International Travel Scams and How to Avoid Them

Throughout our travels we have witnessed and become targets of various travel scams. While we were able to avoid (or at least mitigate the damage of) those scams, many fall victim to them everyday. Below we talk about the scams we've encountered, where to expect them, and how to avoid them.

 1.) The Rose Scam - Rome
Common in Italy (we saw this scam at the Spanish Steps in Rome), a stranger walks up to a couple and offers the lady a single rose. Once the lady takes the rose, the stranger turns to her boyfriend/husband/etc. and shakes him down for money. If the couple refuses to pay and tries to give back the rose, the stranger refuses to take it back and makes a scene accusing the man of not caring for his lady enough to pay for a single rose. This goes on until the partner gives in and gives the stranger money.

While at the Spanish Steps, a stranger approached me and offered a rose. After I declined to take it, he continued to persist, to the point of practically forcing the rose into my hand. Eventually, after a number of "no"s and using Brent as a human shield, the stranger moved on to another couple to try his luck at scamming them.
​
Best way to avoid this scam: never take the rose and be cautious when any stranger hands you something. 

2.) The Tea Ceremony Scam - Shanghai
​A couple approaches you on the street and asks you to take their picture. They tell you they are excited to find someone who speaks English and you make small talk. They seem nice and invite you to join them at a traditional tea ceremony, where you'll get an authentic glimpse into Chinese culture and make local friends! Sounds great, right? You're then led down a series of back roads meant to confuse you and are taken into a nondescript tea parlor. From there you may be taken into a private room, told to order as many tea varieties as possible, and offered a number of snacks. Once your bill arrives, you find you're being charged hundreds of dollars for the tea you just enjoyed! 

We were approached by a couple who asked us to take their picture and began to talk with us. Although the tea ceremony scam is the most popular scam in Shanghai, we had not heard of it before our trip. We happily engaged in conversation with the couple. When they began to insist we join them at a tea ceremony we genuinely considered it, but politely declined and told them we were going to Yu Garden right across the street. They began to talk down the garden as inauthentic and again insisted we would have a better time at the tea ceremony. Luckily, it was our last day in Shanghai and we really wanted to see the garden. Otherwise, we probably would have went with them and gotten scammed big time. Once we got back to the U.S. I read all about the tea ceremony scam from multiple tourists who experienced it and couldn't believe the bullet we dodged! 

Best way to avoid this scam: Stick to your plan for the day unless you really know the area. Not everyone is out to scam you, but its best to be cautious. Of course, if you're in Shanghai, do not join anyone for a spontaneous tea ceremony!
​

3.) The Dirty Cop - Mexico
​You've rented a car in Mexico and are driving it back to the airport. Suddenly, while approaching your exit for the airport, a police officer pulls you over. You're sure you weren't speeding, but he shows you a radar gun that reads otherwise. He takes your license and tells you that you can't have it back until you've paid your ticket, which he tries to get you to pay then and there without appearing in traffic court of any kind. He tells you the court isn't open until tomorrow and seems surprised when you tell him you're on the way to the airport to fly home. After walking around your car to peek through windows and see what valuables you have, he asks "what do you want to do about it?" and waits for you to offer to pay him whatever cash you have in your wallet. 

Sure enough, we were pulled over by a cop on a motorcycle just yards from the highway exit to the airport. These guys are experts at profiling tourists in a rental car. We knew for a fact we weren't speeding because I, already knowing about the scam, had been calling out all of the changing speed limits as we drove past. The cop insisted we were speeding and showed us a radar gun with a bogus speed on it. The cop then took Brent's license and told him he couldn't get it back until he paid the $300 ticket at the police station when it opened the next day. When we let him know we were headed to the airport he asked what we wanted to do about it. Being prepared, we told him he could keep our license, mail us the ticket, and we'd come back to pay it (knowing that it is our passports, not license, that get us back into the U.S. and he sure as hell wasn't going to take those from us). He tried to push us to offer him money, even telling us he would "discount" the amount of the ticket to $180. When we told him we didn't have that much money he asked how much we had. Brent pulled out a $10 and the cop took it, throwing Brent's I.D back into the car. We then asked if he knew of a place where we could get gas that took credit cards, as said that was our last $10. When he heard that, he tossed the bill back into the car, told us where the nearest gas station was, and let us go.

Best way to avoid this scam: Avoid renting a car in Mexico. Take a shuttle or taxi to your hotel instead. If you do choose to rent a car in Mexico, be aware of this scam and its popularity. It might just happen to you, so don't let yourself be shaken down by the dirty cops.

4.) The Broken Gas Pump - Mexico
You pull up to a gas station that has an attendant. They swipe your card at the pump once, twice, a third time, to no avail. They unplug the machine and plug it back in, but still the card doesn't take. Apologizing, they let you know their card reader must be broken. You pay with cash and drive away, only to later realize your bank account has been charged three times for three different amounts. Turns out their machine was working all along.

Coincidentally enough, this scam happened at the gas station that the dirty cop directed us to! When we were told our card didn't work, we went inside and got cash out of the ATM (not surprising, the gas at that gas station was marked up a ton). When we were sitting in the plane about to take off, we noticed the charges. Luckily, a quick call to the bank had all of those charges reported and removed.

Best way to avoid this scam: Again, don't rent a car in Mexico and  you don't have to deal with gas stations at all. 

These are just a number of scams we've seen first hand while traveling internationally. There are a number of others out there that travelers need to be aware of. For instance, while it hasn't ever happened to us, we're always vigilant of pick-pocketing and take measures to reduce the risk. Always be aware of your surroundings when traveling to a foreign country and avoid distractions that may be a set up for a pick-pocket scheme. Carry your money and valuables wisely.

Of course, our number one tip for avoiding travel scams is doing your research. Before you travel, look up popular scams in the city you're going to. Knowledge is power!

Have you ever fallen prey to a travel scam or narrowly avoided becoming victim to one? Drop us your story in the comments below!

And as always, before you plan a big trip, consult your Journey Genies! We'll get you set up and prepared for your vacation so you can enjoy, and be smart about, your travel!