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Italy
48 scams
Besides being home to the most number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites globally, Italy also offers delicious cuisine, trendy fashion, stunning coasts, lakes, mountains and more!
Unfortunately, huge crowds of tourists have also attracted opportunists who rip tourists off with some well-polished petty crime and scams.
Note: vast majority of trips are trouble free and there is no need to be paranoid. That said, it always pays to be aware, careful, and prepared.
Emergency number
- Emergency number in Europe: 112
- Police: 113
- Fire: 115
- Ambulance: 118
Travel guide
Cattedrale di San Pietro catacomb scam in Italy
2 0How it works: You may encounter a tout at the entrance who will charge you €5 to enter the catacombs. Note: there are no catacombs here. Places to beware: Bologna:…
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Sob story scammers in Italy
2 2How it works: Opening: claiming to not have money or to have been robbed. Set-up: you may encounter them on the streets or at train stations who ask if you…
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Florence fake jewelry in Italy
2 0How it works: There are a number of shops around the Ponte Vecchio area which actually work together and sell fake jewelry at inflated prices. Places to beware: Florence: Ponte…
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Money changer scams in Italy
2 2How it works: Situation: there are some rogue money changers which will advertise very favourable rates. Scam 1: the favourable rate is only if you exchange a certain minimum amount….
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Vesuvius fake stones in Italy
2 0How it works: At Vesuvius, there are shops which sell obsidian stones and minerals claimed to be from the volcano. These are largely fakes or lab grown. Places to beware:…
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Gas station scams in Italy
2 3How it works: Situation: in 2019, two gas stations were caught by the police for these scams: Version 1: rigged pump where the amount of petrol/total price is controlled by…
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Piazza Navona fake oil paintings in Italy
2 0How it works: You will see lots of artists here holding brushes who seem to be painting portraits. For some, this is an act to sell “oil paintings” which are…
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Naples’ phone scam in Italy
2 1How it works: Version 1: you may encounter touts offering a brand new phone at low prices on the streets. If you buy, the phone will be swapped with a…
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Gold ring scam in Italy
2 0How it works: Opening: A gypsy finds a gold ring on the floor, points at the “18k” hallmark on the ring and offers it to you (it is actually worthless…
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Dancing cartoon cutouts scam in Italy
2 0How it works: Opening: Along the streets, you may see paper cartoon character cutouts dance as music is played from a cassette player just beside. Touts, with PhDs in bullshitting,…
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