US EditionThe Most Common Travel Scams in 9 Global Cities
- The Mastercard Economics Institute released a report this week identifying Bangkok as a top global hotspot for tourist fraud, especially during peak travel seasons.
- The report states that travel-related scams increased by up to 28% during peak periods, with fraud in travel agencies and tours over four times higher than other sectors.
- In Bangkok, 48% of fraud cases involve taxi and car rental scams, and tourists often face fake or misleading tour bookings that may never materialize or differ from what was advertised.
- David Mann, chief economist at Mastercard Asia Pacific, explained that the fraud type varies by location and confirmed “once paid, the tour may never occur or differ”.
- The findings suggest travelers book through trusted platforms, avoid deals that seem too good to be true, and use credit cards or digital wallets with strong fraud protection.
16 Articles
16 Articles
The most common travel scams in 9 global cities - Overpasses For America
The travel industry is one of the sectors most susceptible to fraud, with scams rising 18% during the summer peak season and 28% in the winter peak season in 2024, according to a new report. The report, published last Tuesday by the Mastercard Economics Institute, showed that fraud related to travel agency and tour company bookings is more than four times higher than the fraud average of other industries. “Once paid, the tour may either never oc…
Bangkok named among world's worst cities for tourist scams, report warns
Nearly half of all reported tourist fraud in Bangkok involves taxi and rental car services, Mastercard warns. BANGKOK, Thailand – Bangkok, a top destination for international travelers, is now under global scrutiny as one of the cities with the highest levels of tourist fraud, according to a new report by the Mastercard Economics Institute. The report singles out Bangkok’s taxi and rental car sectors as the most problematic, where tourists often…
Beware of Tourist Scams: Bangkok Named Top Hotspot for Fraud
Photo courtesy of TakeMe Tour’s Blog If you're planning a holiday in Thailand, be vigilant with your spending. Bangkok has been identified as one of the world's leading hotspots for tourist scams, with a significant portion of fraud cases tied to questionable taxi and car rental dealings. This revelation comes from a recent report by the Mastercard Economics Institute, highlighted by CNBC, which outlines a concerning rise in travel-related s…
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