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Paris Tourist Scams That You Shouldn't Fall For
Paris, as well as the entire country of France, is one of the most visited in the world.
The allure of the Eiffel Tower's romance and immortality, the elegance of the Louvre Museum,
and many other attractions have never ceased to attract curious tourists.
Paris has also attracted many foreign scammers and criminals looking to take advantage of tourists.
While visitors are busy taking photos, staring at maps and guidebooks, criminals take advantage
of every opportunity they can. One of the many types of Paris scams waits around the corner
to prey on innocent, unsuspecting tourists. Besides the often ostentatious effort by
authorities to remind tourists of lurking pickpockets, other petty crimes occur in Paris,
easily noticed by the uninformed but hardly ever paid attention by the apathetic locals.
Paris is generally a safe city, but unfortunately, some scammers prey on tourists. The best way to
deal with scammers is to disengage from them completely. Ignore them, walk right past them,
avoid eye contact, and pretend you don't understand them or can't hear them. And so on.
Let's start with the list. Cup or Shell Game Scam
Even though this is one of the oldest scams in the book, people still fall for it all the time, so I
thought I'd include it. How it works is someone on the street will demonstrate a little "game."
They will have three shells or cups on a table or the pavement with a ball hidden under one of them.
A scammer will quickly shuffle the shells or cups and ask you to guess which one is hiding
the ball. If you guess correctly, you'll get double your money back.
It looks like a straightforward game, but it's all rigged. The scammer uses sleight of hand
to remove the ball so that you have no chance of winning unless the scammer wants you to so he can
milk you like a cow and take all your money once he senses the greed in you. There will also be
people working with them in the crowd, mostly 6-10 of them who will pretend to play and win and make
the game look easy. They will cheer for you engage with you to make it as real as possible.
Gold Ring Scam Paris is notorious for its many scams,
including this one. You will be approached by someone who has a gold ring they "found"
and asked if you dropped it. As soon as you say no, they will examine the ring and exclaim how
valuable it is showing you the 18 karat stamp on the ring, then they try to fit it on their
fingers, which is not fitting, and then they will try to put it on your finger on once you wear it.
After that, they'll try to sell you the ring for a good cheap price; guess what,
the ring is less than a dollar worth. Sign Our Petition
A person will approach you with a clipboard containing a fake petition with the signatures
of foreign citizens (i.e., USA). They will get close to you and ask you to sign,
but they will go through your pockets as they talk and you sign. Keep your distance,
stay away from them, and keep your valuables in a hard-to-reach place or keep your hands in
your pockets with your valuables. Sometimes they ask for a donation don't give them anything.
Bracelet Scam Watch out for
Anyone who will approach you with a bunch of bracelets, also called friendship bracelets;
they will try to tie it around your wrist. Refuse and don't let them get close to your arms. Payment
will be expected if they manage to get it on your arm. Their buddy will most likely also try to get
your wallet while distracted and arguing with the first guy to take the bracelet off; it happens the
most at the Sacré-Coeur chapel in Montmartre or the Musee d'Orsay and other tourist sites.
How to Avoid: Be cautious around tourist attractions.
Don't shake the hands of strangers. If you enjoy our videos, join us on our
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we publish a new video. Café Scam
Often, when you are sitting at a café, most often if you are outside, someone will come
to you with a large paper map or a flyer to ask about directions to some random place or event.
After you finish talking, most likely, your phone or anything else on the table and around you has
been stolen either by the guy with the map or his accomplice. It is a very popular trick used to
steal phones from locals and travelers. Do You Speak English Scam
Act as if you don't understand if someone asks if you speak English. What for? English speakers
are more likely to be foreigners - tourists. The reason they ask is to strike up a conversation.
Following are well-rehearsed lines that could be used to ask for money for whatever reason (he lost
his passport, he was robbed, etc.). This tactic is commonly used in popular tourist attractions, such
as the square facing Notre Dame. Being upfront about your ability to speak English isn't a bad
thing, but you should be prepared to anticipate tricks this stranger might play on you.
Strangers Giving Flowers Scam For many women, receiving flowers in the romantic
city of Paris is a dream come true. But only if it comes from the one you love, not a stranger.
Most of the time, women ignore the offer from strangers and refuse to accept the flowers.
However, it is never free. Despite the "free" gift, the giver will ask aggressively for a few
euros from the woman's companions - boyfriends, husbands, siblings - who are with her. When the
scammer fails, his victims receive dirty looks. ATM Distraction Scam
Avoid getting distracted by nearby people when you are short on cash and turn to the ATM on the
street. It could be children trying to grab the money from the machine or a shabby man
pretending to be ill, begging for loose change or someone offering help, or trying to tell you the
ATM is Broken. Don't try to withdraw money here or in dimly lit areas or areas where security
staff or police are hard to find. Always use ATMs inside Banks or big shopping centers
with security personnel present. Stealing Coins Scam
Be aware of suspicious behavior in the Paris metro. In some cases, thieves.
"accidentally" drop coins, wallets, or jewelry and pretend to frisk your jacket, suspecting that you
picked it up and concealed it. When actually they are pickpocketing you, such a scheme is part of an
elaborate Paris scam, and you should not fall for it. By fighting back, you may only invite trouble
and end up in the worst situation best thing to do is stay away from any trouble in a foreign
country. While Parisians may notice this, don't be surprised if they pay less attention and prefer to
avoid trouble and not help you. Restaurant Bill Scam
After enjoying a multi-course meal in the restaurant, you ask for the bill. But while it is
handed to you, you are too busy talking with your guests or looking at the map for your next tourist
attraction to visit and don't pay any attention to what they are charging you for your meal. Revise
your bill always if they did not put extra items on it or any other bogus charges or overpriced
items or even used the tourist menu prices on you. to avoid that scam, inspect the bill always.
Sleeping Thief Scam A sleeping drunk guy or girl on
the next table doesn't seem like a big threat, right?. You are Wrong, as thieves who appear
less of a threat are in their best position to commit the crime and relieve you of your
valuables. While he simulates that he is sleeping, he could be watching your movements. He takes any
opportunity as you look away from any valuable — handbag, luggage, wallet. Phone or sunglasses,
he will grab the chance like a magician with his bag of tricks, and your belongings are gone.
Pickpocket Train Scam Paris metros filled with people
can serve as breeding grounds for pickpockets, just like any place where crowds gather. The
problem is made worse by the vulnerability of travelers. The backpacks they wear can easily be
opened without their knowledge, or they are too busy reading their guidebooks and folding maps
while on the train. Look out for pickpockets outside metro stations and trains mostly;
they work in pairs. One bump into you, the other snatch your belongings and jumps off the train.
Inside the Louvre Museum, rampant thefts are going on inside the renowned museum.
Women traveling alone have been warned; traveling with a companion might lessen the possibility of
becoming the next victim. Cafe Drinks
According to reports, tourists are charged more for drinks at cafes than locals.
Not that they get the same serving or menu, but a tourist might get a more expensive TOURIST MENU,
or another trick is they give you a super-sized version of something while the locals get regular
portions and pay less. So, a simple request for "coffee" can be interpreted as a serving
of large coffee with milk at 8 euros while specifying a regular one costs just 2 euros.
You can avoid Paris scams by being specific when ordering food, drinks,
or any service; if in doubt, ask questions, especially if prices are not displayed.
As with scams in any major tourist city, Paris scams can be avoided if travelers
know their surroundings and use common sense. General tips to avoid being targeted for scams
1. Don't be afraid of being rude and walk away. 2. Always be aware of your surroundings.
3. Avoid speaking English or your home language too loudly in public.
4. don't get distracted in crowded places. 5. Dress like a local, not a tourist.
6. Ignore everyone that approaches you randomly, and Don't accept anything from strangers.
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