For the perfect holiday, you should be aware of all the common scams you are likely to face. This will help you avoid wasting money or losing valuable belongings. Here are some of the common tourist scams in Spain that you should know of:
1. Menu Scam
Legally, every restaurant is supposed to have comprehensive menus with prices printed out for the customers in Spain. However, you might come across certain small restaurants that offer flyers for menus or the day's specials written on a board. These are usually devoid of prices. You might choose to try out the dishes without knowing the price, but then the bill demands a fortune.
Common around: Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia
2. Street Game Scam
This is a common tourist scam in Spain that catches travellers off-guard on the street. You will find people playing the pea and cup street game, where a person tries to hide a small pea or ball under three cups. Then, the audience is asked to guess which cup has the ball or pea. If you participate, you will notice that the person will use distractions to change the cups, causing you to lose money on losing the game.
Common around: Madrid and Barcelona
3. The Taxi Fare Scam
Usually, the taxi service in Spain is safe and reliable. They come with meters to ensure fair charges. However, in rare cases, the driver might ask you to pay the charge upfront or give excuses like their meter is not working. This means the driver is scamming you, asking for more charge than the accurate one for the trip.
Common around: Madrid and Barcelona
4. Fake Police
In this kind of scam, you will be approached by a friendly stranger trying to make a conversation. Later, one or two others will approach you, claiming that they are undercover agents of the police, stating that the stranger you spoke to earlier is a criminal and that they have seen you talking. While you speak to them, they will try to steal your belongings by keeping you engaged.
Common around: Madrid and Barcelona
5. Lucky Rosemary Scam
Around some streets across Spain, you will find slightly aged women standing with small pieces of rosemary. They claim that these are for good luck and hand them to the tourists. Then, they start asking for money. Even if you intend to pay them a few cents, they will create a commotion and force you to pay more.
Common around: Across the country
6. Pickpocket
Spanish marketplaces are filled with people waiting to pick your pocket. You might bump into someone in crowded places and later find your belongings missing. In some cases, they might come in other forms, such as young children, football players and random locals. They might try to engage you in friendly conversations, and their companions might pick up your wallet when you are distracted.
Common around: Madrid and Barcelona
7. Beggars and Sob Stories
You will find fake beggars on the streets of Spain who naturally ask for money. However, as you take out your wallet to pay, they notice where you keep it and can attack you later to steal it. In some cases, you may come across strangers who describe elaborate stories of how they have lost their belongings and desperately need financial help. They will start yelling and create a scene if you refuse to pay them.
Common around: Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona
8. Restaurant Voucher Scam
You may find strangers handing out restaurant vouchers with attractive deals and discounts. However, these are mostly invalid or expired deals. When you take these to the restaurants and try to redeem them while paying your bill, the authorities will refuse to accept them. You will have to pay the entire amount instead.
Common around: Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona
