Guides & Tips

20 Common Travel Scams and How You Can Avoid Them

Published

3 weeks ago

March 29, 2025

In many large cities across the globe, thieves hunt from the shadows. They are armed with countless travel scams to take your money. These travel tips help you avoid them.

Like a lion stalking its prey on the Serengeti, thieves aim to blend into their surroundings while staring intently at their next victim. They’re waiting to catch them with their travel scams. The good news is that akin to lions hunting for weakened gazelles, travelers can avoid being robbed by being aware of their surroundings. Thieves are willing to take risks, but they also calculate those risks.

Crooked opportunists take many shapes and forms, and while your time abroad will probably be incident-free, it is vital to be prepared.

How to Avoid Travel Scams

Here is a list of common travel scams to make it easier for you to spot the danger signs and avoid any sticky situation.

1. Bump and Grab

Sacre Couer is a commonplace to be scammed: How to avoid travel scams

The most common travel scam is the bump and grab, where a thief or a gang of thieves distract you with a bump and then proceed to lift your valuables from your pocket and/or purse. This method is most popular in the metro.

Victims of this method are often swarmed by several people who are pushing them, while at the same time, pick their pocket. Another trick is to grab the purse of someone standing/sitting near the door and get off the metro just as the doors are closing.

How to Avoid the Bump and Grab

First – spread out all your valuables; never keep all your important documents, cards and/or your passport in one place.

Second – never put a wallet or anything of value in either your front or back jeans pocket.

Third – Individuals should always opt for cross-body purses with zippers (no flimsy one-button purses).

Pay Attention – Whenever I am bumped on a subway, bus or in the street, my hand immediately goes to the zipper of my over the shoulder bag.

I am always aware of my valuables and my attention immediately goes to my things before they can catch my attention. It may just be an innocent bump, but if someone is trying to pick my pocket, they won’t succeed.

2. Distraction – ‘You have Gunk on You’ Scam

There are two variations of this travel scam, but it starts out with someone putting something, such as mustard or ketchup (there have been reports of human/animal feces being thrown at travelers), on your body.

The thief will either smear something on your back or the substance will be thrown at you from an unknown location. Then, a seemingly innocent bystander will come to tell you that you have something on your back or offer you a tissue. The point of this travel scam is to get you to take off your backpack, purse and/or camera.

How to Avoid the Distraction

If someone tells you that you have something on your back, do not take off your backpack to check! Instead, keep walking, ignore any “Good Samaritans” and only remove your bags when you are in a safe and secure location.