Unfortunately, tourists often become targets for scammers. Several travelers, according to the Express newspaper, spoke about some of the most common types of scams, including those related to bird droppings.
Fraudsters often attack visitors because they think that they can carry valuable things with them – money and equipment. Especially since travelers are often easy to identify, as they may not feel completely comfortable in their new surroundings.
Let’s consider what the essence of deception with bird droppings is. As one traveler on Reddit explained, thieves douse unsuspecting tourists with a disgusting goo, then say they’ve been targeted by a passing bird: “If you’re being pooped by a bird, maybe someone just threw it at your something. Then their friend will run up and offer to wipe them with a towel while checking the foreigner’s pockets and bag. So if a bird pounces on you, try to get out of there and don’t accept help from anyone.”
Scams with bird droppings are quite common in resort areas and are usually associated with the fact that fraudsters spray tourists with a special white liquid. So, in March 2022, two men were arrested on the Spanish coast of the Costa del Sol for bird excrement fraud. The 54- and 60-year-old fraudsters have six cases of theft and five cases of fraud in the popular Costa del Sol resort. “Any local who walks up to you on the street and starts talking to you might just be distracting you while their friend robs you. Be ready!” – called the traveler.
Although friendly locals can help arrange a vacation, tourists should exercise reasonable caution around strangers. For example, tourists should never follow strangers out of crowded places and always stay in public places. “If you get into a taxi and the meter is broken, you will be cheated. Try to find out how much you should pay before taking a taxi so you can negotiate a fair price or just get out and find another taxi,” added the seasoned traveler. Tourists can avoid this scam by using taxi apps like Bolt or Uber to book trips abroad. If that’s not possible, they can use a GPS app to track the trip to see if their driver is taking the most convenient route. Vacationers can ask their hotel concierge for a recommendation for a reputable taxi company or a well-known driver.
Another traveler followed up with his warning: “If something is very cheap but there’s nothing online about it, check again.” It always seems nice to find a bargain on vacation, but sometimes the deals on services and products really are too good to be true. Yes, if a restaurant or tour offer seems very cheap, it would be a good idea to double check the reviews of the establishment. Maybe it’s a hoax.