Tourist Scams – Perceptual Gestalt

Rather than just post something like this, I thought I’d recall the scams that I personally have been involved in or “suckered” into.

Here is the list:

On the street
1. The friendship bracelet (Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Cairo)
2. Rose for your girlfriend (Paris, Barcelona, Rome)
  1. I’ve seen this and it’s everywhere. The subways of NYC, the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia as well as trolleys and sidewalks of New Orleans. Legit.
3. The found ring (Paris)
  1. I’ve only seen this on YouTube and can’t tell if it was staged or not. No personal experience with this one.
4. The thrown baby (Rome)
  1. No thanks.
5. Street games (Paris, London)
  1. When I was in København, I got duped out of 50kr and lost my opera tickets “fell” out of my pockets. I felt like an idiot but later realized that nobody wins at these games. I never noticed his accomplices but I imagine if I waited around long enough, I would have seen them.
6. The dropped wallet (Rome, Ukraine)
  1. Whatever, dude. I know where my wallet is.
7. Stain on your jacket (Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro)
  1. See next item.
8. The shoe shiner (Istanbul)
  1. In Chicago, Illinois I remember specifically that a shoe shiner put some goop on my shoe, then extorted me out of $10 to clean it off. This goes with #7 above.
9. Woman selling rosemary (Madrid, New Delhi)
10. The photographer (Europe)
  1. I’ve only heard of this
11. The music artist (New York City)
  1. This happens often to me. I go to hip-hop shows and there are plenty of times when I get a CD (and cassettes back in the day) handed to me then am asked for payment. I shove it back at them. It’s a turn-off. I have, however, talked to artists who were passively marketing their wares and ended up spending $$ with them. I like to support artists, not scam artists.
12. The drug deal (Koh Phangan)
Travelling
1. The expensive taxi driver (worldwide)
  1. Uh, yes.
2. The overnight bus (Bangkok)
3. The drop and swap (Asia)
4. The punctured tyre (San Jose)
5. Train pickpockets (Europe)
6. The getaway taxi driver (Las Vegas)
Shops and Services
1. Cashier on the phone (Barcelona)
2. Slow counting (Europe)
3. An amazing [jewelry] deal (Bangkok, New Delhi)
4. The dodgy doctor (New Delhi)
5. The fake policeman (Mexico City, Bogota, Bucharest, Bangkok)
6. The fake ticket (Paris, London)
Locals and Children
1. The overly helpful local (Europe)
2. The map seller (Europe)
3. The beggar (worldwide)
4. A free masssage (Barbados, Bahamas)
  1. Kinda. They are very obvious so I haven’t been scammed but have seen them in many places.
5. The flirt (Athens)
  1. I know better than to travel alone but if I do… :)
6. Pickpocket warning (Europe)
7. The broken camera (worldwide)
8. Eager english students (Shanghai, Beijing, and Xian)
9. Seemingly free peanuts (Rio de Janeiro)
10. The postcard (Rome)
11. The charity petition (Paris)
  1. I’m shocked it doesn’t happen to me more.
12. Gypsy kids (Rome, Milan, and Florence)
At the Hotel
1. The closed hotel (Europe)
2. Fake front desk call (worldwide)
3. The room inspectors (Barcelona and Madrid)
4. The fake takeaway menu (The USofA)