Top Travel Scams to Watch Out for During Peak Season

 

It is the pleasure of travel in peak season that is indescribable. With a wide range of festivals and attractions in full working order, a lively nightlife, and pristine weather, it is a dream of every traveller.

The high season, however, is not only desirable to both players but also to the other type of players, which is introduced by scammers.

When the streets are filled with tourists who do not know the local things and rules and are usually too busy to notice the new experience, it is more possible to manipulate and even exploit a visitor.

Being aware of the scams is a good thing when figuring out the preparations for your trip, as it might spare you the great inconvenience and losses.

Cabbage and Taxi Scams and Meter Fraud

Taxis are one of the most common traveling scams particularly in cities which are mainly tourist areas.

Unscrupulous drivers can make an excuse that the meter is faulty; they can also refuse to turn it on or take you by long routes making the fare high.

In certain instances, tourists are quoted a very high flat price several times the actual price. Such forms of overcharging usually take place at the airport itself or even the train stations when first-timers are making their way to the hotels.

The best thing to do to prevent these scams is to agree on a price. But, if you use a ride-hailing app, you can use one that you trust to give you an estimate of the fare.

Fake Accommodation and Reservation Fraud

Online booking is the order of the day, but it has also led to the existence of fraudulent websites and listings in the travel ecosystem.

The scammers during a peak season come up with online fake hotel or rental listings with mind-boggling discounts.

Tourists who are not aware end up booking and paying in advance only to be surprised to find out on arrival that the property they have booked does not exist or it is totally different than what is shown.

In other situations, there are fraudulent-looking websites that imitate actual booking websites to obtain credit card information.

In order to protect your trip, make sure to always use trusted travel websites, seek real feedback provided by real users and do not send money to individual accounts without documentation.

Closed Attraction Ruse

This can become a reality in any of the major tourist attraction areas where seemingly a local person will insinuate that you are near a famed landmark or cultural building, only to tell you that it is closed, either because of a religious gathering or a national holiday.

They will then suggest taking you to a better place or another sightseeing, which is usually a commissioned shop or overcharged experience. Most tourists get conned because these people seem to be jovial and well informed.

In this regard, one should regularly check time on official websites or applications to help avoid these inconveniences. Personal/ word of mouth If someone tells you a site is closed, ask a person at the entry point of the site.

Street Pockets in Tourist Areas

The high season implies masses of people in the airports, train stations, markets, and transport vehicles, which are the favorite habitat of pickpockets.

These thieves can be done in groups where distractions are a major strategy of these thieves bumping into you, asking directions and even faking dropping items near you.

When your participation is distracted, one of the other members of the group takes away your valuables.

Typical targets are smartphones, wallets and passports. Such incidents may be avoided by wearing a money belt, having bags close together and zipped and being alert in crowded places.

Gift in Kinds That Are Actually Not Free

Another common fraud is people selling something that appears free at the first sight: bracelets, flowers, trinkets, and then demanding immediate payment.

These inconclusives may sometimes put the item on the body like putting a bracelet on your wrist in a bid to give a sense of obligation.

They can cause a scene or threaten you when you do not pay. Such a strategy is familiar to cities in Europe and tourist squares around the world.

The most appropriate thing to do is to sternly decline such unsolicited offers and keep walking without interaction.

Questions regarding Skimming ATM and Credit Card

Financial scamming does not only mean theft. The data of your card and PIN could be copied by skimming devices attached to ATMs, or even handheld card machines, resulting in unauthorized withdrawals of money or buying requirements.

Tourists requiring cash regularly or who make charges using cards are particularly susceptible during the peak travel periods.

To remain secure, access the bank ATM machines in banks or airports, use your hand to cover the keypad when punching your PIN code and check your bank statements regularly to detect any unauthorized withdrawal.

Unlicensed Money Exchange

With the tourists, there is a tendency to seek better rates of currency exchange and they might be tempted to be scammed into good offers.

There are also parties somewhere in the streets who are street exchangers or unlicensed currency booths who, after giving you a fake bill, will give you the short replenishment.

Those transactions are usually difficult to track and there is little legal action.

It is most important to always change your money at the certified counters, in the banks or in the hotels and that you acquaint yourself with the appearance and denominations of the local currency.

Document Checks and Fake Police

There are cases when scammers in certain cities have dressed up as policemen and offered to check passports or wallets as if it is a check-up or so called a random check up.

They get to see your identification, then make sure there is a problem, stealing your money or card in the process of inspection. Most of the tourists do not know the policing norms and out of fear, they cooperate.

In case they accost you, demand official identification and recommend them to proceed to the local police station. Genuine officers will never be reluctant or complain.

Rented Car Frauds

In the case of beach towns or distant locations, it is typical to rent a little scooter, a motorbike, or in some instances a car.

Tourists are often however labeled to have caused certain damages which were already there after the vehicle is returned to the palace. Other rental companies claim deposits or require very high compensations.

Before and after you use the car, it is important to take snaps in all directions, and you should be sure that all the damage that already exists on the car is captured in your rental contract as a precaution against any claims concerning the same.

Operators and Tour Guides who are an Impostors

False tour operators and illegal guides go up in high seasons. They advertise day excursions, entrance to monuments or offer you an exclusive experience (and run with your money or offer poor service).

There are also activities conducted by others who act as legitimate guides either around tourist attraction areas and charge exorbitant payment and they end up giving the tourists wrong information.

You should also book with your hotel or established agencies and require official documentation before you can book.

Conclusion: Be aware, be safe

These scams may sound frightening, but that is not the point of it all. Immunity should not be the point; awareness should.

The majority of the population you encounter on the road is sincere, cooperative and friendly.

Nevertheless, knowledge and attention can help you comprehend when people are welcoming you armed with sincerity or deceit.

Believe in your guts, read the informational studies and avoid being deprived of the pleasure of tourism by frauds.

A confident traveller is a safe traveller, and no better travel companion than is confident.