Flyertalker Gets Scammed in Istanbul
We read about travel scams and think such things could never happen to us. Often, we "know" scammers are "out there," somewhere, but no way are they right in front of us. Truth is, there's no unifying, world-wide petty scammer underbelly, and though we don't want to fear monger...it's more likely that a crook who's looking to rip you off will be sitting right next to you in a cafe, rather than in a fiery lair fifty feet below the surface of your destination.
With that in mind, here's a reminder that some of the world's more popular scams on travelers, including the classic "guy tricks you into paying for his friends' night on the town," can happen to the best of us. Yes, even Flyertalkers fall victim. PresRDC, a forum member with nearly 10,000 posts to his name, describes a sad chain of events in Istanbul in which he gives the benefit of the doubt to a seemingly friendly "Iranian" man, all in the name of diplomacy:
Soon enough, two of the women come over and sit down and, before I know it, my "friend" has ordered a bottle of champagne. At this point I knew I was in deep water, but felt trapped (because I probably was).After wrangling police, he finally got out with $300 in the hole. By the way, this elaborate scheme started with the "friend" buying the victim dinner first. Click through for endless Flyertalker advice, and remember, it might not happen to you, but it can.
We were only there for less than an hour, when I finally said I am leaving. The bill comes and it is 2800 Turkish Lira, or slightly over $2000. Of course, this time my "friend" suggests we split it, but I protest that I don't have that kind of money on me (which I don't). The manager comes out and escorts us into a back office.
[Photo: P and R in Oz]
Related Stories:
· Justr Fell Victim to a Scam in Istanbul -- God Do I feel Like an Idiot! [Flyertalk]
0 Comments - Add Yours
by djk
