Scams - Oplichterspraktijken

This article is a topic.

This page is intended for a general idea of ​​the different practices of the thieves - scammers guild, which you as a traveler may sometimes encounter. These come in the following categories: overcharging, making you pay for something you don't really want, and pure theft. Preventing this is based on knowledge: knowledge of your destination by preparing and knowing a little about the prices on the spot, and which places are worth visiting, for example, so that you are less dependent on the advice of a taxi driver. However, read this page with some ability to put things into perspective. Because of the millions of people who travel, only a small percentage come into contact with this guild, and of that Escaped again in large part because they use their minds.

If something does eventually happen to you, remember that you were dealing with people who knew more about the location than you and who were lurking or real criminals.

The Helpful People

The tricks described below are based on the fact that as a traveler you occasionally advice need from the locals to get somewhere. 99 times out of 100 this goes well, but every now and then there is someone who wants to bug you. Then you get advice that results in you paying for something you wouldn't normally pay for or going somewhere you don't want to go. (Don't confuse this with discovering places you wouldn't normally visit in your own country, but that will make your trip a lot more educational!)

Sometimes you will be offered deals that seem too good to be true but are completely fraudulent, but most of the tricks are based on making you pay (slightly) more than you would have if you had known better .

One of the biggest pitfalls on which these tricks are based is the use and need to be nice & polite to people who (seem to be) nice & polite to you; and scammers know this too. You are not supposed to march through your destination like a rude, unappealing person, but any offer to help should be judged on its merits with polite caution. And if you feel like you're being ripped off or ripped off, you don't have to be polite. You can then just walk away, or if it gets annoying, yell at your attacker or call for help.

Another trick is the "too good to be true": they are usually literally!

Accommodation recommendations

The driver or guide will tell you that the place you want to go to is gone or full. Or if you have reserved it is not good or too expensive. But that he knows better. While it may be true, it is more likely that those better place pays him well for his recommendations.

So you have to persevere in getting it delivered to your planned destination. Sometimes a driver refuses this despite all your persistence. Especially in India Do taxi drivers have this tendency and then continue to insist that this building is really the hotel you want! If you are sitting with your luggage in the back seat, it can help to get out at a red traffic light. Usually the guidebook is right and there is no need to jeopardize your personal safety as you have to get off the beaten track if necessary.

Attraction closed

You arrive at an attraction that you have selected in the guidebook and there is a helpful local man/woman at the entrance who will explain to you that there is a strike/holiday/official visit/etc. and that this wonderful attraction is closed. (Sometimes taxi drivers are part of the plot and drop you right in front of this person). Anyway, this nice gentleman, lady offers to take you to a nicer/lesser known attraction or to a beautiful shop. Usually the attraction you want to visit is open. Decline the offer and walk to the entrance to check the status for yourself. Even on the rare occasions when they've just told you the truth, they aren't entirely pure on the degree and it's better to do your own "plan B". So just walk away towards the entrance of the attraction where as a rule they will no longer follow you.

Persistent (unsolicited) help

Sometimes someone unsolicited but vigorously tries to help you with a ticket machine, reading a city map, or pointing the way. They may just be very helpful, but they may also want/require a tip for their unsolicited help. In general, you should be careful when someone enters your "personal space" and starts doing things without asking if you need to. If you have received help and the helper then asks for some change, it is often easier to give it. However, this is also the situation where you are vulnerable to major theft. Be polite but clear. If that doesn't work, be clear and tell them that you're fine and that you want to be left alone.

Just robbed story

This involves having someone approach you and ask if you know where the police station is. He/she pretends to be very anxious and shocked and will report that he/she has just been robbed of the money needed to get home, home is usually another city or even country. They become and remain emotional, will probably say the police can't do much either and they will turn to you for help. They expect you to willingly make a small donation that, in most cases, will be talked out of your wallet as a pure scam.

Prices too high

These practices assume that you are unfamiliar with the city, country, neighborhood, customs, etc., and are trusted to pay much more than usual. Sometimes a local resident will guide you smoothly to the goods to be bought, other times the price is too high as crystal clear. In some countries this is even institutionalized and for official attractions a higher price is charged to foreigners than to locals.

By first getting a rough idea of ​​the prices, you will hopefully avoid paying too much. In some places it is also customary that you first negotiate about the much too high asking price. In other cases there is no other option than to walk away or pay the much too high price, although in the latter case it is best to express your dissatisfaction verbally.

Spare change

If you're coaxed into the street to buy souvenirs or other things, take a good look at the change you get back before putting it in your wallet - it could be a different, but similar, currency. In China For example, you can get 50 Rubles back instead of 50 Yuan. The first is worth three times less.

Calculated price

Precious metal items, such as gold bracelets, are sold in some countries as 'dollars per gram'. After comparing the price in the stores and then against the current gold price, everything seems to be going right. It is only later, if at all, that you will realize that the price you have paid is much higher than the calculated price.

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