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During the 2022 summer travel season, European countries fully reopened to tourists from all over the world. However, tourist destinations were always overcrowded and prices soared, hindering visitors. In addition, tourists wishing to travel to Europe should be wary of the following scams.
impersonation
The story begins with a fellow tourist asking for directions. You exchange a few words with them. A few minutes later, two plainclothes officers, claiming to be police, approach you and present fake badges as proof. They say you've just been in contact with a criminal and want to check your passport, identification, or search your backpack or bag. This is when your valuables are likely to be stolen.
A street band in Europe.
Europe has many street performers. Most are talented artists who perform for money from onlookers. But some are scammers, belonging to organized gangs. You might stop briefly to watch the artists sing or play music. Taking advantage of this moment, their accomplices will be watching you and pickpocketing you without you even noticing.
Strange acts of kindness
A friendly stranger unexpectedly stands next to you, strikes up a conversation, and then you have a lively chat. Your new friend invites you to a bar or restaurant for a drink. You happily agree until you receive the bill. It will be an exorbitant price, and you can't find your new acquaintance anymore. In fact, the people working in that bar are often accomplices of criminals. Therefore, if you truly believe you've met someone nice, do your own research, check online reviews of bars, and choose according to your preferences.
Pickpocketing is rampant in Europe.
Many tourists visiting Europe often struggle with buying tickets for public transport from vending machines. This is when a stranger approaches, offering to help with the ticket purchase. They might then claim the machine is broken and doesn't accept cash. Next, the stranger offers to pay with their card, and you pay them in cash. This ticket, however, is usually unusable. Sometimes, scammers will appear in uniforms and name tags to impersonate staff and trick unsuspecting tourists.
Another common form of scam involves presenting a distressed situation to solicit money. Scammers approach tourists, recounting their hardships to evoke sympathy and pity, and then ask for financial assistance.
Exploiting tourists' greed.
A stranger, who seemed friendly, offered you a discount voucher for a nearby restaurant. You accepted the voucher, went to eat, and only discovered it was fake when it came time to pay. Of course, you had to pay 100% of the price, and it wasn't cheap at all.
Beware of scams involving impersonating police officers.
Tourists visiting Paris, France, especially near popular landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, often see groups of people playing some kind of game. These games are usually rigged gambling games; typically, they'll let you win the first few rounds. But then, you'll lose all your money before you know it. And if you leave immediately after winning, you'll be surrounded and harassed by those around you.
In general, Europe has very safe and reliable taxi services. Drivers are mostly licensed, and the meters are clearly marked. So, if you encounter a driver who says their meter is broken, or asks you to pay in cash upfront, simply leave that car and take the next one.
