Common Scams Tourists Encounter During Their Travels
As the summer holidays continue to bring millions of Brits abroad, it’s essential to be aware of the common scams that can cost travelers a significant amount of money. From overpriced taxi rides to fake booking websites, there are several tricks that tourists often fall for. Research conducted by Compare the Market has identified these issues and calculated how much money is at risk.
Overpriced Taxi Rides
The number one scam that continues to catch holidaymakers is overpriced taxi rides. Almost a third (32 per cent) of travelers fall victim to being charged too much for a lift abroad. On average, nearly £17 is lost per journey. To avoid paying the top rate, it is recommended to book in advance, preferably through a hotel.
Street Sellers and Inflated Products
Another money-draining scam involves street sellers attempting to entice tourists into purchasing fake or inflated products. This can involve the trader insinuating the item is ‘free’ but once the tourist accepts it, demands money. Another example is selling products that claim to be real leather or silk, which are not legitimate. Approximately 20 per cent of holiday-goers surveyed by Compare The Market admitted to falling for this trick, with an average loss of £17.39 each time.
Restaurants Overcharging
Restaurants overcharging and inflating the final bill for a meal is another issue people face. A fifth (18 per cent) of Brits surveyed say they have experienced this, and 25% of those hit with an overpriced meal contested it and paid less. However, 54 per cent ended up paying the full amount, and on average lost more than £22.58 the last time it happened.
Fake Booking Websites
Fake booking websites swindling tourists out of cash and pretending to be real companies is another problem. One in 10 (12 per cent) of holidaymakers have fallen victim to this trick, losing an average of £113.30.
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams also cause issues for travelers, ranking fifth. Eleven per cent of those surveyed admitted to clicking on a hoax email before their trip. This can involve a scammer pretending to be a hotel and requesting money from the recipient. The common trick has cost tourists £75 on average.
Money Exchange Tricks
Money exchange tricks are another concern, which can happen when a tourist uses an unofficial money exchange service. They can be hit with poor rates, short-changed from a vendor, or have their card skimmed by an ATM. One in ten of those surveyed admitted to falling victim to this, losing £28 on average.
Expert Advice for Travelers
Travel insurance expert Guy Anker urged holiday-goers to ‘remain vigilant’ during their travels. He stated that with nearly one in three (30 per cent) Brits noting an uptick in the number of potential scams they’re coming across when traveling abroad, it’s more important than ever that holidaymakers remain vigilant to protect themselves against any potential losses.
Traditional holiday scams are still recurring, whether it’s overpaying for a taxi or paying inflated prices to street sellers in tourist hotspots. While the average amounts lost on these are generally smaller, the amounts lost to phishing attempts and fake booking websites—though less common—are much larger, with some unlucky travelers claiming to have lost thousands.
There are ways you can protect yourself against travel-related purchases, such as paying on a credit card if possible, as it may offer additional protection if something goes wrong with a purchase. Although travel insurance won’t typically cover online fraud, it is still highly important as it could cover a multitude of other issues.
