Travel scams

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Many of you may know that I have a penchant for travel and I am always learning about new scams.

I have only ever fallen for one and it was pretty minor i.e. when I was about 21 when a shopkeeper in Tangier appeared to package up an article of clothing I had purchased whereas I ended up with something else after a sleight of hand under the counter for a split second.

My 'favourites' are:

1. The fake Cambodian passport/immigration office in no-man's land at a Thailand-Cambodia border crossing (and in amongst a myriad of pan-handlers who seemed to be allowed to operate in that area). I was aware about it in advance thanks to other travellers who had shared the info.

2. The official Cambodia passport/immigration office pointing to a large sign in their office that an addition US $10 is due for some reason or other. As above, I was aware of this bogus demand and was sent to sit down until I paid - but was waved through when they knew I wasn't going to pay and/or to leave a seat for the next possible victim.

3. 'Helpful' locals seeing you looking at a map of some description, offering to lead you through the streets to where you will be lost and possibly intimidated - and requesting money to get you to safety. (I didn't play ball with that one when I was in Marrakesh as I knew which direction to head in as the sun was shining, which helped to navigate where GPS was restricted due to the narrow streets).

4. People standing outside accommodation you may have booked and saying that they are the manager and that the property has closed due to a problem of some description (plumbing, construction etc) - and directing you to their alleged partner accommodation. That hasn't happened to me it's not uncommon, it seems.

For my part, I rarely put total trust in people approaching me when travelling and put more store in people I choose to approach.

What scams have you come across?

[light up the darkness]

Vietnam. Halong Bay. Took a trip on a boat around the Bay. Invited for food. Ordered some noodles and a beer. Wouldn’t let the tourists off the boat until they paid a minimum of 5million vnd per person. (About £150)
Whilst waiting for our minder to arrive to sort it out everyone on the boat coughed up.

We ended up paying £10 each.

Have to confess my arse was doing somersaults

Vung Tao. Guys on the beach playing football inviting foreigners to join in. They take a break and offer drinks. Most of the foreigners being polite took a drink. It was strong rice wine and the charge to those who partook was £10 each encouraged by some very threatening behaviour

Tan Son Nhat airport. Border control staff scamming visitors $50 for ‘illegal items’ found in their luggage.

Lots more mostly harmless but with a lot of underlying threat. Usually visitors pay up.

Travel with your eyes open and if feels wrong then turn around and head in the other direction

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Vietnam. Halong Bay. Took a trip on a boat around the Bay. Invited for food. Ordered some noodles and a beer. Wouldn’t let the tourists off the boat until they paid a minimum of 5million vnd per person. (About £150)
Whilst waiting for our minder to arrive to sort it out everyone on the boat coughed up.

We ended up paying £10 each.

Have to confess my arse was doing somersaults

Vung Tao. Guys on the beach playing football inviting foreigners to join in. They take a break and offer drinks. Most of the foreigners being polite took a drink. It was strong rice wine and the charge to those who partook was £10 each encouraged by some very threatening behaviour

Tan Son Nhat airport. Border control staff scamming visitors $50 for ‘illegal items’ found in their luggage.

Lots more mostly harmless but with a lot of underlying threat. Usually visitors pay up.

Travel with your eyes open and if feels wrong then turn around and head in the other direction

Interesting stuff. Regarding drinks: my policy is never to take anything handed to you. There's even a scam whereby someone hands you a mobile phone to take a photo of them and deliberately drop it when you return it....