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Top 5 Most Common Scams in India
Popular Scams to Avoid in India
By Sharell Cook
It’s impossible to come to India and not encounter at least one scam or someone trying to rip you off. You shouldn’t be paranoid, but it’s wise to be very aware and cautious.
Here are the details of the most common scams that you’re likely to find in India.
1. Pretending not to Know the Way to Your Hotel
This scam is most often tried on visitors arriving at Delhi airport who attempt to take a pre-paid taxi their hotel. During the journey, the driver will say that he doesn’t know where your hotel is (or that it’s full, or doesn’t exist) and offer to take you to another hotel, or a travel agent who can find you a hotel.
Many people end up falling for this scam as they’re tired from their flight and overwhelmed by the onslaught of India for the first time. Make sure you insist on being taken to the hotel that you planned to stay in. In addition, in Delhi don’t give the pre-paid taxi voucher to the driver until he does so. The driver requires this voucher in order to receive his payment from the taxi office for the trip.
2. Saying that the Place You're Looking for has Moved or is Closed
This is a common scam that you are likely to experience all over India, but most often around tourist destinations in major cities. In Delhi, travelers looking for the foreign tourist reservation office at the New Delhi railway station are often told that it's closed or has moved. They are then taken to a travel agent to make their booking.
Other variations of this scam will be encountered when you attempt to visit shops and tourist attractions that are apparently “closed”. In each case, an offer will be forthcoming to take you to an alternative and sometimes even “better” place. You should ignore these people and continue to proceed to wherever you wanted to go.
3. Importing Gemstones Duty Free
This scam is widespread in Jaipur and also Agra, where many people come to buy gemstones. It involves tourists being approached by a gem dealer, who convinces them to buy some gemstones for him, import them under their duty free allowance, then sell them on to one of his willing partners in the their home country for much more money than they originally paid.
Of course the details that you’ll be given about the “partner” are fictitious and you’ll be stuck with a lot of worthless gems. Definitely avoid anyone who approaches you with an offer like this or any similar scenario. Sometimes you won’t be asked to buy the gems, but instead to provide a “financial guarantee” of your credit card number and signature.
4. Making the Meter Run Fast
Many taxi drivers and auto rickshaw drivers are honest, but some have meters that they’ve altered to run fast so that they can claim a higher fare. It pays to watch the meter to ensure that it’s ticking over at a consistent pace, and not too quickly. Another variation to this scam is the taxi driver saying that the meter is broken, and then quoting an inflated fee to your destination.
5. Offering a Reduced Taxi Fare in Return for Visiting Emporiums
While this isn’t a scam as such, it can still be quite a bother. Taxi drivers will often offer a reduced fare if visitors agree to stop off at a few expensive handicraft emporiums on the way, so that they can get commissions. No purchases are necessary, only looking. The catch is when the number of emporiums to be visited increases from “a few” to at least 5 or 6, so that the driver can maximize his commissions.
The sales people in the emporiums don’t let potential customers get away easily, so such an exercise can end up taking hours. If you want to reach your destination promptly or don’t want to be caught up in what will feel like endless browsing, it’s best to give this offer a miss and pay the full taxi fare.
Scams in India - Top 5 Most Common Scams in India
