Bangkok ranked among world's worst cities for tourist scams

Bangkok has been named one of the cities most affected by tourism scams, according to a Mastercard report.

If you are planning a vacation in Thailand, be extra careful, especially in Bangkok and Phuket .

Thailand in the sights of a global report on tourist fraud

The Mastercard Economics Institute has released an alarming new report on fraud in the tourism sector, listing Bangkok as one of the most vulnerable cities in the world.

Transactions in the Thai capital are far more likely to be fraudulent than those in San Francisco, Dublin, Seoul, Budapest or Edinburgh, which have much lower rates.

Taxi and car rental fraud account for nearly half of the reported cases in the Thai capital, while Phuket is seeing more hotel booking fraud.

See also our article: Scams in Thailand: know them and protect yourself

A particularly vulnerable tourism sector

Relayed by CNBC, the report highlights that the tourism sector is one of the most affected by fraudulent activities worldwide.

Travel agencies and tourist bookings are more than four times more exposed to fraud than the average for other economic sectors.

Scams increase sharply during peak periods:

• +18% in summer destinations in high season;
• +28% in winter resorts during the holidays.

Bangkok: Taxis and car rentals top scams

In Bangkok, taxis and car rentals are the main sources of fraud.

They represent 48% of the cases reported in the city.

"Once payment is made, the trip may never materialize or may be completely different from what was advertised," the report said, highlighting a common modus operandi.

The main problem in the capital is taxi drivers who refuse to use the meter, which is why more and more locals and travelers are using the Grab or Bolt apps.

See: Tourists tired of being ripped off by taxis and tuk tuks in Thailand

Other high-risk cities

Besides Bangkok, other cities with high fraud rates include:

Cancun (Mexico)

Hanoi (Vietnam)

Dhaka (Bangladesh)

Conversely, cities like San Francisco, Seoul, or Budapest offer much safer payment environments for travelers.

Types of fraud vary by city

Transport scams are very common in Jakarta, where they account for 66% of cases, compared to only 2% in Barcelona or Hong Kong.

Other sectors are also targeted elsewhere:

In the United States and the Middle East, restaurant fraud is common (63% of cases in New York).

These often involve restaurants overcharging or stealing tourists' banking information.

A worrying trend: fraud from the booking stage

Travel planning fraud is on the rise.

In one year, it has increased by more than 12%, according to David Mann, chief economist for Asia-Pacific at Mastercard.

Among the frequent practices:

• Fraudulent booking sites;
• Misleading hotel photos;
• Fake confirmation links to obtain bank details.

See: Tourist in Thailand gets scammed on Booking.com

Tips to avoid travel scams

Mastercard recommends several precautions to avoid being a victim of a scam:

• Avoid offers that are too tempting (abnormally low prices, especially in high season);
• Use secure digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Samsung Pay);
• Choose credit cards with fraud protection,

Take out comprehensive travel insurance .

Finally, the report highlights the growing importance of technologies such as tokenization to strengthen payment security and limit risks during online and on-site transactions.

See also:

Delayed or canceled flights: Thailand strengthens travel rights

Thailand rated highly by Chinese tourists but criticized for scams

Thailand takes steps to protect tourists from scams

Visa scam leaves hundreds of tourists stranded in Thailand

Thais are the easiest to scam in Asia, says scammer

French Embassy warns of scams in Thailand

Thailand's tourism operators exasperated by police scams

Tourists Victims and Police Complicit in New Scam in Thailand

Thai police warn of romance scams on dating sites

Source: The Nation Thailand