Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bags in the backseat.
While rare, some cabs have been known to keep your bags as ransom
until you pay their inflated fees.
Carry small bills.
Some drivers might claim not to have small change so you get back less
money than you should.
Clearly count your money.
Hand your money to the driver slowly, bill by bill. Then make
sure you get all your change back. And double-check again.
Never take recommendations.
Always be wary about taxi drivers who lure you to an es-
tablishment they recommend—they may just be doing it to receive a commission.
Flirty Women And Strip Club Scams
Friendly local females.
A
super
common scam involves a pretty girl (or two) and alcohol.
They'll approach you on the street and start flirting with you. And since we males are dumb,
we actually believe the pretty ladies are genuinely interested in us. They'll eventually invite you
a bar/club/restaurant that they know. At the bar, they'll ask that you buy them a drink. What
you don't know is that the girls and the bar are scamming you. Each drink costs a few hundred
dollars (they don't tell you this) and at the end of the night you're stuck with a $1000-plus bill.
When the bill arrives, the girls are magically nowhere to be found but the lovely ladies have
been replaced by a few scary dudes who want “their” money. They'll happily escort you to the
nearest ATM while you withdraw your cash. This scam is
very
widespread in Eastern Europe
but it happens everywhere. Many times the police won't do anything about it so you're out of
luck.
Strip clubs.
I advise against going to strip clubs because tourists are scammed there
all
the
time. Much like the scam above, you'll be charged exorbitant amounts for drinks/talking to
the hostess/whatever else you do at a strip club. It's not unheard of for the bouncers to hold
you at knifepoint until you fork over a few hundred dollars.
Money Scams
Menus change.
Some scummy restaurants will have two menus—one with normal prices and
then another higher price. They'll show you the normal price when you order and then they'll
give you a large bill. When you protest, they'll show you the menu with the high prices.
Menu without prices.
I wouldn't eat at a restaurant that doesn't advertise its prices. You're just
asking to get ripped off if you do.
Fake undercover police.
A common scam involves “undercover” police wanting to check
your money because they think you have counterfeit bills. They'll inspect your money and
