Europe’s Most Common Tourist Scams You MUST Know!

Europe is a top destination for many international travelers. However, tourists should be aware of the high risk of pickpocketing before visiting. Pickpocketing is widespread, making it crucial to stay prepared. Now, let’s explore some common scams that target tourists in Europe.

Scammers often approach unsuspecting tourists in cities like Paris and Rome and place a friendship bracelet on their wrists. They then demand payment for the bracelet and use this confusion as an opportunity for their partner to attempt to steal from the tourist.

A similar scam involves suddenly appearing with roses. They hand you a rose without saying a word. The moment you accept the rose, they demand an exorbitant price for it.

This scam can be found in places where tourists gather in groups. First, a scammer approaches and deliberately sprays ketchup, a drink, or bird poop on the tourist’s clothes. They then offer to clean the stain, and while doing so, they steal whatever they can from the tourists’ pockets.

There are people near European tourist attractions who offer to take your photo. Of course, not everyone who offers to take your photo is a scammer, but most of the time, that’s the case. They take your picture and then ask for money.

In more severe cases, they take off with the tourist’s camera or phone. In Europe, you should never hand over your camera to a stranger.

Some ask you to take their photo as you pass by. But when you try to take a picture, the camera doesn’t work because it’s broken. When you try to return the camera, they deliberately drop it and break it. It was a broken camera, to begin with, but they demanded money for damages. They may also attempt to pickpocket you amid such confusion.

This scam is popular at famous places such as the Louvre Museum, Versailles Palace, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It usually involves young Gypsy children who are visually or hearing impaired. They randomly ask tourists for charity signatures. While this is happening, their accomplices attempt to pickpocket the tourists. It happens so quickly that many tourists don’t even realize it’s happening.

It’s safest to exchange money at designated exchange offices, even if the exchange rate is slightly unfavorable. You should never trust people on the street offering to exchange money. These people use various scams. One of the most common methods used in Eastern Europe is as follows.

They show you a stack of bills with a 100 or 20 Euro note on top, while the rest of the bills underneath are worthless foreign currency. Always make sure to exchange money in a reliable place.