiting to purchase tickets
for Eurostar. Once I slipped my foot into the strap of my bag, he disappeared.
Marie
Verona, NJ USA 11/05/02
The Portuguese "couvert" is not a scam
Contrary to A. Boggs' comments below, the Portuguese "couvert" is not a scam.
A couvert is not an elaborate ploy to steal your money, it is a common practice
in Portugal which charges a bit more for bread and such that come with your meal.
The prices are clearly posted, and you are free to decline them. Every decent
guidebook makes mention of this typical practice, which is applied equally to
local and visitor. To refer to such a typical practice as a "scam" brings to
mind yet another euphemism -- "Ugly American." These comments would make as much
sense as a European warning his fellow citizens of an American "scam" of requiring
tips in restaurants, and not including sales tax on price tags, when it is just
common practice. Please do a bit of research before traveling.
Adrian
Los Angeles, CA USA 11/05/02
Crime in spain
well, we went to Southern Spain in October 2002. We armed ourselves with moneybelts
and all. Well, after many paranoic visions from reading the Graffitti Wall.....We
have to say....we had NO problems. But it is best to be prepared. The first day
we went to the Sunday Flea market and I thought,...whoa this is going to be a
bad decision....but no problem.The Costa del Sol in October is quite delightful
and we hope to return someday....this was out first trip to Europe.
Kay & Denny <email>
Lebanon , OR USA 11/04/02
Cab scams in Madrid
Be very careful with cab drivers in Madrid.Some have a tendency to turn off the
meter the very second you arrive at your destination and then charge you twice(or
more) the amount indicated on the meter. Also, thay can charge a supplement for
luggage and some have a tendency to exaggerate. for some trips, I would recommend
you get an idea of the approximate price before you go.
Claude <email>
Ottawa, Canada, ON CAN 11/02/02
Amsterdam
I have traveled fairly extensively in Amsterdam/ Holland over the years and I
here is some of my unsolicited advice for you to read. Use a money belt. Don’t
debate it, don’t sit around and wonder if you should get one, don’t fret about
the $15 bucks a comfortable one will cost, don’t think “it won't happen to me”,
and for *&$ sake don’t wear it on the OUTSIDE (yes, I have seen this too). I
prefer the ones that go in your pants, tucked in the upper edge of my underwear,
and then a belt on my pants. It makes access really difficult. I then carry a
wallet in my front pocket with enough money until my next bathroom stop. You
are not dressed and prepared for the day until you have your money belt on. First
of all, nothing has really changed in regards to petty crime. It's still as prevalent
as 25 years ago, and the police can do little/nothing unless they catch the thief
in the act. In Amsterdam, in the open area shopping areas (shopping district
and street markets) there are signs in multiple languages warning against pickpockets.
In the train station, they have regular announcements that pickpockets are operating.
Increase your awareness of your belongings in these situations. Also, in the
main train station, by the lockers they have a sign telling you to not accept
assistance from anyone but a rail employee. The locker instructions are in 4
different languages, and are not hard to use, so you will likely not need assistance.
When we were there last time, there was a gentleman who tried to assist us, and
based on his appearance, he was clearly a junkie. I just smiled and said ‘no
thank you’. Funny thing was he was talking and hanging out with the actual rail
employee who was in the booth. Lastly, if you are in your 30’s or younger, you
WILL be asked by street drug dealers to “do business”, or to buy a specific illicit
drug. Especially outside the Train station, on the Damrak and any major street
that enters the Red Light District. These guys are harmless. Just don’t say anything,
don’t make eye contact and walk away. They won’t follow you for more than a few
feet.
Issaquah, WA USA 11/01/02
Restaurant scam in Portugal
When dining out in Portugal be aware of a scam which I refer to as the "couvert" scam.
Couverts are local appetizers which appear on the menu as individually priced
items. However without exception the waiters will bring out several plates of
couverts before you've even begun to think about ordering and you end up paying
from $1.50 per person to as much as $5.00 per person just for bread and butter,
olives and cheese. Our solution was simply to refuse any unordered appetizers
and proceed to order exactly what we wanted. You'll likely get an incredulous
look from the waiter but he will know immediately that you know the game and
don't want to play. Otherwise, enjoy some of the best and most reasonably priced
dining in all of Europe.
A. Boggs <email>
Monroe, NC USA 10/29/02
pick pockets in Amsterdam
Last year in the red light district of Amsterdam(trumpetter street) I was bumped
into by a young moroccan. Luckily I was able to get a look at him because a few
seconds later I heard a tap on a window of one of the "ladies of the evening".
She tipped me off that I had been pickpocketed. When I got to the end of the
alley, I noticed that indeed I had been picked. I looked around for a few seconds
and sure enough, there he was waiting for the next fish to attack. I walked up
and quietly accussed him of picking my pocket. He acted incredulous and looked
around nervously. The next thing I knew, he bolted down an alley. Luckily the
alley was crowded and I was able to catch up to him by the canal next to the
Bulldog cafes. He turned around and gave me back my 350 guilders. I should have
thrown him in the canal, but under the circumstances I was just happy to be victorious
in getting my money back! Moral of the story, don't carry that much cash in the
redlight district, listen to ladies, and if bumped try to at least get a look
of who bumped you. Afterwards, feeling victorious, I went back to the lady from
Spain that tipped me off and gave her a tip for her help and a little business.
Robert Rutan <email>
miami, fl USA 10/28/02
Leather Jacket Scam
My wife and I had the same experience in Rome in the Trastevere District. The
supposed Valentino Rep. from Paris, was driving a silver Mercedes and wanted
directions to the Colosseum,we tried to help and were presented with a gift of
leather and suede jackets, my wife was suspicious of the quality and of him.
He was driving back to Paris and needed fuel, at that point I told him we do
not want these jackets and have no money for him. Gave the jackets back and away
he went, looking to scam someone else. Another observation, in Italy we did not
see any Italians wearing sneakers,as soon as I started to wear leather shoes
and casual pants not jeans you do not set your self up as a tourist.
Gary
Vancouver, Canada, Can 10/28/02
Italy: Pickpockets no. Shortchange, yes
We just returned from 11 days in Italy and were surprised to have not seen, or
heard of, any pickpockets. We went through the termini twice, rode the bus and
subway each twice, and strolled through the usual tourist places. A guide told
us Rome cracked down on them for the Jubilee and they've avoided the more public
places. We were very aware of the risk and wore clothes with inside-zipper pockets
or money belts. Also, we were in several walking tours and that convoy method
may have protected us. As for short-changing, Rick Steves' book was right. Expect
to be short-changed every time. The cutest sales clerks as well as the most imperious
waiters were equally likely to make mistakes in their favor, which was often.
I learned to count everything. Adding to the scam potential is that some Italian
restaurants didn't itemize bills. That's asking for a degree of trust that does
not seem warranted. I would hope that Rick require restaurants to itemize in
return for his endorsement, which seems to offer considerable potential.
Tim <email>
Oak Forest, IL USA 10/26/02
Rome: High Class Leather Jacket Scam
ROME: HIGH CLASS LEATHER JACKET SCAM. While standing, map in hand, on street
bordering Gallery Borghese I was hailed by a well-dressed gentleman in a car
who said he was lost. He was the European Sales Director for Valentino. He was
late for an appointment with the director of the Museum. He had been going around
and around, etc. I gave directions. He thanked me profusely and then said he
was so thankful that he was going to give me a leather jacket, value over $1000.
He'd never done anything like this before. It was next years sample and I had
to be sure I wouldn't sell it. Well, of course I accepted the gift. Then, he
showed me his gas tank, and said he was about out of gas from being lost. He
then opened his billfold which was of course empty and said the gas station wouldn't
take his kind of credit card; could we give him some money for gas. Well, of
course I offered $50 from my husband's billfold. He thanked us profusely and
drove away. About 10 steps and it dawned on me I had been had. The only good
news is that I have a genuine made in Italy polyester leatherlike jacket. I can't
believe I was so stupid, but this guy was good! I was ready for the taxis and
pickpockets, but he got me. If he finds you, take the jacket and give him 5 Euros
and you'll beat him at his game. Good luck.
Barbara <email>
Wenatchee, wa USA 10/23/02
Pickpockets
Here's a tip for those of you travelling to Europe and using the Metro, Tube,
trains, etc. Sometimes in certain stations, you will see a sign saying "Beware
of Pickpockets". Now, when you read that sign, most of us would instictively
pat our pocket to make sure that our wallets are indeed still there. Meanwhile,
this makes a pickpocket's job that much more easier because they know exactly
where your valuables are kept.
Jill <email>
Calgary, AB CANADA 10/23/02
Passport scam
With the proliferation of private security firms in spain, it is easy to cobble
together an official looking uniform jacket. The euro has removed the old false
currency complaint-let me check your money but three men are trying the 'let
me check your passport-this man is a possible criminal' scam near the Palacio
Real in Madrid. Happened to self and wife last week.
paul vandehey <email>
hoodsport, wa USA 10/19/02
If you enter Italy at the frontier from France, the police in the
booth may offer you the convenience of having them exchange your money.
Don't be surprised if you are ripped off big time.
Carol
CA USA 10/17/02
Re: Beware of taxi and restaurant scams!
An update: I emailed Hotel Aberdeen, thanking the staff for their hospitality
during my wonderful stay there in early October, and also telling them about
my experience at Ristorante Target. The concierge wrote back, and here's his
reply about the tipping situation: "Regarding the bill from Target restaurant,
I would like to inform you that the services charged (Servizio 10%) are included
in the total price and these additional charges have got nothing to do with the
waiter's service. It's your choice then, if you want to tip the waiter. I'm awfully
sorry, my mistake. I'm still under training period and I was convinced that the
10% went to the waiters. Well, at least I'm glad that it was my mistake and not
a fraud from their behalf. Best Regards, Fabio Hotel Aberdeen". I just want to
post this to Graffiti Wall so other readers are aware of this. Rick or other
ETBD staff, if you're reading this, perhaps you can make a comment on this as
well: Do we or do we not tip the waiters on top of the "servizio" if it's not
common practice for local Italians to do so?
Jeannie <email>
San Mateo, CA USA 10/15/02
[Editor's note: You may have slightly overtipped but not by much. Here's
what we say about tipping in our Italy 2003 book: "At restaurants with
table service, menus list if there is a pane e coperto charge
(bread and cover charge, usually €1-2 per person) and if service
is included (servizio incluso, generally 15 percent). If the service
is included, there’s no need to tip beyond that, but if you like
to tip and you’re pleased with the service, throw in €1 to €2
euros per person.
If service is not included (servizio non incluso), tip 5 to 10 percent
by rounding up or leaving the change from your bill. Leave the tip on the table
or hand it to your server. It’s best to tip in cash even if you pay with
your credit card. Otherwise the tip may never reach your waiter."]
TAXI SCAMs
Please don't misunderstand my earlier posting. In no way do I recommend that
you NOT pay the taxi. If the meter is working, you pay that price regardless
if you think it is fair or not. Mr. Luther either did read beyond the first line
or did not understand my comments. I was referring to those situations where
an obvious attempt to cheap/scam is present. In Athens we had an agreed price
prior to getting into the taxi and we paid that price. In Genova, we paid slightly
more than the price the driver told us in the cab and the earlier quote from
the hotel. If it is an unmetered taxi you have to know the rate before getting
in and then pay that rate at the end.
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 10/14/02
Taxi "Scams"
If you decide to refuse to pay a taxi after you have gotten in, please be aware
that you can be arrested. Getting in the taxi is considered accepting the fare
by European law and they may well drive you right over to a policeman who will
tell you either pay or be arrested. You are not in American when such protest
is allowed. The European custom is to lean down to the driver from outside the
cab and ask how much. Only then do Europeans get in the taxi so if you get in,
you are accepting the rate.
Charles M. Luther
Katy, USA 10/14/02
Taxi Scams --- DON'T PAY !!!
This is a way to deal with unmetered cabs. BUT, it may require more fortitude
than you are prepared to have. DON'T PAY !!!! Just because they ask for it doesn't
mean you have to give it to them.
We have been caught twice in this situation. Once in Genoa at the end of a cruise found ourselves in a taxi queue and didn't realize that the meter was "broken" until we had departed. Asked the driver about the fare and received a muddle, Italian response in the range of what we expected. (Prior to the trip we had contacted the hotel and asked for the approximate cab fare from the hotel to the port.)
On arrival at the hotel the asked fare was several times higher. I remove our bags from the taxi prior to reaching for my money. In anticipation of this "problem" I had earlier slipped a single paper bill slightly larger than the earlier quoted cab fare into an old, empty billfold. I opened the billfold, handed him the one bill making sure that he could see that there was no more money in the billfold, and proceeded to walk towards the hotel.
Of course the driver immediately got in my face and blocked my path into the hotel. His English suddenly improved as did the volume of his voice. My Italian degenerated to, "No denaro, No capire", shrugging of my shoulders, showing him the empty billfold, and trying to move towards the hotel. Suddenly saw a policeman about a block away, pointed to the policeman and said, "Polizia" and took a couple steps in that direction and, of course, the driver had no more interest in the police than I did so he quickly moved to block my path in that direction. But this opened the way to the hotel. As I slipped by the doorman, he had broad smile with, "Welcome, Signore." The last we saw of the taxi driver he was standing in the street shaking his fist at the hotel and no doubt describing our ancestry.
The other time we were in Piraeus outside of Athens and wanted to take a taxi to Constitution Square with another couple. Had been warned about getting a firm price before getting into the taxi -- always good advice. Again no meter but expected. As usual, put the exact Greek money in the empty billfold. On arrival the price had more than doubled because of traffic, detours, etc. Again, I just opened the billfold, give him everything I "had" and walked away.
My wife, Marcia, does like this approach because she thinks we will be assaulted
sometime. But I don't feel physically threatened and the noise and attention
on the street doesn't bother me. I think it is a game that they are accustomed
to winning but they know how far they can go and will not cross the line. I'll
probably be proven wrong someday. But be informed, know what you should pay
and hold your ground.
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 10/14/02
Beware of taxi and restaurant scams!
I had read the many posts about Roman taxi scams before I left for Italy at the
end of September, but for some reason they didn't stick! My friend and I were
heading from Roma Termini for Hotel Oceania (only a few doors away from Hotel
Aberdeen), and inadvertently hailed a taxi that was unlabeled. At first the driver
seemed very friendly, asking us what our names were and chatting with us. Midway
through the ride, I realized that the meter wasn't on, so I asked him how much
the ride was going to cost us. "40 euros," he replied. My head started spinning,
but there was no way to back out of it now. Because we had suitcases in the trunk,
it wasn't as if we could just open the doors and jump out. The 10-minute walk
from the train station to the hotel was extremely costly, and left a very bitter
taste in my mouth.
Fortunately, the rest of the trip went smoothly, we did not encounter hordes of gypsies as expected (hardly saw any, in fact), and our first terrible impression of Rome faded away....
Another note: The Ristorante Target (a mere two blocks away from both Hotel Aberdeen & Hotel Oceania) serves an excellent meal, and my friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our four-course meal with wine for 67 euros. However, when the waiter presented the bill, he stamped "Gratuity not included" on it (one on top and one on the left side), and the careless me did not read it close enough to see "Servizio 10%" was already part of the 67 euros amount. I paid the bill with a credit card and left an additional 8 euros in cash on the table.
When I returned to the hotel and showed the bill to the concierge, he
shook his head and said I shouldn't have paid. [Editor's note: For a
follow-up, read subsequent posting above]
Jeannie <email>
San Mateo, CA USA 10/12/02
Rome Pickpockets
Pickpockets are everywhere in Rome, but seem to be concentrated outside the train
station. Watch out for women with babies around their necks and young girls by
her side approaching you. When you feel threatened, don't back up, you may bump
into the real "pick" behind you. The pick may come from the gils or the mother
herself who holds a piece of cardboard or newspaper as a shade for the baby and
hides her busy hands from your eyes. How to get away: do a 360 degree spin and
move right by the mother or any other perceived pick. Their hands can't follow
your pockets when you are spinning and just walk away and forget it. You're there
to enjoy your visit, not to get involved with morality issues.
Bill Rodgers <email>
Mt. Pleasant, SC USA 10/11/02
Pickpockets in Italy
Just returned from a 6 week trip in Germany, Italy, and France. I was "picked" 3
times while in Italy. Not at all in Germany or France. Of course I would never
dream of travelling in Europe without keeping everything in a money belt. (CC,
Money, Passport, RailPass, Air tickets).
The first hit was in the subway in Rome. Seems the machine would only take correct change. A friendly guy offered to help, even gave us a 1c piece to get our ticket. Meanwhile his buddy was going through my daypack. Fortunately Rick Steves' guidebooks just aren't that sought after [by locals] as they left it.
The next hit was on the subway itself later that evening. Same thing, one person distracted me while another rifled through the pack. Always keep it in front of you is the lesson learned here.
Finally, the slickest hit was on a train from Cinque Terre to Nice. Normally I would zip-tie all my zippers on the luggage before boarding the trains. This ONE time, (and the only time) I forgot. Two girls -- not more than 14 at my guess-- were blocking the passageway to the compartments. Then one went into a compartment as I tried to go by. The other stumbled and blocked me from going past. Meanwhile the girl that ducked into the compartment comes up behind and goes through ALL the zippers in the luggage. I never stand in more than one place too long however and she did not have time to grab at anything before I turned around. I let it go as annoying.
However they ran the same scam on a German tourist not 10 mins later and managed to get her wallet. She was onto them as well and the conductor managed to confront them, get the wallet back, and kicked them off the train at the next stop.
Always keep your valuables in a money belt and secure zippers when travelling
by train. I did this and even though I was "explored" 3 times, I still managed
to keep all my valuables and have a WONDERFUL trip.
Wayne Wooten <email>
Seattle, WA USA 10/07/02
Sqitzerland $40 5-minute phone call
Be careful with pay phones. At the train station in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland,
I needed to phone the hotel down the street and had no coins. I decided to follow
the directions on the phone to make a credit card call and was charged $40 for
the less than 5 minute phone call by a company in San Diego, CA INTL Call Services.
I would say don't dial numbers on phones to reach the company to give your card
number, only use phones where you can scan your card, or use a calling card.
globefrog <email>
Mineral Wells, TX USA 10/07/02
Paris Pick Pocketing..
Over the summer, many of my friends and neighbors (and me and my family as well)
took trips to Paris. We were fortunate not to have had any mishaps. However,
this was not the case for SEVERAL of my friends! Out of the 5 people I know of
who visited France since April 2002, 4 were pickpocketed.
*BE VERY CAREFUL WITHIN THE LOUVRE: If you are traveling with a companion, have that companion walk behind you, and you behind them (trade places). Do NOT stop for long moments - and don't walk in a daze - BE ALERT. Try to keep moving (be wiggly, in fact), and when you DO stop, remove your backpack - hold it in front of you. Try to keep your back to a wall if possible.
ON THE METRO: Stay in a group if possible, getting a seat is better in that you can hold your bag in front of you. Most importantly, be aware of who's around you!
How did my friends lose their money? 3 out of the 4 were at the Louvre. When they reported it, they joined quite a crowd of others reporting their thefts. If you're in the LOUVRE, help your fellow travelers by watching their backs for them. Be aware of someone walking alone and TOO close to others. My friends knew it was a woman after they followed her and watched her trying to pickpocket others. When she noticed she was being watched, she fled.
On the METRO, my friend's backback (which had a drawstring closing and a buttoned flap covering that) was amazingly broken into - we have no clue how - and the entire wallet was removed. The other method was using a blade to cut the bottom of the backpack/purse, allowing the wallet to fall out and into the thief's hands effortlessly. None of my friends felt a thing!
Make photocopies of your credit cards, passports and IDs before traveling
[and write down the emergency numbers with area codes, not 800 numbers], and
keep them in a safe place. They'll come in handy!
Kim <email>
Living in Germany - From AZ, AZ USA 10/06/02
Pickpockets
In Rome we saw young girls carry babies in a sling on the front of them being
held with fake arms and they would pick pockets with their real arms. The babies
were real and must have been well secured to the adults. We saw them being chased
by police and they ran quickly; the babies did not move! Always be wary of someone
getting too close every culture has a personal space issue - you know when yours
has been invaded!
USA 10/05/02
Extra Arm
One winter a friend of mine had an experience in Rome that I hadn't heard before.
I'd warned him about the pickpockets, so he was prepared (no wallet in back pocket,
wearing a money belt, etc.) A well-dressed woman wearing a coat was walking toward
him. When she got quite close, she suddenly had 3 arms. One of the one's in her
sleeve was a fake, and her real arm came out of the front of her coat and was
groping him looking for a wallet. Since all his stuff was well hidden, she got
nothing. And by the time he realized what was happening, she was on her way.
What will they think of next?
Judy
Bergenfield, NJ USA 10/04/02
Rode Rome's Bus 64 at night without being pickpocketed!
The famous bus 64 runs between Termini Station and Piazza San Pietro. It's infested
with pickpockets but somehow we survived. The Lazio soccer team was playing a
very important game at the time, so maybe all the pickpockets were watching the
game instead of "working"!
Mike
USA 10/03/02
Theft In Hostels, Internet Cafes', and Overnight Trains
Watch out in internet cafes, hostels, and overnight trains, and subways! For
backpackers, and hostellers (other tourists too) they are by far the worst places
for theft. Backpackers are very obvious wherever they are. Big backpacks make
big targets.
I had been surfing the graffiti wall countless times before my trip, and was totally prepared (so I thought) for whatever would come. Subsequently, I had my portable cd player and camera stolen. I had been extremely careful/paranoid up until the time my things were stolen. It only took one careless moment to lose those things.
I went out drinking one night with a group of other hostellers in Luxembourg City, Luxemborg and took pictures while we were out, and then again upon return. It was late so I decided to wash up first and then lock my things later, so I left my camera and walkman unlocked inside my huge backpack which contains only my clothes. I never locked this bag because I was never worried about theft of my easily replaceable jeans and tee shirts. I subsequently forgot to remove my camera and walkman to lock them in one of the lockers provided by the hostel.
The next morning the entire room (full of about 20 beds/people) went to breakfast at the same time leaving the room empty. Upon return from breakfast a female friend of mine discovered her day bag - which she had packed immediately before breakfast - was missing. The day bag contained her railpass and British passport (apparently very valuable on the black market). At that point I remembered my walkman and camera, but they were gone too. There were others who lost things as well that morning. It just goes to show you CANNOT let your guard down at all. There are thieves in hostels as well. No one (except for the thieves themselves) knows who they are, but in talking to other backpackers, the theory is that some are fellow backpackers and others are hostel employees. I also heard several stories about internet cafes, subways and trains. I almost became a victim on an overnight train from Rome to Nice, which I posted on the Train Travelers wall.
However, don't let paranoia ruin your trip, just simply always use lockers
supplied by hostels, keep valuables on your person (not in your backpacks/bags)
in internet cafes, lock your bags with a padlock/bicycle lock to the overhead
rack on trains (especially overnight), and always be aware of your surroundings
and strange-acting people. Good luck and have fun!
Thomas <email>
Washington, DC USA 10/02/02
Rick Steves' Site & Nigerian Scams
This whole discussion about linking your e-mail address on this site and the
Nigerian scams is getting a little absurd. A scamer does not have the time to
go through the this web site or any other web site picking up individual addresses
one at a time. There are many other ways to obtain your e-mail address. Millions
of e-mail addresses can obtained from services who provides these addresses for
a fee. A better possibility is that your ISP sold your address. Also, there are "mining" programs
that go from server to server picking up millions of addresses that are either
used by spamers or sold to other spamers. BUT does it really make any difference
if it is the Nigerian scam or solicitation for viagra, pretty girls, or mortgage
loans. It is all spam.
I was receiving the Nigerian letter long before I ever posted a response
on the this site. If you want to improve your chances for an answer to
your question, leave your e-mail. If not leave it blank. Fake e-mail
addresses only waste other peoples' time. If you are worried about spam,
set your filters accordingly and use your delete key. However, spreading
the story that the this site or any other site is responsible just means
that you are as irresponsible as the original spammer.
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 10/02/02Editor's note: Thanks, Frank, for your comments. The so-called
Nigerian bank scam offers people millions of dollars in cash that will
be illegally transferred to their bank account if they provide an account
number and identification. These e-mails really do originate in Africa
and have existed for years. (Before the Internet was in mainstream use,
they were sent by fax.) In reality, those who have been foolish enough
to provide the requested information have had their bank accounts emptied.
To hinder spammers of all kinds, we added new technology to our Graffiti Wall last year so that if you post your e-mail address, it does not actually appear on the message board. The only way for a spammer to collect addresses is to click on each e-mail link individually and copy them one at a time. This is very time consuming for someone trying to collect thousands of addresses. Serious spammers move on to other websites that do not use this technology.
We believe this is an effective deterrent against large-scale e-mail address harvesting. However, if you do not want anybody to have access to your address, you are free to post without it.
You'll find more information on the Nigerian Bank Scam at http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/.
Wonderful Vacation without Incidents
My wife and I just returned from 16 days in Spain and Europe (Sept. 2002), and
we were pleasantly surprised that we did not encounter, or hear of anyone else's
encounters, with pickpockets or scams. We both wore money belts and we each carried
separate CC's as precautions. We stayed in the Gothic section of Barcelona for
8 days, walked Las Ramblas and utilized the subway without any incidents. Just
very pleasant and friendly people!
J&J
Scottsdale, AZ USA 09/29/02
Nigerian scams
Thanks you all on this scam line. I now know why I have been receiving the hysterically
funny Nigerian scam emails. I made the mistake of including an address on one
of my Graffiti comments. Good grief!
dotcom <email>
somewhere in the South, fl USA 09/29/02
Beware Visa/MC logo'd ATM cards!
Who'd ever expect pickpockets in lovely Interlaken, Switzerland? They're there,
and they'll get you if you don't follow Rick's rules.
I was picked in the doorway of the "World's Best Souvenir Shop." I got bumped from behind while crouching in the crowded doorway looking at trinkets, with my bag behind me on my hip. As I stood I got bumped again, but I assumed it was just people being rude. A block later I noticed the open zipper and my missing wallet.
The trauma was incredible. Gone were three credit cards and an ATM card, my driver's license and other documents. I was on the phone within minutes to cancel the credit cards, but the ATM card (with a Visa logo on it) was impossible to cancel! Visa said, "It was the bank's responsibility," and the bank back home wouldn't open for two more hours. If it had been Friday night at home, it would have been two more days!
In the two hours before the card could be canceled, the thieves charged over $1,500. They got $500 in cash from an ATM in the next town (they didn't have my PIN, so how they did this I don't know . . . a Visa "cash advance" perhaps?). In the next town (Thun), 30 minutes later, they checked into a 4-star hotel and stayed and ate for four nights! The hotel obviously scanned the ATM card when they checked in (without asking for ID) and not when they checked out (by which time the card had been canceled).
Though I have been to Europe 20 times, and am totally paranoid and anal about
security (padlocks, etc), I for one moment got distracted, and I got burned.
If you must take an ATM card on your travels, be sure it has no Visa or Mastercard
logo on it! If you have such a card, it is both a "cash" card and a "credit" card,
but it does not follow the rules of a credit card. The money is removed immediately
from your account; freezing the account may take several days; a pin is not
required to use this card; and you will need a police report to get your money
back from the bank. Ask your bank for a simple ATM card without a logo. Without
your pin number, the thief will find this card useless.
Randy
IL USA 09/28/02
Scams
Just some "anti-theft" tips. I keep a travel wallet containing my passport, airline
ticket, spare ATM and credit card pinned to the inside of my jeans. Another travel
wallet (containing 1 credit card, small amount of cash)is pinned to the inside
of my backpack or small purse, whichever one I'm using. I use diaper pins. These
pins are also great for pinning together zippers on back packs, etc. Take a few
seconds longer for anyone to get open. NEVER leave anything of value in hotel
room!
Judi <email>
Perkasie, PA USA 09/26/02
Theft
Just returned from 2 weeks in Belgium and Germany. Had my passport, airline tickets,
Eurail pass and credit cards stolen at the train station. Wear a money belt for
these things. The best thing I did was photocopy everything and put it in my
suitcase. It was the only way I was able to get things back together.
Gail Delfosse <email>
Boise, ID USA 09/23/02
In defense of the French
I just returned from the Alsace region in Eastern France and the people were
so nice and helpful. We were on the train and when the guy came around to check
our tickets, he noticed we hadn't gotten them stamped before boarding. A young
woman explained to him that we were Americans and didn't know to do this. He
smiled, gave us a thumbs up and said "pas de tarrif" (no fine). Every time he
came back through the car to check other tickets, he'd smile and say "C'est vous!" (It's
you.) That is just one example of the kindness we experienced. I've found people
treat you nicely if you are polite and patient and don't lose your cool.
Ann
Knoxville, TN USA 09/23/02
Nigerian bank scam
Here's a website good for a laugh about the Nigerian bank scam, from which I
am still receiving weekly emails after making the mistake of using my email address
on this site about 1.5 years ago: http://www.haxial.com/fraud/mikeaba.html
I just pray that the people who use their email addresses on this site (not
a good idea) are at least smart enough not to fall for this scam!
Gusdusted
USA 09/20/02
Rudeness
After 3 trips to Europe I have only met rudeness once, and that was in Germany.
The most positive experience I have encountered occurred near Chartres, France. Reaching a roundabout, and not knowing correct route, my son and I had pulled over to the side of the road. A car pulled up next to us and they saw us reading a map. The woman got out of the car, in a rain shower, and pointed to our map. After showing her where we were heading she proceeded to point to the map and the correct route from the roundabout. She smiled and jumped back in her car, much wetter. No words were spoken, but she was kind enough to help us obviously lost Americans. This was the true spirit of France.
The worst attitude I saw was in Reims, France, and that was another American
tourist!
Cheryl <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 09/19/02
Vatican Stamps
I was on ItaliaTour's 1/2 day city tour in Rome which ended in Vatican City.
Just before they take you into St. Peter's Basilica, they drop you off and usher
you in to a souvenir shop. Most of the items are fairly expensive, so I decided
to buy stamps for my postcards. I had heard that the stamps in Vatican City are
the best. I was told to simply place 2 stamps per postcard. When I arrived at
the Vatican Post Office, the Postal Clerk advised that my stamps were no good.
He said that many tourists get duped into buying them, but they're only collector's
stamps. I had to buy a whole new set of stamps for my postcards! So... when in
Rome, only buy the stamps sold at the Post Office.
Gracie <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 09/19/02
People in Paris
I spent a little time in Paris before the change to the Euro. One morning I was
in a shop, buying some cheese just after the shop had first opened for the day.
I made my selections (you MUST try the cantal!) and gave my money to the man
at the counter. He gave me the coins, then the bills. Then he hesitated. He asked
me something, but I had to reply with "I'm sorry, I don't speak French. Do you
speak English?" in my very best attempt at French. He apparently understood me,
and let me know he didn't speak English. I was surprised, curious, and calm.
I listened to him go on and on.
Finally he pulled the bill I had paid him with out of the register,
and a bill of twice the denomination. Waving his arms around, moving
the money back and forth and talking a lot I finally understood he was
trying to tell me he wasn't sure which bill I had given him! I reached
out and touched the smaller bill and said, "Ici!" smiling with relief!
He was relieved also, as we reassured each other we were even. I found
it touching that he was concerned (perhaps the time it took to put my
money back in my bag made him think I was waiting for more money) and
I felt good to know we had communicated and solved a problem! These kinds
of transactions remind you that there are good people everywhere.
Reginagrace
Ft. Collins, CO USA 09/18/02
Sevilla scam
In Sevilla, watch out for the women offering you sprigs of rosemary as a "gift." They
press them into your hands and then tell your fortune, and then say you have
to give them paper money or you'll have bad luck. The smallest denomination of
paper money is the 5-euro note--about $5 right now. Just ignore them when they
try to shove the rosemary in your hand.
Anne
Chicago, USA 09/18/02
Female Pickpocket in Madrid
After walking back from the flea market on Sunday we stopped at a supermarket
accross from the Cathedral. While I was shopping a very well dressed older woman
approched me to ask me a question in Spanish. Of course I politley told her I
didn't speak Spanish well. That's when I was marked.
As myself and husband walked out and few blocks away down narrow side street,
that's when the other two younger women came up behind me, well dressed. It
was all very normal and all very fast, matter of seconds. It was pouring rain
so I had on a light wheather proof jacket and a clear plastic slicker over
it. I had a small pocket size purse over my neck and across my front, an umbrella
opened and the slicker was over the purse. My husband was walking 2 steps behind
me because the street was so narrow but busy with pedestrians. You had to move
up to the wall to let someone pass. Even with him behind me (he wasn't paying
too close attention), she had reached up to the front of me, under the slicker
and managed to open the zipper on the purse in a split second when I felt it
and grabbed it and turned around. She mumbled something in Spanish and then
moved on with her friend. I checked the bag and she got the little plastic
baggie of meds out just that fast but nothing else. My husband couldn't believe
it. It was right in front of him and he didn't see it.
Marie
Verona, NJ USA 09/18/02
Paris
Agreed with Victor's comments. My family had visited Paris for six times. On
several ocassions, were being helped by the people there. I was trying to buy
train tickets and the ticket clerk asked in french whether I wished to purchase
the number of adult and children tickets. Not understanding french, out came
a lady to my rescure, by asnwering for me to the clerk. Next, when we were in
Pontoise, a gentleman came forward to us and give directions to the place we
intended to go. Not all the French are proud, the people I happen to meet were
friendly.
TANG YOON PENG <email>
SINGAPORE, 09/16/02
Pour defendre the French
In response to the French-bashing a few messages ago, the French don't mean to
be rude to you. Althought they are a stubbornly proud people, they do want to
share their culture with others. Most of the Parisians I've encountered have
been pleasant and helpful. Maybe being a New Yorker has lowered my expectations
for superfriendly service, but I've never been treated badly during my 5 trips
to France. The French are viciously protective of their language and many often
can't bear to hear it butchered by tourists, as well meaning as they may be.
Reverse the situation: if you encountered a demanding tourist in the middle of
the US who stubbornly spoke only his native language and tidbits of useless English,
wouldn't you get a little frustrated too?
Victor <email>
Brooklyn, NY USA 09/15/02
09/15/02
scam alert
Stayed at the Hotel Louvre Rivoli at 20, Rue Moliere in Paris. Besides tolerating
an aloof, unwelcoming, decidedly unfriendly staff, they also gave us poor information
on the best way to return to Charles De Gaulle airport. They advised us the only
choices were a van shuttle service they use that costs 68 euros or a taxi they
recommend, which runs about 50-55 euros on the counter depending on traffic.
We checked at another hotel and they informed us of the $8 direct shuttle
bus (no stops) from L'Opera Garnier which was about 3-4 blocks away. The bus
starts at 0545 and leaves every 15 minutes (from in front of the American Express
office on rue Scribe). The driver was friendly and dropped us at the correct
terminal. The thought of "kickback" in regard to the poor hotel information
occurred to us.
Sherrie Northrup <email>
Pasco, WA USA 09/13/02
GLADIATOR SCAM ENDING ???
Recent article in the Denver Post (9/12/02) by a Washington Post writer in Rome
indicates that the city fathers and maybe mothers in Rome are cracking down on
the Gladiator scam by requiring ALL gladiators to be licenced. The article recaps
some of the more egregious behavior by the unlicensed gladiators. It appears
that the were a few official gladiators who were overwhelmed by gladiators working
for "tips." The articles addresses other tourist issues in Rome. Worth reading
if you can find it.
FRANK P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 09/13/02
Colosseum ROman Gladiators
Well as several people have posted on this web site - the gladiators out in front
of the Roman Colosseum have nailed more then a few. Well it appears that the
problem (i.e., the image) has gotten so bad that they passed a law regulating
it. By the end of the year the gladiators will have to be proficient in English
and the price will be regulated. They will also have to wear real costumes -
no more plastic or T-shirts. They have to have real leather and metal helmets.
Eriol <email>
Webster, TX USA 09/13/02
Parisian Pickpocketers
Be careful on the Paris Metro. Pickpocketers are all around you, especially the
kids. I was on my way to The Eiffel Tower when I caught some punk reaching his
grubby hand into my backpack. I grabbed his fingers and bent them back so far
he started screaming. He'll think twice next time!
Baxter <email>
San Francisco, Ca USA 09/11/02
Hotel theft in Amsterdam
I was in Amsteradm in July, 2002 and had my passport stolen from my hotel room.
I stayed at a nice hotel, and during the evening someone broke into my room and
stole my passport. The hotel requires everyone to be buzzed passed the entrance,
so they have pretty good security. I always keep my passport in my room and carry
a photocopy of it in my wallet. The next morning I went to the hall bathroom
after finding my passport missing, and I found two other passports. I took them
across the street to the police station and reported mine being stolen. That
afternoon the police found out that over five hotels were robbed at the same
time and all of the rooms were broken into. The thieves stole the passports and
placed them in the following hotels' bathrooms. A word to the wise-use the safes
provided at the front desk for all valuables. I was lucky!!!
T. H.
San Antonio, TX USA 09/10/02
Balanced Perspective on Scams
We can never assume that we have not attracted the attention of thieves, simply
because we have rarely or never suffered ill consequences. It is a safe bet to
assume that we are always being watched. As to why any given one of us is not
'hit' there are any number of possible reasons: we weren't standing in a convenient
location, or by chance we shifted to a less vulnerable position, or the thief's
accomplice had to go take a pee break, who knows?
It is also possible that we attracted attention that was of the discouraging, rather than encouraging type. The thief might well discern that we are tourists, but also discern that we are alert, and/or physically fit, or in other words present a poor target, despite the presence of our despised ball caps and/or sneakers.
In sum, we can never assume that a 'good record' means that we outsmarted
the thieves. It is always safer to assume that thieves have very much more
experience in the business than we have, no matter how many trips we have made.
clare
nova scotia 09/06/02
Oh the Italians!
In the Abruzzo...my wife and i were tempted into a restaurant in a small town
by the owner. It was deserted. He charged the two of us 24€ for a 3 course meal
and wine, a special deal! Sure enough, we went back a few days later, and had
the same meal and wine for 29€ total. " I warned you, " he said. I would have
been willing to pay 50€.
John
Copenhagen, DK 09/04/02
Rude French
It always surprises me that so many people go to Europe with so little knowledge
of European history. If you look closely at European history from the Roman Republic
to today you see in the French character (read northern France) an arrogant attitude
that has colored their entire history. They are frequently rude, arrogant and
superior. Not unlike, say, New Yorkers? or Texans? or Californians? That said,
in all our travels I have met only two rude people these many years, one was
a young French lady at a Courtesy booth in a Paris train station and the other
one was me. You will usually find what you look for in life. It's the world's
way of getting even.
Charles M. Luther
Katy, Tx USA 09/03/02
The French
I agree that the French appear to be a rude people. I would also like to suggest
that this appearance of rudeness could be taken out of context by those not familiar
with the French and their culture. Although I do not present myself as an expert
on the French people, I do have some expertise with Americans as I am one. I
have observed much rudeness in America and much pompous arrogance. I wonder what
we appear like to others in the world? And just as I do not take it personally
here, I choose not to take it personally when I am in France. After all, I am
not there to visit the French as much as I am there to visit their culture.
I have only been to France twice for a total of 4 weeks and have found some of the people to be very rude and some of the people to be very nice, much like my experience in America. The biggest difference is my comfort level in my own country. When I have been most offended by someone from another culture I have also noticed that I was not feeling comfortable with the whole situation, not just the person I am dealing with.
So, what is the point of my post? Ignoring rude people and not letting it
ruin your trip can truly make your visit to any country more enjoyable. Bon
journey!
Rick <email>
Denver, Co USA 09/02/02
Tax Scams and the French
I agree, custom taxes are all scams. I was so careful to read and prepare for
all the pitfalls that can occur during a lengthy trip in Europe. I missed the
part however, that you must show the items purchased to receive a stamp for a
tax refund. Of course, the items were in my luggage, which was fine. My two adult
sons and I were traveling by Air France and so our last city of departure was
Paris. I attempted to have our tax forms stamped after finding the custom tax
office way out in the back forty. Overall, we found the French people, including
the tax custom agents to be very rude. We even found the flight attendants to
be rude! They were angry when I needed to use the bathroom while they were passing
out meals.
We visited 6 different countries and met many people, all of who were friendly
and welcoming except in France. We even found Italy to be charming and the
people there generous. I however, cannot say enough about the rudeness of the
French. Others have said that they have observed Americans being loud or obnoxious
while visiting France, and I found just the opposite to be true. I was yelled
at for not understanding French or their English many times and was never asked
in return, "How are you?" The French demand to be treated with good manners
but yet don't use them themselves. They are snobs and stuck up people and from
what I could see, they have no reason to be. I will not be returning to France
in this lifetime and recommend other Americans to vacation elsewhere because
the French don't want you in their country.
Beth
Petaluma, CA USA 09/02/02
Re “A Little Balance” below. I too have been visiting Europe for many years.
It seems sad that tourists now have to “harden” themselves when visiting Italy
. It didn’t used to be like that.
Neil
USA 08/28/02
A Little Balance
Want to put a little balance to this discussion. After reading several months
of these posting, I don't think I would ever want to leave home. Don't want to
suggest that Steve's and others experiences are not valid but am concerned that
readers accept these experiences as normal or expected. Don't think we have made
16 trips but we are close. Beginning with our first trip in 1972 we have traveled
extensively in Europe, especially the last ten years. Have been in Paris three
or four times for a total of about three weeks over the past few years. Have
never encountered any of the problems described by Steve or others on this site.
Have heard the stories but have not had the experiences. Had two slight encounters
with street beggars. In Milan about ten years ago I was looking at a map on a
very exposed street corner. Fortunately I saw the gang coming and could run the
other way. A similar experience in Barcelona happened when I was, again, doing
something stupid. Neither time did they get close enough to touch me or cause
any problem. After violating about ten cardinal rules of travel, a close friend
was robbed as he boarded a train (not the Metro) in Paris.
Maybe we have been lucky but we don't even think we have ever been close to having an extra hand in one of our pockets. And we have visited some of the great pickpocket capitals - like the Sunday flea market in Madrid. I don't believe that pickpockets and scams are random. (Short change artist are excluded -- they do it to everyone.) They pick their targets with the best chance of success.
My point is I think we do things to draw attention to ourselves. If you have
had more than one problem, you need to analyze your behavior, clothing, bags,
etc., as something is attracting these bad guys to you. Spend an afternoon
in a sidewalk cafe, on a park bench, or sit on a fountain in a plaza watching
the people go by. See who you think is a tourist or a local. And ask yourself
who do I look or act like? Try to look a little more local. It is beneficial.
As I am fond of saying, "You can't avoid look like a tourist, just don't look
like a stupid, American tourist." Apply a little care and caution, and you
should be fine unless of course you wear your ball cap backwards with an American
message t-shirt along with your shorts and running shoes. Travel well and travel
often !!!
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 08/27/02
Scams
In Italy, they have perfected the “slow change” scam”. The basic technique is
as follows. You buy a 2 euro item and give a 20 euro bill to the cashier. The
bill goes immediately into the till. (In North America, a larger bill is usually
kept on top of the till until after the transaction; they want you to know you
are getting the right change). The cashier then gives you change for, say a 5
euro bill and turns to the next customer. Often, if you are not sure, you will
then simply leave, If you wait or insist on the correct change you will get an
argument, often very intimidating. On one occasion, I attracted the attention
of a policeman – he was indifferent, and I left without my change.
This scam it is used everywhere and almost all the time. They have nothing
to lose, a tourist is hardly a repeat customer. How to avoid it; use
exact change, use smaller bills, have a witness for every transaction,
record the numbers of larger bill, so that you have “proof” or, (the
best solution), vacation in some other country.
Neil
USA 08/26/02
car rental in GB
A heads up about renting a car in GB. We had a bad experience with Practical
car rental company. I would suggest avoiding them. We ran into other people in
GB who had a similar bad experience.
E Cleary <email>
Wilmette, IL USA 08/25/02
scams in paris metro
watch out in the paris metro... both the old "top/bottom of the escalator scam," as
well as the "grab your bag as the door is closing scam," are alive and well there.
in addition we've caught a lovely young lady with her hand in my wife's bag about
up to her elbow...we're leaving next month for our 16th trip to europe and sadly,
have had all these things TRIED on us. however, because we educated ourselves
by reading these postings, and remain alert and aware, we've yet (knock on wood)
to lose anything. most thieves in europe work by stealth and deception...rather
than with violence...so stay on your toes, and read these postings. you can learn,
without having to have have suffered the consequences. steve momot pompano beach,
florida
steve momot <email>
pompano beach, fl USA 08/24/02
Confidence Scams
I was a victim of not one, but two confidence scams - one by a Scottish backpacker
in my first hostel, in Paris, the other by a Parisian who had just moved to LaRochelle,
France, my second stop. They were both apparently down on their luck, and in
financial need, while I was just beginning my trip, eating cheap and spending
under budget. Just watch who you trust. Hold onto your Euros.
G.Love
Clearwater, FL USA 08/23/02
Rome - taxi fare and short-changers
If you plan on taking a taxi in Rome, be sure to have lots of small change on
hand. Our non-English speaking driver took our 10 Euro note for our 5.75 fare
and refused to give us change. Miraculously, he said in English "the rest is
for me". We sat in the back seat and tried to explain that we'd tip but not that
much. He wouldn't budge so we gave up.
Also, we were short-changed twice in Italy. Both times, my mental-math-gifted
husband caught the mistake and they apologized and gave us correct change.
I recommend travelling with a small calculator if you're not a mental
math person.
Andi <email>
Eugene, OR USA 08/20/02
Gladiator Rip offs
Just a warning to all who are planning on visiting the Colosseum in Rome. The
people dressed as gladiators standing outside of the Colosseum who pose for pictures
with tourists are scam artists. They lure tourists in easily to have what look
to be "fun" pictures taken. They encourage you to take at least three with your
own camera and then when you dig into your wallet for a tip, they tell you that
you owe 20 euro! We offered them 2 euro because they didn't have a sign posted
indicating price nor did they mention anything about a price and we assumed that
they were a free service. Unfortunatley, they swore at us, cursed us and our
families and told us to leave Rome when we refused to pay the outrageous price.
We later observed many toursits pay the unexpected 20 euros out of intimidation
and embarassment.
Darrell and Erwin
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 08/18/02
I was hit by two scams at once!
I was in St. Maxime in the south of France in early June, 2002. I was running
out of cash, and I saw an ATM machine. I put my card in, but rather than prompt
me for my code, the machine took about 10 seconds, then went out of service without
returning my card. It turns out that the scammers had (somehow) tamperred with
the machinery so that they could later come back to the machine and retrieve
my card.
The next part of the scam involved getting me to type in my code. To affect this, they had put an official looking (but bogus) sign on the ATM with directions to get your card back if the machine malfunctioned. The directions had two steps where you needed to type in your code. A 'helpful' passerby was there to make sure you tried the instructions, while an accomplice stood by to try to pick off the number you typed. After failing to get my card back, I left. A friend of mine snuck back to watch the machine, and sure enough, the helpful passerby was taking my card and the bogus sign from the ATM. So then I had to call my bank and cancel the card.
The Second Scam: So I found a phone booth, and to make a call, I used a toll free number to make the call. I used my credit card to pay for the two calls I needed to make, and I managed to avoid losing anything to the first scammers. However, when I got home, I found out that I had been charged $60 for two phone calls that added up to maybe 8 minutes. Next time I will make sure I know how to make calls from pay phones in Europe.
One piece of advice: use ATM machines on busy streets in the daytime. Scammers
will be less likely to try this with so many people around. I was a couple
of blocks of the main street of St. Maxime after dark. Also, learn how to make
phone calls from your travel destinations.
60 Dollars Poorer
Reston, VA USA 08/13/02
Are Legwallets Safe? & False Police!
Barcelona Subway Legwallet Picker: I left my convention and went to the metro.
Waiting for the train, I had my shoulder bag, program for the meeting, map, &c.
in my lap. In my neck pouch (with non-razor-blade-cuttable Kevlar strap) was
my handheld computer & passport. In my money belt (under my clothes) were other
valuables. As I entered the car, a well dressed yound man ahead of me pretended
to drop his sunglasses, groped for them on the floor, and ran his hand under
my pants going for my legwallet, happily nonexistant. I busied myself screaming "Ladron!" and
trying to stomp on his hands and glasses with my size 47 feet.
Also, my friend, less paranoid/cautious than I, had his pocket picked
on day one in Barcelona, and fell for the "false police" scam on the
last day. If approached by persons identifying themselves as plainclothes
tourist police, I advise telling them how great they are, and asking
them to accompany one to the nearest police station, so formal praise
can be registered. Do not produce any documents or reach for your valuables,
thereby identifying the location thereof to nearby confederates of the
false police.
Guglielmus <email>
Seattle, WA USA 08/10/02
Salzburg funicular charges 3 euro extra for non-German speakers
The funicular to the castle in Salzburg lists two prices, one for the castle
(5.5 Euros) and one for castle plus T*** - a word we could not translate - for
8.5 euros. The price list clearly stated in English that the price for the castle
did not include the inside rooms. What the price chart did not say in English
- only in German - is that you have to ask for the lower price. In German it
explained that if you did not specifically ask for "no almspassage" you would
be charged the higher price. Turns out that the extra 3 euros allows you to exit,
when you get down from the castle, through a hallway with a water sculpture,
a grist mill wheel, and a poster showing the canals of old Salzburg, and then
through an overpriced amber shop. And how do you exit if you do not pay the extra
3 euros? The same way. It is the only exit. The extra 3 euro charge is only for
those who do not read German or who cannot communicate to the ticket seller that
you do not want the "almspassage."
Suzanne <email>
Columbus, OH USA 08/02/02
Battery Scam
A shop across from our Paris hotel owned by an older couple sold batteries (typical
Duracel AA's). I gladly paid the tourist price for them since that's all part
of it...however, I discovered the batteries were all but used up. The expiration
date was ok. I then looked at the packaging. It had been tampered with. The batteries
had been partially used, then put back in the package to sell. Not sure who was
to blame, but I went back and kindly ( in a "non-ugly American" way) asked for
my money back. She complied. Check packaging carefully before you buy.
Angus Black <email>
Columbus, OH USA 08/01/02
Venice to Murano "opportunity"...
This isn't a scam, per se, but... Upon checking into our hotel in Venice, the
desk guy said he had"..an opportunity for you." Seems a glass factory will provide
a luxury launch (boat) direct from the hotel to their factory, 20 minutes away
on the island of Murano. He said, there is no obligation to buy... Since we were
planning on visiting Murano the next day (by vaporetto) we thought "why not".
He said the launch would be there in 5 minutes...that's about 30 of our minutes.
I don't know why (maybe I had developed travel sense), but I asked if it was
round trip. "No." We had bought our vaporetto passes at the train station when
we arrived, so we were prepared to get back ourselves.
A very nice private boat picked us up at the hotels "dock" and then
through the canals, and over to the glass factory's private dock. We
were met by a rep, and he took us into the glass blowing area, breifly,
then into the showroom. Very nice stuff, but I wanted to see the rest
of the island's wares. I explained that I wanted to get something to
eat, look around and think it over. He looked dejected/angry. No pressure
sales here, but be prepared to deal with it. On the whole...I'd pass
on the launch and take the vaporetto...both ways.
Angus Black <email>
Columbus, OH USA 08/01/02
Overnight Train Scam
On the overnight train (from France to Italy), a bunch of Eastern Europeans (gypsy
types) boarded just over the Italian border without reservations late at night.
They then proceed to stand out in the hallways all night, talking loudly etc.
(this is apparently part of their act to make you think they're just regular
folks). Sometime during the night one of them enters the compartments (in 2nd
class, which most of those trains are) and somehow slides UNDERNEATH the seats
which are usually extended so that people can sleep. (obviously it's a small
person who does the dirty work). They ended up leaving the bags but taking out
everything they could. On this particular train, they went through 3 compartments
and got a few video cameras and unfortunately in a couple of cases, money and
passports. The victims don't even know they've been ripped off until they go
to depart the train (in this case Rome) and they realize their bags are light.
The only people that didn't get ripped off were the ones who had their bags stowed
above the seats and tied together.
Pat H. <email>
Cambridge, ma USA 08/01/02
Barcelona Pickpockets
Just a word to the wise about Barcelona pickpockets and in particular, thieves
on the Metro. I thought if I was going to get picked it would be in Barcelona
and guess what....it happened today my first day here. Definitely my own
fault, as I was obvious with returning my small change purse to the front
pouch of my backpack (which does not lock)and I realize immediately when
I got on the train that something was going on, but by that time it was
already done. It only took 3 seconds for him to open the zippered pouch
and take out the change purse, as much time as it took me to walk through
the doors onto the train. As I was sitting there contemplating what just
happened, I heard my change purse jiggling in someone's pocket not once
or twice, but a few times and I'm pretty sure who had it, but decided not
to make a big deal as it was not a lot of money. Still.... I relate this
story to remind everyone to be aware of what is around you all the time
and it only takes a few seconds to get ripped off. And, of course, ALWAYS
wear and use your money belt(best investment I made for my trip).
Suzie <email>
Boston, MA USA 07/28/02
Check your credit card statement
Since credit cards introduced additional 'conversion' fees a couple of years
ago, I only use them for hotels, car rentals and large purchases. The rest
of my purchases are in cash. Imagine my surprise, when I got fraudulent
charges on one of my credit cards. The charges are from Europe (my credit
company won't tell me which country specificially) from a company called
'ETS Probatio'. They are about $65 each, are in euros (not only am I scammed,
I have to pay a currency conversion fee on the scam!), and are, according
to my credit card company for "consulting services". So there, a word of
warning for you all--use your cards, by all means, but check your statement
carefully once you are back home, and watch out for ETS Probatio in particular.
Helene
USA 07/25/02
train, car rental, store, subway employee thieves
In Vienna, I lost and found my gold earring on the Ubahn 3 line track. The
police took me to the dishonest Ubahn man who recovered my earring after
the trains stopped running that night and then pocketed the earring. What
I received was a rolled up piece of gum wrapper. But, I did file a police
report and wrote a letter to the head of the UBahn 3 line in English and
German.
Re: car rentals. I picked a car up from Munich Hertz up in a dark parking garage so didn't think to look it over. Drove the car to Rothenburg on Monday, then down to Fussen where I stopped for WC and film for camera on Tuesday. That's when I noticed 6-8 small scratches on the right front fender. Thought to myself "Well it's a good thing I took out damage collision waiver insurance." When I get back to Munich, Hertz tells me they have a 550 Euro deductible and the rental agreement for any car is not totaled out. When I got home, I found out from my Visa card that yes they will cover me and yes this is done quite a bit--all car rentals may try this.
Re: Train conductors. on a train back to Salzburg a train conductor attempted to stamp another day on my train pass. He claimed that my 7 was a 1. Another conductor had already stamped that day with the correct date--6/27. If I hadn't checked pass, I would have had to pay again down the line. He had to write a note on the back that day 6 of my 8 days pass was still valid. Check each time a train person looks at your railpass.
Re: In Vienna I asked if a little porcelain box was Lladro. Oh yes, but
her English was not good so she claimed. As she removed the price tag,
I asked where was the Lladro logo and then came good English, "Maybe not
Lladro, is that a problem." I walked out of the store. I'm only sorry
that I didn't warn others. Also, when store owners require cash say, "I'm
giving you a 10, 20, whatever." That makes store owners aware that you
are expecting correct change. Start practicing in the USA so it will become
second nature.
J.Bent <email>
Grand Rapids, MI USA 07/19/02
Rome Taxi Scams
The "real" Rome taxis are totally honest and dependable and inexpensive
- and you can find them at official taxi stands (ask a local where one is)
or by telephone. Never take one labled "taxibus" instead of "taxi" (on top)
and never accept the offers you will invariably get within the station itself.
These are all unprofessional rip off artists trying to get sone of your
tourist euros. The Termini train station in Rome has an official taxi stand
(I think you exit out the front, go over to the right, and out a half block
to get to it - just ask), and there will usually be a line of people waiting
as well as a line of real taxis to pick them up. I twisted my knee and had
to use taxis for a few days to get around in Rome, and found that the drivers
usually ended up tipping me (which was embarrasing - if the bill was 5.5
Euros and I gave them a 10 and said make it 7, quite often they would just
give me 5 back). They never ever tried to rip me off with incorrect change
or driving the scenic route. We probably took 15 rides with never a problem.
Les Pennington <email>
Kenmore, WA USA 07/18/02
Capri, Italy -- Hotel Weber Ambassador Scam!!
I communicated with the Gianni the front desk manager numerous times via
e-mail in regard to a reservation for a junior suite at the Hotel Weber
Ambassador in Capri, Italy. I initially contacted the hotel from their website
(www.hotelweber.com). In these communications Gianni confirmed repeatedly
that my request for a reservation was received and confirmed at the HOTEL
WEBER. It came at a great shock that when I arrived at the Hotel Weber Ambassador,
I was rudely greeted by the front desk staff whom informed me that I did
not have a reservation at the hotel. I even supplied copies of the e-mail
communications between Gianni and myself with the confirmation and reservation
stating 'HOTEL WEBER'. This was not sufficient for the rude staff and I
was told that everywhere in the e-mail that was written 'Hotel Weber', was
supposed to read Hotel Florida. Mind you, I had never heard of Hotel Florida
and it is not mentioned anywhere on the Hotel Weber Ambassador web site.
We were shuttled from the Hotel Weber Ambassador and had to follow one of
the front desk staff on a trek through downtown Capri with our luggage (without
any help) to the Hotel Florida.
The Hotel Florida is probably one the of the worst hotels (if you can even call it that) that I have ever had to stay in in my life. I think it was Gianni's home. There was no airconditioning and credit cards were not accepted. After one night at the Hotel Florida, we were finally able to check into the Hotel Weber but didn't get the Junior Suite that we had requested.
Also, I do not believe that this is an isolated incident. After we had checked in and were situated at the Hotel Florida, my friend and I were eating in the main square when we saw the same Hotel Weber front desk staff who shuttled us to the Hotel Florida from the Hotel Weber shuttling another confused family to the Hotel Florida. This type of behavior is definitely unacceptable (Twice in a half an hour!).
I think they are running a scam and over booking their hotels and sending
'excess' customers to their 'sister' hotel. I would hate to have the 'business
practices' of one horrible hotel, ruin the experience for other travellers
visiting Capri. I know that it definitely had an impact on my experience.
kimostman <email>
Northbrook, IL USA 07/16/02
Rome Taxi driver rip off
We arrived at the Rome train station very tired and had a hard time getting
a taxi. Our taxi driver gave us a scenic tour even though I knew we were
only a few miles from our hotel. That wasn't so bad but when my mother paid
him with a 50 Euro he switched it with a 5 Euro and so she paid him twice.
He was gone before she figured it out. We were in Rome less than 48 hours
and spoke to two people who had an identical experience. WATCH YOUR MONEY!!!!
Erin <email>
Houston, TX USA 07/14/02
Greece Santorini
Santorini Greece, The village of Oia is beautiful and I go every summer.
Stay away from a jewelry store named ORO because they sell fake greek coins
and have bad quality stones. the owners name is Alex and don't trust him.
Thomas Brown <email>
Fairfield, ia USA 07/13/02
Just a tip!
I have been reading the comments, and I noticed the thing about the tennis
shoes. It is basically the white shoes, jeans/sweats and t-shirts. These
are the classic signs of a tourist. These are also the classic signs of
someone to take advantage of you. I live in Europe and so many times, have
I seen from other americans living here and visiting here. Most get the
UA stamp on thier forhead and well are targets. It is better to blend, then
not. You learn that from living here. Plus it reduces the chance of being
a victim of a scam. Hit: if you see a "homeless" person on the street in
germany, dont give them change. that is a scam, you will see it in tourist
cities. Germany provides shelter for their homeless persons.
Sandra <email>
Nussloch Germany, USA/Germany 07/13/02
Scams
Wanted to comment on 2 scams: 1) Re: using the online French Hotel reservation
service - I used several (not just for France) to make reservations for
my most recent trip. After I made them I did a little clever sleuthing on
the internet and found email addresses for all but 1. In a very ecomomical
way I was able to confirm our reservations, ask for quiet, smoke free rooms...
2) The Collisieum scam in Italy: well wish I had found this forum early
- we got hit by that 2 years ago. It is so fast. Too bad I couldn't warn
ya!
bob <email>
houston, TX USA 07/13/02
Scams, Shoes, and Money
I traveled to Paris recently with my brother, ex-husband and eleven year
old daughter. Both my ex, and brother are well traveled, and speak French.
I have never been farther than Wildwood, New Jersey so you can imagine my
concern. Well...except for the money situation I could have taken my daughter
myself.
Regarding some posts below--we found Paris clean (at least as clean as Philly, and the people considerate. I agree the rude people are the Americans. We met some students from America on the train, and they wound up being loud, and reciting lines from "Forrest Gump".
Do not have your photo taken behind The Venus DiMilo like Homer Simpson (yes we met American's doing that).
I found only very young people wear sneakers (tennis shoes) in Paris so my brother prepped us correctly. I did meet Americans that I recognized by the man's Kangol hat! Any time I did see white Nikes, Pumas etc. they were on Americans.
I found Paris so easy to travel that as a woman I ventured out alone
for an evening boat tour. Just know how to work with your money!!!! As
for scams....we ran into none. There were many Romanian Gypsies as we
were warned, but they did no more than the homeless in Philadelphia. If
you are street wise here then you'll be cool in Paris! Great place to
find out information here. Thanks! P.S. I did have one woman in the outdoor
market under the El imitate the way I talked mimicking "what's that?"
I was at fault for pointing! LOL We also had a codeword made up by my
daughter for when the gypsies got too close. We'd say "Esmerelda at 3
O'Clock" etc.
Noelle <email>
Philly, PA USA 07/13/02
Scams in Italy - Coloseum
Here are a few more. We just returned from a trip to Italy and we managed
to avoid being ripped off until the very last day! But I guess it had to
happen.
We were visiting the Coloseum and arrived by Taxi booked by our Hotel - no problems there. We stepped out of the cab and I went over to one of the Bibete (fast food stands) to buy a drink. My husband was standing not too far away from me. He saw some people dressed in Gladiator costumes standing a few metres away from us. He was quite interested in their costumes and called out to me to take their photo, but from quite a distance (at this point the Gladiators had not seen us). I did not take a photo but instead turned around to pay for my drink.
Suddenly I heard my husband having an animated conversation - the Gladiators, 3 of them, were surrounding him talking away and asking him to pose with them. I called over to him was everything ok, he said yes and that he wanted a photo with them. I knew that they would want payment for it and assumed he must have struck a deal with them. So I took the photo - they then asked me to pose with them too and took our camera to take a photo of us together with them. This was ok, they handed back the camera and were still talking away to us, asking me where we were from.
As one of them had my attention, my husband pulled out his wallet to give them a tip, as he had in fact not struck a deal with them because he innocently thought they were part of the Coloseum entertainment and that a photo would be free. He was about to tip them a few Euros and they laughed and told him to put the coins away - they checked out the 50 Euro note he had in his wallet and demanded 30 Euros instead. I overheard and joined in the conversation. My husband was angry and told them he knew they were trying to rip us off. One of the Gladiators explained that having your photo taken with them costs 10 Euros per Gladiator. Of course they don't tell you a thing beforehand. They were relentless about payment and also had us surrounded. As it was not that much money, we just gave in and paid in order to get away from them.
As we rounded the corner to enter the Coloseum we saw many more of them ripping off the unsuspecting Japanese tourists. The Police were standing nearby but did nothing - they either cannot be bothered or believe the tourists know what they are in for. It is ok to take a photo with these Gladiators but PLEASE strike a deal beforehand and stick to it! And make sure that no extra Gladiators jump into the photo at the last minute or you will be up for even more money.
Another everyday scam in Italy is the cleaning ladies situated at all public toilets. They are employed by the place containing the toilets, but also expect a tip on your way in or out of the toilets. If you tip them anything less than 1 or 2 Euros they are not impressed, they actually remove all small change from their tip baskets to make it look as though it costs minimum 1 or 2 Euros to use the toilets. Many of these public toilets were in a disgusting state - the cleaning ladies were too busy taking money to actually do any cleaning. You certainly do not HAVE to tip them and we only tipped them on the way out if the toilets were very clean. You might get abused in a barrage of Italian if you don't tip them, but who cares when you don't understand it. Many Italians did not tip them at all.
And please, do not think that you have to tip. We were advised by Italians that they do not tip taxi drivers or at restaurants unless they really want to. At restaurants a service charge is already included in the check.
Apart from the above we had a wonderful time in Italy and had no problems using taxis and trains. We did however use money belts at all times and never openly displayed our camera when walking around, just used a cheap normal looking handbag to store it in. We also made frequent trips to the automatic bank machines in order to carry as little cash as possible.
Another tip is to see if your hotel can book you a private car to pick you up or take you to the airport. They charge a flat rate, agreed upon with the hotel, and do not expect a tip or charge extra per bag. They quite often work out cheaper than normal taxis.
Aside from all that, we had a wonderful time in Italy and can recommend
the Hotel Spring House as a quiet and modern hotel, especially its staff
who gave us excellent recommendations on everything from restaurants (which
were of excellent quality) to what the tipping situation is like in Italy.
Anyway, keep your wits about you in Italy and you should be able to avoid
all these scams!
Katrina <email>
Norway, Norway 07/13/02
Hotel Reservation Services
Scam Alert! Don't ever use a service calling itself "France Hotel Reservation
Service" to reserve a room in France. I made this mistake last Spring when
I was looking for a room on the French Riviera. I found one in VilleFranche
sur Mer that sounded good, but could only be reserved online through this
"service". So I did. And they said "Congratulations, you have a reservation."
But just to be sure, I searched for a phone number for the hotel (Pension
Patricia) and called them to confirm. The Pension told me that they were
all booked up for this time, and that they had said the same thing to France
Hotel Reservation when they had called. They confirmed that I had no reservation.
The "reservation service" went ahead and billed my credit card for the full
amount! You have to give credit card info to use the service at all. One
of their "rules" says that if there is any problem with the reservation
when you show up, that the hotel will find you another room nearby.
Well, had I showed up, we would have found every room for a hundred miles booked up, as the Cannes Film Festival and the Monte Carlo Race were happening. When I tried e-mailing France Hotel Reservation they continued to insist I had a reservation. When I called them, in Nice, France, from California, I was put on hold, evidently indefinitely. Twice. I tried to cancel my "reservation" and received no response. Finally I informed my American Express Card of the fraudulent charge, and they resolved it for me.
I applaud the folks at American Express, I thank the kind fellow at Pension
Patricia for putting up with my inferior mastery of the French language
(I talked to him twice just to be sure) and I warn all travelers to avoid
dealing with France Hotel Reservation Service, or any service that you
don't personally know is reputable. Call the hotel directly if they don't
have their own internet reservation service. By the way, all the other
reservations I made over the internet worked wonderfully, but I was dealing
directly with the hotels.
Paula <email>
Weaverville, CA USA 07/10/02
The Slow Change Artists of Italy
Always watch out for the slow change artists in Italy - especially from
clerks in government, museums, and yes, sadly, some churches (you can trust
the Vatican though). We had visited eight other countries on our trip this
May and June and no one tried this scam on us, but our welcome to Venice
was that they tried to do it to us on our very first transaction - purchasing
a Vaparetto ticket at the stop by the train station. I bought a ticket with
a 50 Euro note, and here came the change, very slowly - first the coins
and a couple of small bills (followed by a long pause, and the hope you
will take what's there and run), then a few more bills came out (another
long pause, more hope), then finally the rest of the bills. I recommend
recounting the money in front of them before leaving (do not be embarrassed
- remember they tried to rip you off - look em in the eye) because once
you walk away it is too late.
Amazingly this was the only time it happened to us in Venice or our next stop Rome -