Travel scams are actually a big global industry and it is every changing, as well as numerous. There are travel scams that we should be aware of and they could happen both in big cities and rural areas. It means that we shouldn’t walk with our eyes closed, thinking that we always have a smooth travel. Cultural differences, unfamiliar surroundings and languages barriers could turn tourists into easier prey for travel scammers. Knowledgeable and resourceful travellers should check travel forums, where others gather to tell their experience when visiting an attraction.

There are many scams we can find in destinations areas. No fuel scam is a popular one and it happens when a stranger approach us saying that he has run out of gas. Instead of giving the person some fuel, we should offer to accompany him to the nearest gas station. However, we should make sure we outnumber the stranger. Scammers will find an excuse and quickly disappear. There are also precious item scams. They could put an expensive-looking watch and take it in front of us. They will start a conversation with us, behaving like they are surprised with the find. The person could encourage us to buy the near-worthless item.

Diversion theft is also quite common and it happens when people spread nails that cause us to get a flat tire. A stranger will help us and when we are busy working on replacing the tire, others will quietly relieve our car of its luggage. Diversion theft could also be implemented in urban settings. A lady could accidentally splat ketchup onto our shirt and as she tries to clean it up, others will try to clean up our pockets or bags. There are nearly infinite ways to create diversions while we are visiting local attractions, so it is important to not get distracted and we should always check our valuables often.

Money changing scam is quite common. Because exchange rates are quite dynamic, we may not be aware of the latest rates. People could take advantage of this fact and take a huge profit from us. Before we use a money exchange service, we should check our smartphone for latest rates by accessing trusted websites. This should allow us to choose money changing services with more reasonable rates. If possible we should go to a bank branch that can provide us with more accurate rates. Taxi scam can be quite difficult to avoid and it is quite possible that taxi cab drivers overcharge us. We should ask trusted locals about current taxi charges. The taximeter could be tampered and the driver could drive us in circles to get a few extra miles. To avoid this, we should check our routes with Google Maps while we are still in the hotel room. We could instruct the driver about which routes to take. Another common way people get money from us is with begging scam. Women along with small children wearing ragged clothes could ask us for money, when in reality they could get plenty of money each day from begging.