The latest travel scams – and how to avoid them

Have you ever arrived at a hotel to discover that the ‘sea view’ room you fell head over heels for online doesn’t actually exist? Or examined a restaurant bill only to find it includes items that you never ordered?
It’s easy to become too paranoid while travelling and turn everyone you meet into an object of suspicion. But a little foreknowledge can keep you one step ahead of the scammers. Here’s a rundown of prevalent pitfalls along with tips to help you avoid them.

 

Extra items on the bill

 

 

After lingering over a meal, it’s easy to forget to check that your bill tallies with what you actually ordered – something crooked establishments count on. Another trick is upping menu items’ prices on the bill: make sure the individual items match the prices listed on the menu you chose from (not the pricier version they may hand you later). Also check extra items haven’t been added (that bottle of mineral water on the table that you didn’t order or open, for example).

 

Don’t stay at a phantom apartment

 

Short-stay apartments are a fantastic way to save money and live like a local. But unless you book through a reputable agency, your apartment might not actually exist (nor the airport pick-up you were promised).
Scammers often compile fake apartment advertisements at too-good-to-be-true prices from photos and descriptions on legitimate sites. Search online to see if the apartment is registered with an authorised apartment rental company and, if so, contact them to cross-check availability. You can also verify apartments’ validity by asking for a copy of a utilities bill in the owner’s name (and ensuring it hasn’t been altered).
Above all, under no circumstances send payment to an untraceable account via a money transfer.

 

Keep a close eye on your plastic – or pay in cash

 

 

Plastic is easy prey for scammers. Never let a waiter, shopkeeper, hotel staff member or anyone else take your card out of your sight – even beneath the counter – where they can copy your information. In places with high instances of credit card fraud (flea markets, for instance), stick to cash.

 

Is that locker really secure?

 

Ensure luggage lockers – even in backpacker hostels – are actually locked. Some appear locked but if you pull the unit away from the wall (or lift it from the floor), they’re backless (or bottomless) and completely accessible.

 

Get the price and details of your hotel room in writing

 

Unscrupulous hotels commonly claim you ‘misheard’ a price quoted over the phone or on arrival, or that they have no record of your sea view, balcony and so on. Get prices and any premium room features in writing, and insist on a receipt immediately to avoid later being asked to pay twice. And never let hotels hold on to your passport to take your details down later – wait for it in reception.

 

Don’t let anyone get their hands on your luggage

 

No matter how lost or overloaded you might be, don’t let anyone carry your luggage at a train or bus station, even if they’re wearing an official-looking badge. At best they’ll invariably expect payment; at worst they’ll disappear with it, or use you as an unsuspecting courier.