Unless you’re Jason Bourne, you’re a prime target for scammers in Europe.
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As an American who has lived in Barcelona for five years, I’ve noticed a few unique things about scams, pickpockets, and petty crime, in general.
Here, robberies are quite common—but they’re very rarely violent. I’ve seen many Americans aghast by the prevalence of pickpockets and scams.
I’ll summarize the main differences from my perspective: America tends to be (really, really) hard on crime, which dissuades smaller issues like pickpocketing.
In Europe, most countries have a much more lax approach to non-violent crimes, meaning that pickpockets and scammers who don’t physically harm you aren’t likely to be charged.
I’ll let you decide which reality you’d prefer to live in.
I’m just here to help you avoid being scammed out of thousands like me. Here’s how you can avoid the most commonplace scams, including pickpockets, beggars, and more elaborate cons like the fake Airbnb that saw me flush around $2,000 down the toilet.
Pickpockets, beggars, & more
You’ve likely read plenty of advice about how to avoid pickpockets in Europe. They’re a risk anytime you wear loose bags or clothing in a busy touristy spot.
The best way to avoid losing track of your goods is to leave them behind—including passports, unneeded electronics, and cash.
But pickpockets are just the tip of the iceberg. You’ll also notice swindlers offering you things like bracelets, roses, and any other small items. They’ll say that they’re free—but as soon as the item is in your hand, it’s time to pay up. Never take anything from someone’s hands.
They’ll probably keep insisting, at which point in time it’s okay to give them a hard no. Ideally, a local will step in to help you out if things get heated. Many tourist hotspots also have information authorities nearby—you can alert them if you’re being hassled.
I’d also like to caution you about giving away money to beggars. The EU has many, many resources geared toward the public, from housing programs to free healthcare. Those who are sleeping on the streets have places they can go if needed.
I’m not cautioning you against being compassionate—all people deserve respect and dignity, especially those who are down on their luck. (One love, baby!) But I’d hate for anyone to lose sleep thinking that those who beg in Barcelona or Paris have no recourse.
Financial scams: wire transfers & ATMs
Here’s where we start to get into deeper water in terms of scams in Europe. Financial scams can happen in a variety of ways. As mentioned up top, my partner and I lost a lot of savings thanks to a very elaborate fake Airbnb website.
Here’s the easiest way to avoid a scam from a fake website offer, whether Airbnb or another major brand: go slow.
If someone is rushing you to transfer money and insists a wire is the easiest way to book lodging, a trip, or transportation, it’s likely a scam. Real offers aren’t rushed. (Seriously, things move slow in Europe.)
I also caution you against using ATMs in tourist hotspots. Scammers are able to reconfigure the keypads in order to glean financial information from your card when you take out money. The most secure way to take out money is via a currency exchange or inside a bank.
You might pay a higher ATM fee by using an official bank, but you’ll be better protected from these types of predatory ATM scams.
Electronic scams: public Wi-Fi and computers
You can find public Wi-Fi stations all across Europe. But, as with the United States (or anywhere in the world), these are the prime hunting grounds for hackers and electronic scammers.
If you struggle with network connectivity while abroad, then I’d suggest forking over a bit more for an international plan or simply going without Wi-Fi.
Similarly, you should avoid using public computers. This isn’t nearly as commonplace as it once was thanks to mobile technology, but it’s still worth mentioning. Scammers in Europe are equipped to find and leverage your personal and financial data in many ways.
Ask for identification: taxis, authorities, & more
Lastly, one of the most important ways to protect yourself from scams in Europe is to look for identification. Tourism in Europe is huge, which means many cities and governments have set up fixed prices so that swindlers can’t target tourists.
Avoid traveling with unregistered taxis or other forms of transportation. Even if you can avoid a long wait by going with an unmarked taxi, you’ll pay the price with an exorbitant fee later on.
A registered taxi will have its registration and fee information readily available, just like in the US.
The same is true for guided tour offers. These should come only from official tourist authorities, whether a hop-on, hop-off bus or a guided tour through a museum. Anytime you opt to go with an unofficial tour guide, you’re putting yourself at risk of a huge fee and, worse, a subpar tour experience.