No matter where in the world your wanderlust (or career) may take you, one of the best things about traveling is staying in a hotel. There are so many beautiful hotels around the world with great service, amazing amenities, and striking architecture – and we’ve written about many of them. Even so, hotels can be a breeding ground for thieves and scammers. Here are the four top worldwide hotel scams:
Fake Menus
Great! A local pizzeria slipped their flier under your hotel room door, now you won’t have to look any further for dinner. False. You’re about to hand over your name and credit card info to an identity thief posing as a pizzeria. This run of the mill scam is so popular, it’s even seen at Disney World of all places. If you want some low-key food to order in, ask the hotel for a recommendation instead. Before ordering anything, always check with the front desk to see if these are legitimate restaurants, or use Google to find local restaurants, and pay in cash. Never use your credit card over the phone.
The Room Inspectors
Two people usually dressed up as hotel employees will knock on your door, saying they need to do a routine check of your room/smoke detector/etc. If you let them in, one will engage you in conversation to distract you while the other steals your valuables. Hotels never do room inspections while the guest is in the room. So, if this happens to you know it’s most likely a scam. Call the main desk and tell them what’s going on. This scam is very popular in Spain.
Credit Card Issues?
Another scary way to get your credit card information stolen is this common scenario; you give your CC info to the front desk to apply any room charges to, as always. Later, you get a call from the concierge asking to confirm your credit card info over the phone (a huge no-no), as there was a problem when they entered it. In reality, you’ve been contacted by someone who called the front desk and asked for a room number that happened to be yours, and they’re pretending to be the front desk to get your information and steal your identity. There’s no way to tell that the call is coming from outside the hotel, because the perpetrator puts on a professional front. To avoid this disaster, tell them you’ll come downstairs to confirm it in person. Then go down or call the front desk directly to make sure it’s legit. You may be half asleep and not in the mood, but it’s better than having your identity stolen.
Don’t Drink the Water
This scam happens a lot overseas. If you go to a hotel, usually in a third world country, you may see various signs around the hotel that say, “do not drink water” or “water not safe for consumption” and other things along those lines. When you go to the front desk to ask about the water, they’ll say that the water in the hotel isn’t safe, but they have fresh bottled water you can buy (at an obscene price). Or you might have bottled water already in your room upon arrival. When you check out of the hotel, you’ll see extra charges on your bill for the water. This is when your research comes in. In cases like this, the hotel is usually trying to scam you by making you buy their bottled water even though the water in your room is fine. Research to see if the city and country you’re in has safe drinking water or not. If it doesn’t, you’re still better off buying your own water locally than buying the hotel’s water.
Hotels can be one of the best parts about traveling, but always remember that scams can happen. Make sure to thoroughly research the country you’re visiting, and the hotel you’re staying at. Read hotel reviews to see what other people have experienced. If there’s ever a problem or a concern, don’t be afraid to go to the front desk.
Do not leave valuables in your room!
Ever!
And NEVER allow your drivers license to be copied. There is no legitimate reason for any hotel require this.
I have this trusted travel agent. I call her whenever I plan on traveling. She gives me great advice to maximize my vacation. We became friends after. She told me about a bunch of scams and it made me wonder about others, so I Googled it and landed here! Thanks for the info — it’s super useful.
I prefer to go to restaurants that are near the hotel. It’s a nicer experience and usually much cheaper than room service.
Don’t open doors to strangers or even to bell boys when you’re at a hotel! Always check who they are and what they need. And confirm it at the front desk first before letting them in.
Scammers can give the hotel a bad reputation, but it’s really not the hotel’s fault. I feel badly for the hotel owners too!
Those hotel websites have higher prices than tose in the hotel booking sites so most people prefer choosing that.
Better to look for a restaurant yourself and walk-in than to trust flyers. Or use Google Maps and call directly.
Stay at reputable well known 4-5 star chains and boutique hotels. Spend a little more if need be to ensure that you don’t have to deal with these types of issues. You will have a better vacation in the long run.
I’m waiting in a hotel lobby for my friends. And I’m observing this woman scams money from a man she met 5 hours ago.
How do you know they met 5 hours ago?
Actually, I feel better on booking at the actual website of the hotel than to those online booking sites. They may be cheaper, but you have no assurance that those aren’t scams.