I recently visited Istanbul and decided to do some research on what tourist scams are common in the area. Thankfully, I read about the shoe shiner scam. The next day I was walking in the center when I noticed a shoe shiner had dropped one of his brushes in front of me. I was aware of what was going on, so I chose to ignore it and kept walking.
That’s why I decided to create touristscams.co, a website where you can quickly find out what the most popular tourist scams are in the city you’re visiting. It’s a great resource for travelers who want to be informed and avoid getting scammed. I’d be delighted to hear any ideas on how I can make it even better.
Besides Istanbul, Paris is another popular destination for tourists that is known to have its own set of tourist scams. I’m planning a trip to Paris soon and I’m already aware of a few scams that happen around Sacré-Cœur. The bracelet scam is when people tie a bracelet to your hand and then demand money, and the other is when people try to get you to sign documents for their cause and then ask for a donation. Additionally, there’s the pan handler scam where they put a cup with coins out in front of them, conveniently placed next to a slotted grate. When it gets knocked over, money falls through the grate and they use this as an excuse to ask for even more money.
It’s important to be aware of these scams and to pay attention to prices when you’re travelling. My website touristscams.co is a great tool to help you stay informed and stay safe on your travels.