Tourists are the biggest target of scammers, no matter what part of the world you go to. You may think that you’re smart enough to avoid such scams, but they can happen to the best of us. Shady people know clever ways of luring travellers into a scam.
As a leading airport transfer company in the UK, we are well aware of all the scams here. Therefore, we’ve prepared a detailed guide to help you avoid them.
Friendly ATM Helper
A friendly stranger at an ATM will approach you and say they’ll help you avoid local bank fees, but in reality, they’re trying to steal from you. They do this by scanning your ATM card with a card skimmer that lets the scammer watch the complete PIN to drain the account later.
How to Avoid
Don’t fall for this trap; ensure you’re alone when making a transaction. Always cover the number pad with the other hand while entering the pin code. If you find someone shady near you, use another ATM.
Photo Offer
It often happens at a busy touristy location, where a friendly stranger may offer to take a group photo. As you and your friends get ready to pose for a picture, you’ll realise that that person has disappeared. With your camera!
How to Avoid
It’s easy to fall for this trap because we all want good pictures while travelling. You will happily hand over your brand-new, expensive camera (or phone) to someone for a photograph, so it’s a tough one to avoid. But you shouldn’t accept such an offer, especially from locals. Ask fellow tourists, and then return this favour.
Fake Train/Bus Tickets
You may find someone selling you bus or train tickets at a discount or without standing in a line (at a higher price), don’t buy from them because it’s a scam. Anyone can pretend to be a local travel agent and offer fake tickets, or maybe your local taxi driver would tell you their friend is selling a ticket at a lower price, etc.
How to Avoid
No matter how tempting the offer seems, don’t fall for it. Always buy tickets from the official website or ticket office. If your taxi driver insists you on meeting their travel agent friend, tell them you already have the tickets (even if you don’t).
Spills on Your Clothes
This scam is common all over Europe, where a traveller will feel something plop drop on their shoulder. It can be a fast-food condiment or bird poop. Then a friendly person approaches and starts wiping off the mess. It isn’t a friendly gesture but a way of pocket-picking.
How to Avoid
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t allow anyone to help you. Ask for a restroom and clean the mess yourself.
Fake Police Officers
The fake police officers scam isn’t limited to movies but also happens with travellers in big cities. A person approaches a traveller offering illicit items like drugs, and at the same time, two more people will arrive who appear to be police officers flashing their badges. They will ask the traveller to hand over their passport and wallet.
How to Avoid
Although this scam is rare, it can happen to anyone, especially in quiet and secluded places. Make sure you never hand over your passport or wallet to anyone. Even if they show police badges, don’t get intimidated and ask them to show their identification. Tell them you’ll call the police to confirm their identities. Another safe way to handle this situation is to say your passport and wallet are locked in your hotel. Ask them to accompany you to scare them away.
Closed or Overbooked Hotel
Taxi drivers often tell their passengers that their preferred hotel is overbooked or closed. However, the hotel isn’t closed or overbooked; the drivers do this to drive their passengers to an expensive hotel in exchange for a hefty commission.
Most times, drivers succeed in this scam and get away with it because they know that people from a foreign land will trust a local driver.
How to Avoid
Call your hotel directly to see if they’re open or have available rooms. Ask for a shuttle service and schedule a pick-up. If your driver still says the hotel is closed/overbooked, insist that they drive you there anyway and say you have a reservation. This problem is also avoidable by booking our private airport taxi.
Fake Hotel Calls
When staying at a hotel, you may get a call in the middle of the night, pretending to be the front desk officer asking to confirm your credit card details. This call isn’t from the front desk; scammers use this trick to take advantage of your sleepy state and drain your bank accounts.
How to Avoid
It isn’t necessary to receive such calls only at night. The best way to avoid this is by not giving out credit card information over the phone. Go to the front desk and ask them about the matter.
Broken Taxi Metre
“Broken taxi metre” is one of the most popular travel scams worldwide where taxi drivers will tell you that their taxi metre is broken. They do this to charge you a ridiculous fare, way more than the usual taxi fares in the UK. It’s a common practice of taxi drivers at airports, train stations or cruise ports, but it can happen anywhere.
How to Avoid:
Make sure you ask them their rates before starting the journey and negotiate with them. Check if the metre is working or not. If the driver tells to that your ride will be cheaper without the metre, know that it’s a scam. The best way to avoid this is to pre-book our private taxi online.
The list of scams shows most of these revolve around local taxi drivers. So why not hire private and reliable taxi in Southampton from Go Comfort? We offer premium Southampton taxis along with licensed and experienced drivers who ensure your comfort and safety. You can also hire chauffeur services for more convenience. Book a car now or contact us for details.