SCAMS FOR TOURISTS TO BE AWARE OF

LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 25 MILLION AMERICANS TRAVELED OVERSEAS. FIRST OF ALL, YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. TRUST YOUR GUT FEELING, TAKE APPROPRIATE PRECAUTIONS AND KEEP YOUR SENSES. TRAVELING IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN. WHEN YOU GO ON VACATION, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. TRAVEL SMART AND KNOW WHAT (OR WHO) TO AVOID. FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON CONS.

-FAKE POLICE OFFICERS, MOST HAPPEN IN POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATIONS. THEY APPROACH YOU TELLING OF AN INCIDENT THAT HAS OCCURRED.
-CREATING A DISTRACTION THEN THEY STEAL YOUR WALLET. PICK POCKETS WORK IN PAIRS AND WILL STEAL YOUR WALLET ONCE A CROWD HAS GATHERED WITH THE DISTRACTION.
-MONEY CHANGING "ERRORS" A COMMON SCAM IS THE "SLOW COUNT". IN BUSY TOURIST AREAS SOME CASHIERS WILL COUNT YOUR CHANGE VERY SLOWLY WITH CONFUSING PAUSES, HOPING YOU WILL JUST TAKE WHAT THEY ARE HOLDING OUT AND LEAVE. IT USUALLY IS MUCH LESS THAN WHAT YOU SHOULD RECEIVE.
-CAB DRIVERS IF YOU HAND A CAB DRIVER A LARGE BILL, HE MAY DROP IT AND PICK UP A HIDDEN SMALLER BILL, INSISTING YOU DIDN'T PAY ENOUGH. SOME CAB DRIVERS WILL CHARGE YOU DOUBLE FARE THAN WHAT WAS QUOTED ONCE YOU REACH YOUR DESTINATION.
-GOOD SAMARITINS, THEY OFFER YOU ASSISTANCE TO PURCHASE A TICKET BUT WILL RUN AWAY WITH YOUR MONEY. OR THEY WILL OFFER TO HELP YOU WITH AN ATM IN ORDER TO LEARN YOUR PIN, SO WHEN THEY STEAL YOUR WALLET THEY CAN GET MONEY.