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Quick answer: Most travel scams rely on the same few tricks: pressure, a “special” offer, a distraction, or a request for payment outside the normal channel. Solo travellers can be easier targets because there is no companion to question a deal or watch your bag. Knowing the common patterns, using official services and acting fast if something goes wrong covers most of the risk.
Why solo travellers get targeted
Scammers look for people who seem unfamiliar with the area, rushed or alone. When you travel by yourself you rely more on strangers for directions, bookings and local tips, and you usually carry all your valuables on you. None of this means you should be fearful, only that a few habits are worth building before you go. See also our solo travel safety guide.
Common scams and their warning signs
1. Taxi and transport scams
The driver refuses the meter, takes a long route, or claims your hotel is closed or full and offers another. In some places, drivers take you to shops that pay them commission.
- Use official ranks, your accommodation’s recommended service or a ride app.
- Agree the fare first, or insist on the meter.
- Check your own route on a map app.
2. Fake or misleading accommodation
Fake listings ask you to pay outside the booking platform, use stolen photos or have a price that is too good to be true.
- Book through established platforms and keep payment and messages on the platform.
- Read recent reviews and check the address on a map.
- Be wary of anyone who asks for a bank transfer or gift cards.
3. Fake guides and unofficial tours
A friendly stranger at a major sight offers a cheap private tour, then asks for more money partway through.
- Book tours through official sources or well-reviewed operators.
- Ask for a price and what is included before you start.
- Be cautious of “special deals” for cash.
4. Friendship and invitation scams
Someone strikes up a conversation and invites you to a bar, tea house or shop. The bill or the sales pressure comes later.
- It is fine to be friendly. Just do not go somewhere private or unfamiliar.
- Ask about prices before you order.
- Be ready to say no and leave.
5. Pickpocketing and distraction
Pickpockets often work in teams. One person distracts you (a spilled drink, a petition, a staged argument), while another takes your phone or wallet.
- Use a zipped bag worn in front in crowds.
- Do not keep your phone in a back pocket or on a table.
- Be more alert at stations, on crowded transport and around major sights.
6. ATM and card fraud
Card skimmers, tampered machines, or “helpful” strangers at the cash machine can steal card details.
- Use ATMs inside banks where possible.
- Check for loose parts on the card slot, and cover the keypad when you enter your PIN.
- Never accept help from strangers at an ATM.
- Turn on card alerts in your banking app.
7. The “found item” and fake emergency tricks
Someone “finds” a ring and offers it to you, or a stranger tells an urgent story and asks for money.
- Decline politely and walk away.
- Be wary of urgency. Genuine help does not require you to hand over cash on the spot.
8. Overpriced goods and services
No visible prices, aggressive sellers, and refusal to give change are common signs. In some markets bargaining is normal, but you should still have a rough idea of the going rate.
9. Fake websites and online booking scams
Copycat sites for tickets, visas or tours collect your payment and send nothing.
- Go to the official operator’s site directly, rather than through an ad.
- Check the web address carefully for small spelling changes.
- Pay by card (not bank transfer) so you have chargeback options.
10. SIM cards and tech
Unofficial sellers at airports or stations may sell cards that do not work. Buy from a telecom shop or official booth, or use an eSIM. See how to stay connected while travelling abroad.
How scams typically play out
Taxi: A driver refuses the meter, claims your hotel is closed and offers another. The fix is to check with your hotel directly and use an official rank or app.
Tour guide: A friendly stranger offers a cheap private tour, then asks for more money partway through. Book guides through official or well-reviewed sources.
Fake booking site: A site that looks like a ticket seller takes payment but sends no confirmation. Book through the official operator.
Spotting scams before they happen
- Research your destination. Search “[city] common scams” and check your government’s travel advice.
- Be suspicious of pressure and urgency.
- Be suspicious of unsolicited help.
- Check prices and credentials before you agree to anything.
- Read recent reviews, and be cautious of places with no reviews or suspiciously similar ones.
- Watch how locals behave with the same taxis, vendors or guides.
What to do if you are targeted
- Stay calm and leave. Walk to a busy place, a shop or a hotel lobby.
- Protect your accounts. If cards or phone are lost or compromised, call your bank to freeze cards and change passwords.
- Document it. Write down names, times, places and amounts, and take screenshots of messages and booking pages.
- Report it. File a police report (you will need it for insurance). Some places have a tourist police unit.
- Contact your embassy or consulate if your passport is lost or stolen. See how to protect your travel documents.
- Contact the booking platform for fake accommodation or tours, and your card issuer for a possible chargeback.
- Claim on your travel insurance, if your policy covers theft or fraud. Read the terms before you travel.
Recovery is never guaranteed. Card chargebacks and insurance claims depend on the provider and the circumstances, so act as fast as you can.
Official services versus unofficial ones
| Service | Safer choice | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|
| Taxis | Licensed ranks, app bookings, hotel-recommended drivers | Unmarked cars, drivers who approach you |
| Tours | Reviewed operators, official tourist office | Street offers with no ID or reviews |
| Accommodation | Established platforms with recent reviews | Off-platform deals, cash transfers |
| SIM cards | Telecom shops, official airport booths, eSIM | Street sellers |
Two things many first-timers miss
- Scams happen everywhere. Wealthy and well-known destinations have pickpockets and online scams too.
- Scams change. Check recent traveller reports rather than relying on old advice.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if my passport is stolen?
Report it to the local police, then contact your embassy or consulate for an emergency document. Copies of your passport help.
How do I avoid taxi scams?
Use official ranks or apps, insist on the meter or agree a price first, and track the route on your phone.
Are online booking scams common?
They are a well-known problem. Book through official operators and established platforms, and pay by card.
How can I spot a fake guide?
No ID or reviews, pressure to decide quickly, and vague pricing are red flags.
How do I protect myself from pickpockets?
Wear a zipped bag in front, keep valuables out of back pockets, and be extra careful in crowds and on transport.
Keep planning
- Solo travel safety
- 10 tips for planning your solo trip
- 5 mistakes to avoid when traveling alone
- Traveling alone for the first time
Hi, I’m Lily, a solo traveller, slow travel advocate and writer based in Wales. I’ve been exploring Europe independently for 9 years, mostly by train, mostly without a rigid itinerary, and almost always alone.
I’ve taken 55+ solo trips through France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, the Balkans, the Baltics and Scandinavia. I speak French and Italian, both learned on the road rather than in a classroom, which means I’m better at ordering wine and arguing with train conductors than I am at formal grammar.
My particular passion is the parts of Europe that don’t make the Instagram highlight reels: the underrated cities, the regional trains that no one takes, the local markets, the restaurants where you’re the only foreigner and the menu isn’t in English. I’ve eaten alone in some of the world’s best restaurants and some of its scruffiest tavernas, and I firmly believe solo dining is one of the great underrated pleasures of travel.
I write practical guides for solo travellers who want to actually experience a place, not just tick it off a list.