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Around the World in 80 Scams
an Essential Travel Guide

 

 

 

*Now* available on iTunes as an 
iPhone/iPad app >>

Every year, thousands of people fall victim to various travel scams, crimes and confidence tricks while they travel.
Most people escape having simply lost a little money, but many lose much more, and some encounter real personal danger.
Of course, despite the hazards people should not stop travelling - people just need to get smart.
 


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 Around the World in 80 Scams:
an Essential Travel Guide by Peter John
 book, Kindle, and eBook

Practical tips for beating swindlers at their own games!
 

Published: April 20th 2011
Hardcopy: $16.99, £11.99

ISBN: 978-0-9559114-5-3

326 pages

 

 

Available in Hardcopy or Kindle

Kindle version available for
$3.69, £2.40

 


 

Essential Travel Book

This essential book is a practical, focused, and detailed guide to eighty of the most common scams and crimes travellers might encounter. It is packed with real-world examples drawn from resources across the globe and the author’s own travels. Being aware of scammers' tricks is the best way of avoiding them altogether. Forewarned is forearmed.

Who this book is for

This book is for anybody who travels and wants to avoid being scammed. From new travellers to more experienced voyagers; even lifelong travellers will discover new information in this book that will help protect them from trouble.

What you will learn

- Learn scammer ‘tricks of the trade’, and how to avoid them.
- Includes: online scams, forex scams, timeshare scams, ebay scams and more.
- Understand how common scams are, and where they are most likely to be found.
- Develop vigilance for high risk people, activities and environments.
- Packed with real life advice, insights, and examples.
- Ample margins for reader notes.
- Includes a support website (coming soon) for sharing information and staying up-to-date.

About Peter John

Peter John is a lifelong traveller who dabbles in office work while planning his next trip. He has never knowingly scammed anyone, but has been scammed while he travelled more times than he cares to remember.  He hopes that others can learn from his mistakes, which are spelled out in merciless detail in this book.

Latest

Nov 2011 - Skyscanner readers offer their scams.

Nov 2011 - Skyscanner book review

July 2011 - Feature in Wanderlust Magazine

June 2011 - Scam 77 on TravelMag

May 2011 - Available on Kindle

 
 

Table of Contents

Introduction

 

 

Chapter 1: Hotels and other accommodation scams

1

RESORT FEES AND OTHER HOTEL "BAIT AND SWITCH" SCAMS

2

GUIDEBOOK-RELATED SCAMS

3

TIMESHARE SALES SCAMS

4

TIMESHARE RESALE SCAMS

5

RESORT INVESTMENT SCAMS

6

ACCOMMODATION RENTAL SCAM

7

HOTEL EXCHANGE RATE SCAM

8

HOTEL TOUT SCAMS

9

HALF-BUILT HOTEL SCAM

10

FALSE FELLOW TRAVELLER SCAMS

11

ONLINE HOTEL REVIEW SCAM

 

 

Chapter 2: Transport scams

12

TAXI METER SCAMS

13

ROBBERIES AND GASSINGS ON OVERNIGHT TRAINS

14

SCENIC ROUTE TAXI SCAM

15

SPIKED DRINKS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT

16

HIJACKING OF TOURIST BUSES

17

TAXI MAFIA SCAMS

18

OTHER TAXI SCAMS

19

THIEVING BAGGAGE HANDLERS

20

AIRPORT SCANNER SCAM

21

ARMED ROBBERIES NEAR AIRPORTS

22

DELHI RAILWAY TICKET BUREAU SCAM

23

TICKET INSPECTOR SCAMS

24

THEFT FROM BUSES' LUGGAGE HOLDS

 

 

Chapter 3: Cash, ATM and credit card scams

25

TOO MANY ZEROS SCAMS

26

ATM MUGGINGS

27

SOPHISTICATED ATM SCAMS

28

CREDIT CARD SCAMS

29

WE'VE GOT YOUR WALLET AT THE POLICE STATION SCAM

30

CURRENCY EXCHANGE SCAMS

 

 

Chapter 4: Travel agent and travel club scams

31

LYING TRAVEL AGENT SCAMS

32

FRAUDULENT TRAVEL AGENT SCAMS

33

TRAVEL CLUB SCAMS

34

VISA-RELATED SCAMS

35

VOLUNTEERING SCAMS

36

TOUR GUIDE SCAMS

 

 

Chapter 5: Shopping scams

37

FAKE GOODS SCAMS

38

TAILOR-RELATED SCAMS

39

NATIVE OR "TRIBAL" MARKET SCAMS

40

ADMISSION TICKET SCAMS

41

RIP-OFF TRADER SCAMS

42

GEM/PRECIOUS STONE SCAMS

43

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE SCAMS

44

ART SCHOOL SCAM

 

 

Chapter 6: Eating, drinking and gambling scams

45

CLIP JOINTS

46

POISONING INSURANCE SCAM

47

SPIKED DRINKS IN BARS

48

CASINO SCAMS

49

THREE-CARD MONTE SCAM

50

RIGGED BETTING GAME SCAMS

51

NO MENU SCAM

52

REFILLED BOTTLED WATER SCAM

53

TEA CEREMONY SCAM

 

 

Chapter 7: Government scams

54

VISA FEES SCAM

55

FOREIGNER CHARGES SCAM

56

EXIT TAX SCAMS

57

COMPULSORY TOURIST GUIDE SCAM

58

OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATES

 

 

Chapter 8: E-mail and Internet scams

59

INTERNET CAFES AND INTERNET BANKING SCAMS

60

AIRLINE TICKET FUNDS SCAM

61

ATTACK WEBSITE AND MALICIOUS SPAM SCAMS

62

EBAY HOLIDAY SCAMS

63

TRAVEL-RELATED SPAM SCAMS

64

INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENCES SCAM

 

 

Chapter 9: Begging and street hustling scams

65

BEGGING

66

PARISIAN GOLD RING SCAM

67

BAKSHEESH SCAMS

68

LEATHER JACKET SCAM

69

COIN SWAP SCAM

70

FAKE "GOOD SAMARITANS" SCAMS

 

 

Chapter 10: Extortion, blackmail and fraud scams

71

FAKE POLICEMEN SCAMS

72

PASSPORT EXTORTION

73

POLICE TRAFFIC STOP SCAMS

74

ON-THE-SPOT FINE SCAMS

75

RENTAL DAMAGE SCAMS

76

PROSTITUTE BLACKMAIL SCAMS

77

INJURED RELATIVE SCAM

78

INSURANCE CLAIM SCAMS

79

TOURIST KIDNAPPING

80

DISTRACTING AND MUGGING TRAVELLERS

 

 

Epilogue: How I try to avoid being scammed

Tags: Gap Year  Volunteering scam  travel scam book