5 Most Common Tourist Scams To Avoid In Istanbul
Istanbul may be a tremendous city, with a population of over 16 million and endless visitors going by at any one time. Stuffed with astounding historical attractions and sights, an excellent mix of ancient and modern, and of course, a lot of shopping, incredible nightlife, and extraordinary food to be enjoyed, usually a city that everybody must visit once at least.
However, it’s difficult to avoid the truth that a city this huge is a home for tourist scams. When going by Turkey’s biggest city, you should be careful of the most well-known tourist scams in Istanbul. And that’s absolutely what this post will assist you with.
The standard risk of pickpocketing is clearly increased in a city like Istanbul. Particularly places like Sultanahmet and Taksim, where the larger part of tourists can be found hanging out around, occupied by the astounding things they’re seeing, are defenseless to this nuisance.
However, if you need your trip to Istanbul to be as problem-free as possible, it only comes down to being careful of the potential scams that you may face, and thus avoiding them with ease.
Let’s take a look at the most well-known tourist scams in Istanbul.
The Incredible Shoe Cleaning Trick
You might think you’re doing a favor for an older man, but he has other plans on his mind.
You’re walking in the street, and the man in front of you drops his cleaning brush. You shout after the man, and he turns back to you, shakes his head as if he would say “silly me” and comes back to pick up his brush.
He at that point thanks you and says that he would like to clean your shoes. You accept as you assume he’s doing it as a mean to thank you, but you are wrong. He’s about to charge you for that, and once your shoes are clean, there’s nothing to be done about it.
Don’t feel that bad about it, though. This is one of the oldest visitor tricks in Istanbul, a trick that’s as old as the hills the city of Istanbul was built on! Be aware of this “scam” and don’t fall for it when exploring the historical streets of Istanbul.
The Scenic Long Route
This is typically a common one in most big cities, but it’s a classic traveler scam in Istanbul if you are not aware of it.
Once you get into a local taxi, ask the driver how much approximately you will pay for your journey. He is likely to tell you that it is a metered rate, but by asking him what it will cost approximately, the driver knows that you already have a cost in your mind.
So, before taking a taxi, ask a local person, like your hotel receptionist or a waiter in a coffee shop or a restaurant, how much the cost should be from point A to point B. After you get into the taxi, mention that to the taxi driver.
In case you don’t do this, some taxi drivers will take you on the “scenic long route” through the city. This will without a doubt result in the taximeter doubling and even tripling the cost you should actually pay.
If you are going by taxi from Taksim, Besiktas, or anyplace away from Sultanahmet and you have to cross the Galata Bridge to get to your destination; a taxi driver may tell you that the bridge is closed and that he has to go the long way around to get you to your destination.
While the bridge may really be closed, this is a very rare situation. This bridge is one of the busiest bridges within Istanbul and closing it would be really big news. In case you are told this claim refuse the ride and find another taxi.
Won’t you give me my Change?
This specific scam might happen to you at any place in Istanbul, but it’s pretty well-known in restaurants in Sultanahmet. It’s one of the most well-known tourist scams in Istanbul.
You are in a restaurant and enjoying delicious Turkish food while looking at the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia when a group of musicians comes over and start playing music for you. You are starting to truly feel the love for the warm welcome of Istanbul. Then the bill comes while you are still distracted.
Try always to pay with the exact amount or pay by card if possible. This is because if your bill was 260 Lira for example and you give 300 Lira, expecting 40 Lira change, you may be sat waiting for a long time.
At that point you would ask about your change, they will tell you that you already gave them the correct amount of money, but you know you didn’t, and in some cases, your change is not returned.
Once again, this is not the case with all restaurants in Istanbul, but it’s something to be aware of. Not giving back the right change or not giving any change back at all is one of the biggest Istanbul’s tourist scams . Be careful!
I Thought This Was For Free!
One of the most well-known Istanbul scams is adding things to your bill that you just consumed as you thought they were for free. Sometimes you will find that those things certainly were not for free and really cost you quite a lot of money.
If you find anything on your table that you just didn’t order individually , either ask about its cost first or don’t eat it. In general, meze usually is free of charge, but not in all restaurants. So, once again, check before consuming. If you are eating your dinner at an ocakbasi (a Turkish grill restaurant), for example, you will find a bottle of water on your table, and you might expect that it’s for free . However, it’s not.
Check your bill carefully when it comes and ask about anything that doesn’t seem right.
The Carpet Shop Scam
You are discovering Istanbul’s streets, a young Turkish male stops you and asks if you are lost and offers to help you if so. He might also say that he is trying to practice his English. You will engage in conversation with him since he is absolutely charming, and you are a polite person.
Typically this is the case if you’re a single female or a group of ladies, but he would turn on the charm toward couples too.
If he has asked if you are lost, he will offer to escort you to your destination. On the way, you will end up walking past his father, brother or cousin’s carpet shop. Then he will say he has just to drop something off. You will be welcomed to come in as well and have some coffee or tea while waiting for him. He will tell you that it is the Turkish hospitality.
Then you will find yourself in a show room, with your coffee or tea in your hand, being shown endless models of carpets. You will then get the hard sell, and they will tell you that they will happily ship your purchases to the country you are from.
Obviously Now You Are Aware Of The Most Well-Known Tourist Scams In Istanbul!
This is not a complete list of the potential tourist scams that you may encounter in Istanbul. However, you can easily avoid them only by being informed and aware, as you can see.
At last, you should know that most of the people you will meet in Istanbul are very friendly and welcoming, and would be shocked to know that you have encountered such scams. As usual, It is the few that always mess things up for the many.
