SCAMS IN PARIS: GET TO KNOW HOW TO AVOID THEM – CIAO VALENTINA
Paris is a beautiful and large metropolis and as with all big cities there is no shortage of scams. In this article you will find all the useful information to identify and avoid them.
Paris is a beautiful and large metropolis and getting bored here is impossible. Like all big cities however, Paris too hides its darker sides. Scams in Paris are on the rise and many tourists are targeted so learning to recognise and avoid them is the duty of all travelers. Below you will find a list of the scams I have seen (and unfortunately, some have also involved me).
Read also: A weekend in Paris: where to go and what to do.
Or watch the videos on my YouTube channel:
TOP 10 IN PARIS, what to do in Paris in just 2 days:
Scams in Paris:
So, let’s start listing these scams from the most common to the most recent because, as said before, being prepared is our duty, to make sure we enjoy Paris in the best way.
1) Lucky charm bracelet: a classic in many European capitals. The scammer approaches you by placing the lucky charm bracelet over your shoulder or wrist, telling you it’s free. They convince you to keep it by telling you it’s a way to share happiness and love and then ask you for money. So, without panicking and without showing nerves, keep a firm tone, return the bracelet and simply inform them that you are not interested.
2) Tickets: Scammers target museums for this type of scam and the most popular with them is the Louvre. Young people selling entry tickets, offering discounts and the classic “skip the line”. Usually you find them in front of the main entrances ready to spot you and run after you. Obviously those tickets are not valid, even if they seem so – so remember to buy tickets only at the museum ticket office.
3) Illegal Sellers: Buying souvenirs from illegal street vendors …is illegal. Very often these sellers are insistent on selling you absolutely anything and unfortunately accidents can happen. I helped, along with some other boys, a lady who had been thrown to the ground by one of these vendors. It would seem accidentally, but the vendor then ran away. The problem is that there wasn’t even any police around to help out. So, do not buy from illegal street vendors. It is not good for the country’s economy and if they come close insisting, simply ignore them.
4) The gold ring: a scam that is now well known and as such, less practiced by scammers. In this case the Eiffel Tower is a popular targeted attraction. Usually the scammer will meet you with an animated attitude and tell you that you have dropped a ring and if you want it you will have to buy it back. Bizarre but true and many people have been deceived giving these scammers an easy score. So, if they get close by being pushy, just walk away ignoring them.
5) Fake petitions: In this case, they approach to ask you to sign something for a good cause. They put their folder with the signature sheet over your bag and without you noticing it, they take your wallet from the bag. Also remember that not being a French citizen, your signature has no value, so don’t waste your time.
6) Metro station: This is the latest scam that is catching on in Parisian stations. This time I was the subject of the scam and I want to share the details. I do it because I don’t want it to happen to you too.
My beloved mother and I were spending a weekend in Paris and upon entering the Blanche metro station opposite the Moulin Rouge, we were approached by a well-presented young girl wearing black trousers and a white shirt and who proposed to help us with tickets at automatic machines. She started with the usual questions about ‘how many days we would be in Paris’ and ‘how many trips we thought we would make in one day’. Ticket office questions, right? She immediately suggested a ticket of €10 per person for a total of €40 for two days. I immediately thought it was too expensive as I had earlier read online the types of tickets available and their prices. So, I did not hesitate to ask more detailed questions about the different types of tickets, areas of Paris, how to move from one area to another, etc.
In all of this I noticed some hesitation in the answers. Anyway, when I was about to walk away, a French speaking couple approached us to get help with the tickets in the machine next to ours, asking the girl herself for information. I was led to believe that the girl really did work as a station ticket seller. I did not notice, however, that those people who had just approached us were her accomplices.
So, remember: In the bottom right-hand corner of a real ticket, the full price is stamped and not the amount of discount as we were told by the scammer. The zones covered by this ticket are always stamped above.
These people are very well organized, fast and above all they never cheat on their own. Their technique is this: they approach tourists, not only in large stations but also in small ones, they use electronic machines to make tickets, away from the cameras and convex mirrors, so the people in charge of the tickets behind the counter cannot see them in action.
Unfortunately, the local police cannot stop them apparently because they do not have resident documentation and they claim to be minors.
These are the most common scams today in Paris, a mix between ‘new and original’ and ‘old well-known’ ones – but I think that dusting off our memories never hurts.
With or without scams, Paris still remains a beautiful European capital that deserves to be seen. I hope this blog post will help you visit beautiful Paris without any nasty surprises.
And also read my blog “A Weekend in Paris. Where to go and what to do”.
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