Travel scams are rampant in India. It is your job to not let the crooked people take advantage and get the best of you playing with your emotions and judgements. This article talks about the top scams you can avoid on your trip to India.
Do you know how people say there is no hard and fast rule in doing some things? Well, if you are planning a trip to India, there are, and there are many things you need to keep in mind before you blindly visit the country. From tip, tricks and travel hacks you need to get by, from avoiding the various scams in the Indian cities, it is best you store your knowledge with every rule and trick in the book for your trip.
1. The counterfeit notes scam
Always check your notes, especially big ones before accepting any. There is a way of checking the authenticity of the note based on the feel of the note and by looking at it from a certain angle. Learn the method from a local you can trust and verify before you accept any big notes each time. Be more careful with the big notes as possessing big fake notes will cost your budget dearly, that being said, there are also a bunch of fake notes for smaller denominations.
From One Home To Another Delhi To Mumbai
2. The rogue police scam
Rogue police are everywhere in India. From walking around the streets in the broad daylight or hiding behind barricades after sundown, these cops on the streets of Indian cities are always on the prowl on you for some daylight robbery. They will find one way or the other to make you pay a bribe. Always be on the safe side. You will be made to pay a ‘fine’ even if you do not break the law, and don’t even think about filing a lawsuit in India, it is a waste of time and money as everything is rigged.
3. The donation scam
Everywhere you go in India, you will come across people asking for donations, holding up some fake documents in the pretext of working for some organization. None of them are genuine. They are all scams looking to rip you off. Don’t feel sorry for these beggars and thieves in disguise.
4. The beggar scam
Speaking of beggars in disguise, comes the real beggars or pretend beggars. The beggars you see on the streets are not real, so, do not feel the need to sympathize with them. Most of them are run by mafias, where, the beggars at the end of the day returns the alms they collected to their boss in return for some food and shelter. Begging is a very common scene in India and it may come as a shock to people visiting from nations with high self esteem.
5. The auto rickshaw/private taxi scam
In India, the way to go are radio cabs, booked via your mobile phone app. They are cheap, reliable, air conditioned, and the best part is that, they run on metres, unlike the autorickshaws and private taxi which will cost you at least two-fold more. Say you went out to the hills for a short while and took the Dehradun to Delhi flights back and decided to take a prepaid taxi to your hotel. Bad idea! Always book an Uber or Ola.
Bear these in mind, and your trip to India will be smooth sailing, for the most part!
