The Travel Scams Field Guide
A field guide to 29 of the most common travel scams in 2026, with how each one works, how to spot it in five seconds, and what to do if you fall for it. Cross-linked to Warnely's country guides and embassy directory.
High-risk scams 17
-
ATM skimming and card cloning
High risk
Card skimmer or hidden camera at an ATM captures your card details and PIN.
-
The petition scam
High risk
A "deaf-mute charity" worker asks you to sign a petition and donate — pickpockets work the moment of distraction.
-
The tea house / art student scam
High risk
A friendly local invites you to a "tea ceremony" or "art exhibition" and presents an inflated bill.
-
The Bangkok gem and temple scam
High risk
A tuk-tuk driver claims the temple is closed and takes you to gem shops and tailors paying commission.
-
The fake police ID check scam
High risk
People in plainclothes claim to be police and demand to see your wallet for a "counterfeit check."
-
The mustard or bird poop distraction
High risk
Stranger smears mustard on you and "helpfully" cleans it — accomplice picks your pocket.
-
The inflated bar bill
High risk
A friendly local takes you to "their favourite bar" — drinks are massively overpriced and bouncers prevent leaving.
-
Cafe / restaurant distraction theft
High risk
Someone sits next to you, places a map on your table, and a phone or wallet vanishes.
-
Rental scooter / car "damage" extortion
High risk
Rental staff claim damage you did not cause, withhold passport or deposit until you pay.
-
Spiked drinks at bars and clubs
High risk
A drink left unattended (or accepted from a stranger) is drugged for theft, assault, or extortion.
-
The fake free WiFi honeypot
High risk
A fake WiFi access point with a familiar name harvests passwords and payment details.
-
The SIM card / phone shop SIM swap
High risk
A shop selling tourist SIMs makes a copy and uses it for SMS-based authentication fraud later.
-
Metro and bus pickpocket teams
High risk
Organised teams target tourists on packed metro and bus routes to and from major sights.
-
The "wedding crash" / hostel scam
High risk
A new "friend" invites you to a family wedding — it's a setup for theft or kidnapping.
-
The fake tour / hotel booking deposit
High risk
A "tour operator" or hotel asks for a deposit via bank transfer — the operator never existed.
-
The hotel "front desk" credit card call
High risk
A late-night call to your room claims there's a card issue — gives the caller your details.
-
The romance / honeytrap scam
High risk
A connection on a dating app or social media leads to robbery, extortion, or worse.
Medium-risk scams 10
-
The "broken meter" taxi scam
Medium risk
Taxi driver claims the meter is broken and quotes a fixed (inflated) fare instead.
-
The fake airport taxi
Medium risk
Unlicensed driver poses as an official airport taxi, charges 3-10x the real fare.
-
The currency exchange bait-and-switch
Medium risk
A "0% commission" booth shows a great rate, then charges hidden fees that erase the saving.
-
The restaurant menu swap
Medium risk
The menu shown when ordering is different from the bill (or has hidden cover charges).
-
The "closed today" attraction scam
Medium risk
A friendly stranger says the temple, museum, or palace is closed — and steers you to commission shops.
-
The QR code payment swap
Medium risk
A sticker over the legitimate QR redirects payment to the scammer's account.
-
The fake monk donation scam
Medium risk
Robed "monks" hand you a bracelet or charm and demand a large donation.
-
Camel / horse ride bait-and-switch
Medium risk
A "cheap" ride turns into demands for tips, photo fees, and return-trip charges.
-
The Airbnb / short-let bait-and-switch
Medium risk
A property advertised online is "unavailable" — you're moved to a worse, more expensive one.
-
The fast-running taxi meter
Medium risk
The taxi meter is tampered to run faster than normal — fare doubles by destination.