Despite being a famous tourist destination, tourists visiting Switzerland have encountered frauds and scams. A lot of scams can be avoided by staying alert and taking precautionary measures.
Here are some of the most common tourist scams in Switzerland that one must be aware of:
1. Taxi Scams
Taxi or transportation scams are most common and happen all across the globe. Generally, when you hire a taxi and board it without asking for a fare to reach the destination, the taxi driver tends to overcharge you.
Sometimes, they take advantage of the tourists and drive through the longest route to increase the fare.
Common around: across the country.
2. Free Stuff Scams
This scam is quite prevalent in different parts of Switzerland where scammers offer, sometimes force to keep pieces of stuff like friendship bracelets or any souvenir. Later, they demand money for those free items or pickpocket you while you are distracted in the conflict.
Common around: Geneva and Zurich
3. Pickpocketing
Tourists face the problem of pickpocketing while they travel to any crowded place in Switzerland. Scammers will first try to distract you by bumping into you or asking for some location.
Meanwhile, you will be busy with one of them, and the other member of this scammer group will rob your wallet, purse, or any other valuable items.
Common around: Across the country
4. Bonneteau
This is one of the age-old tourist scams in Switzerland, where the scammers play a game called bonnetaur or cup 'n' ball game. There, one person from the group will show many tricks with cups and balls and ask tourists which cup has the ball.
While the tourists will be busy guessing and will be distracted, another scammer present in the crowd will empty your pockets.
Common around: Across the country
5. Scam by Fake Police
Being a popular scam in Switzerland, mostly in Geneva, scammers disguised as policemen con tourists by randomly asking them to show their wallets. Though the rate of this scam has been reduced due to the strict intervention of the Swiss police, tourists must be careful and should call or directly visit the nearby police station if a scammer asks them to show their wallet and claims to be a policeman.
Common around: Geneva
6. Free Hugs
Free Hugs Campaigns are popular in Switzerland. However, tourists must be extra careful of any random person asking for free hugs. The chances of a wallet getting rifled are high in such scenarios when distracted by this warm gesture by a stranger.
Hence, it is ideal to dodge the plan whenever a stranger approaches for free hugs.
Common around: Zurich and Geneva
7. Donation or Sign the Petition Scam
Sign the petition or fake donation scams are widely popular, and scammers keep on looting tourists in the name of social cause or charity. Different tourist parts of Switzerland and Zurich have these scams; however, much has been controlled by the intervention of police and authorities.
Common around: Zurich
8. Hotel Booking Scams
Being quite a prevalent scam in Switzerland, the receptionists at the hotel may tell you that your accommodation has been cancelled or the hotel is overbooked. However, it becomes hectic to find another hotel at the last minute if you are visiting during the peak season.
Taking advantage of this situation, the receptionist suggests that one or two high-priced rooms are available and will end up overcharging you.
Common around: Across the country
9. ATM Scam
ATM scam is one of the most famous tourist scams in Switzerland, as reported by tourists. Scammers will malfunction the card insert slot, which will make the card stuck once you insert the card.
In this situation, most tourists leave the machine and go out to seek assistance. Scammers take advantage of this situation and rob the card.
Common around: city areas
