Before Nepal Everest Scam, 5 Biggest Tourist Scams Uncovered Around The World

Last Updated:April 03, 2026, 17:42 IST

We breakdown 5 scams that have become very popular in tourist destinations that take advantage of unsuspecting visitors.

Several tourists have been scammed by locals when they are on vacation, thereby losing money or time, and sometimes both.

Ever thought about climbing Mount Everest and standing at the top of the world’s tallest mountain after going through all the grueling preparation that it takes to reach the summit? Well, a recent scam that was exposed in Nepal was about the guides who accompany climbers to the top.

Now, tourist scams are not new. They have always existed in some form or another, just that they have varying levels of harm. While some just mean taking tourists via the longer route to their destination to increase the bill, others can mean pickpocketing unsuspecting visitors who are enamoured by the sights or robbing visitors by impersonating authorities and asking for bribes.

Here are some of the most popular scams that take place in tourist areas:

Mount Everest Scam

Sherpas or guides who take climbers up to Mount Everest, along with a network of trekking companies, helicopter operators, and hospital executives in Nepal, have been accused of running a multibillion-rupee insurance scam. They would add baking soda to the food, thereby secretly poisoning tourists, and pressure them into having costly emergency helicopter evacuations. By adding baking soda to their meals, the tourists would experience severe gastrointestinal symptoms that mimicked altitude sickness or food poisoning. Rescue companies reportedly submitted forged medical and flight documents to international travel insurers, and the payouts totalled about $19.69 million. These gains were shared among the sherpas, helicopter operators, trekking agencies, and hospitals that provided fake treatments.

Kicked Cup Scam

This is a popular scam that takes place in Paris in tourist-heavy places like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, along the Seine River, the Louvre, around Tuileries Garden and more. It is a street‑level tourist trap in which a homeless person places a cup filled with coins directly in the footpath, with the expectation that you to knock it over. They will then start causing a scene, being aggressive towards you, and even call in bystanders (usually plants and the people are hand-in-glove with each other) to try and guilt you into giving them more money or might pickpocket your. They will claim you ruined their day’s earnings. To avoid falling for this trick, you should simply walk away and refuse to interact will reduce the risk of being scammed.

Fake Cruise Scam

There have been a lot of scams with cruises that have been popping up as the trend of cruise travel goes on rising. In Italy, there have been videos shared on social media by concerned tourists who were scammed for cruises. Allegedly, fraudulent travel agencies in Brindisi were exposed for taking payments for cruises that did not exist. In New York, a travel agent was charged in January with multiple felony counts, as she defrauded multiple customers, who paid her $35,753.98 for a Royal Caribbean cruise that did not exist.

Horse Trading/Cab Driver Scam 

When travelling to Manila in the Phillipines, one common scam is ‘horse trading’ or bait‑and‑switch. Here, taxi drivers will typically target tourists through deceitful fare manipulation. A driver will first agree to use the meter or a trip for a reasonable price. However, in the middle of the journey, they will change the deal, by swapping drivers, claiming an accomplice “owns” the ride, or saying the initial rate was misunderstood. They will then demand up to 10 times the original fare.

Ghost Tapping

While European summers are a dream for a lot of people, several tourists have reported money being stolen right from their banks via their contactless cards. Called ghost tapping, this scam involves scammers roaming around crowded spots, like metros, public squares, and tourist landmarks, with portable contactless card readers. As banks cards use Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, these scammers can discreetly pass close to people’s pockets or bags and if a contactless-enabled card is present, the machine can authorise a payment of up to €50 instantly.