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Wherever you are in the world, there are scams that prey on cluelesstourists for thousands of dollars. Tom Hall and Kylie McLaughlin of LonelyPlanet have compiled some of the common tourist scammers and remind fellowtravelers that if something looks too good to be true, most likely it is.

Fake police – Many tourists have no idea how policemen intheir destinations are dressed and are unlikely to spot a real police from afaker. There may be some incidents when a person in uniform would demand to seeyour passport and pretend he sees something wrong with the visa. He would thensuggest that your worries would be over if he pays a fine to the “police” rightat that instant, preferably in cash. It is best to stand ground and offer toaccompany the police to the station, which usually gets you “excused” all of asudden. Take note that this scam may also be done by real policemen.

Airport taxis – Bad cab drivers would do everything tocharge you some extra cash, whether by asking for a flat rate worth way morethan the actual fare or by driving around the streets to raise the pricehigher. Remember to only travel with licensed taxis. If the driver asks for aflat rate, agree on a fee before starting out and do not pay until you getwhere you want to be.

Free scratch cards – If you are approached by a genialperson who offers you a scratch card, with no purchases required, refuse it. Donot be swayed by his friendliness. But if you did accept the card and it showsthat you have won a prize, the man would insist you accompany him to a far awayhotel to collect your prize. Politely refuse the “prize,” even if he tells youhe would lose his job.

“This is closed” – It is normal for tourists to ask fordirections leading to their chosen hotel, restaurant or shop. However, if thestranger tells you the establishment is closed then recommends another one,simply refuse and ask another person.

Motorbike scams – Some countries allow tourists to rentmotorobikes and a lot of scams have been devised to fool helpless travelerslike you. One scam involves your bike “breaking down,” which prompts the ownerto escort you to mechanic, who then makes an inflated estimate of the damagecosts. Another scam involves providing you the motorbike, along with lock andkeys. Once you park the scooter and wander off, the rental company “steals” itand eventually requests you pay a large sum of money to replace the “stolen”bike. Make sure all your bases are covered to avoid being covered, or betteryet, ride public transport instead.

Bird poo – You suddenly realize that you have been splattedwith bird poo–or mustard, or ketchup–and a stranger swiftly appears to towelyou down. In the midst of the confusion, valuables are removed from yourperson.

Fake hotels – You asked a taxi to take you to a specifichotel, only to take you to another hotel with a trade name similar to the onesyou are supposed to go. What’s worse is that the “hotel” would even persuadeyou to sign up of a day tour, which would even take you from one tourist scamto another. It is best to know the name and address of your hotel to avoid theconfusion.

Source: LonelyPlanet Travel Guide – GuideTo.Com