Paris (or ‘Pari’ – without the S, for French speakers) with it’s beauty and charms, has it’s own perils. Like every other top tourist destination, there are several scams to avoid and look out for when visiting Paris. While visitors are very easy to spot on the streets of Paris, I have overhead several sorrow tales from tourists who were pickpocketed or scammed during their trip, and this can dampen your overall travel experience.
WE’LL DISCUSS:
- Pickpockets
- Fake charity and clipboard petitioners
- The Metro ticket scam
- The bait and switch scam
- The tour guide scam
- Friendship bracelet scam
- The counterfeit currency scam
- Photo and portrait scam
This list is endless but here are some of the top scams to avoid and look out for when you are visiting Paris:
1. PICKPOCKETS
This is not really a scam but I’ll start with this: According to insurance experts in Quotezone, 251 out of 1 million visitors in Paris have mentioned that they were victims of pickpocketing as at April 2024, especially around tourist hotspots.
And this is a big problem and one of top scams to avoid in Paris. The funny thing is, this happens to both tourists and residents alike, but tourists are mostly easy targets. These pickpockets are often very skilled and can steal your valuables right under your nose. They are everywhere – trains, attractions, malls, streets – as long as it is crowded and busy.
To avoid falling victim to pickpockets, it is important to keep your valuables close to you, zip up your bags, and be vigilant in crowded areas.
Personally, I have not been a victim of these pickpockets but I have had few friends who were victims of this horrible act.
Further reading: 47+ Travel Hack and Tips for a Perfect Trip
2. FAKE CHARITY AND CLIPBOARD PETITIONERS
Here’s how they come: You could be shopping in a mall (that was my case), taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower or just walking along Place de la Concorde, and a young female (‘cos they’re usually females) walks up to you and asks you for a moment to hear about a charity fund.
If you wait and continue listening to her, she’ll whip out a clipboard and tell a sad story about a cause and then proceed to ask for your signature and, in most cases, your support (money of course). While at it, a bunch of them comes around you to pickpocket you.
In some cases, some pretend to be blind or disabled or homeless to get your sympathy (showing charity is your choice, of course). While you will meet them at every tourist spots and trains, the best way to avoid falling victim to his scam is to politely decline any requests, tell them you don’t speak French, or just walk away.
3. THE METRO TICKET SCAM
This scam was a pandemic during the Paris 2024 Olympics and I know it was a horrible experience for most tourist. It is one of the major scams to avoid in Paris.
These scammers would target tourists ( or anyone on the booth queue) waiting to buy Metro tickets, usually at Gare du Nord station. They will come up to you and offer to help you with the metro tickets for a very cheap price. Sounds tempting, right?
Guess what? The tickets are fake and will not be validated as a metro pass. The scary part of this is that if you are caught by the metro ticket officers with a fake or invalid ticket, you will attract a fine of €50.
So, be careful while roaming the streets of Paris
4. THE BAIT AND SWITCH SCAM
Here’s the scam: a pickpocket puts a wallet or any valuable item in a public place (usually a hot spots) and then waits for someone (especially a tourist) to pick it up. Once a visitor picks it up, the pickpocket confronts the person and demands to return the item to the owner for a token.
Cute, right? But then it could escalate if you say no and then they raise their voices (in French) and create a scene leaving you shocked and confused.
To avoid falling victim to this scam, please do not pick up any lost items in public places, even when they are in plain sight.
5. THE TOUR GUIDE SCAM
Sometime ago, I overheard three young ladies talking about this scam on the metro. This scam is popular in tourist areas like The Louvre and along the Seine River. While you are taking in the sights around you, someone offers to be your tour guide for the day for a small fee.
Yes, it’s a kind gesture, and you might need it. But the trick is you will be coerced to go with them with the promise that it is only for a small fee.
On your way to your destination, the scammer demands a large fee for his services and when you dispute his charges, he creates a scene, speaking loudly in French. In most cases, tourists typically don’t want to embarrass themselves in public, so they have no choice but to pay the fee.
This scam is likened to the Pedicab scam that is popular around tourist areas. Here, a scammer offers to take you and your friends to the next location for a small fee collectively (instead of using the metro). On their rickshaw, you will see their displayed prices. But while on the trip, they have a way of discretely swapping the displayed prices to price-per-person instead of collectively. If you argue with them, they start yelling in French, and you don’t want the embarrassment in public.
To avoid falling victim to this scam, always research tour guides before your trip, book through a reputable company, and plan your transportation around these sites.
If you want to save money, make a list of places to wish to visit, find them online with their addresses, and locate them using Google map. I track the Paris metro with Google Maps, making it easy to take the metro to their favorite destinations.
6. THE FRIENDSHIP BRACELET SCAM
I lived in Paris for 2 years (before moving to the South of France) and I can say that I have never experienced or seen this scam first-hand. But have heard sad stories about this.
For this scam, someone approaches you and offers to tie a friendship bracelet on your wrist, claiming that it is free. Once the bracelet is on your wrist, the scammer will demand that you give him a token for his service.
You will see this around Montmartre, and is similar to the Free Rose Scam popular in tourist areas like the Eiffel Tower.
Like the Friendship Bracelet Scam, the scammer offers you a rose or a small gift. Once you have accepted the gift, they will demand money or ‘a token’ in exchange. When you try to argue with them, a bunch of people will come around you, and possibly pickpocket you.
To avoid falling victim, it is advisable to say NO and walk away from that scene.
7. THE COUNTERFIET CURRENCY SCAM
This scam has been around for a long while but became quite popular over the past few years. This scam involves receiving fake money from roadside souvenir vendors around popular tourist areas. They give you a fake currency as change and like everyone else, you may not suspect a thing. Personally, I prefer to pay with my expense card (an account different from my main account – like Wise).
To avoid falling victim to this scam, be vigilant when accepting change and check the currency before leaving the vendor. You can also learn how to spot a fake Euro note.
8. PHOTO AND PORTRAIT SCAM
Simply put, someone walks up to you and offers to take your picture or painting, insisting that it’s free. When they finish, and you like the picture or portrait, they will force you to pay and create a scene if you try to argue.
90% of the time, Paris is a safe and beautiful city, with wonderful attractions and activities for visitors. But it is important to be aware of these scams so as to protect yourself. These scams create bad experiences for tourists. Although the city is trying it’s best to curb this menace, but they can only do much.
By being vigilant and using common sense, you can avoid falling for these scams and have a pleasant vacation.
Always remember this tip: Say NO and walk away.
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Toodaloo!
