5 International Travel Scams To Look Out For When Traveling Overseas

Scams happen to the best of us when we travel overseas, from being ridiculously overcharged on cab rides to unknowingly revealing credit card information. We unpack the common international travel scams to look out for

While it is nearly impossible to know when you will be scammed, it is important to know what kinds of scams exist, and what to do should the situation arise.Falling victim to a scam while travelling overseas can potentially ruin your travel experience and is likely to cost you money even if you have travel insurance, for example; if your luggage is stolen along with your passport, bank cards and cash.

So before your plane takes to another country look out for the following scams:

Bogus travel agents

The convenience of booking an entire travel itinerary online can be appealing, but prospective travelers are warned about rogue travel agents that look like legitimate entities. To avoid being scammed and losing thousands of rands, learn ways in which you can identify bogus travel agents. The first thing that should raise your suspicions is a travel package that seems too good to be true.

Never pay for anything unless you are really certain you are dealing with a reputable firm. Fake agents create sites that look real and ask customers to fill in their details including credit card details. Once you have given them your credit card details they can simply deduct money in exchange for a non-existent overseas trip. Upon enquiring you will discover that the website was set up to cheat unsuspecting travelers.

Currency short-change

Familiarise yourself with the currency of the country you are visiting to ensure that when you make cash purchases you get the right change. Some unscrupulous vendors take advantage of foreign travelers by claiming you have underpaid them, this is a ploy to confuse and get more money out of you simply because you are not familiar with the local currency. Make sure you understand the currency so that you are able to count the change that’s handed to you.

Counterfeit entertainment tickets

When travelling for leisure, entertainment is top of mind, but be warned!  Never buy tickets to an event such as a music show or soccer match from a stranger on the streets, while the deal may seem too good to ignore, it’s probably a scam. The aim is to dupe you into believing you are getting a bargain when in fact you are being scammed. If there’s an event you would like to attend, purchase your tickets from a reputable outlet.

Fake guides

Do not accept help from any random stranger who introduces themselves as a tourist guide as they could be part of a criminal syndicate. Their modus operandi is to lure travelers into spending money on expensive items or excursions for which they get a commission. No matter how friendly they appear to be, always be cautious before accepting help from anyone offering to take you around site seeing. To safeguard against scams, always use a guide allocated to you by the travel agency.

Card fraud

If someone calls you from the hotel you have booked into to verify your bank card details over the phone decline politely and proceed to the front desk to check if this call is legitimate. Through information peddling, scammers can get hold of your information and you will receive a call at an odd hour from someone claiming to be from the hotel booking desk calling to verify your payment details. This is usually a scam, once you have given your card details you will notice transactions coming off your account that are not related to your trip.

Make sure you bear these scams in mind the next time you travel to avoid bad expereinces and momories.

Have you been scammed in another country? Share your expereince in the comments below

Words: Anthony Grant, CEO of FNB Foreign Exchange. Source: FNB