Travel tour scams

One of the most common types of scams in Canada is fake tours or excursions. Some companies may offer you attractive prices for city tours or natural attractions, but in reality it will turn out to be a scam. Fake companies may not only take your money, but also fail to provide any services.

How to avoid:

• Check reviews of tour operators and excursions online.
• Use only trusted travel agencies.
• Make sure the company has all the necessary licenses and insurance.

Car rental scams

Car rental in Canada is a convenient way to travel around the country, but be careful. Some scammers may hide extra charges or even hide damage on the cars to charge you for damages after you return the car. They may also offer you unnecessary insurance.

How to avoid:

• Read the terms and conditions of the rental carefully.
• Take photos of the car before and after the rental, documenting all damage.
• Do not agree to unreasonable additional insurances unless they are mandatory.

Currency exchange scams

In major tourist destinations in Canada, you may encounter exchange offices with low rates, hidden fees or other traps. This can result in you receiving less Canadian dollars than you expected.

How to avoid:

• Use reputable money exchangers or make exchanges through ATMs.
• Avoid exchanging currency in tourist areas where rates are often less favorable.
• Use credit or debit cards to avoid having to exchange money locally.

Accommodation Scams

Many tourists encounter problems when booking accommodation through online platforms. Some scammers post false ads for cheap rented apartments or houses and then ask for prepayment and disappear.

How to avoid:

• Book accommodation through trusted platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, or directly through hotels.
• Never send money for a rental before confirming that the accommodation actually exists and matches the description.
• Read reviews of owners and accommodations.

Cab scams

In major cities like Toronto or Vancouver, you may encounter illegal cabs whose drivers try to inflate the cost of the trip or even trick tourists into taking long routes. They may take you to bus or train stations where the fare is much higher.

How to avoid:

• Use only licensed cabs.
• Check the price before traveling.
• Use cab hailing apps like Uber or Lyft where the prices are fixed.

Travel payment scams

Some scammers may trick travelers by offering services at low prices but then forcing them to pay two to three times more. Such scammers often demand upfront payment or overcharge for additional services.

How to avoid:

• Always check the final amount, including all taxes and additional fees, before paying.
• Do not pay in full right away – do so only after you are fully convinced that the service is as advertised.

How to protect yourself from scammers?

• Be careful. If something looks too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.
• Use secure payment methods. Paying via credit cards can give you fraud protection.
• Plan ahead. Learn about local scams and local laws so you can be prepared for possible risks.
• Contact the embassy. If you are a victim of fraud, report it immediately to your country’s consulate or embassy.

Conclusion

As attractive as Canada is to tourists, it is important to be aware of the possible risks. Knowing the most common fraud schemes and proper behavior will help you avoid unpleasant situations and make your trip safe and comfortable.

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Prices

Cubans use two currencies – convertible cookies and non-convertible pesos. Their exchange rate is approximately as follows: 1 cuc = 28 pesos. Money bills look similar to each other and are marked with the same icons, which creates a favorable ground for the development of fraud with prices and money signs. Very often tourists, not understanding the intricacies of the Cuban economy, pay for cab rides or street food in cucas instead of pesos, and dishonest cab drivers and sellers shamelessly take the “wrong” money from them, thus getting superprofits.

Pesos

When you exchange your currency for pesos and cookies, compare the currency carefully and memorize the differences. Know that public transportation fares and street food are always in pesos, and don’t pay with cookies. Currency Exchange You are tired from your long flight and are looking for a currency exchange office at the airport. You count out, for example, €1000 and ask to exchange it for cookies. The cashier counts the money and says that you only gave €900. You write this mistake off as fatigue and give the cashier another €100, and then you get your cookies. You didn’t actually make a mistake in the calculation. It’s just that the cashier, having received the €1000, discreetly flicked one bill onto the floor. And when you leave, he will pick up the money and put it in his own pocket.

How to avoid being cheated?

Put the money out one bill at a time and count it out loud. Do not get distracted when exchanging currency. If you are sure that you are being cheated, go to the police without delay – exchange offices often have cameras and you can easily prove your case. But as a rule, it does not come to the police. As soon as you start to get indignant, the cashier will immediately “find” the “lost” bill on the floor and apologize.

Cafes

The following practice is widespread in Cuba: cafes have two entrances, one for locals and one for tourists. If you go in together with locals – you will eat not expensive and pay in pesos, if with the same foreigners – prepare to pay in cucas. There is another situation, when the entrance to the cafe is one, but the menus are different, and each copy is numbered with numbers: 1, 2, 3, etc. Accordingly, all menus have different prices. If you are brought a menu number 3, get ready to pay for a meal three times more expensive.

How to avoid being cheated?

Before entering a cafe, look around carefully. Go to the door where the locals go, and do not listen to advisers pointing to the entrance for foreign tourists. If they bring you a numbered menu, it’s better to eat at another establishment.

Cabs

Cuban cabs are not much different from cabs in other resort countries. Counters in cars are rare, and enterprising drivers will drive you on the streets around the hotel to get more money. It is very common for cab drivers, after taking foreigners to their destination, to claim that they have quoted a per-person fare. They then double or triple the amount, depending on the number of passengers. And quietly rejoice at how cleverly they have cheated tourists.

How to avoid deception?

The cost of the trip should be discussed in advance. Be sure to specify that it is the full amount of the trip, not the fare per passenger. Rent a car A foreign tourist driving a car is an easy prey for swindlers. This is used by everyone, starting with the car rental company, which attributes non-existent scratches on the hood after returning the car, and ending with gas station attendants who manage to “pour” more gasoline into the gas tank than it can hold.

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