Planning to Travel to Barbados? You must have got the best of everything that includes your flights, hotels and other travel arrangements must be set. This might be the holiday you always been dreaming of. Be very cautious of Scams in Barbados.
Unofficial guides
Sometimes a tourist may find a strange person who apparently looks friendly and asks you to give him a ride. While travelling with you, he will ask you about a certain place or attraction and will try to guide you there. If u do so he would in the end demand a pretentious tip. So it’s better for you to go for some reputable and licensed guide. Ask about his website, office and workplace phone number. Better to get your guide from some authentic online platform.
Food Scams
Mostly there are good restaurants, that offer good food, but there are few that bring bad name to others. Sometimes menu displaces one price but on the pay slip it’s different. At times there are scammers posing as waiters and they take their order and then they bring it from outside and take double from you to cover their charges. Such cases are reported at different places. Never eat, what you did not order.
Price quoting scams in Barbados
Many a times a thing is advertised without mentioning a specific currency and when you are going to pay they demand for a USD instead of Bajan dollar. Further they could even convince you that your Rum is stronger and you have to pay an extra amount. These type of cases are reported in Bridgetown and Carlisle Bay. So it’s better to confirm price and currency before purchasing something and even better to check that your vendor has the required change.
Massage with Aloe Vera or other essential Oils
As you are enjoying your sunbath on the beach, you may encounter a friendly scalper who will be eager to message your feet but once done an unreasonable money is demanded. This happens at places like Carlisle Bay, Pebbles Beach, Paynes Bay Beach, Dover Beach and The Boatyard. So one should refuse to accept any such offer and if willing then should negotiate for reasonable charges.
Be aware of Pickpockets
Criminals mostly work in gangs. There is mostly a person who keeps a watch on you. One will block or push you, other one will snatch your valuables and the other member will hide it under a cover so better be aware of such suspicious groups. At bars girls mostly attack drunken men so one should always carry photocopy of documents in place of original. Moreover other valuables should be in some hidden pouch are in anti-theft bag. It is advised to get some travel insurance that could compensate you in case of theft.
ATM skimming
Sometime a keypad or camera is there to copy your PIN or a skimmer is there to read your details. In some cases your card is stuck and when you are panic a scammer will come there, he releases the card and just ran away are will ask you to retype your PIN and later snatches it and is ran away. To avoid this situation one should, you should not use ATMs in dark and deserted places. Always try to use in crowded areas.
What about feeding a turtle
Sometimes as you are fascinated by the turtles at some beach, a tout offers you some food to feed those amazing creatures and once accepted, later it turns out to be heavy on your pocket as they demand a heavy amount from you for this little favor. So as stated above don’t accept any such offer without asking for its actual price in Bajan currency.
When the change gets wrong
This happens in many countries where the bills look the same. People mostly just look at colors, so when one gets a pile of change that is of the same color, one thinks it’s alright but later, it turns out that you got a wrong change ,taking advantage of your carelessness .such cases can be avoided by just being a more careful while taking back a change.
Scams in Vocational apartments
There are scammers who hack property listings and then lower the listed price and persuade the customers to pay them off the platform. Sometimes some scammers show you the list of prices while they are not authorized to do so and they collect money from you and are just disappeared forever. One must notice if someone is telling extraordinary cheap prices or illogical reviews.one should be alert if the owner looks foreigner and speaks poor language. Always cross check the given information. Look at the pictures and in Google Street View. You may request the owner to visit the apartment through a local friend. Never pay in full upfront and off the platform.
Taxi scams
Mostly in Barbados taxis have fixed fares and they don’t charge according to meter, but some charge higher prices. Some drivers just tell you the amount and later demand in USD. One must avoid taking taxi from the tourists’ places. Always note down the taxi number or take a pic of his driving license.
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