Vacation Scams to Watch For: Samaritans

We hope that you have a wonderful trip this year and with all the wonderful vacation destinations out there, we want to caution you to be alert as there as a lot of potential scams out there. Here at iGlobe Travel, we are doing our part to help educate travelers about potential travel scams and hope you find this information helpful.

While you are taking a photograph of your wife or husband in Paris, a pickpocket could be stealing your wallet or rifling through your purse.

A Good Samaritan is a person who goes out of his or her way to assist others. Often times while vacationing in foreign countries tourist hope for such a person to help show them around. However, in most instances these so-called good Samaritans end up being con artists.

Many of them will hang out around ATM machines offering to help tourists confused with a foreign system or a machine in a different language. Be aware because they are typically either trying to see how much money you are taking out of your account so they can rob you a few blocks down the road, or they have rigged the machine so that it appears to eat your card. While they are pretending to help you they are actually getting your pin number and then will come back to the machine to retrieve your card and empty your account.

Others will hang around at train stations, bus stations and airports and ask if you need assistance purchasing a ticket -- then take your money and run. You should also be wary of people at train and bus stations who offer to show you to your seat. When you get there, they will demand payment.

While driving, a car may pull up next to you and the driver will helpfully point out that you have a flat tire. While one person assists you in changing the tire, an accomplice will help himself to your pocketbook or any other valuables. Oftentimes, the people that flag you down are the people that punctured your tire to begin with.

In Spain, there's a popular scam where an older woman offers you a sprig of rosemary, as a sign of friendship. Then she'll grab your hand, read your fortune and demand payment.

How do you avoid falling victim? Don't make eye contact or accept anything that's handed to you. Purchase any tickets yourself. If you need assistance, utilize the concierge at a hotel. Never let anyone help you out at an ATM, and never give anyone your PIN.

iGlobe Travel is happy to provide this information and if you have any questions feel free to visit our website by going to http://www.i-globetravel.com/blog/.