How to Spot Airport Scams

Airport scams can hit your pocketbook hard. Some con artists hang out at airports trying to take advantage of people new to the area. You can spot airport scams by staying alert and watching for some key warning signs.

Instructions

1. Watch for people who are asking for money inside the airport. In the typical airport scam, someone offers a service in the baggage claim area. These services can range from simply carrying your bags to selling discounted night stays in hotels. These services are typically bogus.

2. Be wary of those offering rides inside the airport. These con artists drive unmarked cars without meters. At the end of the journey, the driver tells you your trip is much more expensive than you had planned. Use only licensed, clearly marked cabs with meters if you decide to taxi to your destination.

3. Watch out for people in airports who claim to be old friends of yours. Some con artists in airports claim to have met you at the ticket counter. They ask you a few questions about how you're looking forward to your stay in their city. Then they ask you for money, promising to return it to you when you come back to the ticket counter.

4. Watch out for people who try to push you through the airport security screening area. While you're on line, someone behind you starts pushing past to get through the screening system ahead of you. Don't let the person through. He may snatch a few items from your bag as it's going through the screening process.

5. Be aware of hotel scams. In this ripoff, a representative for a hotel stands in the baggage claim area and invites you to stay at his hotel. You're promised a fabulous room at a great price with all the amenities. They take you to the hotel and check you into your room. When the bill arrives later, you're charged many times more what you agreed to pay.