Travellers are being warned about a popular scam targeting visitors to popular European destinations.
If you’re visiting the Eiffel Tower or Trevi Fountain, it’s important to be aware of the various hazards and how to avoid them.
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Tourists heading to Paris for the Olympics this summer or jetting off to Italy for a romantic getaway should beware of a new scam hitting tourist destinations. Photo: Getty
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Experts offer important advice on how to avoid a new scam involving thread friendship bracelets. Credit: Getty Images
While most tourists are aware of taxi scams, buy attraction tickets only from official companies and take care of their own luggage, holidaymakers are facing new risks this summer.
“Bracelet scams are sweeping Europe,” travel expert Jessica Dante told the Daily Express.
This is similar to a common scam in which free roses are handed out to diners and drinkers in restaurants to distract them while someone pickpockets them.
Bracelet scams “use the same principle, but the scammer tries to put a bracelet on your wrist,” Dante explained.
European cities such as Paris, Milan and Rome have been identified as particularly hotspots for scams.
The Rome Vacation Tips website warns tourists visiting the Eternal City that scams are “particularly common” in Rome, where sellers will try to trick you out of your money using “friendly conversation” or “guilt tripping”.
Some use the string bracelets to distract pickpockets, while others, especially couples, try to pressure them into accepting a “free” friendship bracelet before asking for money.
“I ran for my life”
A tourist from Paris described his encounter with a con man in Montmartre, after which he “narrowly escaped for his life” after pushing away a group of men who had surrounded him.
“I was a victim of a bracelet scam… I’m kind of shocked. The whole thing was very scary,” he said in the TikTok video.
“He was a very big, tall guy, very intimidating. He said, ‘Take it, take it,’ and I said, ‘No, no, no, no,’ but he grabbed my arm so hard that it hurt.”
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“The more I try to resist, the more men, other con men, walk towards me.
“And the other guy said, ‘Respect him. Respect him. Stay still.’ And I said, ‘I respect him, but I just don’t want that. Please let me go.'”
“Same thing happened to me and my boyfriend on our way to Montmartre. We got robbed of like 150 euros,” another TikTok user replied.
Meanwhile, a tourist in Rome described how, after giving the bracelet to a woman, he saw the scammer shout “Delete the video or pay me!” and threaten to call the police.
“She got frantic and tried to tell him she didn’t have the video. He was very aggressive and she started showing him pictures of herself…I jumped in and put my arm around her and asked her to walk with me,” he explained.
“It’s highly likely that someone took her unlocked phone and accessed all the information stored on it with the intention of never getting involved!”
Sense of guilt
Dante said couples need to be especially wary of scams.
This is because “scammers skillfully exploit the romantic feelings of their victims, making them feel obligated to be in a relationship rather than rejecting their romantic acts with the intent of hurting the victim.”
Common tourist scams in European cities:
Taxi scams – Only use official taxi ranks. Ask the taxi driver to turn on the meter and get out if he says the meter is broken. This is a common scam. So is telling the passenger that the fare is higher than the meter shows. Petitions – Here, tourists are asked to sign a charity petition and make a donation. This is fake, the money goes somewhere else and you may be pickpocketed while signing. Roses or friendship bracelets – These are used to distract pickpockets or to pressure tourists into handing over money, even though they initially said it was a “free” gift. Street card games – These games attract a large crowd and distract people watching the game. This allows pickpockets to steal items unnoticed. At the same time, the person playing the game loses extra money. ATM scams – Some ATMs may be fitted with skimmer devices that duplicate your card information. Before inserting your card, check the machine for anything loose or unusual. It is best to go to an ATM inside a bank.
One man fell for this after being approached: “He was a very kind and talkative man.”
“He gifted me and my wife ‘free’ bracelets,” he explained on Reddit.
“I politely refused, but he ended up putting bracelets on both of our wrists and (quite aggressively) demanded 10 euros, plus 5 euros for each bracelet.”
Dante advises that if you encounter such a scammer, “stay away and say no on the spot,” but other experts recommend a tougher, more “unnatural” approach.
Bracelet scams “exploit the natural human instinct to not be rude,” explain the experts at Rome Vacation Tips.
“So to counter the strange psychology of fraud, you have to act in an unnatural way.”
“Ignore the scammers completely… literally act as if they don’t exist.”
If the bracelet is already halfway around your wrist, we recommend removing it.
“We have recently heard reports that scammers are becoming more aggressive and intimidating,” experts warned, making it even more important for tourists to avoid engaging with them in any way.
The Sun previously reported on advice given to tourists who had fallen victim to a similar scam whilst visiting the Sacré Coeur.
Meanwhile, vacationers in Florence encountered a different kind of scam involving counterfeit art.
A simple cash scam has emerged in Spain, with authorities urging tourists to double-check their coins.
