It is really great to enjoy the vacation, relax, and also interact with new people. The fresh atmosphere and interesting experiences during the vacation are really worth it and maybe you will smile happily when you remember it again. Even so, you should also balance it with alertness and caution.
Vacations can provide a pleasant experience and vice versa. Surely you understand very well that adverse things might happen while on vacation. Many travelers have written their experiences about travel scams, which caused significant losses and also ruined their vacation.
It's been said that a travel scam usually starts when you are offered something good for free, seems logical and really looks too good to be true. Whether you realize it or not, you are tempted and eventually find yourself cheated.
Bellow is some of the common travel scams, maybe even more out there. My consideration, if too much we will only focus on avoiding the scams and forgetting the fun during vacation. Hope this helps you!
1. THE SOUVENIRS ARE SWITCHED
After walking around and taking photos at tourist attractions, you decide to buy souvenirs as a memento. You get a nice souvenir and a shopkeeper helps wrap it up. You pay for it and leave the shop without any suspicion. Then you open the wrap and find a souvenir with a worse quality or even damaged. It is clear that this is not the souvenir you choose at the shop. It is very likely that the shopkeeper has switched it while you are not paying attention, either while it was wrapped or brought backwards for some reason.
To avoid this scam: if the shopkeeper helps wrap it, ask to do it in front of you. Watch carefully! When finished, hold the souvenir and pay for it. Do not allow your souvenirs to be exchanged or carried over the back for any reason. If you still feel awkward then open it again to make sure. It is better to feel confident even though the packaging is broken than to be cheated and feel ashamed later.
2. TAXI METER IS BROKEN
Not all taxi drivers do this trick, but it would be better if you know this and can be more careful. When ordering a taxi and asking for the fare, the driver will say that the meter is broken and charges you a high fee. It even assures you that it will be cheaper without using a meter. You are agreeing with it and escorted to the destination. In the end you find that you have paid more than you should.
To avoid this: You should know the general estimate of the fare for taxis or other public transportation. You can ask the hotel where you stay. If you are at an attraction, it is best if you order an officially licensed taxi. Talk about the price with the driver outside the car. Remember, agree on a price before you get in the car!
3. HELP TAKE PHOTOS
Someone suddenly offers to help you take a photo at a tourist attraction. You think it is normal and hand over your precious camera or cell phone. When you are busy posing and not paying attention, that person has run away and disappeared with your camera or cell phone.
To avoid this scam: always be wary of strangers who suddenly offer help, even though they appear friendly. Decline the offer, and we recommend using a selfie stick. Never entrust your precious camera or cell phone to strangers for whatever reason.
4. SPILLS ON YOUR CLOTHES
Someone said that there was a spill on your clothes. Then walk over and help clean your clothes while chatting. While you are kept busy and lose attention to your surroundings, other people have picked your pocket. When you realize, everything is gone without a trace.
To avoid: be careful when you are foreigners who try to disturb you at tourist attractions. Even if the spill is on your clothes, you must refuse the assistance. Be calm as if you have no problem with the spill. Just walk away to a safe location and clean up the spill yourself.
5. THE ATTRACTION IS CLOSED
Someone tells you that the tourist attraction you want to visit is closed for various reasons, for example: celebrating holidays, religious ceremonies, etc. This may also be done by taxi drivers, hoping you will trust and join them. Then you will be escorted to another attraction they are acquainted with, and they get a large commission fee. Meanwhile, the tourist attractions you see may fall short of expectations.
To avoid this: Ignore what they say, keep moving towards the attraction and see it for yourself. Look for information and confirm the opening hours before you head to the attraction. You can check online, ask the hotel clerk where you are staying, etc.
6. SOMEONE TIES A BRACELET
A stranger comes up to you chatting and ties a bracelet around your wrist. He explained that the bracelet was a welcome to tourists. In the end you are asked for a certain amount of money for the bracelet that has been worn on your hand. The bracelet was tightly tied and difficult to remove. You have fallen into the trap.
How to avoid: Be aware, pull your hand and say "no". You have to be careful with people you don't know. There is no doubt to refuse. People can offer bracelets or anything, but there is no obligation for you to accept it. Just reject it and keep walking away.
7. A FRIENDLY LOCAL
When you are relaxing in a cafe or sunbathing on the beach, suddenly a friendly local person approaches you and says that he wants to practice using English. After a long chat, you are pleasantly invited to his shop or his favorite place. You are promised to enjoy special local dishes, a place to have a good beer or maybe get introduced to other locals. You follow the invitation, arrive at the place mentioned and spend time there. At the end of the story, you are so shocked because you have to pay such expensive bills and also feel ashamed that you have been deceived.
How to avoid: It's great to have a warm and friendly welcome from the locals. Although not all of them do this trick, being careful will be useful and always take good care of your belongings. In this situation, the best option is to be firm and reject an invitation from someone you don't know very well. You can make good excuses such as having to stay there because you are waiting for someone and stop the conversation.
Reference
- google.co.id
- wikipedia.org _ Travel _ on September 3, 2020
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel - Image : Original Collection
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