Questions tagged [scams]
Tricks and deceits for defrauding travellers of money or valuables, etc.
146 questions
4
votes
1
answer
925
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Partner held at London Gatwick [closed]
Partner travelled from Berlin to Gatwick with further flight to Belfast. Immigration say she has insufficient funds to continue to Belfast. They say she needs min of 5000 stg. She has a French dual ...
25
votes
3
answers
7k
views
I am being asked to "Tokenise my stay" for a hotel reservation in Delhi India. Do I need to do this?
I recently reserved a hotel room in Delhi India for an upcoming trip using an American credit card on the hotel's website. The reservation shows confirmed on their site, but I got an email a few days ...
- 1,223
11
votes
2
answers
4k
views
A friend told me he is flying into Birmingham, Alabama, on September 29, 2025. Is this the correct ticket?
Airline ticket from Canada to Birmingham, Alabama.
- 129
4
votes
1
answer
328
views
Where can I find the EMD number of my paid seats with Air France?
I booked some refundable flight ticket with Air France with the Flex option. I canceled them and I am now seeking a refund. To do so, I go to the email sent by Air France <admin@ticket-airfrance....
- 62.9k
16
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Scams for Russian girls wanting to travel to united States
Family member started being emailed by Russian person three months ago. He has already given her money for Visa, airline tickets, and now she needs more!
How can he check to see if they exist?
How to ...
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31
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is Expedia's customer support phone number?
The Expedia support page makes it really hard to find a phone number to call for support. There are tons of scammy web sites out there with fake numbers that pretend to be Expedia, but if you make ...
- 99.5k
6
votes
2
answers
468
views
Unsolicited help at Amsterdam Centraal ticket machines – scam or just friendly?
I was at Amsterdam Centraal train station today, and there was a man hanging around the automated ticket machines, offering unsolicited help. Whenever somebody approached a machine, he’d ask, “Going ...
- 275
1
vote
1
answer
338
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How to reach support about my Genius 3 Booking.com account
I reached my Genius level 3 account the legitimate way by booking whole vacations from booking.com. I counted on getting premium support but suddenly I was locked out of my account. The password, ...
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1
vote
2
answers
4k
views
How do I find if a flight ticket for Tony James is legit
I have a copy of a flight ticket from Mexico City,Mexico to Louisiana Armstrong International Airport
0572329319657 Leaving Mexico City Tony James is the person of interest. How can I find out if the ...
9
votes
4
answers
8k
views
Can someone please tell me if this flight ticket is actually genuine
Can someone please tell me if this ticket is genuine. I met someone online and they were due to fly to the uk. But she claimed that she had COVID so wasn't able to board the plane
Is this real?
- 115
5
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Is there anything about this itinerary from Eva air that looks like it could be a fake?
Is there anything about this itinerary from Eva air from June/July 2023 that looks like it could be a fake?
- 69
17
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3
answers
10k
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I suspect I am being scammed. An online romantic contact sent me this itinerary. Are you able to tell?
I have been in touch with someone romantically and I suspect that he is not who he says he is. He sent me this itinerary. Is it a fake?
He never showed when I went to meet him and he says he is being ...
- 188
0
votes
1
answer
910
views
How can I check if an international driving permit is legit?
Looking at the picture of an international driving permit (supposedly) that contains several typos on the first page (including one in the main title and one in a section title) made me wonder: How ...
- 62.9k
8
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Is it safe to provide CVV number by property message in booking.com
I have just canceled one of the booking I did on booking.com. it was still in free cancelation date. but property just sent me a message requesting cvv number for card to get it refunded. never ...
- 89
2
votes
0
answers
401
views
Scammed by a host or booking.com failure (CANT_CANCEL_hotel_overbooked)?
I booked an apartment in the Philippines through booking.com for the last week of April. The payment method is "pay at the property" and I gave my debit card number as a guarantee to make ...
- 21
15
votes
2
answers
9k
views
US Embassy in Nigeria told me to pay them for my flight when applying for visa, however my visa was denied. Will they refund me my flight money back?
I understand that my visa fee will not be refunded, but I gave the clerk flight money as well. Will they refund that amount?
- 169
27
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Egypt hotel deliberately overcharged dollar payments and refunded the difference in cash. Why?
On a recent trip to Egypt, the hotel required - either for obvious economic-situation or legislation reasons - that the payments for my room and booked tours be paid in US Dollars.
The payment was ...
anon
3
votes
0
answers
704
views
Should I give my credit card number, expiry date and CVV to a hotel in order to receive a refund?
I recently stayed in a hotel in Perth, WA. They charged my card for the room and added a security bond to be refunded after I leave. This was all debited from my UK credit card.
They now say that ...
- 1,110
-3
votes
2
answers
926
views
My fiancé is held for ransom in the UAE, what do I do?
My fiancé is being held at the airport. He has been working on an oil rig for 3 months and is from the USA. He got paid in cash. His luggage was checked, and now the officers are threatening him with ...
17
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Scam or not? Booking does rents?
So I want to rent an apartment in the Netherlands but the price for such an apartment is quite low and I am proceeding with caution. Do you think that this is a scam or does booking.com really do this?...
- 171
27
votes
6
answers
9k
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 ...
- 271
1
vote
1
answer
629
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 ...
- 19.1k
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
450
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
4k
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 ...
- 259
20
votes
2
answers
7k
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
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3
answers
434
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?
- 1,479
5
votes
1
answer
7k
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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
588
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
1k
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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
1k
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.
...
- 62.9k
3
votes
1
answer
4k
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
440
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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
2k
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
5k
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 ...
- 62.9k
31
votes
1
answer
26k
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 ...
- 62.9k
4
votes
1
answer
840
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
102
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
525
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
1k
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 ...
- 1,593
9
votes
3
answers
802
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 ...
- 4,247
8
votes
1
answer
410
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 ...
- 80.4k
6
votes
2
answers
10k
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.
...
- 1,390
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 ...
- 20k
28
votes
4
answers
15k
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, ...
- 321