Common Tourist Scams in America & How to Avoid Them

Be it the big-city glamour or the small-town charm, the United States is a vast nation worth exploring. From mesmerizing landscapes all year round - with their innumerable parks, wildlife sanctuaries, coastal points and more; to soaking in peak Western culture, food and fashion – riding on the American dream is a checklist for many travellers.

With 22.1 million tourists travelling to America in 2022 alone, and an estimated 90 million visitors by 2027, it is best to be prepared for all kinds of situations when travelling to the US. That said, let’s take a look at a list of scams that are common in America that travellers should avoid.

1. Phone Scams

Phone scams in America are common. There have been reports where tourists receive robocalls from someone posing to be from the FBI, an insurance company, credit card company, or that you have a DHL package, and you need to share your personal information to deliver it to your house.

Common around: Across any part of the country.

2. Late Night Front Desk Scams

When staying at a hotel, you might get a call in the night from the front desk of the hotel that says there might be an issue with your reservation, and they need your credit card information. This scam is reported across the country. A pro tip would be to never share your credit card information over the phone.

Common around: Different hotels across the country and in places like Virginia, San Francisco.

3. Hotel Listing Scams

Sometimes when travellers are booking their accommodation through third-party sites, like Airbnb, there could be a possibility of a fake listing of a hotel at the same address. The customer will pay for the booking but upon arriving at the hotel, they won't be able to check-in because there isn't a registered booking.

In such cases, the scammer might have access to your credit card information of the booking amount might already be deposited with them. Platforms like Airbnb do not release the payment until 24 hours after a successful check-in.

To avoid this scam, you need to check reviews and images uploaded by customers to verify the legitimacy of the location.

Common around: Different hotels across America. Since it is an online scam, one should be alert when using third-party sites while booking accommodations.

4. ATM Scams

Whenever you are using open ATMs, always be careful that your card is not skimmed. Skimming occurs when devices are illegally installed on ATMs or fuel pumps to capture data or record cardholders' PINs. Criminals use the data to create fake debit or credit cards and then steal from victims' accounts. You can always pay inside for your gas or go to a bank to withdraw cash.

Common around: Public ATMs in places like New York, San Francisco, and others.

5. The Pizza Scam

Tourists have reported coming back from a long day to their hotel room to find a brochure or pizza menu card slipped under their door. Upon calling the number, they place an order and give their credit card information over the phone but end up not getting the item they ordered for. The scammer will use their credit card information to make unnecessary or exorbitant purchases. 

Common around: This scam is common around areas of amusement parks like Disney resorts.

6. The Shell Game Scam

It is one of the oldest scams where a person will demonstrate a "game" where they will have a ball/object hidden under three shells or cups. They will shuffle the cups and ask the tourist to guess where the ball is hidden. The tourists can double their money if they guess the right one, but the game is rigged. 

With sleight-of-hand techniques, the scammer will misplace the ball and not let you win until they have milked all your money. They might also plant people in the crowd who will pretend to play and win to entice other tourists to join in, so they can pickpocket you while you are engrossed in the game.

Common around: In big cities like New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, popular tourist areas like New Orleans’ French Quarter or Memphis’ Beale Street.

7. Photography Scams

Especially in Las Vegas, you will find people posing to be professional photographers who will convince you to let them take a picture for you and then charge you $10-20 for the photograph. 

Common around: This is common near monuments, famous signs, etc. in big cities like Las Vegas, Hollywood, etc.

8. Picture with a Look-Alike Scam

As a tourist, you might be tempted to take a picture with a famous person's look-alike. This works most of the time with little children, although not in places like Disneyland. The related scam is that the person will ask you for a fee after you've taken the picture. If you refuse, they might tend to follow you or create a scene. 

Common around: This scam is common in many parts of America in places like Vegas, Hollywood, LA, NYC Times Square, etc.

9. Pedicab Scams

Some tourists like to take a pedicab around parts of the city. Pedicabs are like rickshaws/tuk-tuks. These drivers can charge you any amount after you’ve begun your trip. They might also have hidden fees, so always confirm the price before getting in.

Common around: This scam is common in San Diego, New York City and other states like California, Florida, etc.

10. Taxi Scams

Taxi scams are common in a lot of tourist places across the world and the USA is no exception. Drivers might take you on a longer route to get to your destination, thereby charging you a higher price. They might also zero out the meter before you can even see the amount and then quote a higher price. 

The best way to avoid this scam is to have your maps open and know the directions of where to go before you start your ride, or you can also ask your hotel for an approximate cost when getting to and from a particular destination.

Common around: The ride between New York’s airports to the city, or even other popular cities like Boston.

11. Forgotten Luggage Scam

Forgetting your luggage in taxi cabs is another scam that might occur. The driver might claim to have forgotten to unload all your luggage as they are trying to steal your bag. If you don't realize that a part of your luggage is missing, they might simply drive off without informing you about it. 

This scam is common when you are travelling with a big group, or you have a lot of bags when travelling. To avoid this scam, you can always tag and count your bags to be sure you have everything. You should also wait around the driver to watch him unloading all your bags and not miss out on any. 

Common around: This scam is most popular in Las Vegas, Nevada, New Orleans, Louisiana, Baltimore, Maryland and Atlantic City, New Jersey.

12. WIFI Scams

Unsecure WIFI signals are commonly found around popular hotels. Scammers can steal personal information through your phone such as bank information, pictures, documents, etc. Do not connect to open, public signals as they almost always are not secure. 

When using public WIFI, always ask the service provider (such as your hotel manager, if you are using your hotels' WIFI) if the signal is secure and safe to connect to.

Common around: Different hotels or public spaces across the country.

13. “Can I Get a Dollar” Scam

Some people might try to approach you to ask for some money like just one dollar. As innocent as it sounds, sometimes some people might harass you to give them just a few more notes and scam you out of your money.

Another way for locals to earn some cash is by asking you to pay for a train ticket to a nearby station or pay for their gas to get you to donate some money. To avoid this scam, you can simply say that you don't have any cash on you and politely ask them to go away. 

Common around: Famous cities across America especially big cities like Chicago.

These kinds of scams are common in most crowded tourist places or even in metros. You might lose your valuables, gadgets or wallets while someone is distracting you or if they bump into you. A thief or gang of thieves will bump into you or distract you and then casually slip out valuables from your wallet, pockets, etc. 

The best way to avoid this scam is to always be aware and hold on to your belongings carefully.

Common around: Crowded tourist hubs, metro or bus stations, etc.

15. Overcharging for Food Scams

Street food like hot dogs, especially in New York City, is a must try! But there are some vendors who overcharge tourists for a single piece. 

The average price for a hot dog is around 3 to 5 dollars, but in some places where the price is not listed, vendors are reported to have been charging around $30 dollars for a hot dog. The best way to avoid this scam is by asking for the price of an item before making a purchase.

Common around: New York City.

16. Small-Store Scams

More common in New York, small electrical stores found around midtown Manhattan might offer tourists pre-defective products. When the product gets damaged after purchase and the customer comes back to the store for a refund/return/exchange, the storeowner has poor policies and at most offers store credit.

Common around: New York City, midtown Manhattan.

17. Parking Ticket Scam

Street parking in America is common but, there are high chances of your vehicle getting towed or facing a scam where you come back to a parking ticket on your windshield.

The Better Business Bureau has reported that scammers create fake parking tickets and leave them on unsuspecting drivers' cars. The fake tickets often prompt a QR code for payment of a fine to a bogus agency. These websites ask you for personal information that hackers use for their gain. Hackers have also been reported to use parking meters to steal money.

To avoid falling for this scam, pay attention to where you’re parking and look up the local parking laws. If in doubt, contact the local parking authority or police department for verification.

Common around: Washington D.C., San Francisco, Oklahoma, California, Florida, Missouri, New York.

18. Metro Card Scams

Scams involving metro cards happen more often than you would imagine. Someone might try to sell you a prepaid metro card that has less or no money. You can report these scams to a police officer or somebody working for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Common around: Metro stations in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, etc.

19. Street Performer/Musician Tip Scams

Street performers are a very common sighting in America. Some performers can get aggressive if they see you filming them and leaving a small tip amount. There have been reports of performers demanding tourists to tip them bigger amounts like $10 to $20. In such cases, the best way to avoid a situation is to walk away or find a police officer to help you out. 

Common around: This is common in popular tourist areas like New Orleans’ French Quarter or Memphis’ Beale Street.

There’s no saying when or where you might get caught up in a scam. So, some tips to keep in mind to avoid being scammed in America are:

• A lot of scams happen in crowded places like pickpocketing. So, you should always be careful with your belongings.
• Never share any sensitive data over the phone. No official agency will ask for such information so in case you receive a call that seems suspicious, you can cut the call and check for legitimacy/verify the caller. Or if the scammer mentions that they are part of the hotel staff, directly approach the front desk or management to verify.
• When on the streets of big cities, always be careful who you interact with. If you are stopped and asked for money, you can simply refuse, politely say no and walk away. 
• In taxis or pedicabs, always agree on a price before beginning your journey. It is best to familiarise yourself with the route you must travel. Luggage scams are common in America, so don’t forget to tag and count your bags when you complete your trip.
• Most importantly, having a good Travel Insurance plan can protect your trip. International Travel Insurance to USA not only comes with medical benefits, but also loss of passports, baggage delays, stolen wallets, financial emergency cash, and a lot more! You can read about the different coverages in Travel Insurance here.

If you face any difficulty when in the US, you can call the emergency contact: 911.

Other important phone numbers are:

• Emergency (Police/Fire/Ambulance): 911

• Local phone directory assistance: 411

• Traffic/Construction on Highways: 511

• You can also reach out to the Indian Embassy in America.