List of TRICKS & SCAMS

[missprimmy]

Could we start a list of TRICKS and SCAMS used to trick gullible (myself, although I have not been caught YET!) tourists out of their hard earned holiday spending money.

Here's one mentioned by 'Marcus' in another thread ' The dried pea & walnut scam' and explained to me by 'Jordan'

one of the oldest cons, 3 small cups and dried pea guess which one its under starts off very easy you keep winning they even give you money to start with then they up the stakes when you start playing with your own money thats when you get ripped off, saw one person lose 200 euros. Normally about 4/5 people standing round the table cheering and tempting others to try their luck problem is they are all in on it and can get very nasty when you dont pay up.


I would love to be made aware of all other scams going around.:thankyou:

[col161]

heres a few.
RULE ONE: Always pick up foreign currency from a cash point or official bureau de change.

Don't be tempted to exchange money on the street. The exchange rate may seem generous, but you won't be smiling if you end up with one real note on top of a bundle of fake ones.
And in many countries it's illegal to exchange money anywhere except an authorised dealer, so you might get arrested as well as ripped off.
RULE TWO: Be wary of anyone who offers to be your "guide".

Be polite, but firm. Tell them you've got other plans for the day and make it clear that you don't have any cash to buy things, or even tip "guides". Their interest won't last long.
If you do allow them to lead you around the town, you'll probably end up in their cousin's shop being given the hard sell.
RULE THREE: Watch out for the bird It's scam. It's a pick-pocket's favourite.

A large dollop of bird dropping lands on your back, but it's fake and as you struggle to clean up, someone else is cleaning you out.
RULE FOUR: Beware of the flat tyre trick.

If you come back to your hire car and it's got a flat tyre, it may just be a puncture, but if someone suddenly appears to help you fix it then it may be a scam. Make sure he doesn't make off with your bags.
RULE FIVE: Steer clear of fake goods

Designer brands spend a lot of money creating and maintaining their image, so are unlikely to have given permission for their goods to be sold on a market stall. For the real thing, stick to brand shops or department stores. If you're found in possession of counterfeit goods they will be destroyed and you could be liable for a hefty fine.

[Sandy]

Saw a man doing the walnut and pea trick in the underpass heading down towards the beach. There were lots of people round him but all those involved in it hovered at the bak keeping watch for the police and anyone else suspicious of them. I for one was not amused as I have seen it done before and one of them stared me and my daughter out. My daughter was so taken in by this and it took me a while to get her to understand what was going on. Please be on guard of your bags etc if you do stop to watch this as you are in the underpass and very vulnerable to be pick pocketed while you watch.

[col161]

Airport X-ray thieves
You're behind someone and put your things on the conveyor. He walks through and his mobile sets off the alarm, he hands it over and comes back. The alarm rings again, so he hands over his wallet and comes through again.
You're stuck waiting while his pal is relieving the X-ray machine of your bags. This is popular in countries where you are allowed to go in and out of the departure area, such as the United States (http://www.thisistravel.co.uk/sitemap/country/hotel-United-States-destination-203.html).
Get out tips: Take as little carry-on as possible. Only put your things on the conveyor when it is empty.

[col161]

Crafty cabbies
One old favourite is for a driver to tell you there are problems in the city centre and offer to drop you at the nearest Metro saying it will be quicker. Well, quicker for them to get back to the airport for another fare after they've charged you the full airport-to-town flat rate. Another is taking a large denomination note and shortchanging you.

[col161]

Money-changing dodge
Counting out your notes very slowly, then distracting you and palming a few is common. A few people have even fallen for being given the wrong currency - a recent poll showed 40 per cent of Brits could not distinguish Euros from Croatian dinars.

[col161]

Caught on cameras
Some stores in Asia have become notorious for swopping the contents of boxes. You buy an expensive camera, they pack it into its box but, hey presto, when you get home it's a different camera.
A Cuban variation is to be offered boxes of cigars on the street. Take them home and they're made of banana leaf.
Get out tips: Make sure it's packed in front of you, or save the planet and forgo the packaging.

[col161]

Driven to distraction
A bunch of children crowd around you for sweets and one holds a piece of cardboard to your chest. While you're trying to figure out what's happening, others are going through your pockets.
Someone else offers to help you while talking incessantly. His mate is also going through your things.
Another variation is for someone to bump into you and drop something then demand you pay for it.
In some African countries, this scam extends to pedestrians bumping into your car and then writhing around on the ground while a hostile crowd asks for compensation.
Get out tips: Keep pockets and bags tightly closed. Shout loudly if you feel threatened. Insist on paying 'damages' at the local police station.

[col161]

Distressingly simple
One of the simplest: a person in distress asking you for money. It might be a woman in tears who needs money for a call home, a smart-looking businessman whose car has run out of petrol.
Get out tips: Trust your instincts. Say you'll only hand over money at a police station.

[col161]

An unfair cop
A man approaches you, offering to change money or sell drugs. Suddenly, two others appear, flash ID and say they are police. They ask to see your wallet to make sure he hasn't fleeced you. You later discover your money is missing.
A variation is for the 'police' to say they are investigating a counterfeit money scam and tell you they are spot-checking people. Your real money suddenly becomes 'counterfeit' and is confiscated.

Get out tips: Draw attention to the scene and insist loudly that you want to go to the police station. Of course, the officers might be genuine (they can still scam you); keep most of your cash hidden in a money belt.

[col161]

Watch for the sidewalk artists with the huge chalked picture of the Mona Lisa at their knees. Notice their studied faces, how they hold the colored chalk just so. With great deliberation, they add a few strokes here, maybe just a touch there. Then they sit back and look at the work with what is clearly an artistic spirit. If any street performers deserve some of your money, surely it these people, the true and pained artists.
NOTWhat a sham. Once you know what's going on, it's incredible to watch these people. If you get up early enough, you'll see them arrive. They bring the Mona Lisa rolled up under their arm. They lay it out in a prominent place on the sidewalk and then tape it down. Then they sit by it ALL DAY with that incredibly good suffering-artist look, always about to add a little color here or there, pausing, considering, choosing another color etc. Perhaps they do deserve your money for being such great fakes, but certainly not for being artists.

[nutjackuk]

Hi Folks.

What a fantastic topic to keep people up-to-date on all the latest 'scams' to get you caught out. This should definitely be a 'push-pin' topic and be allowed to be at the top of the posts.

Personally, if I go anywhere be it market, electrical shop or supermarket my wallet is ALWAYS down my privates so if anybody gets anything from me I enjoy it too. No seriously, my money is kept private down my pants. Uncomfortable though it may be, it is in a safe place where nobody can get to without being rumbled.

Bear this in mind when carrying large amounts of cash on your person. If possible, have the money stashed away in more than 1 wallet or purse and as far from pilfering hands as possible.

I, personally, have never been caught out like this and do not intend to do so. I work hard for my money and NOBODY takes it off me without a fight!!!

Once again. Owen, can we please have this as a 'push-pin' topic which is at the top of this forum section.

Regards.

Nutjackuk

:thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou:

[col161]

A short, tanned, flustered woman with sunglasses and a big birth mark on her face approaches you and asks desperately if you speak German. Even though you say "no, not really" or can even manage "nur ein bissen", she manages to convey to you that her bags have just been stolen. Her papers are gone and she has no money whatsoever. She's a tourist and she needs to go to the police. She's very polite and perhaps somewhat disheveled. She says "entshuldigen" (excuse me) after every sentence and is generally very apologetic. You know about the Mona Lisa Scam, but this woman is in a desperate position and really needs your help. The right thing, the good thing, the Christian thing to do is to give her some money, maybe all your money.
UH HUHShe's lying! I know for sure because this woman approached me in Madrid and then, a few months later, approached Ana when we were walking to the office in Barcelona. There was no doubt it was the same woman, though she (very apologetically) denied having been in Madrid. You don't have to believe everything I say though, feel free to give her your cash. Since then I've seen her twice, always with that worried just-robbed look, wandering the streets: in search or her recently lost baggage, or yet another gullible tourist? You be the judge.

[col161]

You're wandering down the Ramblas, minding your own business, when some young attractive person thrusts a coupon into your hands. It's a buy one, get one free deal for Pans & Company, who make quite good fresh rolls and other things. Sounds like a good deal. You put it into your pocket and remind yourself that the next time you're feeling hungry, you'll visit Pans to have a heapin' helpin' of their hospitality.
THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK
A couple of days later, you arrive, starving, at the Pans restaurant and ask for two of their biggest, juiciest, offerings. "But this coupon has expired" they politely explain. You examine the coupon closely; it expired over three months ago! What's the deal? You explain in broken Spanish that you just got the coupon two days ago and that there must be some mistake. No, we're sorry, this coupon has expired. You change your order to one big juicy thing and hand over your money. You're paying just as much as you had expected to pay, you just missed out on the freebie. Bummer. In fact, you've been had. They gave you an old coupon deliberately, and it got you into their store. When the deal didn't go through, instead of leaving, you cough up your money without thinking too much. It's a scam I tell you, and somebody should do something about it. Besides making a web page that is. I got stung by this one, but it wont happen again. I'll go to Pans when and if I feel like it. Not when they lure me there with a lie. Besides, Bocatta makes much better food.

[col161]

OK. You're minding your own business sitting in a restaurant near the door. It's a corner seat and you can see out the window. Your bag is on the chair next to you where you can see it, because you've heard about street scams . A guy taps on the window outside and you look up. He motions to his watch and gives you a questioning look. Do you have the time?
I DON'T THINK SO...
At the same moment, by some unfortunate coincidence, another guy has appeared on your other side. He's reaching for your bag while you do a dumb-show pantomime to the guy needing the time, who (another unfortunate coincidence) turns out to be short-sighted, hard of hearing, and has no languages in common with you. I nearly fell for this one. Ah it was so close, I couldn't believe it. What did happen is another story, culminating in a spitting match of all things! Not only does this ******* try to steal my bag, but he gets mad at me when I catch him and tell him to ****off, and, to top it all off, he spits at me.

[col161]

The street block

How it happens
Perhaps the most fundamental of all the scams, the block is often employed in a busy market or street. You're walking along when the woman in front of you stops to re-adjust her grip on the child she's carrying. As you are forced to stop, a granny relieves you of your valuables, either with the help of a razor blade or sticky fingers. Variations: Substitute the woman and child plus granny with any combination of two accomplices.

[col161]

The scratchcard scam

How it happens
Strolling along the seafront in your holiday resort you are handed a scratchcard offering you the chance to win a free holiday. To your delight you see that you've won a prize. However, in order to claim your 'free' holiday you will be asked to attend a short presentation or take part in a survey.
You will be told emphatically that this is NOT a timeshare sales pitch. It's a 'holiday club' giving you lifelong access to discounted holidays. Three hours of hard sell later you hand over a hefty membership fee to join this club, only for the promised holiday deals never to materialise. When you follow it up the company will mysteriously disappear too.
Variations: Sometimes you will be telephoned at home and told you've won a free holiday. Where: Spain and the Canary Islands

[col161]

The hotel 'pickup' ploy

How it happens Local hoteliers get hold of a tourist guidebook that recommends certain hotels to travellers. When you arrive at your destination someone who claims to be from the recommended hotel meets you and offers to drive you there but ends up taking you to a completely different, and no doubt inferior, property.

[col161]

The "helpful" local: Thieves posing as concerned locals will warn you to store your wallet safely--and then steal it after they see where you stash it. Some thieves put out tacks and ambush drivers with their "assistance" in changing the tire. Others hang out at subway ticket machines eager to "help" the bewildered tourist buy tickets with a pile of quickly disappearing foreign cash. If using a station locker, beware the "hood samaritan" who may have his own key to a locker he'd like you to use.

[col161]

Free tours

You are offered a "free tour" of a shop or factory way out of town. Your driver may then suggest that you'll need to buy something if you want a ride back. The best prevention is avoidance, as if you're stuck out there you might well be compelled to do as she 'suggests'. Don't accept any kind of lift or offer of a tour without having a basic idea of where you're going and whether you will be able to get back if your driver deserts you.

[col161]

Credit card skimming

In this scam, you use your card to pay in a bar or restaurant. However, while your card is out of your sight, it is swiped not only in the machine that sends the information to your bank for approval, but in a second machine which copies the card's identifying information from the magnetic strip. The copy of the card, or the number, are then used by the third party to buy goods. Often this is an "inside" job: employees of the outlet are either using the information themselves or being paid to acquire it.
The best way to prevent this scam is to keep your card in your sight at all times. Unfortunately the typical restaurant custom is to let the restaurant staff take your card away and bring you back a receipt to sign: insisting on observing them while they handle your card may make you unpopular.
Otherwise, you can limit the damage done by credit card skimming by keeping receipts when you use your card and checking them against your credit card statement. Make sure the amounts match up and make sure there are no additional purchases you didn't make. Report any discrepancies to your credit card company: the liability rests with them not with you, as long as you report fraudulent transactions as soon as possible.

[col161]

Streetwalkers

Sexually attactive people are a fine distraction, and conspicuously available ones even more so. However, sampling the local streetwalkers puts you at risk of crime. Prostitutes can be used as bait for a variety of scams:

leading you into an armed robbery
having a confederate go through your clothes while you are out of them
a bogus "outraged family member" (or cop) appearing and needing to be bought off.Even if you do not allow them to lead you anywhere, streetwalkers can be dangerous. A person who brings one to his hotel is quite likely to miss his watch or wallet in the morning.
If you are willing to take the health and legal risks of hiring a prostitute, go to a "massage shop", "sauna" or whatever the local euphemism is. These establishments are significantly safer than the street workers.

[missprimmy]

Goodness me COL161, I bet there's no flies on you, you seem to know of every scam going. Very interesting and informative though, please keep them coming.
:thumb:

[rab_c.]

These games have actually been around in some form for hundreds of years, but they still rope people in today. Both games are based on the same basic idea: Keep your eye on the target, while the dealer -- called the ****** in this sort of game -- mixes it up with two duplicates.
In three card monte, the ****** uses playing cards, typically the red queen and two black cards. The cards are creased down the middle, so they form a shingle shape. The ****** shows the player all three cards, face-up, and then drops them face down on a table. He or she slides the cards around on the table, switching their positions rapidly. The player tries to track the position of the queen as the ****** moves it around. When the ****** stops, the player makes a bet and guesses the position of the queen.
In the shell game, the ****** lays three half shells or cups face down on the table and slips a ball or pea underneath one. Then he or she slides the shells around while the player tries to track the shell with the pea. As in three card monte, the player makes a bet (say 20 euro) and guesses where the ball is.
So is there any way to win these games? In most cases, no -- the games are rigged so you can't win. In many shell games, the ball isn't under any of the shells! There are a few different ways of doing this. In one of the most common approaches, the ****** covers the table with pieces of newspaper. Then, when the game is in play, he or she lifts the shell as it slides over the edge of one newspaper sheet. The ball rolls under the newspaper sheet, and the ****** keeps shuffling. There is no winning shell!
In the classic three-card monte scam, the red queen does stay on the table, but the ****** leads the player away from it. When the ****** shows the cards, he or she holds a black card in one hand and a black card and the red queen in the other hand. This black card is held between the thumb and middle finger, and the queen is held in front of it, between the thumb and the ring finger. Since the queen is in front, the player assumes the ****** drops it first. But in fact, the ****** releases the black card first, while moving his or her hand to the side. This moves the queen out of the way, so the black card can fall straight down. The ****** does this so quickly that the spectators never notice. So, from the very beginning, everybody is tracking the wrong card.
In most cases, this sleight of hand is actually the simplest part of the scam. Most card and shell games are very elaborate operations involving several crew members. In addition to the ******, the scam depends on a lookout to keep an eye out for the police, a roper to bring in potential players and one or more shills to get people to play. The shill blends in as part of the crowd -- in fact, the shill will appear to be the opposite of the ******. If the ****** is wearing a dirty T-shirt and a baseball cap, the shill might be dressed in a suit, carrying a briefcase. The shills job is to act as a player or an involved spectator.
Before others join the game, the ****** lets one of the shills win a couple of times. The ****** doesn't switch the cards (or ditch the ball), so the game looks easy to any spectators. When people see the shill winning so easily (or losing by making a dumb choice), they want to play themselves. Another shill might fold a corner of the queen card while the ****** is looking away. This boosts the players' confidence because they think they're pulling one over on the ******. But when the ****** picks the cards up, he or she subtly unbends the fold in the queen and folds the corner of one of the black cards.
Even armed with all this knowledge, you still can't beat this game. If you see the card switch, track the right card and put down money on the actual queen, one of the shills will just put down a higher bet on another card, and the ****** will decree "one bet at a time." Or a shill might bump into the table, "accidentally" knocking it over, voiding the game. Or the ****** might suddenly spot the police, and pack the game up. So in most cases, there really is no way to win these games -- the crew is only out to take money, never to give any of it up.
rab_c.

[rab_c.]

http://www.santa-ponsa.com/images/warnings2.gif

Keep a close watch on purses and wallets at all times, particularly at markets and at bus stops
If you are approached in the street by gypsy flower sellers trying to sell you a carnation for a few Cents walk away from them, they are professional pickpockets. You may think you are getting a bargain, but several hours later when you find your cash and credit cards stolen you will soon find out differently. These people frequented the area around the underpass and park area for many years (and still do) but have also come to the likes of Puerto Rico in the last year or so and can be found on the beaches by day and on the streets at night. You have been warned Please note however, there are some nice Asian and Chineese girls who go into bars selling roses - these girls are OK so, if you are feeling romantic buy the wife or girlfriend one lads - but don't buy one for each, you could get into more lumber!


Gypsies are also selling fruit on the beach. They are illegal vendors and are constantly being arrested by the police. They have no health certificates for their food and bear in mind, whilst it seems like a good idea to buy a piece of melon while roasting on the beach, what you pay for one slice you could probably by a whole melon for in the local supermarket.


Eastern European-looking guys are also doing the rounds and trying to part you from your money. They work in pairs. One attracts your attention by, say, asking you directions or for a light, while the other is having it away with you purse or wallet. They also have a credit card scam. in operation whereby they block the ATM machine and you can't get your card out. They come along to 'help' and get you re-try your PIN number. Of course nothing happens and they suggest you come back to the bank first thing in the morning. But, once you have gone, they extract your credit card - and your money! They DO NOT operate while the banks are open so, if you need cash from an ATM machine, try and temember to get it during bank opening hours.
Another trick is to con women on their own at car parks of local supermarkets and hypermarkets. They let down one of the tyres on their car and, as the woman gets into her car, one of them tells her that she has a 'flat'. Naturally, she gets out the car to have a look and whilst she is doing that, her handbag is stolen. They are slick and clever so, be one your guard just as you would back home.

Be wary of anybody approaching you on the street just as you would back home. Remember, a fool and his money are easily parted!

rab_c.

[col161]

Oportunists are either bumping on the back of a car with a moped or slashing the back wheel when the car is stopped in traffic when the driver and /or passengers get out to investigate , their accomplice quickly grabs any valuables left in the front of the car
so be careful out there

[col161]

guy pulls up in a car,...you want to buy a gold chain ?
he shows a genuine ,hallmarked ,12carat gold chain.
how much ?
150 euros he says.
you either A,thats cheap (as its a heavy chain)and pay,or B,say i don,t have enough money.
he then says..how much you want to pay ?
you offer another price.
he accepts.
while you count the cash out,he wraps a chain in tissue paper,takes the cash,hands you the bundle off tissue paper,then drives of like a bat out of hell.
whats in the tissue paper ?
you guessed it ,cheap tin chain,prob worth less than what its wrapped in.:veryangry:

[2-islandangie]

We were approached on the Ramblas Barcelona by a young lady. she was holding a newspaper & pushing it towards me & talking to me in a foreign language. I could not understand her & went to walk away - as I did my language convertor that was in my bumbag fell to the ground. My husband quickly grabbed her wrist while I made certain that nothing else was missing. There were no Police around so he just let go of her with a thrust & told her to ???? off. No doubt she recognised the words he was saying.

[col161]

A man who returned from holiday in Tenerife with a new (so called) top of the range camcorder. After the man expressed interest in a particular camera, the salesman emerged with a different ‘top of the range’ camera at a much cheaper price than in the UK. Payment of 1995 euro was made (approx. £1300). On his return home he discovered that he had bought a cheap 3.2 Megapixel stills camera that he could buy on the internet for around £120.





A woman who contacted the UK ECC after a holiday in Lanzarote, where she bought a reputable brand of digital camcorder. After buying the camera the sales man refused to allow her to keep any of the packaging. She soon realised that the camera was a different make with a very similar name but of lesser quality and value. When she complained she was refused a refund

[irisheyes]

these are fantastic threads for the un-suspecting traveller, in response to Rab.c's, we are on the beach in P.R. and were approached by a man sellling various fruits, he handed my 4 year old a strawberry and slice of melon, which we refused, we told him clearly at this point we did not want to purchase any fruit, he then demanded 15 euro for the fruit he gave my child and was quite aggressive, I began to get intimidated and my daughter started to get quite upset when a nearby british beachgoer came over, he had been watching the procedings and told this man where to go(very clearly) he went off very quickly, the british man(who I was very grateful to) told me this has happened quite a lot.

[Funseeker]

How about the poor, distressed woman whose car has broken down and asks if she can use your phone to call her husband and arrange for a breakdown truck to come out?

As you wary Forum Members will probably guess, she experiences a bit of difficulty in getting through to her husband, sometimes resulting in an additional call to another office but really... she is calling a Premium Rate line at your expense!

Just go careful out there!

[Funseeker]

Following on from Tina's experience, just beware of people offering free Scratch Cards.

They normally target couples; both of you are given a card, the guy is asked to scratch his card off first. He'll win a small prize (bottle of wine or something) and then told that to win the big prize you need three lemons, pineapples, bananas or whatever. Guess what? When your partner scratches her card, Lo! and behold! it's a winner!

The person giving you the card will then go into extreme raptures of excitement; not only have you won a major prize but he, supposidly, gets a 50 Euro bonus for giving it to you! Then comes the sad bit. He will confide in you that out of the three major prizes on offer- a £5,000 holiday, £600 cash or a Camcorder worth around £400 - you almost certainly, he confides, won't win the holiday. Most of the winners, he says, will only get the Camcorder. (Only? WOW, you think!)

If you remember one thing out of all of this, it is: "There is no such thing as a free lunch!" Now, repeat that 100 times to yourself!

If you are fool enough to progress this scam (and many people are!) you will be taken by taxi to a place nowhere near where you were going to and then relieved of you hard-earned money by super slick sales reps.

:veryangry: Please, please, tell anyone trying to give you scratch cards to get lost! Say you've read all about it on the Internet and just walk away!

And please tell all of your friends about this scam.

[Ghoulie]

Beg to differ on the chinese girls selling the flashing trinkets. My wife wanted to buy 2 of the flashing heart brooches for our granddaughters - sat in Tonys Bar at the Kasbah. She tried to rip my wife of by trying to short change her from the 50€ note she gave her. Usual crap - no speaka da english. What really shook her was when Marai (Tonys wife) launched into her in Spanish (which she well understood !) & warned her if she ever tried that again - she would be banned from ever coming into the Kasbah to sell her wares. Problem immediately solved (& Tony just shrugged his shoulders).

[Ghoulie]

An amusing story thats true re scratch card scam - timeshare / holiday club et al.

I worked for a multinational co. & one of their guys was on holiday in Spain. Sure enough he got tapped for the scam & went with his wife - along with about 50 other couples. next thing they are into the meal / wine & presentation of the timeshare etc. - doors actually locked !! and teams of high pressure / hard sell salesmen proceeded to convince the couples to sign up for the deals (@ £3500 a time !). In the end -after @ 6 hours - my colleague & wife were the only ones left. In desperation, the top sales lad admitted defeat for the 1st time in his life and asked my colleague what he did for a living.

'I train sales people & I wanted to see how you people do what you do & more importantly what mistakes you make.'

The super rep was horrified & asked what mistake he'd made.

'You didn't ascertain whether I was genuinely interested in your scheme ' was my colleagues response. ' Which I wasn't - merely wanting to see how you operate.'

He used this experience in his training sessions of his own - making sure reps only targeted genuinely interested people (chemical industry) - or they were wasting their time & everyone elses.

[Ghoulie]

I remembered his tale when I was approached by a very attractive young Welsh lady in the Algarve selling time shares - obviously straight out of the training class.

I stopped her mid sentence & advised her 'One salesman to another - don't waste my time & I won't waste yours!' The sheer frustration of this young girl was amazing - at meeting a response that clearly wasn't 'in the script'.

Shame these people have to earn a living in this dubious way. It's surprising that such a well documented and exposed scam system is still operating.

My own opinion is most Brits have this peculiar hang up of having to be polite to all - when a quick '**** off' would really work wonders.

[andrew021]

In the Yumbo, a lot of the bars and clubs have Dark Rooms. I wandered in a few times to see what was going on, I was straight away grabbed by someone who was all over me, well his hands were as when I got out I realised I had been relieved of all my notes, didnt feel a thing. This happended twice to me so another expensive, valuable lesson learned.

[karen0603]

hi
the scratch card scam happened to my husband and myself not far from macdonalds in pr ,i won the tea-shirt and guess what hubby won the big prize but we had been warned and told them we weren't interested and she actually shouted a man over to help her while she phoned taxi to take us to the hotel ,we ended up running into macdonalds to get a way from them
karen:D

[Ghoulie]

Another pal of mine - a bit of a scouse scally - was in Tenerife a few years back. He was approached by a young guy who gesticulated that he woz deaf & dumb & hungry and passed my pal a card - & written on it in several languages was the info that he was D&D & destitute due to his incapacity & in bold writing the phrase GIVE GENEROUSLY - so he gave him a few pesetas - but kept the card.

Couple of days later - him & his missus were pounced on by a brit timeshare rep - quickas a flash he whipped out the card - did his mime bit to being D&D & pointed tot he GIVE GENEROUSLY bit on the card. Timeshare rep was not a bit amused & went off cursing at his bad luck on picking on a supposed D&D er - & the tight git didn't give him a sov !

[missprimmy]

African ladies usually in traditional dress approach you with a friendly smile and an outstretched hand - if you shake her hand she will snap or tie a bracelet onto your wrist, which does not come off easily and insist you pay for it, they can become quite aggresive if you refuse!! :ohmy:

Don't shake their hands and make sure your children don't either.


I don't really know what I'd do if caught by this trick, but it may be helpful to carry some manicure scissors with you!!

[BlonDane]

Following on from Tina's experience, just beware of people offering free Scratch Cards.

They normally target couples; both of you are given a card, the guy is asked to scratch his card off first. He'll win a small prize (bottle of wine or something) and then told that to win the big prize you need three lemons, pineapples, bananas or whatever. Guess what? When your partner scratches her card, Lo! and behold! it's a winner!

The person giving you the card will then go into extreme raptures of excitement; not only have you won a major prize but he, supposidly, gets a 50 Euro bonus for giving it to you! Then comes the sad bit. He will confide in you that out of the three major prizes on offer- a £5,000 holiday, £600 cash or a Camcorder worth around £400 - you almost certainly, he confides, won't win the holiday. Most of the winners, he says, will only get the Camcorder. (Only? WOW, you think!)

If you remember one thing out of all of this, it is: "There is no such thing as a free lunch!" Now, repeat that 100 times to yourself!

If you are fool enough to progress this scam (and many people are!) you will be taken by taxi to a place nowhere near where you were going to and then relieved of you hard-earned money by super slick sales reps.

:veryangry: Please, please, tell anyone trying to give you scratch cards to get lost! Say you've read all about it on the Internet and just walk away!

And please tell all of your friends about this scam.


There are a lot of these guys standing in groups outside Yumbo centre and outside Hard Rock Cafe here in Playa del Ingles!! Been there a few times this month and every time they are there!
It is the same scratch card - no new version or anything so they must not know about the warnings on this forum..
I heard them trying to convince a very well dressed lady that it wasn´t a scam. They told her they work for the government. Then they told her they work for the tourists office pointing at some authentic looking tagcards on their shirts.
Luckily the lady had obviously read about this scam. She enjoyed the chat with the tall good looking men, but had already made up her mind not to trust them. Clever lady!!!

[Boothie]

A few years ago in PDI, my girlfriend (now my wife !) and I got stopped by two time share touts doing the old scratchcard routine. I knew what was going on, but went along with them for a laugh, and to see how my g/f would react.
Obviously we won the star prize, and they wanted to whisk us off somewhere in a taxi. I said that we wouldn't be going, as we didn't want a time share, and as it was the first morning of our holiday, we were about to go to our welcome meeting.....this is the point where I was impressed with the touts research.....the youngest guy asked where we were staying, and when I told him, he immediately said that he worked for Airtours and that he knew our rep, and named her correctly.
Eventually I had to be rude to get rid of him, and we went to our welcome meeting. I told our rep what had just happened, and she immediately thanked me, and asked me to go outside with her and show her the guys who had stopped us.
When we did, she went over to them and gave them absolute hell, and got them to apologise for lying to us, as they obviously had nothing to do with her or Airtours!
The rep was very grateful to us, as these guys had been kidnapping her guests for months!

[Stephen]

You are actually encouraged even as a a in house sales to get to know the reps , when i made the ****ing stupid mistake of going to Tenerife to do Timeshare, we were ordered to go and befreind the thomson reps at a ceretain hotel and sit there when he had his daily meet ups with Thomson customers

there was a itv programme on thsi involving another tour operator , where the reps were actually in on the scam

[pheersy]

Another Scam

If you receive a card through your door from a company called PDS
>>(Parcel
>>Delivery Service) saying that they have a parcel awaiting delivery
>>instructions and can you contact them on 0906 6611911
>>DO NOT call the number as this is a mail scam originating from
>>Belize If you
>>call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will
>>already
>>have been billed £15 for the phone call.
>>If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact
>>
>>
>> Royal Mail Fraud on 02072396655
>>or ICTIS at www.icstis.org.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/dna/mbfansforum/F2154396/ext/_auto/-/http://www.icstis.org.uk/)
>><www.icstis.org.uk (http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/dna/mbfansforum/F2154396/ext/_auto/-/http://www.icstis.org.uk/)>
>>or your local trading standards office.

[debbieduck]

I agree with Col about the ASKING FOR MONEY/RUN OUT OF MONEY scam.This scam is very simple and very effective- it happened to me. (silly mare!) Years ago on my first trip to Gran Can (my first trip alone) I was staying at the Green Golf Bungs in Maspalomas. Walking back from the Faro 2 centre a Canarian guy stopped me looking flustered. He explained to me that his car had run out of petrol/wouldn't start and he had no money on him to get a cab home.In his hand (obviously for added dramatic effect) he was holding an empty petrol can (supposedly retrieved from his car) as he explained his predicament to me. He asked me if I was staying at the Green golf , to which I said yes and lo and behold he told me he was a kitchen worker there and even showed me an ID card with photo for employees. He explained that if I could give him some money he would give it back in the evening as he was due back later to work.He then asked for my room number to see to this. Fool and sucker that I am I charitably handed him some money to go on his merry way.Did I hear from him or track him down at the Green Golf? Did I 'eck.

It is SO EMBARRASSSING to me now and I wonder at what an idiot I was but believe me these people are very skilled at making something plausible.Cab money may not be a kings ransom, but if this guy is doing this several times a day in various areas it all adds up. U may feel mean but JUST SAY NO. After 7 years of traveling alone to GC I'm a lot more clued up now. Unfortunately, scumbags like this make u so.

lots of love and STAY SAFE.

Debs.

[K T]

I too, got caught with that run out of petrol scam, on Santa Monica Boulevard, back in 1999......have never been caught by anyone, ever again.

[strommy]

There is a guy I have seen at the Albert Dock in Liverpool who goes around with a car key snapped in half. He asks you for bus fare so that he can get home for his spare. I have seen him there a couple of times, and also saw him outside Lime Street Station as well once asking passers by for money for the train.

[_Victoria_]

You know, it makes me so angry to read about these kinds of scams. Hooray for putting them on the site and I know scams happen anywhere but it´s so awful when someone´s holiday is ruined by something happening.

Getting taken in doesn´t mean you´re stupid - far from it because some of these scams are slick and have been perfected over years - but wouldn´t it be nice if everyone on every plane over was given a list of scams they could read before landing on Canarian soil? I know this isn´t possible but I feel sorry for people who save hard all year for a week in the sun and then get fleeced or ripped off by some greedy and ignorant ba****d and feeling that their holiday has been ruined.

As a result, they don´t come back to the island. Now, I know scams happen everywhere. Where there are people there are scams.

It just makes my blood boil, I just wanted to say that :angry: !!

[littlenik]

Fab advice on this thread.
I have been pickpocketed a few times while on holiday all over our world. Not often do they get anything because i hide my monies in my sho when i am walking about at night but i used to live in england and i have two games of monopoly and i put monopoly notes in my pockets and quite a lot they are gone!!!
I wonder if the crooks have tried to spend or exchange my monopoly currency.
ha ha ha i am laffing.

[oor wullie]

Fab advice indeed ...i'm thinking of giving up my job and trying some of them LOL:have-fun:

[LindaD]

Everyone should read this thread before going on holiday!
Was aproached by a guy in Lanzarote last year who said I had won 1st prize on his scratch card, but needed my credit card "to claim my prize" (don't think so!!) However he got very rude when we walked away. We watched as a guy on the beach put sunglasses on some poor kid, he then refused to take them back, but the parents were determined they weren't going to buy - all this took about 15 - 20 mins.
We just tend to ignore these people and don't strike up any kind of conversation at all.
I know it is time consuming but should incidents like this be reported to the police if it happens to you? would they be charged with anything? are they just told to clear off or is it just part of the holiday experience!!!:confused: