Common tourist scams in India – Don’t fall For these Tricks!

Common Tourist scams in India: Almost you will find them all over the world but we have special street conman that is in the tourism industry of India. It may sound scary but many scams happened with tourist so we need to mention it.

You need to be careful with the people you will be meeting on the street (Rickshaw guy, Auto rickshaw guy, hawkers or much more that you will meet). The percentage of this conman less than 0.01% but still they exist. Don’t want to scare you but to make you aware.

It’s not only India country where it happens. Every city or town that hosts tourist from all over the world has these scammers who try to get money out of your pocket one way of another. But today we are talking about India so we will try to mention how they do it and how you can be alert whiling traveling in India. But here we only are talking about common Tourist scams in India that may take place while you will be traveling to India on your own or with a local travel agent in India.

They will try to take money or something valuable from you and they have very strong tactics for it. Some are mentioned below.

Their Family Tactic: They can make you meet their family and say….

• My wife is ill and doesn’t have money for the treatment.
• Kids are not able to go o school – Financial problem.
• Father died when I am too young and I have taken the loan for my sister’s marriage.
• My house is mortgaged and they will sell the house.
• I got 06 daughters and in India, we give gifts or dowry for their marriage.
• My father passed away and his last wish to have a car.
• And much more you can’t think of.

Their Social Tactic: They can make you visit any school and orphanage and say….

• We feed them and no financial support.
• For their education, we need financial support.
  
  Their personal Tactic: IMPORTANT for single Female travelers. They will meet you and say that they never met a person like you or they are in love with you. If you can say yes I want to marry you. it’s complete bull S#!#. Please ignore them.When you at monument or street: These scams tricks are the most common. In almost all over the world, the best place to perform a scam is at the monument and busy streets. You can reach by a person trying to hand a flower or trying to tie a thread in your hand. Once you take the flower or let then tie the thread that they have completed the 50% of the scam. Now they will pressurize to give them the money. Please remain assure they will take money from you by the claim that you wasted their time and now you need to compensate for that. Once you caught into that situation make sure instead of discussing or arguing drop what they have given you and start walking. If they keep on bothering you, start raising your voice as they don’t want anyone to notice what going on. But the best way to handle this not taking anything from a person whom you don’t know. It happens mostly in Pushkar, Varanasi, Haridwar and other religious destinations.

  

  

  The dollar or Euro or Rupees: When you are on Indian Street and Bazaar you will like many things that you want to buy from the Indian hawkers. Although it’s not recommended to buy anything from Indian hawkers but if you still want to buy then some tips for you. When you are discussing rates with hawkers make sure you confirm the currency first. If they just say “it will cost you 400” please ask them Indian Rupees or Dollar or Euro. Don’t assume that they are giving you the rates in Indian Rupees as you in India. Please confirm the Currency. This happens places like Amber Fort at Jaipur, Taj Mahal at Agra and the monuments of Delhi. This is a common tourist scams in India.

  Don’t let them wait for you: If a Hawker shows you something, which you like on the gate of the monument and he says go to the monument right now and I will wait for you here. Please remain to assure he will be forcing you to buy it when you come back in the name of time he waited for you outside the monument. When they say I will wait for you just say “PLEASE DON’T WAIT FOR ME”

  DO not share your email or phone number otherwise, it can happen after you reached your country and 06 months or a year passed you will get an email or phone and hear these stories. Core Point: They will try to make you feel sorry for their situation. It’s a big drama, please DON’T believe. This is the only way to avoid these common tourist scams in India.

  

  Please read some of our blogs to about Bargaining tip for India visitors,  How to save money on Accommodation and how to pack your bag for Rajasthan?