Graffiti Wall: Tourist Scam Alert

Tourist Scam Alert

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Tourist Scam Alert
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

Tourists are targeted by scam and rip-off artists everywhere in Europe. If you know the games (spilling the mustard, bus 64 in Rome, and so on), you're less likely to be a victim. By sharing the latest scams (and learning from each others' mistakes) we'll all travel more safely.

Remember, pickpocketing attempts throughout Europe can be expected unless you wear a moneybelt under your clothing. Smart travelers leave wallets at home and store their credit cards, passport, paper money and rail ticket(s) in a secure moneybelt. Visit our Travel Store for Rick Steves' recommended moneybelts.

What cons and scams have you encountered?

Read the Distillation: Tourist Scams, 2005

Please don't post questions here. Use our Travelers Helpline.

I want to add my comments!

Leg strap money belt
I love my money belt that is designed to be strapped to your leg. It is completely unnoticeable, easy to access and very comfortable, unlike some of the waist belt styles. After living in Prague, and witnessing many of the scams talked about here, I learned to keep only a small amount of change and bills in a coin purse in the bottom of my shoulder bag. Many of my fellow students lost their larger wallets from pickpockets on the crowded subways and buses. Once, in a very crowded bus, I was surrounded by several gypsy men who I knew were 'working' the crowd. Even though I was on guard and knew what was going on I couldn't move. I felt my purse (which was worn across my chest and zippered shut) opened up and saw a hand fishing around for my wallet. Since I had just switched over from carrying my big American wallet and was using the coin purse, they were unable to find it on the bottom of my bag since it was covered by all of the stuff that I carried on a daily basis. I was amazed at how bold they were, and as soon as we reached the next bus stop, I was able to get away, when they jumped off the bus without getting anything! Despite my experiences, I have never felt in danger during my years living and traveling in Europe, I have just learned to be aware of my surroundings at all times.
Barbara
Moscow, ID USA 11/07/2009

Very amusing. Though if the wallet were big enough for your passport and credit cards, the text of the card would need tweaking. Something like, "Aren't you glad I don't use a money belt?"
USA 11/03/2009

CIgar theft...
Ryan, your misfortune is less than you think. Your pesto should have made it OK, but even without postal theft you would have had your expensive Cuban cigars confiscated and destroyed--assuming you had them shipped to the US. At least this way somebody got to smoke them!
JER
USA 11/03/2009

Rick's Revenge
Lisa Q., check out the Travel Store in this web site. Rick sells a Lambskin Wallet that includes a card with the following phrase in 5 languages "Sorry this contains so little money. consider changing your profession."

I bought one. It's actually a decent wallet except that its not big enough for my passport, drivers license, and credit cards! ;)
John L.
Chicago, IL USA 11/02/2009

Crooked Postal Worker in Rome
We were in Italy this past June and had waited until our last day to ship some things back to the States (our biggest mistake), a large bottle of Cinque Terre pesto and an expensive box of Cuban cigars. (Un)luckily there was a post office at the train station in Rome on our way to catch our flight home.

The clerk pretended not to speak English until he saw the cigars, at which point he was all too eager to grab a box and pack them up. I knew I'd been had when he told me, "It's good price, no receipt." But what could I do? My train left in 10 minutes and it was into the air from there.

I easily could have avoided this problem had I had a little foresight and shipped everything from a location where they are not clearly waiting for tourists. If you have things that can't be brought on a plane, think ahead and don't make my mistake!!!
Ryan <email>
Boston, MA USA 10/27/2009

On your guard in Barca!
Rick's guidebook warned us that Barcelona would be the place to watch for pick-pocketers and he couldn't have been more right. Our first day, we walked up to a ticket machine in the subway and as we tried to familiarize ourselves I felt some movement in my pocket. I turned to find a little old lady going in for the kill! Thankfully I was wearing my money belt so I shooed her away from the 5 or 10 euros of spending cash I had handy.

Not a minute later my girlfriend was going through the turnstile and the same old lady was going for her too! My girlfriend didn't even notice, so I had to grab her hand again. They are nothing if not persistent.

So, broken record alert: wear your money belt! You'll be able to enjoy a beautiful city like Barcelona in peace, makes all the difference.
Ryan <email>
Boston, MA USA 10/27/2009

Revenge on theives
Has anyone else had this idea? I've never done it but am willing to try it.

Keep your money and belongings secure in a money belt, money neck-purse, whatever.... but keep a piece of paper in your front and back pockets for the theives to get when they try to pick pocket... And write in the local language "You theives are scum" or something like that! When they see what they've stolen from you, you'll ultimately be the winner in the situation.

Or am I just a little mean?? I don't think so, I think it's sweet revenge.
Lisa Q
, CA USA 10/27/2009

plaza mayor madrid spain
We went to Spain this summer and the only problem we had was the ice cream stand under the arches of the plaza mayor in Madrid. The cashier shorted me 3 euros on our order. I was not quite sure that it happened, so the next day I went to the same stand and it happened again. I confronted the scam artist and made a lot of noise. My wife grew up in Madrid and gave her a piece of her mind in Spanish with the right accent and several locals came by to join in on the lynch mob. On the other hand, the other ice cream shops around the outside of the plaza were incredible.
Rob
Lynnwood , WA USA 10/26/2009

The Ring Scam
The Ring Scam (sometimes called The Drop) has many variants and you must have seen at least one in the Paul Newman/Robert Redford movie The Sting. The classic goes like this. The scammer "finds" the ring, suggests it must be yours. Discovers it is pure gold and worth a lot. But unfortunately he has an important appoiintment to meet so he will sell you his half of the "profit" for whatever he can scam you out of. He takes your money and leaves, sometimes with the assurance that so-and-so in a store in the next street will give you a huge sum for it. He takes your money and runs. With the wallet or "drop", full of money, you give him some of YOUR money, he give you the wallet which he has switched for newspapers, and he leaves with your money. There is nothing for free and he is depending on your inate greed.
Charles M. Luther
USA 10/26/2009

ring scam
My husband and I experienced the "ring" scam in Paris.. but I don't get it.. what is it all about? What would have happened if we had said yes the ring was ours and walked away? Can someone please clarify? Thanks
veronica
toronto, USA 10/25/2009

Athens Taxi Scams
Having just returned from Athens, I feel that the Olympic sport of choice, is seeing how much money the cab drivers can get from groggy foreigners flying in to the airport. My friend and I flew from Los Angeles to London and then on to Athens in a brutal travel marathon that felt like three days of no sleep. We lined up at the airport, took the next taxi available in to Athens and arrived at the hotel. The taxi driver was neatly dressed and spoke good English, his volkswagon cab was clean and he pointed out sights as we drove into the city. When we got to the hotel, he did not get out of the cab, he raised the price from 40 to 40 plus 9 Euros. I gave him 60 Euros from my moneybelt, and he palmed the 50 Euro note and told me I had given him two tens. In all I lost 130 Euros. I knew the old scam, as did my friend, but we were so muddled from the flight, we weren't paying attention. He zoomed off, leaving me realizing I had been scammed. This is very common, according to the Athens Tourist Police. Just be aware! The country is postcard beautiful and worth the trip.
Deborah Moruss <email>
Lakewood, WA. USA 10/21/2009

Thieves in Barcelona
I am currently in Barcelona Spain. A couple of days ago, my friend and I were at Parc Guell and while walking about near a wooded area near the "grotto", I saw something splatter on my friend's hair. It looked green and gooey so I thought it was bird poo and I told her so. We both looked through our bags for tissue paper so I can help her get the poo out of her hair. As I was doing this, I felt something plop on my back. My friend told me that it was more bird poo. Just then, two women who seemed to be sightseeing as well, came up to us with packets of tissue and started to help us wipe off. I am a jaded New Yorker so I kept my purse tightly gripped on my shoulder with the pocket zipped. My friend had a tote-like purse and as I looked around for her purse, I noticed that she had set it down on a low wall while the women wiped us off. I also saw one of the women with her hand deep inside the pocket of my friend's purse. I grabbed the purse and held it away from the woman while screaming at her. My friend was stunned because she didn't know what happened. The two women made a hasty exit and my friend and I started to exit the park. I later realized that the poo smelled like mustard (with green tint). The two women squirted it on us in the first place. The whole thing was a set-up.

The women did not manage to take anything because I think we didn't give them enough time. Also, my friend kept her wallet in a zipped compartment in the lining of the purse. The thieves didn't find it (in time).

Spain's a nice place but this place is crawling with thieves. What I am describing is a recent incident (2 days ago). In my previous trips to Spain, there were other incidences.

Money belts help (and I have used them before) but you have to use it every day. Don't get lazy and pack the money belt in a bag. If you put a money belt into a bag, you have just neatly arranged everything valuable for a thief to take in one fell swoop.
J. Li <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 10/17/2009

Paris scam artists. Rick was right!!
We just returned from a week in Paris, and Rick was right! We met 4 people mostly around the Eiffel Tower who "found" our lost rings. Also at the bottom of the stairs at Sacre Couer in Montmartre, we met a bunch of braided bracelet scammers, who we casually passed without a second thought. I also knew enough from Rick's book to ask a taxi driver how much before we got in the cab. I knew how to say that I knew it was closeby. Probably saved me a bundle. Thanks Rick for your guidebooks. It made me and my companion (both over 50 ladies) much more informed and at ease. Paris is fantastic!! Learn a few words in French and you'll be surprised how nice everyone will be.
Laurie B
Tampa, Fl USA 10/16/2009

Use the Belt!!!
Aloha from the Big Island!!! Money clip versus a money belt???...Good question and one that many thieves in Europe would love to have you decide in favor of the clip. That way, the moment you take your sweaty, three weeks in the same pocket hand out theirs can slip quickly in to that open space. I keep my wallet on a South Park lanyard with my Hawaii drivers license and only the amount of cash I think I will need that day. (It's never enough!!!) I still had someone pull it out of my pocket and let it go when I continued walking through the Piazza del Signoria. All credits cards, ATM card and your Passport should be in your money belt. Trying to prove wrong the hundreds and hundreds of seasoned travelers who have not had their vacation ruined through moneybelt use by trumpeting your lucky times without theft does no good to the first time visitor looking up at the Eiffel Tower while a man in an Armani suit steals their dreams. Use a money belt and keep your hand fresh and your vacation worry free.
Hartman <email>
Big Island, Hawaii USA 10/15/2009

Telephone Ripoff
To call home from Europe, we followed the advise and bought phone cards in Prague and Krakow. In Budapest, we did not have a phone card and tried the Credit Card System posted on every pay phone we saw. (A little yellow sticker stating that you can call using any major credit card) It worked and was just as easy as using a phone card. Unfortunately, it was a big mistake. We got charged about $75.00 for a 30 minute call to the USA. BEWARE - another tourist ripoff
John Staab <email>
Bethel Park , PA USA 10/09/2009

Use a money clip
I lived in Rome for a year and rode public transportation (bus & metro) every day. To protect your money while on the bus or subway, I would recommend using a money clip to hold some cash and one or two key credit cards - and that's all. Keep the money clip in your front pocket with your hand in that pocket for the duration of your journey. To decrease your likelihood of becoming a target, try to find a seat on the bus or subway. If that's not possible, stand with your back to the doors on the non-opening side of the metro or up against the windows on the bus. If you must carry a purse or backpack, always have it in front of you with at least one arm securing it closely to your body. As for gypsies, there is little enforcement (that I could detect) from local police. I was buying a train ticket at the ticket counter in Aversa (near Naples)and there was a young gypsy woman standing just to the right of the slot where you pass money & tickets back & forth with the clerk. She had her hand out next to the slot for every single customer. Be aware of your surroundings in order to avoid these people. As RB from Pennsylvania did, do not be afraid to resort to some minor physical altercation with them; it may go against your nature but it's not anything that they aren't accustomed to.
Garrett
Vicenza, Italy 10/06/2009

Observations after a month in Europe
After a summer studying for the bar exam I decided to treat myself to Europe for the month of September. Thank God I had my Rick Steves Best of Europe book with me! My first stop was Rome and after almost 30 hours with no sleep, I would have made a very easy target. I asked for a taxi at Rome airport into town and was told it was 80 euro and that "everyone charged that much", can you believe that? I opted to take the train anyways since it was the cheapest option. When I got to Termini station, I was so tired I almost fell over. I asked for a taxi to my hotel and was charged 16 euro. The next day, after some rest, I found that my hotel was 3 blocks from the station. Live and learn.

Other than that I was pretty lucky. I learned very quickly to ask at the airports and train stations how much taxis to my hotel should cost, and always told the taxi driver this before I took one. In Budapest this is a huge problem; most "private" taxi drivers apparently gouge tourists, and the free Info booklets they pass out mention this. I recommend if you arrive at the Budapest train station and want a taxi, go to the Information office and ask for one. They will fix a price for you and personally deliver you to your driver and tell him the fixed price.

I had a few others, like the rose guys in Rome and Milan, come up to me, but so long as you are very firm in saying No and don't let them put anything in your hands, they will say something rude but will go away.

One other thing is, if you are in Italy, make sure you ask up front if they charge for bread. A lot of places don't, but I wasn't too thrilled when my dining companion and I were each charged 2 euro for a couple of breadsticks at a restaurant near the Spanish Steps!
Christina <email>
New York, NY USA 10/06/2009

Scams in Europe
The thieves are brazen in Barcelona. My daughter was almost robbed while we were having dinner inside a very nice restaurant. The man, who was well-groomed and looked like a tourist, must have cased the place first, then came and sat at a table for 6 right behind us on his own, without the hostess seating him. Lucky for us, she was on the ball and came running down the aisle, telling my daughter to be careful of her purse. My daughter turned around and grabbed the guy by the arm. He handed her wallet to her, saying (innocently) "signorina, you dropped your wallet". My daughter got angry and said it couldn't have dropped out of her zipped purse right when he happened to sit down. But he was a pro....he knew what the typical human reaction is, and knew what steps to take to extricate himself from the situation. He created a loud commotion, acting like he was hurt to be accused of stealing when he was just trying to help. All the while, he was working his way out of the restaurant. He dropped the wallet when compromised because then there is no evidence against him. He knows the victim will be shocked and not know how to take strong action to stop him from leaving. He even nonchalantly grabbed a handful of peanuts on his way out the door. We were so shaken we could not eat our dinner. So, don't ever let your guard down. These people are professionals and know every angle. They can predict how you will react, and use it to their own benefit. Also in Paris and Prague, beware the women who ask if you "speak English"...they then unfold a card for you to read, and as you are focused on reading what is written, a cohort is getting into your backpack or purse.
connie
boulder, co USA 10/01/2009

METRO TICKET SCAM
We just arrived in Paris and jumped on the RER so we can connect to the metro station to get to our vacation rental. As we arrived at the metro station, we were a little confused as to where we should go next - not seeing any signs. A guy came up to us and asked us if we needed help. He said he would walk us to the metro station. I had read Rick Steve's book and was aware of the scams; however, I figured there would be nothing wrong with someone directing us where to go. He then told us we would need to get a metro ticket. We had explained to him that the attendant at the train station advised us that the RER tickets is valid for the metro for that day as well. He said that was incorrect and took us to the metro ticket machine. (I was weary from here; however, my bf and I followed him.) He then worked the machine quickly and asked us how long we were staying. He advised us it would be best to buy a packet deal which would cost around 84 euros for the both of us. We had read the Rick Steve guide book and knew that we would we wanted the "carnay" tickets - which gave us 10 times to use the buses. So on the machine he showed us that it would cost 23 euros. We knew that was the correct amount due to the information in the RS guidebook. We were about to pay, when all of the sudden the guy slides his credit card and askes us to give him cash. Only two tickets had came out of the machine. He even directed us to go to a non busy area to pay him. Red flags were raised but my bf thought the guy was being nice, so he paid him in cash. I figured maybe he wanted to use his credit card to get cash back. The guys pointed us to where we needed to go and he was took off fast. He gave us the 2 tickets and told us that we can use each tickets up to five times. We later realized that we were suppose to receive 10 tickets. Each ticket was suppose to be less than 2 euros, so we were out 20 euros.

We realized later that he worked the machine so fast, we weren't able to see what he was doing. What he did was made a purchase for two tickets, slid his card and then went back to the screen that showed us the amount of 23 euros for the carnay. So we had thought he purchased the carnay tickets. I was so embarrassed that we were taken. Now i'm making sure we read each of your postings to prevent any scams from happening to us again.

So i've been reading about the trinket sellers in Paris. I actually bought one of the trinkets (the eiffel tower that changes color) but i'm curious to know what the trinket scam is about? My trinket seems to be working fine. Any thoughts?
Van <email>
Gardena, ca USA 10/01/2009

Ring scam chuckle
My husband and I experienced the Paris ring scam today while taking the Rick Steves Champs Elysee walk - book in hand. A man with an 18K gold band that he had "just found" came up to us outside the Louis Vuitton store saying that he found this and wanted us to have it for luck! We refused the ring, saying it wasn't ours to have. He insisted and placed it in my husband's hand, so we took it and walked into the Louis Vuitton store telling the clerks that this was found in the street and we hoped the rightful owner would come back for it. Imagine the scam artists shock - he ran into the store, saying something in French frantically. I'm sure the people at the store enjoyed themselves with this one. The scam artist still tried to complete his scam on us - we told him to go away. By the time we got to Place de la Concorde - Rick Steves book still in hand reading out loud, another man approached us and --- he found a ring too! We did check our packs, purses etc to make sure we hadn't missed a fast hand.
Sandy
Ann Arbor, MI USA 09/29/2009

Tuscany Tour Fraud
Tourists visiting Tuscany and the rest of Italy are unaware that only licensed tour operators can offer tours with insurance. Travelers booking tours with unlicensed operators are not told that the tours they have booked do not have insurance because the company is not authorized.

When booking a tour for your own protection always ask in writing and get the answer in writing-is the company licensed to sell tours? Is the company licensed to transport the public on tours? Has the company insurance to sell tour packages daily and transport the public on tours?

Is the insurance policy number and license displayed?

Any tour ‘package’ under Italian law involving, transport, food and or wine and or biking and or guiding can only be offered legally by licensed tour operators.

Many unwitting travelers to Tuscany have provided good reviews for these companies and continue to do so unaware that they are victims of deceptive practices.

So buyer beware; make sure the company you go with is legal and does not just appear to be legal.

This is a link to an article by a major Italian news agency on the crack down on fraudulent tour operators operating out of Florence in Tuscany. It is in Italian. http://www.regione.toscana.it/regione/opencms/RT/sito-RT/Contenuti/notiziari/fonti_esterne/ansa/notiziario/visualizza_asset.html?id=151236&pagename=503
Tour Buddy
USA 09/29/2009

Scam in Spain
Two scams are still common in Spain. In every town women come up and offer you a sprig of a plant, men come up and offer you a rose. If you take it, they will demand money and not take the "plant" back. Fortunately we avoided those although several tourists did not.

Also, many "musicians" will play at outdoor cafes...if you tap your toe or take a picture, they will expect money.

Also,while walking along the river in Seville, a young woman came up on a bike and told us two young women, whom she pointed out, had reached into my backpack. She was being nice, and when we checked, the zipper had indeed been opened. Because of my paranoia, there was nothing to take. When the backpack has anything of value, it is slung over the shoulder or in front. It is only when nothing of value is in it that it goes over the back. I guess they got a look at my empty sunglass case, some tourist brochures and two packs of crackers left over from lunch!
Ray
Tigard, OR USA 09/29/2009

Susan, you have me mixed up with someone else. I was disagreeing someone who said there was an "american look" and agree with you.
kc
USA 09/28/2009

Pickpockets in Puerta del Sol Metro
I was a target of a pickpocket within 15 minutes of arrival in Madrid last week. I was making my way up the Puerta del Sol Metro staircase with my luggage, holding onto the railing (so I had no free hands) and actually saw a woman try to unzip my purse. Luckily I had taken precautions before my trip. My purse was across my body and locked so the pickpocket got nothing. The pickpocket quickly disappeared down the staircase in the opposite direction. It all happened in a flash.
Mary Moores <email>
Sumter, SC USA 09/27/2009

KC, I have to disagree with you. Locals are targeted just like tourists (thus the high break-in rates in Europe, pickpockets and armed theft), and it can be very difficult to avoid them in major areas. I've talked to American Embassy employees about this, and they said it's a fallacy that only those that "look" American will be targeted. What is an American look anyway when jeans, athletic wear and sneakers are now very common all over the world?

You SHOULD be able to sleep in a locked car and be safe, and it shouldn't be a problem getting a police report if you are a victim. Europeans just don't take property crime nearly as seriously as we do, and when one branch of a police station can report hundreds of incidences in a day, they'll just throw up their hands with a shrug.
Susan
Atlanta, GA USA 09/24/2009

"The general theme of avoiding these scams is this: if you don't look and act like a tool, none of this will happen. If your not giggling and talking loudly in English, your fine. If you don't look like the general American, your fine. If you want to travel around Europe, try to dress the part. There is nothing wrong with having a good time and speaking English with your friends, but just relax it on public transportation and train stations, etc. I don't know how many times Ive been sitting next to Americans who talk as loud as they can and generally act like a fresh tourist; this creates a target. Europeans in general are more reserved and quiet than Americans, so this makes us stand out. Just relax and stop looking like a target, and you wont be one. It really is as simple as that. Americans are preyed on because they generally are so obvious as tourists"

I disagree. I've heard plenty of Germans speaking loudly as well as other nationalities speaking their own language. As far as "not looking like an American", well every nationality has its' own "look". You are an American, nothing wrong with looking like one, I mean european tourists don't come here and change their look to American and why should they? Just be aware of your bags and surroudings and keep your money etc. secure, that's all.
KC
USA 09/23/2009

People here should stop being so hard on themselves. Anyone in a strange city is not going to know their way around and many are tired and confused as they are in a strange country and their are things they don't understand. Scam artists are in every country. European tourists to the USA, say to NYC, are much easier victims too. Scammers know that people are in a strange place and they also prey on the average person's willingness to help. I've had frusturated and tired Europeans when I'm in London confused and thinking I'm a native(I'm from Texas) stop and ask for directions with bags dangling in frong of me or distracted and studying maps while speaking in their language. If I were a scammer, they'd be easy pickings but I'm not so no problem.
USA 09/23/2009

'Ugly' extends to other nations too
I agree with the other poster below that loud obnoxious stand out behavior and demeanor isn't only displayed by Americans. I've spent and do spend some time in the British Isles and noticed in particular that some visitors from Spain and France talk too loud and carry themselves in a spectacle like fashion.
Ck
Honolulu, Hi USA 09/23/2009

Urban Myths
By the way, the "drugged tourists thing" happened to ME, not "a friend, relative, etc," see my message "Overnight trains BEWARE" below.

One more comment I would like to add. In Rick Steves' three-part travel skills video, he talked about sleeping in sleeper cars on overnight trains. He mentioned that the conductor would watch who's going up and down the corridor while we sleep; I think that gives people a false sense of security. I know that getting robbed was mostly our own fault, but that video did have an influence on us when we let our guard down once we were in our "locked" compartment. I think people should be warned NOT TO trust the conductors, and certainly DO NOT trust the so-called "locked" compartment doors.
Mikey
Toronto, ONT USA 09/17/2009

Drugging tourists
Someone here mentioned something about a relative they thought had been drugged and then performed robotic acts of going to an ATM and handing 90 euros or such over the the thief in France, well, I found this article. It is not necissarily to do with France, but it is somewhat similar. It happened in Italy.

Thieves drugging train riders in Italy Thieves on Italian trains increasingly are using drugs to sedate victims before making off with possessions, in some cases gassing passengers in sleeper-car cabins. In one recent case, an American tourist was killed at Rome's Tiburtina train station when he stumbled in front of an express train, reportedly after he and his wife woke up from being drugged by thieves. The drug, according to reports, was in cappuccinos supplied by a middle-age man who offered to help after the couple was accosted by the thieves. In the morning they awoke from their drugged sleep to find all their possessions gone. The husband went to look for the police but, still drugged, wandered onto the tracks where he was killed. Police later arrested the middle-aged man when the victim's wife was able to identify him on video from a security camera.
Lily <email>
Bend, OR USA 09/12/2009

May not be relevant ... but
I read the comments below, and yes ... we've seen them during our 6 days in Paris. ESPECIALLY abundant were the gypsies-Eastern Europeans-Romanians-Bosnian refugees women and their "speak English?" scams.

But here's something foreign: we went late at midnight to Eiffel to avoid crowds, and so when we wanted to head back to our hotel at Place de la Republique ... metros were closed and after a long wait at the bus stop, we opt for taxi. When asked, the driver told us it'd be around 15-20E "more or less" for the both of us. He was fantastic: he got us there fast, at only 13E. But too late when we fished out our money and we had only 10E to pay him, he said "that's fine" and took just the 10E and sent us happy on our way to our hotel. I wanted to comment this because the situation may be the exact opposite of what could have been an awful taxi experienced. But this one rock our Paris trip! It's nice to know that there are Parisians who have neither the time or interest to scam others.
Bob
Santa Cruz, CA USA 09/11/2009

Use caution in the North Paris metro
In the North Paris Metro we were accosted by two well groomed young black men. One, using his finger, "pretended" to hold a gun to the back of my son's head , demanded money, "pretended" to pull the trigger then moved on to my older son again demanding money and "pretending" to pull the trigger. The other was tugging on my husband's bag demanding money. I had been several paces behind the boys and completely lost control. Seeing a complete stranger "pretending" to execute my sons, I surged toward the mugger, grabbed his shoulder and shouted "get away from them". He turned and looked me straight in the eyes where I'm guessing he saw the eyes of a wild woman. I screamed for the police. He looked over at his accomplice and with a nod they disappeared into the crowd.
Linda Ponzini <email>
Watsonville, CA USA 09/06/2009

Caveat Emptor-Let the Buyer Beware
My first trip abroad I paid $200 for a nice wall hanging that I later saw selling for $50. Yes, I felt stupid--but it was nobody's fault but my own. I learned a big lesson that day about checking around first and educating myself before pulling out the cash. Also, there are cultures that don't use fixed prices like we do. They start high and you join the game to get it down to where you feel good, but it is up to YOU to know what that is. By and large, we Americans are not so good at this. The other guy is trying to feed his family so he is very invested in the interaction. If you didn't check around and paid too much like I did--too bad, learn from it and do better the next time. I find it in poor taste to post (as was done below) the person's name, store, and photos on the web just because you didn't do your homework and paid $40 too much for a backgammon set...
James
La Conner, WA USA 09/03/2009

Overnight trains BEWARE
Something similar to what Violated! wrote here on 6/27/2009 happened to us two weeks ago on an overnight train from Budapest to Prague. There were six of us and we had a sleeper car all to ourselves. We were sure that the door was locked and none of us opened the door throughout the night. The next morning we discovered that a handbag and a money belt with money and passports inside were stolen. Because it was very hot in the compartment and we thought we were safe in a locked compartment, she was not wearing her money belt.

When we were at the police station reporting the case, we met a woman whose bag was also stolen on the same train, and she told us that she was using that bag as a pillow when she went to sleep!

If the stories of thieves gassing train compartments are only urban legend and never happened, I don’t know how they dared to look for our handbags and money belts in a dark compartment without worrying waking any of the six of us, or stealing a bag from under someone’s head without that person knowing. It is very likely that the train staff was involved too.

I wish we knew how to prevent train compartments doors from being opened even if someone has the key to open it from the outside.
Mikey <email>
Toronto, ONT Canada 08/26/2009

Pickpockets on the Roma Metro
I am a very experienced traveler in Italy as I go there every year. A few days before we were to leave 2 weeks ago we wanted to go into Roma on the Metro and I decided not to use my money belt. Instead, I put my credit cards and camera in my right cargo pants pocket with a button. We arrive in Roma were transferring from Line A to Line B at Stazione Termini. As we boarded the car for Line B I felt someone pushing from behind and I also felt something on my right cargo pants pocket. I looked down and saw a hand trying to unbutton the pocket of my cargo pants. I grabbed the hand and found it attached to a Peruvian Indian lady. I pulled the hand forward, started yelling, and then I did the next right thing...I started beating her with the full half litre water bottle I was carrying. I started beating on her arm trying to work my way up to her face when she finally was able to wrestle her hand away from mine. My girl friend could not understand what I was doing and why I was assaulting someone. No one came to help and there were no police around. Fortunately, she was unsuccessful and escaped with nothing more than some assorted bruises. Much later I reported the incident to a subway policeman when we were returning to Termini. The next day when we came into Roma to go to the Vatican on the Metro I was wearing my money belt. As luck would have it, I saw that lady from the Metro car at the Barberini Station sitting on a subway platform scoping the crowd. I started yelling at her and pointing from the car and she recognized me and tried to hide her face. They wait until you are boarding the car and then they make their move. So now the thieves are multi-national and quick. I was dumb and lucky. BEWARE!

RB
ralph Butera <email>
Coraopolis, PA USA 08/24/2009

Ripoff Store in Selcuk, Turkey
There's a store on the corner between the two pedestrian shopping streets, Namik Kemal and Cengiz Topel. The store has no name outside, just a red and white striped awning. We think there's no name so people have a hard time reporting him! The store is run by a guy who calls himself Ali Baba (I should have suspected something right away!). His real name is Ferhat Bayar, and his nickname is "Tweety." This was the only guy in all of Turkey / Turkiye who ripped us off. We had already been traveling in Turkey for two weeks when we got to Selcuk. Because everyone we had met had been friendly and honest we figured this guy's friendliness was genuine. He spent an hour serving us tea, showing us different backgammon sets, even playing a game with us. He charged us 104 TL (about $68) for a backgammon set. Later that day we went into two other shops within two blocks of his store and the same exact set was 35 TL! When I went back to our "friend" he said that the people who own those shops are trying to put him out of business by selling things way below cost. We also learned later that he does this to all the tourists, and prices his items depending on the country you're from (Americans and French were charged the highest). We heard about a French couple spending 500 TL for lamps that cost about 65 TL! Definitely avoid this shop! Go to our review on Trip Advisor to see photos.
Kirk <email>
NY USA 08/20/2009

NAPLES PICKPOCKETS AND THIEVES
I hate to take exception to Becky from Florida's comment; however, I must say, even though I'm Italian, Naples is one of the most dangerous cities in all of Europe for pickpockets as well as thieves who will grab you in broad daylight, rip your watch or ring off your body, and move on. I've taken as many as 50 people at a time on tours throughout Italy and always caution them to be very careful in Naples
Greg <email>
Jupiter, Fl. USA 08/18/2009

Scams in Europe
Can I just add some balance to this discussion?

Scams, pickpockets and other crimes do exist, principally in crowded places where the victims are easily distracted. The perpetrators are mainly after cash. Cash is anonymous and untraceable, and carrying cash is no proof that a crime has been committed. Criminals are not interested in being found with your passport or credit cards on them, since this would associate them with a particular victim, and be in itself evidence of a crime.

Police are unwilling to spend a lot of time on a crime where the chance of a conviction is small, even more so when the victim will be out of the country by the time of a court appearance. Where a tourist thinks they have been pickpocketed of the equivalent of $100, and this amount could just as easily have simply fallen from their pocket, the police are not going to spend much time on it. It will not help if you cannot converse with the police in their language.

Tourism is an important revenue earner, but in Britain it only accounts for about 7% of economic activity.
Bristol, UK 08/16/2009

Safe in Italy
Having toured Italy recently, I've never felt safer. I didn't feel afraid or challenged by anyone. I felt safer on the streets of Rome than in Orlando!! We did have couple situations that are common anywhere..such as the waiter in Venice complaining we didn't tip even though the service charge was clearly on our bill. Not a big deal...the only "scam" I think we fell for were the stupid Gladiators outside the Collesum (SP??)...The posed for pictures all nice...but then chargec a bunch!!! Didn't see that coming..but that was our fault for not asking first. He...it's not Disney World..the characters aren't there on the clock!! Oh well, live and learn!!
Becky
St.Cloud, FL USA 08/16/2009

Vienna Pick pockets
I consider myself a savvy traveler, but was the victim of a pickpocket while getting on the Subway in Vienna at St. Stephens. I was in a rush trying to get to the Sudbanhoff train station, luggage in tow I'm sure I just screamed "rob me". Worried about missing my train to Prague and distracted, I stupidly took my wallet out of its concealed place to buy subway tickets and out of habit put it in my back pocket. While loading the subway, I was shoved around and sure enough no wallet. I confronted the people pushing behind me (quite loudly making a huge scene) but to no avail. I contacted the police who could care less and referred me to the magistrate who was almost impossible to contact, and once contacted cared even less than the police. Oh well I'm trying to enjoy the rest of my trip, fortunately the only thing in the wallet was two credit cards and (most annoying thing) my DL. Everything else was stashed away, including passport, etc. Ironically on this trip I had traveled to 8 eastern europe countries, no issues, I come to the pseudo west EU and this happens. Knowing my luck, my identity will be sold back into one of the east european countries that I had just left. Don't let your guard down jut because it SEEMS safer! Later
Don <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 08/15/2009

Barcelona Drug Police
IN Barcelona on conference near he University of Ramon Lull, one guy comes up pretending to be a tourist, and while giving him directions, 2 other men come up and "flash" really quickly their badges (there was no badge and only what looked like very bad ID), this made me suspicious, usually cops have badges, then they say they are drug police and ask to see your ID, I pulled out my wallet and my ID but luckily had only 20 Euros in my wallet and my companion was adamant she had no ID and no money so they took off. But after felt really lucky that they did not take anything and it was a lucky escape. I was suspicious throughout but also because of the increased security at the conference I felt it was legit until they spent more time talking and asking us to show our money. Real cops will not ask these things. Felt stupid for taking my ID out of my wallet but was an automatic reaction. Just lucky we got away, they were polite too and even thanked us for our cooperation...I guess 20 Euroes wasn't worth splitting among the three of them.
MArcus
Barcelona, New Zealand 08/14/2009

Pass the Lines scam Rome
After traveling to Rome more than just a few times I can now send this particular feedback. Some Tour Companies in Rome who "cant" pass the line write on their sites that no one can pass the line and that those agencies who say they can are not telling the truth. Thats wrong. They are the ones who cant pass the line because they cant get the permission due to their ilegal status.

If you read on a tour website that the company in question "does not pass the line, and that "no one can" keep searching. They are telling lies. Even when I was on Ricks Europe through the back door tour we passed lines of people into the Vatican and other sites in other cities
Lisa Brown
USA 08/13/2009

Tourist scams in Italy
If you pay for food or service with a large bill, dishonest vendors will immediately remove it from sight. Then, they will count out change for a much smaller bill. Several years ago, I gave a cashier a 50,000 lira note for a single gelato. He attempted (unsuccessfully) to give me change for a 10,000 lira note. It happens all over Italy. Know how much change your should receive when your make a purchase.

Also, in Italy, it's difficult to request free, plain water, or tap water at a restaurant. Waiters presume you will order expensive bottled water. Even if you do, you have to be watchful to make sure waiters place a bottle on your table with the cap screwed tightly in place. Some waiters pretend to unscrew the cap, although the bottle has been refilled with tap water.
Fred
Citrus Heights, CA USA 08/08/2009

Pickpocket
When we were in London everything was ok until we reached Paris via euro train and need to use another train to the hotel at the outskirt of Paris. My wife and 2( age 22 and 18) children got into a packed train and my wife was helpfully pushed into the underground train. As the train was about to stop the guy in front pocked his fingers at my front pocket and later he dropped the lighter twice. He pretended to search the floor and at the same time with 2 hands pulling my trousers down. Luckily I quickly put my hand over the back pocket to protect my wallet. I later discovered my overcoat pockets were opened but nothing there. Lucky escape. I do not know whether it is necessary to hand over the passport to the Paris - Rome Train conductor > Everybody seems to pass their passport to the conductor. I asked the conductor is it necessary..he just said we will get 2 knocks (we have 6 seat cubicle room) during the night. I said I would wake up if necessary. Losing passport in no joke in Malaysia...take a least one year to be reissued. My son told me that his friend who was in Rome had his passport stolen due to ketchup being accidentally spilled on his shirt and when he opened his shirt his hidden neck wallet was stolen. He had to stay in Rome for one month before his passport was issued. Rome Termini..same story as the kind helper who helped to buy train ticket... when my son was going through the machine to buy tickets...he wanted money of course. Using Taxi in Paris to airport...each bag cost one euro ..our 8 bags big and small cost 8 euros. My son was hungry and need to eat near the Rome Termini..he asked for takeaways one veg, rice and 2 small fish..20 euros. I think to make sure our holidays are pleasant I just to budget losses of 100 euros. ! OMG I never thought such developed countries are that bad...more Tourist Police are needed in touristy areas.
bens <email>
kuching, s'wak MaLAYSIA 07/30/2009

Not bad with a sense of humor
Spent the last five weeks traveling through London, Paris, Amsterdam and Rome. I was with my wife and 7 yr old daughter. I felt safe and noone tried to pickpocket us. I read up before I left and actually found some of the "scams" amusing. The trinket sellers are aggressive at Eiffel tower but I talked to one and he was funny and harmless. I was amazed though at the sheer number of rose peddlers in Rome and how many people bought them, particularly at the spanish steps. Overall, if you just say no, be confident, and have a sense of humor it was actually funny to watch.
Craig G.
P.Pines, FL USA 07/30/2009

Genove 1911/La Rambla/Barcelona $$$
Genove 1911 Restaurant on La Rambla in Barcelona will ask you if you want a large or medium soda. No price shown on menu. A large soda is 9 euros!
Elaine
Berkeley, CA USA 07/28/2009

Speak English?
Yes, we ran into the "Speak English?" women the big tourist areas in Paris: at Gare du Nord, Effiel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. I had the same ones ask me repeatedly at the Effiel Tower. It's a numbers game, they just keep asking til someone stops and talks to them. They'll go after young people too, so keep an eye on your kids.

They're connected with the trinket sellers. They'd go over and chat with them when things were slow.

One of our party ran into the bracelet men at Sacre Coeur also.

All in all, we're glad we read the scam bulletins here.

Joan
Joan <email>
Portland, OR USA 07/25/2009

Don't exchange money at the train station
Another "scam" is the lousy exchange rate I got on my US$ at the Change cage in Gare du Nord (Paris).

My $100 turned into about E58. The almost E9 fee was absurd.

So it's true - don't use the Change booths in the train stations.

After this I just got cash out of an ATM.

I don't know WHAT I was thinking...

Joan
Joan
Portland, OR USA 07/25/2009

shell game
I was in Athens, Greece last week and saw several people doing the "shell game" where you pick which one of the three shells the hidden item is under.
kim
iowa city, iowa USA 07/23/2009

Safety traveling oversees
It like what someone below said: Just don't be a TOOL and you'll be fine. I thought a decoy wallet was an excellent idea, and I carried one. Darn thing wasn't stolen, so I brought home all the candy wrappers that I filled it with... Anyway, we were in Venice, Florence, and Rome, and never saw anything suspicious or dicey, etc. I had one kid press up against my bookbag, but he knew I was paranoid and was just trying to rouse me and show off to his friends. He had no intent to steal anything. So we were a bit paranoid before we left, and used one of those pouch things, and never had any problems. If you are here, reading this, you will be fine, because you realize there is reason to be cautious. My last word of advise is to just use caution getting off and on buses and trains, especially if people are smashing you like sardines...otherwise, it's just like the guy below said: Don't be a TOOL!!
John <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 07/23/2009

Safety in Europe
...some other things that I thought of: I would be very suspicious of anyone dressed like an officer that asked to see my passport at random. No police officer has any darn good reason to ask for your passport on the street, so if that had happened, I would have been suspicious. I noticed that all police work in teams too, so if anyone was solo, I would have laughed in their face! If you are nervous about everything that's been written here, I would just relax. Once you are their you will discover that people over their are just like people over their. Put it this way: At home, does your stomach turn at the thought of going to the grocery? Ok, well then you don't have anything to worry about. If you can handle the grocery, you can handle your trip...
John <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 07/23/2009

Little Coca Cola
Oh, I thought of another good one!! So you want a coke, and you order a coke. And you get a coke. And you expect to pay 2 Euros like the sign says: 2 Euros for a can of coke. So why are you being charged 4 Euros for your 2 Euro coke? Because you got a DRAUGHT coke (draft) from the tap. You didn't ask for a coke in a CAN!! If you enter these little cafes for a little, quick, cheap meal, don't hesitate to just grab your canned drink from the "frig" thing as you walk in, then sit down and order your food. But also be aware that you will probably be charged for eating in, but don't worry about it...you are going to want to sit and rest for a while...you are going to be TIRED!!! ...and trust me, you'll be willing to pay the small fee to sit in and eat...just don't be a TOOL here either...
John <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 07/23/2009

Paris Scams
Hi... I just got back from Paris and I must concur with all the people to be careful there. We personally got hit up quite a bit with the do you speak English? scam.. so be prepared for this one. The gypsy women are everywhere, even outside some of the lesser tourist attractions (the opera). The more crafty ones are using young children dressed in American garb for the scam. I got accosted by quite a few young boys in Yankee hats on the Champs Elysses.

I'd also recommend that you really keep your wits about you at the Eiffel Tower. The trinket sellers are all over the place there, and one even went so far as to swear at my mom when she told him to stop bothering tourists and warned people to not buy from them. I'd be prepared to have someone in your group get the cops at the Eiffel Tower.

We also had the friendly local at a Metro station offer to sell us tickets in one of the Metro stops without a ticket window. So that's a new one that I'd watch out for.
Kelly
Chicago, IL USA 07/23/2009

Just returned from trip to Switzerland, Italy and France. Saw the ring scam, do you speak english?, bracelet scam and trinket salespeople. This site really helped us be prepared to just say "no" to anyone who approached us. Only rip-off we encountered, not listed here so far, is restaurants charging 5-7 euro per 100 gram for fish dishes. Often the "per 100 gram" is in tiny print or not listed at all. When the bill arrived, we were told our fish entree was 500 gram, so the total charge for it was (5*6 = 30 euro! More reputable restaurants had fish dishes with costs of 16-18 euro. Beware of the "per 100 gram" rip-off at some restaurants!
martha
Kansas USA 07/21/2009

small unsupervised children at atms
On our European trip, I realized we may have dodged a difficult situation. At the train station, we went to use an ATM machine. A small child (six?) was there playing with the buttons. When we approached, she stepped aside but lingered nearby. I looked around for a parent or adult, but saw noone. When we started our transaction, she came back closer and acted like she wanted to play with the buttons again. I had to place my body between her and the machine to shield the money slot from her fingers. She kept dancing around me as I worked my transaction, when it hit me that if she grabbed the money and ran, we would be hard pressed to stop her. Luckily, I was able to use my body to "hip check" her when she got too close. Bottom line- beware of anyone (esp. children without apparent adult supervision) lingering by ATM machines in crowded, public places.
george
fresno, CA USA 07/21/2009

Monterosso Train Thieves
The story about the thieves in Monterosso is not surprising. On my last visit there, I spoke with a group of tourists from the U.S. that had been robbed on the trains, including one girl that had her Passport "lifted" (I can only imagine the difficulties they faced getting that replaced). I asked some of the people at the Hotel and other locals about this, and they said that "professional thieves" from Genoa often work the trains, as they know that many tourists "let their guard down" to some extent when they come to the quieter surroundings of the C.T. It's a good reminder to be vigilant regardless of where you are!
Ken
Vernon, BC USA 07/09/2009

Lost or stolen passport
If you do get your passport "lifted" there is an easy solution IF you had the forethought to make a copy of the relavant pages. Simply have a passport-sized picture taken, go to an American consulate and apply for a new passport. With your copy it will only take a few hours at worst. Without a copy it can take days or even weeks.
Charles M. Luther
Katy, Texas USA 07/09/2009

Robbed boarding train in Monterosso
Our train from Monterosso to Pisa was late and the platform was getting crowded. When the train arrived the conductor was literally pushing us on the train. Some teen-age girls were trying to get off the car and were pushing past everyone. My mother-in-law looked down to see her purse unzipped and her money gone. (She had stopped wearing her neck money purse because it was uncomfortable.) It all happened very quickly.

We realized that these girls had boarded the train at one end, ran through and exited on the other end, stealing as they went. Everyone was so distracted we were easy targets.

When we arrived in Pisa to change trains for Florence we carefully examined those waiting for the train and lo and behold there was another group of teen-aged girls, one pregnant, one with a baby in a front pack. They did not look like gypsies, but they did not look like girlfriends out together. They weren't interacting with each other, they seemed very sober. They had no luggage.

We kept staring at them until they left. But when the train arrived, so did they, in different T-shirts and some with hats. We immediately began shouting warnings to the other passengers but these girls came right up to people, unzipping bags and reaching into pockets. One with a baby came up behind me as I was helping someone else and shoved her arm into my bag (it was my dirty laundry, little did she know). I yelled no repeatedly and pulled my bag away but these girls would not leave! My brother-in-law had to pull one off the train steps so we could get past her onto the train!

These girls have no fear, and there is no one in authority to help. We wonder why nothing is done to prevent these girls from loitering on the platforms. Once you know what to look for, they are very recognizable.

I suggest time spent waiting for trains is spent examining those around you, and be prepared to be loud and aggressive.

Safe travels!
LeAnne <email>
Lake Stevens, WA USA 07/07/2009

the found ring scam in Paris
On my way to visit Paris 2 weeks ago, I read about the "found ring scam" in Rick Steve's Paris guide book. As this was my 6th visit to France, I consider myself to be fairly savvy about cons and come-ons. When I read the "ring" scam alert, my first thought was, "You've got to be kidding me!" Well, I can attest to the fact that that scam is very prevalent in Paris. My very first day, a woman tried it on me...the another one several days later. One thing I also noticed was that these people often have an accomplice who stands back and I'm guessing would pick your pocket as well, if the opportunity presented itself. Also, there seem to be even more young women in and around the Tuileries who approach tourists asking if you speak English...they also work with a companion. Thanks for the good work! I am a Rick Steve's believer!
Lisa Karlstrom <email>
Tacoma, Wa. USA 07/07/2009

Fake travel police
I'm a female and have travelled to Europe 20+ times over the past twenty years - starting in my teens. I have travelled the trains overnight (not in lockable sleeper cabins, rather regular second class), walked alone in off-the-beaten path areas of cities, but most importantly aim to blend in with the locals. Fortunately, despite flagrantly challenging certain travel safety conventions, I have never been robbed or mugged. Nonetheless, something that happened to me on a local German train in the Spring of 2006 gave me pause to consider that I avoided a scam. As I haven't read about this particular one in Germany I wanted to take a moment to point it out: Two plainclothes "travel police" approached me on a near empty local train near Lake Constance (Bodensee). They flashed a badge that said "Reisepolizei" (travel police) and asked to see my passport. I was instantly suspicious and gave him a suspicious stare. I did flash him my passport (they did not steal it) but I did not show him my wallet nor any money (nor did they ask me to). I would not have done so even if they did ask. I'm not sure what kept them from actually going through with the scam (other posters say they ask to see money due to counterfeiting concerns and then swipe it), but when it happened I was suspicious and I correspondingly acted suspicious of them. Also, it probably wasn't necessary to confirm my suspicions that they were fake, but just to be sure I looked into it and indeed there is no "Reisepolizei". Luckily no harm no foul and my lucky streak (safety-wise) traveling in Europe continues. Be aware though that the fake travel police scam has also been encountered in Germany.
Kayla
NY, NY USA 07/07/2009

Bold Robbery in Barri Gotic in Barcelona
Both my husband and I have been to Europe several times and have witnessed but avoided many scams and pickpocket scenarios and always come to this site for advise on what to expect. Being prepared and yelling NO generally works well. However, after a nice dinner with friends in the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona the four of us were walking in a moderately busy area to catch a cab when 3 young men started dancing toward us singing "salsa, ya wanna salsa?" They grabbed my husband, one on each arm and the third started yanking on his belt checking for a money belt while the other two started picking his pockets. I started yelling and the other man in our party jumped at one of the robbers to scare him away. The robbers were very persistent and came back through a gathering crowd for a dropped cell phone that we were able to keep them away from by kicking and yelling. It was only then that we saw my husband's pants had a 2 foot slash down the seam. Fortunately all they got was some cash from our bill settlement after dinner and no one was hurt. This was one of the more "bold" attacks we have been aware of.

The very next day, the other couple went on a bike tour down at the beach area and witnessed a purse being stolen by a thief on a bike. He and another person on the tour chased the assailant into waiting police and retrieved the purse.

Robbery is alive and well in Barcelona--great city, but be very careful in tourist areas.
Marcia
Washington DC, USA 06/30/2009

UNICEF Scam in Madrid
A scam we witnessed on a recent trip to Madrid involved several young women collecting signatures in the various parks to set up a Madrid UNICEF Center. You could easily tell by the badly photocopied logo and the mismatched typed address on the petition that it was fake. A monetary donation was STRONGLY encouraged. Although this was a local petition, tourists were targeted (aka invited) to sign...hmmm. When we asked to take their photo to send to our friends in UNICEF, they ran.
Marcia
Washington, DC, USA 06/30/2009

RER ticket machine Scam
In Paris, we were scammed at the Gare du Nord as we were trying to find a ticket machine to buy our RER train tickets to the airport. It was early in the morning, and none of the ticket booths were opened, so the only option was to use a ticket vending machine. A "friendly" local saw us looking for a machine and led us to one that was in working order. He then offered to help operate the machine for us, which was okay by me since I could see he was selecting the correct destination, etc. I put the money in the machine and he collected my tickets when the machine spat them out and he handed them to us. He even told us which platform to catch our train on. We caught our train and arrived happily at the airport but when we ran our tickets through the exit turnstiles, they wouldn't work. It seems the scammer had used some sleight of hand and given us Metro tickets, instead of our airport RER tickets. Metro and RER tickets are almost identical in appearance, so it's easy to be fooled. Fortunately, the man at the info desk at the airport ticket booth had mercy on us and let us pass without having to pay again. Bottom line, if someone trys to "help" you operate a ticket vending machine, politely refuse. If you can't read French, just push the English flag on hte main screen and the machine labels will switch to English.
John
Fredericksburg, VA USA 06/30/2009

CDG Bus Ticket Change
When we got on the Air France bus from CDG to Gare de Lyon, we bought the round-trip ticket for 27 euros apiece (54 total). As she went back to her seat, my wife discovered that she had only been given 6 euros change for the 70 euros she had given the driver. She immediately went to the driver and explained the problem to him in French, and he gave her another ten, without comment. This may have been a simple error. However, we were sitting near the front of the bus, and overheard two other foreigners tell the driver that he had shortchanged them. The second one kept repeating, in English, "I gave you two twenties." The driver expressed incomprehension for a while (he had little or no English, we discovered later, in asking him a question), but eventually gave the man the correct change. It may have been three honest mistakes, but in any case you should count your change.
Michael Peroz
Eagan, MN USA 06/29/2009

Overnight trains BEWARE
I want to warn travelers to take extra special care traveling on any overnight trains. My family of six recently took the overnight train from Venice to Paris and were robbed. It occurred in our private sleeper car, while we were sleeping, which is even more creepy and unbelievable. We were targeted by professionals for sure. I even suspect the train personnel was involved. I am absolutely sure my cabin door was locked but the attendant asserts that I did not lock the door...and went into a lengthy demonstration of how I couldn't possibly have locked it (Trying to convince me?). My wallet that was hidden in the bottom of my backpack was all that was taken. Fortunately they didn't take the whole backpack or worse one of my kids. Be warned that train travel is very noisy and bustling. It can dull the senses as you sleep providing a perfect environment for someone to move around without much detection. It has been suggested to me since, that while in Europe don't assume any locks on doors provide security. I have heard a bungy cord works well to make doors just a little more difficult to open which might possibly turn a thief away. In the end, always keep your wallet and passports on your body at all times.
Violated! <email>
Scottsdale, AZ USA 06/27/2009

Paris scam - in Berlin!
Before leaving for three weeks in Europe I dutifully read through all these scams and was well prepared for the "Do you speak English?" people in Paris. But I met them sooner - in Alexanderplatz, in Berlin. They are persistent and they hang around in front of the TV tower and around the train station. We even had a pair of them come up and bother us when we were enjoying our Döner Kebaps at a sidewalk cafe, and another tried to work the bike tour group (yes, even after our tour guide told them "no one here speaks english"). Since we already knew about them from this site and knew to just say no and ignore them, we didn't experience any attempts at pickpocketing - but they are there, and they are persistent. And yes they are, I presume, gypsies, although I'd be wary of anyone coming up to me with a piece of paper with "can I have money" written on it in a dozen languages no matter what they looked like.
Alex
Boulder, CO USA 06/21/2009

Paris scams
We spent a week in Paris earlier this month. Thanks to this web site, we were on the alert for scams wherever we went, but they were only evident in two places. (1) Near the base of the Eiffel Tower, we were pestered five different times by gypsy women working the "do you speak English" scam. (2) At the base of the stairway where one begins the climb up to Sacre Coeur, about seven Africans holding colored strings formed a line all the way across the walkway, thus forcing tourists to pass very close by them. Forgive me please if these references suggest a racist sentiment. I do not intend that.
Jeff
Fresno, CA USA 06/21/2009

Paris Scams Continue
Just returned from Paris. In *all* of the big tourist areas, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame, the scams were all still alive and well. I was hit up twice about a gold ring walking near the Louvre; women at Notre Dame asking if we spoke English then asking for money, street vendors ran from police at the Eiffel Tower. Keep your wits, watch for scams, learn how to say "Laissez-moi seul ou je vais vous faire arrêter."
Cooper
Baltimore, MD USA 06/18/2009

Fake attendant scam
We just returned from a two-week trip to Italy--with most of our luggage. We were very careful planning the rental of the car we picked up in Rome. We arranged our itinerary so that we could pick the car up at Hertz, Villa Borghese on Sunday morning thinking traffic would be minimal. The Hertz location is in a parking garage and very quiet. After completing the paperwork, we left the rental office. Immediately, a Hispanic male came up to 'help' us with the luggage and to locate the car. He was the only person around. The first car he helped us to was a Jaguar at which point we realized he wasn't with Hertz. At that same moment a yellow car pulled up, the 'attendant' grabbed one of our bags, jumped in the yellow car and sped off. From start to finish the whole event took less than a minute. The men in the Hertz office said they are having problems with Columbians in the area. They also said the thieves tend to work in pairs and steal the smallest bags because that's where they think the valuables are kept. We lost no money but did lose our Rick Steves guidebook and a few other incidentals. We replaced our guidebook in Florence at Melbooks!
Kathy & Jerry <email>
Charleston, SC USA 06/18/2009

Paris scams
I go to France a lot to check out hotels for France Made Easy. I have also come across the gold ring scam - 3 times in 1 day and along the Seine. It seems to be Romanian women but just ignore, keep walking, carry little money, be sensible and a good tip I do is instead of carrying a map and obviously looking like a tourist, is that I carry the map opened at the area I need to get to and carry this in a light folder which can be opened discreetly. I look as though I am on a business trip and not a tourist! It works!!
Marie Cruickshank <email>
Nairn , Scotland UK 06/17/2009

Scams in general
Ive spent a considerable amount of time in Europe over the past 3 years. The general theme of avoiding these scams is this: if you don't look and act like a tool, none of this will happen. If your not giggling and talking loudly in English, your fine. If you don't look like the general American, your fine. If you want to travel around Europe, try to dress the part. There is nothing wrong with having a good time and speaking English with your friends, but just relax it on public transportation and train stations, etc. I don't know how many times Ive been sitting next to Americans who talk as loud as they can and generally act like a fresh tourist; this creates a target. Europeans in general are more reserved and quiet than Americans, so this makes us stand out. Just relax and stop looking like a target, and you wont be one. It really is as simple as that. Americans are preyed on because they generally are so obvious as tourists. Keep up the good tips, this is a very helpful site.
Shaun
Orlando, FL USA 06/16/2009

Rome Taxis.
In Rome only trust taxis with S.P.Q.R. clearly printed on their doors. These are legitimate licensed taxis. From ciampino airport I had one guy offer to drive me in the the city for 60 euro, all other said 40. There are maps in the station saying how much the taxi's cost (set fairs to and from airports, not metered) everywhere else in Rome insist on a meter as it is less expensive and give you some security. I had a few taxi drivers try to short me, or insist I give them 5 or 10 euros as a tip, but anything over 1 or 2 euros is extravagant.
Brett T. <email>
USA 06/14/2009

WARNING - PARIS APARTMENT RENTAL SCAM - Casper Bulley strikes again!
Since posting about our nightmare of renting an apartment in Paris that did not exist, I have been contacted by multiple people who have reserved an apartment with Casper and Emily Bulley. Please do not send them money! It is a fraud! They sent us a very professional rental agreement, however when we arrived in Paris with 3 children and grandparents - there was no such apartment! We contacted the building management and no one by that name is listed with any apartment in that building. We eventually rented from parisattitude.com, an agency with a real store, real people and friendly customer service. Please contact me with any questions! I'm very happy to stop this from happening to another family. Happy Travels!
Jennifer <email>
Las Vegas, NV USA 06/10/2009

Taxi in Naples
6/1/09, on the way back to Rome from a day trip to ruin Pompeii we stopped at Naples central train station for few hours. I liked to catch a bus to tour the city but it rained so hard. So we settled with walking under umbrella a few blocks surrounding train station. On the train back to Rome we sat next to an Italian business man who returned Rome from a business trip to Naples. We shared stories. I told him the Rome pickpocketers tried on me few days earlier on Metro from Rome Termini to Vatican, but they failed to get anything from me. The Italian told us he never got bored to go to Naples; always had some stories to tell. Like on that business trip he took a taxi. At first, the taxi turned on meter, everything looked legitimate. Just about 10 minutes into the trip, the display went blank. When they reached the destination, the taxi driver demanded double or triple taxi fares. The Italian business man who was familiar with the route, he knew what is the normal taxi fare for that route. He was firm to paid the taxi guy what were he normally paid in previous trips. If this was the case for us as tourists, very likely we got ripped off by that Naples taxi driver. We did take a lot of fast trains, slow trains, Metro, buses, waterbuses in Venice, but never taxi. Taxi costs way too much, beside you have to deal with some dishonest taxi drivers.
TD
Lewisville, TX USA 06/09/2009

Paris - Darfur Pertition, Scam?
I was walking towards the Louvre with an American friend (nice Guy) and he was stopped and asked to sign a petition to save Darfur. He did this was then asked to donate 10 euroes to the cause. Been such a nice guy, he did this without even thinking. I was watching this from a distance, I asked him what was going on and then I was asked to sign and 'donate'. I asked to see creditials, and the guy had none, I made a little noise and he called his frient over who had what appeared to be a ID with no photo printed on a photojet and cut to credit card size.

This guys may of been legitimate, but I don't think they were...
Mike
UK 06/08/2009

Taxis in Rome
In Rome be careful of taxi scammers. They look for tourists at the train station and have cars that look like taxis parked near some of the taxi stands (not at the main entrance to the station). They drive you to your destination and then ask for a ridiculous amount of money. When you get in a taxi, make sure that it has a sticker or sign on the car saying it is an official taxi and make sure it has a meter inside.
Lucy
Washington DC, USA 06/06/2009

Do you want my extra petrol scam.
We were refueling at a lonely petrol station along the highway between Sienna and Florence. A "nice" man in the van infront of us said he had filled his car, but still had petrol left in the pump that we could use. How nice of him we thought. We gave him 10 euro, but we only got about 1 euro of petrol. He got 9 euro from us. Not bad, but don't go for the "do you want my extra petrol?" scam.We were pretty naieve for sure.
Candyce Roberts <email>
Pleasanton, CA USA 06/05/2009

scam free trip
Just came back from 5 weeks in Germany, Austria, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Czech Republic and I never had any problems with scams or pickpockets. I even had a fake credit card in my back pocket the whole time and it was still there at the end! However in Italy and Paris I encountered many of these scams. It was nice having read this thread so I know what they are all about!
kate
canada 06/04/2009

buy from
In italy do not buy thing from people on the streets you can know this when the police come they run but it is ok to buy things from people that have stands set up.
jake
boise, ID USA 06/03/2009

Pickpocketing in Rome
Just returned from a trip to Italy and France. On 5/28/09, on the Metro line A from Termini to Vatican I personally experienced Rome pickpocketers at work. The Metro was crowded. At the moment passengers started to get on the train, just before the metro doors to close, one local guy pretended to drop his newspapers in front of me. Then he started to craw under my feet to pick up his dropped newspapers. He took time to work on his dropped newspapers under my feet with a purpose to cause distraction from me. At the same time, I felt some pressure in my back pocket. There were two fingers of another guy behind me inside my trouse back pocket. Immediatly, I swung my arm backward real hard to hit pickpocketer's fingers out of my back pocket. I used my fingers to check my money still intact inside my pocket. There were some small Euro bills in there. All the big bills were safe in my money belt. I turned around to look at the pickpocketer that worked behind me. He looked at me; neither said a word. I did not lose anything so I did not want to make a scene on crowded Metro. After that fail attempt, two thieves talked to each other in Italian then left the train at the very next stop. They were about 30s, with the looks of people who living their lives on street a lot. My advice to you is regardless what happens in front of you, always pay attention to your pockets, and anything that contains your valuable things. Thieves always working at a team. One causes your distraction, another to pick your pocket. Except that little incident, overall I had very good trip through a lot of cities in Italy: Rome, Pisa, Florence, Milan, Venice, Pompeii, even in Naples. Will go back again.
TD <email>
Lewisville, TX USA 06/03/2009

Credit Card scam throughout Europe
Many merchants in Europe will offer to "helpfully" charge you in dollars rather than Euros. Say "NO!" and insist on being charged in Euros! This is because (1) they're using a bad rate and (2) your credit card will add a foreign exchange transaction fee REGARDLESS of whether or not the amount is charged in dollars or Euros. Look carefully at the bill when you see it -- at Schiphol Airport, one merchant charged me in Dollars -- with a 5% "courtesy" fee for the exchange -- even though I had insisted on Euros. I successfully disputed the charge with my credit card company. (Speaking of which -- Capital One still charges 0% for foreign transactions.)
Nooyawkuh
New York, NY USA 06/03/2009

Paris - 5/2009
I was a bit shocked to be the target of a scam attempt while in Paris this past week. While walking down the Champs-Elysses with my mother, I suddenly had a ton of weight on me, and tripped. A woman pulled out the infamous "gold" ring and at first my mother and I said, "C'est bon, c'est bon, non, merci" just to be polite. When suddenly it clicked: I had read about this scam. She insisted we take the ring and was getting a bit pushy and I yelled NON! We kept on walking and saw her scheming on another pair of women who looked at us and asked if the ring was ours and we warned them NOT to take the ring. At this point, the scammer walked towards me and I believe she cursed me out in French. She was so enfuriated, I swore she'd probably smack me at the very least but luckily, she just walked after I told her, FERMEZ LA BOUCHE (yes, my French is very elementary). Anyhow, I did notice she was working with a young girl (probably her daughter) and they left the area after I had put blown up their cover.

In front of Notre Dame, someone asked if I spoke English and I said yes. She pulled out a card and her hand. I had an idea what it was she wanted, so I just told her I didn't have any cash on me. She left without saying another word. I was relieved that this was much less eventful. ALL THIS IN THE SAME DAY!

Important to note these are very isolated incidents. I've been all around Europe and this is the first time anything of this sort has happened. It's a shame it had to happen in one of my favorite cities in the world, but now I know to be on high alert at ALL times.
S.D.
WNY, NJ USA 06/02/2009

La Rustichella Restaurant Rip Off
Last Tuesday night we stopped at La Rustichella based on the RS book recommenation for their antipasti buffet. The food was primarilly cold fried veggies and potatoes and mayo based salads. The plates were small but the kicker was that if the owner decides you put too much on your plate (and seriously how much can you get on a six inch plate LOL) they double the charge AFTER you've finished eating when you have no way to defend yourself. We did not give in to the extortion since luckily we had cash, and simply left the correct amount on the table and walked out. I do understand that times are hard for small businesses, but resorting to theft is not the way to go.
Maggie F <email>
St Louis , MO USA 05/31/2009

Restaurant Rip Off
La Romanella Ristorante in Rome -- 123/124 Borgo Pio, near the Vatican is a ripoff .. they charge 15% service tax for sitting outside (no other restaurant on that street Borgo Pio does this), and then add in 15% more for tips!! Our bill of 73 E for four people ended up being 90 E for the "outside" service, and then 105 total including tips. No way. I challenged this, knowing they were up to something because the waiter and a guy named Luigi (handing out restaurant flyers by the Vatican) were talking amongst themselves, and they knew I can understand and speak Italian! Stay away from this place. I've written to Tourism Rome about the place, and I notice TripAdvisor has some postings by others who have been ripped off. I'm also going to write to the owners of La Romanella, since I am fairly fluent in italian, to let them know I've posted on Rick Steves' website (and EVERYONE knows Rick Steves!) and Trip Advisor about their restaurant. I will also include photos of me taking pictures of their restaurant .. I'm sure the blond waitress will remember me!!
Caterina Di Nozzi
Vancouver, BC Canada 05/30/2009

PacSafe vs. Money Belt for Women
Thank you to a few previous women who shared the use of a PacSafe purse as an alternative to a money belt. We just returned from two weeks in Italy, and I always felt safe and secure using this item (it also eliminated the need for a day pack). Think about how you travel at home - I am very used to carrying a small purse and always tie a sweater or light jacket around my waist. I wear a lot of dresses - not skirts - dresses - and money belts just don't work well with them. I was comfortable, cool, safe, and always appropriately attired in my Ex Officio black dress and my PacSafe purse.
Tammy
Seattle, WA USA 05/29/2009

Sorrento Fun Tours Ripoff
Just got back from Italy. We spent 7.50E to do a bus tour of Sorrento with "Sorrento Fun Tours". We paid our money and waited an hour for the next bus to leave. We finally boarded the "Fun Bus", but nobody else got on. The tour guide on the bus tried to recruite others from the street, but no one was buying. After 20 mintues of waiting, they finally told us that they would have to cancel since we were the only 2 on the bus. They gave us a ride back to the Sorrento bus staion where we had purchased our tickets. On the way, the bus driver stopped to let the tour guide off. When we got to the bus staion, we could clearly see the ticket office for the Sorrento Fun Tours was closed! We asked the bus driver how to get a refund for our tickets, and he all of a sudden could speak no English. He made a call on his cell phone, to someone - I'm not sure who...and then gave his cell phone to us so we could talk to this person on the line! The person on the other line yelled at us in Italian, and we finally hung up and left. There was nothing we could do. I'm just glad it was only 7.50/each. What a ripoff. Avoid this company if you can!
Jodi
Baudette, MN USA 05/28/2009

Pickpocketed in Sao Paulo. Be very careful at Praca de Se.
I was loosely holding my wallet in my front pants pocket. A kid slips his hand between mine and my wallet and makes off. My credit card which was in the wallet was used very soon afterward at "Master Motos" of Sao Paulo (before I had a chance to cancel the card). I figured that having the wallet in my pants front pocket was safer....evidently not! Oddly (or maybe not) a few minutes earlier someone had thrown a little sand which had landed on my head. Looking back I wonder if they were checking which hand I used to shake it off.
Tony
Minneapolis, MN USA 05/26/2009

Paris Hotel Internet Scam
We ran into this scam twice in Paris as we switched hotels due to the first hotel being way too smokey.... hotels in Paris advertised internet included in the room. Obviously this comes at a price. The "free" internet isn't internet access at all. The hotels get away with this by providing a computer in the lobby for guests to use. The computer however can only access Google search and the hotel's home page. Other than that everything is blocked. When I say everything, I mean everything, not just the usual sites blocked in Europe. You cannot access gmail, hotmail or yahoo. You cannot access any web information other than the hotel's home page. When we complained at both hotels, we were told that they were not willing to compromise their internet security.
Sally
Vancouver, BC USA 05/24/2009

Scams in Morocco
1. Although the government has been cracking down on false guides, there still are many in touristy areas, such as the Fes medina and in Marrakesh. Typically, a man will approach you and offer to take you to see "the tanneries," or some other tourist attraction. Or they might offer to help you find your way if you are searching for something or are lost. Upon arrival, a large sum of money will be aggressively demanded. I fell for this once when I first moved to Fes, and a man demanded 200 dirhams. This is how much a half-day tour of the Fes medina with an official guide costs, so I knew that man was asking for an unreasonable sum of money. In order to avoid problems, know that licensed guides all have badges. Ask shop keepers, not people on the streets, for directions.

2. Even if a shop keeper says prices are fixed, there is still room for negotiation! It is always worth a try. ALWAYS negotiate for carpets. Begin with one-third of the asking price.

3. Prices are often not posted in "hole in the wall" sandwich shops. Although the vast majority of people are helpful and fair, I have, as a foreigner, been charged a ridiculous amount of money. Once your sandwich is in your belly, it is difficult to argue about an unfair price. In order to avoid this, ask for the price upfront.

4. You might try to take a grand taxi from Casablanca's Mohammed V airport to the city center. The posted price is 230 dirhams, but the drivers will try to charge you more. Negotiate! If the price isn't reasonable, take your luggage and walk away. Chances are that the driver will chase after you with a better price. And remember...during the day, there is always the train!

5. Be taxi savvy! Taxis near train stations charge ridiculous prices for foreigners. A "five-euro" taxi ride for two miles is probably three times higher than the metered rate. If you can walk a few blocks and hail a cab, chances are you will get a much better price. Taxis in Marrakesh are unlikely to use their meters. They are so accustomed to tourists being willing to pay these high rates (50 dirhams) that you are going to have to be willing to pay up if you don't want blisters. I am always able to negotiate a few dirhams off the first price though!

6. Always buy tickets at the official ticket window! Enough said!

And lastly, if you begin to get frustrated, try to remember that Americans and Western Europeans really are wealthy compared to most Moroccans. Chances are that the person who is trying to scam you is unemployed and struggling to make ends meet (The unemployment rate is about 20%). They may not have access to adequate health care or have had the opportunity to pursue a good education. Have some compassion!
Nicole
Pittsburgh, PA USA 05/23/2009

Scam Info and Avoid
My girlfriend and I are about to finish a ETBD tour in Venice, Florence and Rome. The only true scam we saw was the VERY GOOD gelato stores near the Duomo (but apparently from other comments on here -around town and at the airport) that charge 8 bucks per scoop or cone for gelato. We bought 2 tiny scoops of gelato and were charged 8 dollars when everywhere else was 3 bucks for the same amount. Tourist ripoff. AVOID "VERY GOOD" gelato stores.

Also, the currecy exchanges are to be avoided. Use your ATM card. The exchange stores all post a rate on the wall sign as to what they are giving you, but what they do not advertise clearly is that they charge a "service fee" AND also a "per dollar" charge for each dollar you are converting! Yep, so your posted 1.47 exchange rate becomes a 2 to 1 exchange rate when they are done with the fees. We flipped out at the wench behind the bullet proof glass window and she is lucky she was protected, because I might have strangled her. But luckily it was only 100 dollars we exchanged so we got about 50 of it.

The flower guys are obnoxious in Venice at Saint Marks Square, but you just shove the roses out of your face and they go away.

Anyone that asked us out of the blue if we spoke english was told Nein or No with an accent unless it was a couple. We initiated a lot of conversations with people who seemed perplexed, lost, etc., but we were the ones initiating the conversation, not them. And those always turned out to be helpful to the people invovled.
Bill <email>
Denver, CO USA 05/22/2009

Copy Cats
Copy cats are doing the mustard spill in Vancouver,BC. They are doing the same tricks that appear to be happening in Italy. Spill the mustard and pick the pockets.
Kim Pasacreta <email>
Langley, BC Canada 05/06/2009

Taxi scams in Italy
Just returned from a week in Italy and thanks to the post regarding the cabby palming the 20 and displaying a 5, did not get ripped off with that scam. We did find the cabbies covering the meter with their hands so you don't see that they are starting with a previous fair already in place. They overcharged us by about 10 Euro per ride. They also took a route that added mileage. We will not use a taxi in Italy again. I suggest public transportation or if you have enough people in your group, use a limo/van service. We were saved the anxiety and arguments with the cabbies and had a driver who gave us a fixed price that was reasonable- by Italian standards.
J. Kelley <email>
Hanson, Ky USA 05/01/2009

Saw some scams but don't be too scared
My wife and I had a great week in Paris recently. The information on this website was very helpful. A moneybelt, knowledge of the Metro, and dressing a little bit European helped a lot. We saw many of the people / scams mentioned here but I wanted to let others know we did not have any trouble from them. As others have said, educate yourself a little before you go and have a definite purpose in your step and I bet you'll have minimal trouble. I wanted to say I felt safe at all times but did keep my wits about me. Don't get scared to go see the city just because there are scam artists.
Charles
Las Vegas, NV USA 05/01/2009

Foiling Pickpockets
I had my pocket picked on a crowded trolley in Amsterdam a few years ago. I managed to get it back by exiting the trolley and creating a scene on the street confronting the pickpocket- pointing and screaming "Thief, Pickpocket" All the attention was focused on him and he wanted no part of it. He tossed my wallet down and hurried off.

Since then my travel pants have been altered. My wallet pocket is sewn shut. The top of the interior of that pocket is cut open the entire width of the pocket (iron on tape reinforces the opening). I access my wallet by reaching into my waistband and removing my wallet from it "pouch". I do not have to do this often as I carry a bit of money in my shirt pocket for a coffee or a snack. It doesn't replace my moneybelt, but it provides a good level of security
Vector <email>
Hamilton, Ohio USA 04/29/2009

ATM Giant
A very tall man (well over 6 foot)stood behind my husband at an ATM machine in Barcelona. He was capable of seeing any numbers punched in. I warned my husband, and we walked away. So did the very tall man!!!
kathi
upstate ny, USA 04/29/2009

Fake Art
Fake art is generally printed on ink jet printers. I carry a small 20X fixed focus microscope tube to examine street art. The scope is about the length of half a pencil and the diameter of a pen.

I have seen a lot of street art which is totally printed on a computer and also some examples where the "pen" portion of the drawing is computer printed and the watercolor portion is indeed watercolor.

I would suggest getting a small scope before you travel and use it to examine all sorts of art and computer printed materials. This will help you recognise the small near perfect dots which indicate a fake.
Ken
GA USA 04/28/2009

Europe
I just want to say that I really enjoy reading everything here. But, I also wonder about people sometimes. All these scams in the high tourist trap areas. One BIG way to avoid these scams is to find non-tourist trap areas to visit. Obviously, it's going to be impossible to keep people away from the Eiffel Tower and the ruins in Rome, but if you get really worked up worrying about "falling victim" to these scams, find other places to enjoy.

I have lived in Prague for 4 months to try to find work, but now have to go back to the states. Never once had a problem with anything! Wore a regular backpack on my back on the trams and metro, kept my wallet and such in my front pocket and was aware of my surroundings. It also helps to stay off the beaten track! If you want to visit the tourist parts, do so during the middle of the week or early morning or at night.

The only thing that was bad was that the beggers are fairly aggressive around Narodni Trida metro.
Keith <email>
Prague, Czech Republic 04/26/2009

mailing boxes
If you send a parcel home, as we did, make sure there is nothing you can't do without. Our parcel arrived, with the contents gone. Many memories were in that box such as brochures, peoples names we met and good travel books from cities we had already visited. We used a box bought at the Vienna Austria post office to insure it would be sturdy. The box was torn open and contents removed and we received the box taped shut. Very disappointing. If we mail again we will pay the extra and use Fed-Ex.
Dorothy Dykema <email>
Hickory Corners, MI USA 04/26/2009

FAKE ART??
We ran into a guy selling art on the river Seine in Paris. He appeared to be drawing something. He said that he painted everything that he was selling. We didn't buy anything. Later that day I saw the exact same art across town. Scam or not? The "artwork" these guys sell, where does it come from?
David N
Schaumburg, IL USA 04/26/2009

David N, it's fake
We saw a girl near the Arc de Triomphe who was apparently finishing some art--she was dabbing some highlights onto it. My wife thought it was cute, so we bought a couple without inspecting the work closely. The next day, we saw somebody dabbing the same highlights on the same artwork. Turns out the artwork was just a color print, and the only paint on them was what the "artist" was dabbing on them. Oh well--we got taken, but it wasn't for much money, and we laughed at ourselves later for being so naive.
Don
Seattle, WA USA 04/26/2009

Scam
I just wanted to add our experience with the "Do you speak English" scam in Paris - the (Eastern European)women in front of Notre Dame tried it on us on our way in (we just said "no" - that we didn't speak English) and then on our way out, they were sitting together on a bench chatting away in French and eating Snickers bars!
Emily
Portland, OR USA 04/23/2009

More Scams in Paris
We also encountered the women outside of Notre Dame asking if we spoke English. We just kept walking and did not respond to them. Watch out for the aggressive African men working both the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles. They are pushing their supposedly illegal trinkets of the Eiffel Tower (even at Versailles) among other items. We walked on the walkway by the river when we left the Eiffel Tower and that seemed to help. They weren't over there. We also encountered a person dropping an item a the airport (CDG). It was a man with 2 women behind him. They dropped in front of the wrong people. We had nothing in our back pockets!
Michelle <email>
Evansville, Indian USA 04/23/2009

Don't wear a fanny pack
James' story is an important and helpful post. But, I would like to emphasize the biggest lesson here is "do not wear a fanny pack." It will make you a target.
Linda
Northern California, USA 04/19/2009

thief
ZURICH: BOARDING A TRAIN IN RUSH HOUR, a young man with cerebral palsy and a gym bag staggered into me with the gym bag pushed into my chest as I looked for a seat.My wife saw from her seat his hands trying to open the fanny pack I wore frontwards. When she hollered "stop thief" his disability vanished and he flew off the train.
JAMES GALLAGHER
DANVILLE, PA USA 04/18/2009

for those who need to carry medical supplies
It's all well and good to have the mantra "wear a money belt" but some of us have medical conditions and must carry gear that simply cannot fit in a money belt. I was concerned about this for my recent trip to Spain and Portugal, and found no solutions posted here. So, here's what worked for me. I wore a money belt with the usual stuff. I also carried a small Pacsafe bag slung across my body, in which I carried all my "diabetes stuff" including glucose testing gear and liquid glucose (I have Type 1 diabetes). I also wore clothing that covered my insulin pump and my continuous glucose monitor, so that these were not visible (and therefore less likely to be ripped from my body). I had a wonderful trip without any problems. Happy trails!
Lee
Benicia, CA USA 04/12/2009

Ring Scam
The ring scam, the coat, the bracelets, the lost local, are all variations of the same scam. They are doing some nice for you. Let you keep -- the leather coat, the found gold ring, the bracelet -- and in return they are expecting a small payment, a tip, a token of your appreciation for them being so nice to you. NEVER ACCEPT anything, from anyone unless you initiate the transaction. These scams are easy to avoid --- Just say NO !!!
Frank P <email>
CENTENNIAL, CO USA 04/09/2009

Ring Scam
Amy, look in the search feature for over 200 examples.
Bob <email>
Gettysburg, PA USA 04/07/2009

Rome taxi drivers
Rapacious cab drivers in Rome again. They don't start the taxi meter or turn it off before you stop and claim the price is higher than it was. A recent cabby palmed my 20 euro note immediately flashing a five ( also blue). Stand your ground, make them turn off the meter, keep an eye on it and when you give the driver payment, mention out loud how much you are giving him.
albert chambers
cincinnati, ohio USA 04/06/2009

Ring Scam- help!
Hi fellow travelers,

two friends and I are planning a 2 week trip to France, Italy and Spain for June 2009 and we are trying to plan as much as we can ahead of time. I have been looking at different parts of the graffiti wall and many people have mentioned the "Ring Scam" but unfortunately have not explained what it is.

Can someone please re-describe it for this curious and cautious traveler?

Thanks!! Happy Travels!!
Amy
New York, NY USA 04/06/2009

Paris Gold Ring and Bracelet Scam April 2009
Just about to wrap up nine wonderful days in Paris and I thought I'd share my experience. The Gold Ring Scam is EVERYWHERE in Paris: On the Jardin Des Tuileries near the Louvre, on the Champ De Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower, near the Quai Branly Museum, and a few other places near popular tourist attractions. Women AND men tried the scam on me about 12 times! Also, the North Africans with their Bracelet Scam exist in front of the Louvre at the Jardin Des Tuileries and the Sacre Coeur Basilica. They were polite at the Jardin but VERY aggressive at the Sacre, trying to grab my arm as I walked by (and I'm 6 feet tall!). When I pulled away the guy muttered loudly "F--king American!" Ahhh, Paris. Finally, the Gypsies with the "Do You Speak English" signs swarm the tourists all day in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. Just wear your moneybelt, walk confidently, and you'll be fine.
Thomas Elliot
Nom De Plume, TX USA 04/05/2009

Overcharged in Switzerland
5 francs for a soda in Switzerland is NOT being overcharged. Welcome to Switzerland where the prices are high and the standard of living for Swiss Citizens is even higher!
Tim
USA 04/04/2009

money belt security
Some people on this board have worried whether the strap of the money belt is too flimsy or whether the closure could open by itself. I have also wondered about thieves not knowing where these belts are on a traveler's body. To secure my money belt I use a diaper pin (at baby departments) to pin it to my underpants. I also never go into the money belt to retrieve anything while in public. If necessary, duck into a photo booth at a train station.
Linda
USA 04/04/2009

*Drugged* and ripped off at Paris Metro stop?
A relative of mine recently came to visit me in France. She was at the Gare du Nord in Paris looking at a posted subway map, and noticed that someone was very close behind her, also looking at the map. She wasn't worried about theft since she had an eye on all her bags and her money/cards were stored in a small flat purse she wore up on her wrist under her clothes. Anyway, the man started talking to her, asking her where she was from and so forth, and my relative realized that she felt very spaced out and "weird." The man was offering to help her buy a metro pass that "costs 90 euros" -- my relative knew better than all of this, but said she just couldn't "put together" what was happening at the time. She "knew something was wrong" but found herself acting automatically, according to the man's prompts. The man walked her through getting 90 euros out of an ATM, giving him the money, and then he gave her a "ticket" and walked her through the turnstile (probably because the ticket was a fake.)

My relative is not a naive traveller. Under any normal circumstance she would certainly know not to do any of those things! Subsequently she and I have been wondering if she was somehow drugged, not from eating or drinking anything, but simply from breathing something in? I've heard that there are other tourist scams where if someone can get close enough to you with a certain chemical, on a piece of paper or something, it will cause you to get woozy and lose your normal bearings.

About an hour after this incident at the Gare du Nord my relative started to come back to normal and realize she'd been robbed, but it took her a few days to figure out a possible why she had been "so stupid" as to give that man money!

I post this as a warning but also to ask: does anybody know anything more about whether scammers are using drugs to confuse people and take money off of them? It really does seem like the only plausible explanation to what happened in this situation.
Asta <email>
Champaign, IL USA 04/04/2009

Money Belt Security
In reference to the question about money belt security (whether the straps are too "flimsy"), PacSafe makes a money belt and money neck pouch that is lined with wire (slash-proof) and covered with soft material so it will not rub your skin. However, I read that the money belt strap only sizes down to a 28" waist size, so for those of us who are petite in the waist, this will not fit! Hope this helps!
Elaine
Dallas, TX USA 04/04/2009

Our experience with scams abroad
Our small scam encounters... We had 3 weeks London, Dublin, Paris, Venice and Rome --- The best trip EVER!! Just some FYI's!! PS. We loved our Moneybelts! So Freeing!

The WORST scam was outside the Vatican, we were starving and followed a guy to an authentic Italian restaurant. We ended up getting stuck for EXTRA'S that cost the same as our original meal! The waiter that speaks English very well disappears during the order process and the woman who only speaks Italian somehow adds on mushrooms you never asked for and 2 meatballs which sounded like an ok add on of 2-3Euros but were 7EUROS FOR EACH! Turns a meal of 25Euros to 54Euros…. We had already eaten and tried to fight this but just paid this HORRIBLY expensive bill. Make sure you say you ONLY want exactly what you are pointing to on the menu! Oh and the 3Euro glass of wine… did not exist they almost got me on a 13 Euro small bottle… fortunately I double checked the price before they got it open, and I pointed and showed them the small amount I wanted…. And 8EURO tax?? This all seems soo scammy!

Paris we saw the ring scam along the Seine. The girl said “C’est Bon” we laughed and kept going!

In Rome at the Termini there was a man not affiliated with the train stations, who tries to help Americans understand the automated machines to buy tickets for a TIP

There were MANY women throughout Paris dressed in Arabic garb who say that they are not French and need some help... funny thing is they have some script or piece of paper they all carry. The come up to you and ask "Do you speak English?" We ran into this at all of the major sites during our week in Paris
Bethany <email>
Chattanooga, Tn USA 04/04/2009

Overcharged
When I was in Switzerland, I was charged 5 francs for a coke in a fast food pizza. I also was overcharged the displayed price for a drink at a stand in Italy. I also was ticketed twice on the train from Switzerland. Our school in Switzerland advised all the students to carry 20 francs at all times for cops. Don't be like me, if they over charge, cancel your order. I didn't.
Sunny
TX USA 04/01/2009

Rome: Gas Money a.k.a. Leather jacket for
My wife and I just got back from our 4th trip to Rome. We never had any incidents before. We were always careful on the Metro and kept our money secure, but I still fell for the "leather jacket" scam and had to look on this web site to see if anyone else had fell for it. Misery loves company. It happened to me like this...We were walking up a lonely street to look through the famous "keyhole" of Rome and a nicely dressed Italian man drove up in a nice car and said he was from Milan. He was looking for the Coliseum. We gave him directions. He told us his wife was from Colorado. He worked for Versace or some high priced clothing line. We chatted it up for a while. He was so grateful and gave us "free" samples of the latest clothing he just got done showing in Chicago and Milan and blah blah blah...We got a leather jacket and another jacket too! This was awesome!!!! He insisted we not sell them (like he would get into trouble or something.) We promised we wouldn't think of it! Then he said he was low on gas and had no money and asked for gas money.(I don't know why I would think someone would be driving in Rome with no money at all...Oh I know why! I'm an idiot!) So I looked to give him something small, but my wife had a 20E and I had only a 50E. Did she give him money? No she's smart, but not dumb ol' friendly me! I gave him a 50!?! He took off like a bat out of you-know-where! I was sooooo clueless it wasn't even funny. (OK maybe now it is a little funny...OK maybe my wife thinks it is funny that I fell for it. I am still a little angry/embarrass.) It took me 5-10 seconds to realize what had happened. The leather jacket was 100% polyester and stunk to high heaven. It smells so bad I had to keep it on the balcony of our hotel room. I refuse to throw it away! I paid good money for it. The other jacket is worth 5 bucks and maybe presentable in public. I too am keeping it unless someone on this site wants to send me cash for either of them.

Why did I fall for this scam? Here's what I think...

1) He was well dressed. 2) He was friendly. 3) His story was believable at least at the time. (Looking back it is stupid.) 4) I was hyper - aware of creepy pick pocket gypsies, but not of this type of scam by well-dressed people. That's just why it works. And #5 I didn't read this site beforehand.

Looking back and after reading this site I'm glad nothing really "vacation-ending" happened to us. We both fell hook-line-and-sinker for his story and had both bent INSIDE his vehicle to point to the map and shook his hand. Our money and camera were secure (we think), but after the incident, I thought of the possibility of the guy just trying to rip off my wife's ring as he drives off down the street with her hanging out of the window just trying to escape. I'd get nightmares if I thought about it too much.

Only when he asked for gas money did my wife say she became suspicious, but it all happened so fast after that point that she didn't have time to relay her feelings to me before I threw money at him. Hey what's 50E when you have 1000E worth of free stuff?

P.S.--The gold ring scam never happened to us or else I'd probably be telling you how I lost money in that one too.

P.P.S--Don't give directions to anyone, and make sure everyone you know that is traveling overseas reads this site!!!
Dan
Chicago, IL USA 03/29/2009

London - Edgeware Road
Edgeware Road in London can be a drag. I've been hit up by beggars elsewhere, even Knightsbridge in front of Harrods, but in Edgeware the panhandlers are more aggressive, using their kids to gain sympathy and one particularly pushy beggar who practically stalked me to give him money after repeated refusals - as a lone, youngish female tourist had to get a man to help me out of the situation.
C
Honolulu, HI USA 03/25/2009

The Unexpected
I recently took 9 students on an educational tour of Paris with EFTours. Before we left, I warned them about the ring scam, the sign-holders, and the Sacre-Couer string guys. On our first day, before we joined the big group we were on our own for the morning, hanging out in Montmartre. About 7 minutes after exchanging their American dollars into Euros, we stopped into a cafe to recharge our batteries. One of my students, however, stayed outside in the street and found a Three Card Monte scam. He only lost about 20 Euros before I caught him and pulled him away. The only scam we didn't encounter the whole time was the Ring Scam--the kids were quite disappointed!
Jake Allen
Eureka Springs , AR USA 03/24/2009

Hotels.com Ripoff
Back in 2005 I had a big problem finding a place to stay in Rome following the death of Pope John Paul II. In desperation I used Hotels.com to book a room in a 2* hotel near the train station. I had to pay in advance, per their policy. When I arrived at the Hotel, they ushered me to another hotel (I swear it had to be a rent-by-the-hour place) which was the biggest dump you ever saw in your life - for the same price *surprise*... It was filthy, the shower didn't work, the toilet was backed up, it stunk and there were visible stains on the linens. The view out the window was that of a trash dump behind a restaurant. After returning to the USA I complained to Hotels.com and they just basically blew me off...... they have your money and you are stuck with whatever they or their participating "hotels" decide to do with you.
Jenny P <email>
San Diego, CA USA 03/21/2009

Barcelona Passport Control
One Sunday morning my wife and I were walking on a virtually deserted main street from the hotel named 987. We were about six blocks from the Gaudi Sagrada Familia Cathedral. A tall English speaking man approached us from behind with a folded map in his hands and started asking us for direction help. We told him we couldn't help him, but he persisted in trying to talk to us (which served the purpose of slowing us down completely). At this point, two men in suits came from the direction we were walking. They very fast flashed their wallets with some sort of "ID" that said, in English "Passport Control" and said they were the police. They said they had been following the man who was standing behind us (strange? following him from the opposite direction). One of the suits stood next to my wife, the other one talked to me. He wanted to see our passports and to know if we had done any business with the guy with the map. We always carry only photocopies of our passports which I showed him in the pouch around my neck (dumb). At this stage, the con was in full swing. I was hooked. Now, he wanted to see my money because he said a lot of tourists have been scammed by making change for crooks who pass off large counterfeit bills in exchange for good, smaller bills. I let him look at my money which comprised ten US $20 bills on the bottom and about 50 in Euro on the top. He looked at all the money and handed it back to me. He said to be careful. He and the other suit took off in the direction we had come from. The guy with the map disappeared into thin air. As I watched them hurry down the street both of them were on their cell phones. After we recovered for a minute I checked my money. I had the Euros. The US twenties were gone. Then, I thought back. Just before we crossed a certain street and were approached by the guy with the map, I remembered a man sitting alone illegally parked in a black four door car at the curb. He was talking on a cell phone. My guess is the four were in cahoots via cell phone. What to do in the future: Walk fast. Don't stop for anyone. If any supposed "police" approach you, demand to have them accompany you back to your hotel and to call the police station to send out a marked police car. Or, just yell "thieves" "crooks" "robbers" and take off. If they were real police, you can bet they would have had a marked police car and they could have called for back up help. Come on, the real police don't have time to randomly stop perhaps tourists on the sidewalk. In many countries picking pockets is considered a "victim-less crime". It's the matter of the have's and the have nots. You know which group you are in. You are supposed to have a passport on you in a foreign country --- but a colored photo copy will work just fine. I am thinking my copies saved me from losing two U.S. passports. I complained to the hotel desk. They would not call the police. They said we would have to walk the two miles to the station to make a complaint. A month ago we stayed near Las Ramblas in a very nice hotel. We talked to the people at the desk. Believe it or not, they said that DAILY a tourist staying in their hotel gets his/her pocket picked out on the street. Moral: Use Rick's waist belt with all your money. Forget you are an American. Morph into an alert tourist. Don't trust anyone on the street. We go to Barcelona a lot to start Royal Caribbean cruises. We've been there six times. We'll be there again. But, we'll walk fast.
Robert D. Brooks
Detroit, MI USA 03/21/2009

One week in Paris -no trouble
Just returned from one week in Paris where we rode the Metro and walked in different neighborhoods morning and night. Not one lick of trouble. Yes, we saw a couple walking down the street attempting to stop various people with the ring scam, there were numerous women dressed in Arabic clothing at the Arch D’Triumph asking if we could speak English and the aggressive guys at Sacre Coeur tried to put a bracelet on me.

Just like our other European trips—we used the hotel safe, followed Rick’s advice for using a money belt, my wife carried her “Pac-safe” bag and I wore “Travelsmith” pants with the hidden zippered pocket. I keep cash and one credit card on a money clip and keep it in the hidden zippered pocket. I can always feel it secured in my pocket and since I don’t carry a wallet, it takes away all the stress.

I would much rather walk down the streets of Paris and other European cities than those in the United States. If I was approached by a group of guys in downtown Phoenix like I was a Sacre Coeur, you know I’d have much bigger troubles.
Shawn
Chandler , az USA 03/18/2009

pickpockets
We took a day trip to Brussels from Paris. In the brussels train station we were looking for information about where we wanted to go. A young lady in a uniform came up to us and informed us it was her job to help tourists. She told us about their subway, what train to take and where to get off and explained that we could buy a ticket for the weekend and that one ticket would serve for both of us. She even took change from my hand and purchased our ticket for us. A short time later I realized I had been pickpocketed! It was a long time before I thought back over the day and realized that the helpful woman had undoubtably been the thief. The tipoff was that although there were others standing near us looking like they needed help, she immediately left the area totally ignoring them. I now have purchased a wallet with a steel clip which I hook over my pants and carry out of site inside my pants. This is in addition to a money belt by the way.
Ron <email>
Las Vegas, NV USA 03/12/2009

Frank, I do see your point that if 1 in 4 tourists is a crime victim then 3 out of four will not have a problem HOWEVER consider that the 3 out of 4 were not victimized because of reading warnings such as posted here.In our four trips to Italy (with number 5 in 9 weeks) we've never had a real problem. I was short changed a half euro at a small market in Trastevere for the most outstanding slice of pizza I've ever had and a freezing cold bottle of water. I got lunch for 2.5 euros so hard to hold a grudge.Last year in Rome we were victims of a scam I'd never seen before. The bus was very croweded and we couldn't get close enough to validate our tickets. I'd forgotten that we could simply write the bus number and time on the tickets so when the large man blocking the machine was offering to validate people's tickets we passed them to him. Later that evening when cleaning out our pockets we found that our tickets had been validated while we were still in Florence LOL. A small scam to be sure but could have cost us 100 euro in fines if a bus inspector had come on board.I've learned how to travel safely by reading the postings here. I'm not afraid--- just prepared. We were also approached by a woman with the plastic baby at Termini. She asked in English "something for the baby?" My husband answered in Italian It's a plastic baby what does it need? A little time reading these warnings and implementing a few basic precautions can help assure you a wonderful experience in Italy or any other country.
Maggie <email>
St Louis, MO USA 03/03/2009

Right before leaving a great stay in Florence, the family decided to have some gelato before boarding the train and stopped at "Very Good" gelato near the main station.

From the "Very Good" manager, I ordered 3 small cones of cherry (posted price was 2.50 euro) and was handed 3 cones. When I paid with a 50 (euro) so I could have some change for travel, the manager only gave me 29 euro back!

Surprised and flabbergasted, I asked the manager for the rest of my change. She said I had ordered "waffle cones" @ 7 euro EACH! 21 euro for three cones of gelato.

Again, I asked for my change and reminded her that I ordered 3 SMALL cones. The "Very Good" manager refused to give me any money back.

Lesson learned: Ask how much an item is before ordering and then double-check before accepting the item.

"Very Good" gelato cheats customers AND isn't even near the top of the list for great gelato!
S. Parrish
Maastricht, Netherlands 03/01/2009

Post Card Scam
In 1996, my wife and I stayed at Los Brisas in Acapulco, before departing on a cruise. My wife addressed about 25 post cards, we asked the person at the front desk to mail them for us. He said no problem, he told us what the postage would be and we paid him. Surprise! Surprise! he never mailed them, and pocketed the money. If it happened there, it can happen anywhere. Mail your post cards from the Post Office. Or if you are in Europe go to any Tabac ,they all sell stamps.
Dennis <email>
alameda, cA USA 02/28/2009

Post card scam
I gave the hotel owner in Salzburg, Austria three postcards to mail for me. After reading several previous scam reports, I realize that she probably removed the stamps to use again and threw the postcards away. I will not ever leave my mail in hotels but will search for a post office.
Terry
Louisville, KY USA 02/27/2009

Hofbräuhaus
Sounds a little like what happened to me in Rothenburg.

My bill came out to a little over €20. I rounded it up and added a Euro. I think that made it €23. I handed the waiter a twenty and a ten Euro note and said, "Drei und zwanzig Euro". He took the bills and just left. That would have been about a 40% tip! I had to hunt him down to get my change.

I guess, hearing my American accent, he thought I would "tip" generously, and maybe thought I wouldn't understand European money (actually, many in Germany didn't at that time, only about 8 months after they went to the Euro).

Germans don't really tip, as such. The waiters are fully paid for their work, maybe only minimum wage, but not the sub-minimum wage like here. They are not expected to make up for it with tips. It is just considered impolite to keep the small change.

A few years later, a German woman in the Schwarzwald soundly scolded me for over-tipping when I told her I added one or two Euro to the amount after rounding up.
Lee
Denver, CO USA 02/26/2009

Hofbrauhaus
We were in Munich jan.5-10,2009. This was probably my 60 or so trips to Munich. We went to the Hofbrauhaus ( which I always do when in Munich) and for the first time I had an expreience I have never had.We ordered our 2nd beer and I had the correct amount on the table and the waiter said "no tip" and I said no. He said was my service good? I said yes. He said then you tip me. I said no, so he picked up the beer and walked off leaving the money on the table. We sat there and I was getting angry at this point. However a few minutes later he returned with the same beer and then took the money. I went back the next day to see if he was working so I could get his name and report it to someone in authority, but he wasn't there.I also told the staff at my hotel where I have been staying since 1953. They were surprised and did make a call to the Hofbrauhaus.
H. Thornton <email>
Athens, Texas USA 02/25/2009

RE: John in Sydneys story
I will clarify for John that in the UK and Australia, a purse is generally what Americans would call a wallet. I think thats what he was saying, so its probably not that the handbag got taken, just the wallet...

In America, we call a handbag a purse, and we put our money in a wallet.
Tami <email>
Boulder, CO USA 02/20/2009

Tour Scams
Bob, part of the problem with your situation is that organized tour group leaders don't make themselves obvious. I missed a tour at the Colloseum because there were a lot of people just milling around and no one identified themselves as a tour guide. At the Vatican a woman said she was from the company so a few of us took her tour. I later got an email from the company asking if I had missed their tour. (She actually was quite good in any event.)
Nick
Anaheim, USA 02/19/2009

Barging pickpocket in Naples
Sometimes pickpockets aren't subtle. Recently someone I know was visiting Naples, Italy when someone pickpocketed her purse simply by walking straight at her and barging past, taking the purse while he was at it. So, if someone starts walking straight at you for no logical reason, beware.
John
Sydney, NSW Australia 02/17/2009

Rome Tour scams
We stood near the Colisuem waiting at a meeting point for the tour guide we pre booked. A young girl came to us asking if we needed a tour, we mentioned we had a tour booked, we told her the name of the company. She said she worked for them and I was to come along with her. Our tour group was suppose to be a small group tour with a real native english speaker. She added us onto a very large tour group, with an Italian guy who was so bad. We tropped around,like lost sheep. The girl is of course paid to do this type of thing. what a shame
Bob Mularski
NYC, USA 02/09/2009

Rome Scam
Walking along the a main road to the colloseum a car pulled over and asked us for directions to the French embassy. He then went on to explain he was working for Versace and was from Paris on a business trip - showing us a clothing catalogue of things he "sold". After telling him we didnt know where the embassy was he thanked us and asked for the heights of the ladies with us and then pushed a "Versace" coat to them in "thanks". He then went on to ask for some cash as his fuel was running low. Needless to say at this point we gave him back the coat and walked away. It sounds obvious now but be aware of this sneaky scam!
Booth
Sydney, NSW Australia 01/17/2009

Paris this past week
Just got back from a wonderful 6 day trip to Paris. Experienced all the scams read here except the ring scam ( could be because it was anywhere from -1 to -9 *C !) Most of the scams though are in specific locations. The friendship bracelet was only at the steps of Sacre Coeur. Couldn't believe it as it was snowing and in the negative degrees! Not really a scam but very annoying the men selling Eiffel tower junk are out an about and very aggressive. Yelling "NEIN!" worked with every body. On a very interesting note..I payed special attention to the old women beggars and found at least two of them to definitely be men!
Elle <email>
St. Augustine, FL USA 01/11/2009

Beware of fake goods by street vendors!!!
We were shopping in Florence and came across a guy selling dancing cartoon puppets on a sidewalk. He had a boom box playing cool dance music...which turned out to be a distraction. The cartoon puppets were of Donald Duck, Piccachu, Mickey Mouse, and other like characters. They were dancing to the beat of the music and it seemed so cool and I thought my nephew would really like one. I asked him how they were dancing cause I didn't see any battery or wires attached. He said "static vibration" to the sound of the music. I thought it sounded weird but the crowd of people who were throwing their money at him for the cartoon characters enticed me to follow. The vendor sold me 3 for 5 euros and several more to my friends. We spent 20 euros total for our cool dancing cartoons. I also took a 20 second video of the cartoons dancing as a souvenir of our trip. When we returned to the hotel, my friends and I wanted to play around with our new toys but couldn't get them to dance along with the music....we couldn't get it to even move. We examined the cartoon puppets more closely and they seemed so cheesily thrown together. In the clear packaging film, there was a small folded piece of instruction telling you how to making your puppets dance. You need a boom box playing loud music, a puppet, and a piece of fish wire tied to the boom box with a person yanking on it to the beat of the music. We were so fooled! I rewatched the video clip and indeed there was another culprit sitting 8 ft away, looking in a different direction with his fingers moving to the rhythm of the music. Moral of the story...don't let the puppets fool you!
Michelle
Austin, TX USA 01/10/2009

Paris Apt Scam
You don't use a check bc you have no recourse. You always have recourse if you use credit cards, and complain to your card company within a reasonable time. No normal business asks for checks-they'd all rather have credit cards
Bob Barnett <email>
Huntington Beach, CA USA 01/07/2009

Beware Directa.net
We have traveled to Italy 5-6 time with no problem or scams. But on the last trip in October, I inquired about booking a hotel through Directa.net. I decided instead to book directly, and told Directa we did not want to book through them. But they already had our credit card. When we got home there was a charge on my credit card from Directa anyway and, despite them saying they would remove the charge, they never did. I had to pay to have my credit card company deal with it. Now I have a new charge for $402. from Directa on my credit card (made on Christmas day!) and they do not reply to my emails. I see on the Trip Advisor website that others have had problems with them as well. Beware using Directa.net.
Mary
Juneau, AK USA 01/07/2009

RE: Gold ring scam in PARIS...What gives?
Hey, Shar. Just do a search for "Gold Ring Scam" in the search box on this web site and you'll find all you need to know about this common scam. It sounds like you lucked out, though. I'm willing to bet that the real gold ring you bought in Europe, and later sold here in the States, was stolen through shoplifting or pickpocketing.
Joseph
Harlingen, TX USA 01/06/2009

Gold ring scam in PARIS...What gives?
I have to say that my husband and I went to Paris in October '08 and encountered the ring scam - four different times. Person bends over, pretends to pick up a ring, then asks if you dropped it. They try to give it to you, then they ask for money for a sandwich in return. The first time, we took the ring because the woman insisted, and my hubby gave her a few French coins amounting to a couple of American dollars.

Now get this...a couple of days ago I gathered up a few gold pieces to take to a very reputable jewelry store in town because the price of gold is at an all-time high right now and everyone is saying turn in your unused gold. On a whim, I threw in that wide-band gold ring I'd gotten in Paris from a gypsy girl. The jeweler ran various tests on my pieces to determine quality, whether, 9, 10, 14, 18K, etc., or to see if the stuff I turned in was even genuine. Guess what. That gold ring from Paris was 18K and the jeweler gave me $80 for the melt-down of it. What gives with that "gold ring scam" anyway? Are they all real????? Now, I wish I would have taken the others that were offered me. They all looked identical!
Shar MacLaren <email>
Spring Lake, MI USA 01/05/2009

Rome and Scams
For anyone planning an itinerary to Rome, Italy, re-read the very first paragraph of Rick Steves', 2007 Rome Travel Guide. Sentence number three: "But if you are careless, you'll be run down or pickpocketed." You need a strategy and a "Mind Set" in order to enjoy Rome. The strategy comes from being prepared, having a money belt, and also having EXACT change in small bills and coins. Honest Italians hate making change from larger bills. Dishonest Italian's love making change from large bills. So when you do your first currency exchange, insist on smaller bills and get use to the weight of carrying around coinage. This strategy will render you immune from 90% of the Slow Count Scam. Native Italians never break a large bill on a small purchase. They just don't do this: Its not part of their culture. You can always hide a few 50 euro notes some place that pickpockets can't get to for emergencies and when the whole credit card infrastructure shuts down, which it does on occasion. Mind Set comes into play when you are dealing with the street scams. Be ready to be forceful and direct when you say, "NO!" Don't use a polite "no." Use a a finger in the face, "NO!!," just like the locals do. And then don't let the fact that you had to be rude mess up your enjoyment of the rest of the day. Forget about it, like it didn't happen. An Honest Italian is too proud to ask you, a tourist, for anything. They don't want help, or directions, or need your charity as a visitor to THEIR COUNTRY. An Honest Italian will make it a point, a personal point of honor, to help you and will be insulted if you try to give some gratuity for the extra effort. Carry that Mind Set and understand the underlying culture.

My only rip-off during 2007 in Rome, was from the cleaning staff at the room we had in Rome. They were Polish Immigrants and stoled a hidden 20 euro note on the last day of our stay. I was going to give them 30 euros anyway - just like anyone would as a gratuity for a room cleaning person in the US. So it sort of worked out to my advantage.

Also, do as the natives do when you do laundry. Drying clothing is extremely expensive for everyone there. Two loads will easily cost you 12 to 13 euros of dryer time. Its not a scam. Its just expensive for everyone. Hang things out to dry. I'm surprised that the French Embassy direction asker, fake-leather-jacket guy is still in business. Its been four years since I first encountered him. We need a license plate number on his VW Bug. He needs to be shut down.
Francis Saffell <email>
Eugene, OR USA 01/04/2009

Cab ripoff prevention
Cheating by cabbies seems to be a pan-European sport. Here's a suggestion: when you get into the cab, ostentatiously write down the license number or take a photo of it, explaining to the cabbie "Just in case I forget something in the cab, I can trace it later." That way, they know that you know who they are...An ounce of prevention...
JER <email>
USA 01/04/2009