Questions tagged [scams]
Tricks and deceits for defrauding travellers of money or valuables, etc.
125
questions
26
votes
6
answers
8k
views
How can I prove an airline ticket is fake?
My friend was sent a picture of an airline ticket that a guy on Facebook has bought for her.
How can I prove this is a fake and that she is being scammed? Her flight is Thai Air flight BF120 from SEA ...
- 261
1
vote
1
answer
374
views
Phishing attempt through Booking.com
Attempted phishing where the perpetrator had all the reservation information, name etc. and directed user to a fake website where CC information was collected. The request was sent through the ...
- 16.8k
9
votes
5
answers
9k
views
How to react if a friend is arrested in Yemen (or claims to be)?
My friend was arrested in Yemen and they won’t let him home so he can pay the fine what can I do? He was let go but didn’t have time to get home and pay so they arrested him again
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
268
views
does a Russian National require $120/day for 60 days in order to visit the US? [duplicate]
I met a Russian lady on Tinder. I have already sent her 2k for her passport, visa and flight to and from the US. now she is telling me she needs $7200 to just show she can travel to the US. she ...
11
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Do Paris authorities do plain-clothes ID checks on the subways?
While traveling in Paris 4-5 years ago, took the subway and saw a couple of guys doing ID checks. Not uniformed, maybe a colored arm band or something, don't remember seeing any badges. I think they ...
- 211
20
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How can I check if this airline ticket is genuine?
Some girl whom I met on fb started chatting & subsequently became friends, After couple of weeks She told me that she is going to revive her Jewelry Business for which she is coming to India. As ...
- 225
17
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Can a US citizen be held by US immigration due to a lack of passport stamps?
My fiancee, a US citizen has been working in Ghana. He hasn't been in the States for almost 2 years now. He just flew into JFK on 12/19/2022 and is being held by immigration/customs. He has been ...
- 179
23
votes
2
answers
6k
views
How should a traveller report that his/her (reserved) accommodation is refused by the proprietor on booking.com?
Soon after my booking, a person posing as the accommodation provider contacted me and prompted to cancel my reservation on the basis that the reserved room (allegedly) became unavailable. Obviously I ...
- 341
-2
votes
3
answers
328
views
Can anyone give me some idea about scamming and rippings off in Cairo of Egypt?
What kinds of scamming and ripping off go on in Cairo?
I made several trips to New Delhi, India.
Is Cairo better or worse than New Delhi regarding scamming and ripping off?
- 1,097
5
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Is PostBy.Me a legitimate mail carrier these days?
What happened? During a recent stay in a Spanish city, we bought a few picture postcards in one of the many souvenir stores, and, along with them, some stamps appropriate for mailing to Germany.
Upon ...
- 318
0
votes
1
answer
320
views
Can I help my friend get a Colombian passport from the USA? [closed]
My friend lives in Bogotá, Colombia. Can I help her get a Colombian passport, and can I pay with a credit card from the USA?
1
vote
1
answer
779
views
Asked to send emergency travel money by MoneyGram, is this a scam? [duplicate]
The employer offered to pay all the visa and travel and is now in the process of work permits. The issue is the advocate referred to has requested that I deposit money into MoneyGram into my name ...
- 39
1
vote
1
answer
750
views
Are unofficial International Driving Permits of any use?
The American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) are the only organizations that issue official International Driving Permit (IDP) for US driver licenses.
...
- 53.8k
3
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Weed sellers in Lisbon / Portugal
It's common for people to try to sell weed to tourists in big Portuguese cities like Lisbon. The "weed" is, please correct me if I'm wrong, almost always just tea leaves (for €10/€20!).
What'...
user27106
21
votes
3
answers
11k
views
Friend needs help in Turkey
I have a friend who went on a business trip to Istanbul/Turkey. His bank pass was stolen and he reported that to the local police. He blocked his bank account and according to him he needs to fly home ...
- 251
1
vote
1
answer
225
views
Do have to prove Solvency when getting a visa to the US from Russia [duplicate]
I have friend that is working with a travel agency in Russia to visit me here in the US. She informed me that the travel agent told her she will have to prove solvency of 4500$ to get the visa or she ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How can I tell if a BA flight ticket is fake? [closed]
Is this ticket fake? I’ve tried numerous other things but nothing turned up.
24
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Authenticating a denial by UK embassy
10 years ago I used an agent to apply for UK visa, He said it was a group application.
I entered the UK embassy with him while he took the documents into an office while we waited outside, no ...
12
votes
1
answer
4k
views
If a taxi driver in Thailand stops the meter (the amount is still visible on the meter screen), can they resume it?
I had a case where I took a metered taxi in Bangkok with another passenger: when we stopped at the other passenger's destination to drop them, the taxi driver didn't understand that I would stay in ...
- 53.8k
31
votes
1
answer
18k
views
Is long-term renting through booking.com a scam?
I am planning to rent an apartment for a year in Cambridge, UK. We liked a property, but the owner wants to rent it through booking.com, and he is physically located in Switzerland. He sent us the ...
- 1,003
43
votes
8
answers
12k
views
What to do when a taxi driver uses the meter but at the end of the ride clears the meter and pretends we had agreed on some higher price for the ride?
I took a taxi in Bangkok, the driver used the meter, but at the end of the ride the driver cleared the meter (was 55 THB) and pretended that we had agreed on some higher price (was 100 THB) for the ...
- 53.8k
4
votes
1
answer
570
views
Host has offered me an off site deal for Airbnb
I made a reservation, but today the host called me and is claiming that my reservation is preventing other guests from booking those dates. The host wants me to accept an alteration request that ...
1
vote
0
answers
100
views
Trying to help someone get back into the USA [duplicate]
If they are needing to get back into USA is an eBay card actually helping them or is it a scam
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
474
views
Safety for American visiting London, UK
I'm traveling from Seattle, USA to London, UK in March 2020. My cousin (half British) is getting married to his British girlfriend in Farnham. I'm a 40 year old American, single, white man.
I did a ...
4
votes
1
answer
373
views
How should I report report fake Canadian eTA websites?
My wife was applying for an eTA to visit Canada,
and exclaimed in surprise about the price.
And I was surprised because I remembered it being very cheap.
I came an had a look and it looked legit at ...
- 1,583
9
votes
3
answers
634
views
Are some Optus kiosks in Sydney Airport a scam?
In the international terminal of Sydney Airport there are several Optus kiosks. When I flew to Sydney for the first time, I didn't know that, and I proceeded to the first Optus kiosk I saw (assuming ...
- 4,167
8
votes
1
answer
301
views
Is it a known scam or honest oversight at Cambodia border crossings to not stamp your entry/exit form?
A month ago I entered Cambodia from Thailand at Koh Kong and was charged an extra USD $7 which is commonly considered to be a scam on the Internet. Koh Kong is considered to be less scammy that the ...
- 78.3k
6
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Postal services in Italy - Poste Italiane vs. Friendpost vs. GPS
There are at least three competing postal services in Italy - the government-ran Poste Italiane, and private duo of Globe Postal Service (GPS) and Friendpost, which primarily target tourist customers.
...
- 1,380
20
votes
5
answers
5k
views
Moscow SVO airport, how to avoid scam taxis without pre-booking?
Is there anyway to tell scam taxis in SVO airport, Moscow without pre-booking? I can't pre-book due to the fact I can't use my phone abroad (receiving SMS messages/calls which is required to book a ...
- 19.8k
27
votes
4
answers
13k
views
How can I tell if a flight itinerary is fake?
I tried calling the airlines, and I tried tracking apps.
How can I tell if this flight itinerary is fake?
I spoke to the person before they boarded their flight.
The flight is with British Airways, ...
- 311
6
votes
5
answers
460
views
Renting farmhouse in Netherlands - is it normal to be asked to pay deposit via bank transfer?
I am going to be travelling to Netherlands and trying to book a farmhouse for 3 night long stay. The farmhouse I am looking at is listed on Booking but is unavailable on the dates I am interested in. ...
- 277
52
votes
3
answers
10k
views
Payment instructions allegedly from HomeAway look fishy to me
I'm in the process of setting up a long-term lease agreement for an apartment in my hometown with a landlord which lives abroad. The landlord suggested to use a middleman called HomeAway so that the ...
- 571
30
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Working in the USA for living expenses only; allowed on VWP?
My 18-year old niece has been offered work in LA by a 20 year old American born videographer she met at the Cannes Film Festival. She is learning scriptwriting/directing. He has suggested that he pays ...
- 301
0
votes
1
answer
804
views
did cheapfaresnow.com just screw me over? [closed]
Really bad idea I booked with them without reviewing their services. There was a fairly cheap ticket and I purchased it. It took time to be confirmed or for me to get an email. I asked for live help ...
- 131
3
votes
1
answer
512
views
Possible taxi scams if fare is agreed in advance?
The advice is given many times to not get into "illegal taxis", because they will scam you. My question is: what are the possible ways of scam, if you agree on the price and destination in advance (e....
- 615
0
votes
0
answers
63
views
Needing money to travel from Ghana [duplicate]
I have a friend communicating with an American living in Ghana. She says she needs $6000 to pay off debts before she could move to Spain. Is this true?
61
votes
9
answers
11k
views
While on vacation my taxi took a longer route, possibly to scam me out of money. How can I deal with this?
I am on vacation and I have realized that some people here in Turkey are trying their best to get the money out of my pocket. I have already had a situation where after a folklore show I decided to ...
- 2,314
1
vote
0
answers
166
views
EMS packages opened at border? [closed]
Do packages get opened at the border from Canada to US and do they charge a $2950 wire transfer fee they say is refundable.
1
vote
0
answers
87
views
Money is necessary to leave the airport in Moscow for ladies [duplicate]
I met agirl from Russia on the site of marriage and I send her a money to issue apasport , after we arrange the tickets for her and sending her 400 $ , she said that she has to have 2000$ to be with ...
2
votes
1
answer
477
views
Stuck in Ghana with $3000 [duplicate]
An online person claims that they can't leave Ghana unless they fly out first class. They already have $3000 and claim that isn't enough to buy a ticket and leave. Is this legit?
- 39
-2
votes
1
answer
526
views
Can a Fake business card save me of trouble in Morocco?
I Will be traveling to Morocco in May, and I have being reading a lot about being harassed, scamed by locals and maybe even police.
I know of a friend who runs a very successful business and when ...
- 323
5
votes
3
answers
812
views
Victim of a Vacation Rental Scam, how should I get the refund?
I booked a property via booking.com on 23rd for a stay in London UK from June 1 to June 7, 2019. I used my credit card. They pulled the full amount on 25th. After that on several occasion I updated my ...
- 51
2
votes
1
answer
550
views
How can I report a taxi driver in Hong Kong with no plate and no driver name displayed in the car?
I got into a cab ride in Hong Kong, which ended with the driver adding some silly surcharge (145 HKD). I wanted to report the taxi driver but the car had no plate and the driver's name was not ...
- 53.8k
45
votes
2
answers
9k
views
How does the taxi scam work at Luohu station in Shenzhen?
The Luohu station in Shenzhen has a taxi area where people queue to get their taxi:
While queuing there are a few taxi drivers parked nearby who try to get customers from the queue. They claim that ...
- 53.8k
23
votes
5
answers
11k
views
Is it possible that the return ticket of a round-trip is counterfeit? [closed]
Is it possible to buy round-trip tickets to Jamaica where the return ticket is counterfeit?
My daughter-in-law says she's now stranded there. Is this possible?
- 263
11
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Is myflightmart a scam?
I checked this answer and it has
privacy policy
phone number & address
registered to the same name.
However, I'm still suspicious. They have far cheaper tickets via chat or over the phone ...
- 213
1
vote
1
answer
300
views
Can a hotel charge me for reservations a year later if I signed up on a waiting list?
Last year (2017) my husband and I went to a blues festival in West Helena AR. It was last minute and we had an incredibly hard time finding somewhere to stay (Helena AR is a small town.) After trying ...
- 19
4
votes
1
answer
564
views
Work permit visa for Scotland
I got selected in one hotel from Scotland and they ask me to proceed for visa process by giving the contact details of one consultancy, by they are asking me for the GBP money to send through Westin ...
- 49
0
votes
1
answer
214
views
Travelling to Canada [duplicate]
It has been pointed out to me that a female wanting to visit a male friend in Canada has to have at least $3,600.00 Canadian funds for a maximum visit of 90 days, plus they have to get a visitors visa ...
1
vote
1
answer
752
views
russian women asking for $2000.00 to show athorities she has enough money for her trip [duplicate]
i have met a girl online from rusia. we have been sending massages through my email address.it has now been six weeks since her first message.she uses the internet cafe. she was short $516 american ...
- 11