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In my experience so far, there have been many articles, and rightly so, on travel scams regarding the travel agency’s side or package tours that you pay too much and get too little. Such scams are relatively common and there are quite a number of campaigns and articles to act as countermeasures to this situation. However, there aren’t a lot of articles warning against frauds and scams in the country itself, so hopefully this article will prepare you in the event that such things actually happen.

A very common type of scam is “overcharging the tourist”. This can be fatal if it’s your first time in the country, there are no friends who can teach you the ropes and your wallet is simply brimming with money goodness. A favourite of some scheming locals is the taxi fare. If you are uninformed about the local fare, it’s always a good thing to do some research online or check with the local agencies or authorities in the event that you unluckily chanced upon such an incident. Another common tactic is the souvenir shop, sometimes some cheap stuff can be sold to you for outrageous prices, simply because you are a tourist and you have money.

In especially crowded places or urban areas, a team of people can con you into having your valuables stolen unwittingly. For instance, in a crowded area, an old lady drops her bag and her groceries and you, being the Good Samaritan offer to help her. You bend over and slowly pick up the groceries and at this point she pretty much has your full attention. Now, having your guard down, a motorcyclist or a really fast runner can just snatch your bag or your wallet quite easily. And by the time you’ve turned around, the old lady suddenly developed mysterious legs and ran off. That being said, always be sceptical no matter what happens. Even if you are engaged in something, keep your guard and senses up to a certain extent. Trust me; it could save you the hassle and it’s very much worth it.

In some third world countries, there are actually gangs and syndicates that are downright despicable. They use small children, handicapped people or old folks to go begging around for money, specifically aiming at tourists. And at the end of the day, if you do decide to give, the money doesn’t go to them, it goes into the pockets of their leader, and the cycle is a vicious one indeed. Instead of giving them something of monetary value, why not offer them food, a drink or even some essentials instead? At least they can benefit from that.

To conclude, no matter where you are going, it’s always better and safer to do some light research on how fares and services are conducted in that particular country, as well as taking everything with a pinch of salt, or being sceptical as they always say. I hope I’ve helped you to realise some of the potential dangers just waiting for a chance to hit your wallet hard and that you yourself can take the preventive measures as stated in this article. Always stay vigilant!