Scams in Istanbul

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How To Spot and Avoid Common Istanbul Tourist Scams?
Istanbul, just like every world city, has to cope with its typical tourist scams. Although most Turks are unbelievably honest and would go the extra mile to help you rather than rip you off, in a city with well over 18 million inhabitants, you’ll always find a few people with different intentions. This shouldn’t scare you, on the contrary. Compared to other world cities, Istanbul has fewer tourist traps, and thanks to this post you will be able to spot and avoid these Istanbul tourist scams easily.

Let’s Have a Drink
Goal — Get you to enter one of their bars with overpriced drinks and underdressed women. The result is always the same: you end up with a huge bill, often into hundreds of Euros.

Target — Single white men
How to Avoid — Never take advice from complete strangers about establishments worth trying out. You’ll find a nice selection of the best cafés, bars and nightclubs on this site. Just tell him you’re waiting/meeting with two or three other friends and are not interested. Right from the start decline his invitation and move on. Don’t promise ‘tomorrow’, because he may keep on trying his chance for days to come.

Carpet or Leather Shop
Goal — Get you to buy goods in shops he works for, and where you with near certainty won’t get the best bargain.

Target — Anybody wandering around in Sultanahmet and the Grand Bazaar

How to Avoid — When people offer to guide you around, be aware. Instead, if you’re really lost, you take the initiative by asking someone.

Pickpocketing
Goal — Steal your wallet or other valuables.

Target — Careless tourists.

Set-up — None! Any crowded street, public transport, or place will do.

How to Avoid — Just like any Turk, keep your wallet in the front pockets of your pants, wear your handbags within eyesight and carry back-packs on the front of your body. Make sure all the zippers are properly closed. Also, never leave bags or other valuables such as mobile phones, iPods, etc. unattended on (terrace) tables or easy to grab for bypassers.

Shoe Shine
Picture of mobile shoe shine in Istanbul, Turkey.
Shoe shine. © Slava
Goal — Talk you into getting a shoe shine (for free) and overcharge you afterwards.

Target — Singles, couples, small families or groups
How to Avoid — Don’t pick up the brush and just keep on walking. In case the brush fell on your shoe, tell him that it’s ok and move on. Having said this, there are plenty of legitimate shoe shines in Istanbul doing a great job. They normally don’t move around and ask between 5 and 10 TL. Agree on the price beforehand — for both shoes! (another trick)

Restaurants 1
Goal — Overcharge tourists.

Target — Unaware tourists.

Set-up — They offer tourists a different price list (in their own language) than locals, with prices significantly higher than they would charge locals.

How to Avoid — Compare the Turkish price list with the one you got, but if nobody in your group speaks Turkish, it’s pretty difficult to do. Make sure to have a good look at the price list, and compare it with the same dishes at similar establishments. Only enter if it looks reasonable for what you anticipate to get.

Restaurants 2
Goal — Make you pay for things you didn’t order (but consumed).

Target — Unaware hungry tourists.

How to Avoid — Pay close attention to what you’re ordering, and when in doubt specifically ask the waiter what comes with the dish and what you need to order extra. Also be very specific while ordering, and be sure to immediately send back anything you didn’t order and without touching or trying it.

Taxi Scams
Goal — Overcharge you for the ride.

Target — Anybody

Set-up — Traffic jams, short cuts, etc.

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[MoonisJamilKhanOfficial]

Glad to see you cover this topic, which is really important as it might cost a fortune to someone who travels for the first time and regrets it forever.