String bracelet scam in Italy

Good Luck Badge Scam in Vatican City

There are many scammers are active in the sacred place Vatican City. I was enjoying the historical beauty of the Vatican City. In the meantime, a guy comes to me and very weirdly pass something to my hand. He was saying that this is a good luck badge. It will bring some good fortune for me and asked 20 Euros.

I denied taking the badge, but he was manipulating me. And was saying if I don’t take that good luck badge some danger will come down to my life. How ridiculous his saying was?

Lately, I found there are many such scammer groups are actively working in Vatican City. Sometimes one scammer comes to assist another scammer and they share the scam money.

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Souvenir Scam in Rome

Walking to the center of Rome, a man started asking where we and my husband were we from. After hearing our country, he began saying that this country saved him more than once. And then he said that he just wants to give us a bracelet as a gift. We asked if it was free, he said that’s right.

As soon as we walked away a few steps, he began to shout our country loudly. We stopped, he came up with an entirely different expression of the face, saying that we should give him money for the birthday of his daughter.

We gave money, because people looked at us carefully after his shout.

What is this new way of deception?

Where: The main square of Rome near the Coliseum and all other tourist points.

Advice: Walk away from small private souvenir sellers on the street. Buy in souvenir shops.

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Watch out

Watch out for people wanting to put bracelets on you they will steal your watch or the other person with the person giving you a bracelet will be picking your pocket or purse. Saw it in action in Rome as I walked away from the coliseum last April.

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Put a string on my shoulder

I ignored one of them today and as I walked past he put a string on my shoulder, I find it is best to wave them off as soon as they start to approach and do not engage further. It lets them know your on to them.

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Was shoved outside the colosseum

Question for those that have toured Italy:

Update** Would just like to note first that I’m touring solo at the moment so groups of people following me is wigging me out quite a bit.

Italy is the 9th country I’ve toured in Europe. Granted I’ve only hit Milan and Rome so far (I’m currently in Rome) and the phenomenon of African men complimenting, asking where you are from and then trying to force a bracelet on your wrist “for free” and then demanding money happened to me at all the major sites I’ve visited. They’re extremely aggressive and pushy and two of them tried to fight me about it when I politely refused. I’ve never had this issue anywhere else.

The cops didn’t seem to care at all as well and this is kind of ruining the experience of Italy for me. When I tried to just ignore one of them I was shoved outside the colosseum. I’m not sure how to handle this, I’ve dealt with beggars and the like all over the world but have never experienced anything quite like this before, any insights or advice?

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Were harrassed at least 15 times

Hi,

just returned home from Italy which i traveled a lot these last two years. we went almost everywhere: Rome, Sicily, Marche Region, Tuscany, Como Lake…

on Monday we returned from beautiful Como Lake to Milano and had like 4 hours in the city center and wanted to see the Duomo, have a gelato and relax in the center, weather was nice.

in the roughly three hours we spend in the Milan City Center my girlfriend and me were harrassed at least 15 times by African men trying to scam/force us to take some kind of “bracelets”. this was the most aggressive and disgusting form of scamming/begging i ever saw. When i told the 10th guy in no uncertain terms “please stop harrassing us now” a second guy showed up and they started to get really aggressive and telling us some not too nice things. it was really a very uncomfortable experience. we witnessed the harassment going on around us – with police watching on and relaxing.

I love Italy and Milan is a beautiful city but this is going to far. I am Austrian and in Austria at least they passed a law that prohibits “aggressive begging” and you can call the police. But here its completely out of control and i would not go back to Milan based on that. I hope they realize that and start to act.

when approached just keep walking and just say firmly “NO, NO, NO” – that in the end worked for us – it worked also better if my Girlfriend said it than if i tried to send them away. Be careful if there is multiple guys of them around as i guess they could get dangerous/do silly things.

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Hassled at the Colosseum by friendship bracelet guys

Part 1: We were in Rome a couple of weeks ago and went to visit the Colosseum.

Disappointed by all the scammers and hawkers, we got the African guys with the so called friendship bracelets but we refused them and had to get quite firm to the point of yelling no at them.. They are persistent!

Part 2: reformed drug user petition scam

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It’s honestly sad how many scams there are in Rome

It’s honestly sad how many scams there are in Rome since it is such a beautiful place.

Yesterday I was walking around Rome and an African started complimenting my pants and tried to give me something but the best thing to do is just keep walking (which I did and always works). Also, firmly saying ‘nein’ (no in German) works well too lol.

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Bracelet trick in Matera

My husband and I were in Matera, Italy when an African tried the bracelet trick but I pulled away. He started begging for money. I firmly said no but he became belligerent. I said I would call the police.

I am 63 years old and have traveled a lot so I know the scams. I did call the police since he had grabbed me.

The police all pretended not to speak any English at all, so don’t expect any help from them with this street scum. The police are very lazy in France and Italy and don’t care what happens to tourists.

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Hit on by rose, bracelet and neon sellers

Beh, I got taken for 1 euro by a taxi driver and feel very lucky…that is the only $/item I lost last week. It was my third trip to Rome and I was extremely careful [zipped money pouch inside my buttoned blouse w/cord all tucked out of site] and aware of my surroundings.

I know how to speak read, write and SPEAK Italian so perhaps that is why I did not feel too vulnerable traveling alone outside of my original travel group.

Yes, I was ‘hit’ on by the rose, bracelet and neon sellers and I politely said “no, grazie 2x” if they persisted it went “up” and loudly to “NO, VA VIA” which means NO, GO AWAY! I wore a determined and unpleasant expression on my face when I walked with a brisk pace in the terminis, as if to say ‘do not even try to mess with me.’ I had a very FUN Trip!

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