Sadly, hailing a cab on vacation can mean being taken for a ride in more ways than one, with some drivers scamming tourists using a range of underhand tricks.
Now, travelers have been sharing the countries where you’ll need your wits about you when you hail a cab, and a new study has analyzed their comments to produce a list of the world’s most talked-about taxi-scam hot spots, along with the most common cons.
The research, by travel insurer AllClear, examined over 450 posts and 30,000 comments about taxi scams on Reddit to identify the countries that attract the most complaints. And the United States makes the top 10, coming in at No. 9.
However, it’s Turkey that leads, and by a wide margin, generating 4,224 comments on Reddit threads discussing taxi scams — nearly twice as many as No. 2 India (2,301).
Rounding out the top 10 are Thailand (No.3/2,169), Vietnam (No.4/1,741), Egypt (No.5/1,715), Australia (No.6/1,598), Mexico (No.7/1,397), Morocco (No.8/1,329), the U.S. (No.9/1,283), and Canada (No.10/995).
The rest of the table comprises France (No.11/957), Colombia (No.12/924), the Philippines (No.13/840), Italy (No.14/832), and Norway (No.15, 799).
The study found a common thread: airports. Nearly a third of all the Reddit posts analyzed mentioned an airport in the title. And it also uncovered a never-ending stream of advice from conned travelers keen to help others avoid having a similar experience of their own.
The researchers distilled this guidance to identify the most prevalent taxi scams travelers should watch out for when heading abroad:
1. Not switching the meter on
In very touristy areas, or late at night, travelers can experience unexpectedly high quotes for short trips. The most common reason this happens is that travelers get into unmetered taxis or do not research the local fare rates before their trip. Always ask the driver to agree to a flat fare before getting into the vehicle or ask them to turn the meter on. If you’re in doubt about how much a trip should cost, refer to the local taxi rates to try and work it out beforehand.
2. Using your luggage to speed up payment
In busy areas, some taxi drivers may take your luggage into the trunk to rush you into deciding, especially if you haven’t already agreed on the fare. If you’re trying to hail a taxi in a busy area, or you’re lining up for one outside an airport, try to remain calm and keep one hand on your luggage while you confirm the fare or ask if they’re happy to use the meter.
3. Claiming to have a broken card machine
One of the most common occurrences seems to be taxi drivers claiming their card machine is broken, says All Clear. They may do this to get you to round up if they don’t have change, or simply because they’re charging a higher fare than they should. Credit and debit card machines can break, or occasionally not work if the signal is low, but a genuine driver should allow you to go to a nearby ATM to get the right amount of cash if they don’t have change and provide a receipt even if you do pay cash.
4. Detours
One of the most common taxi swindles Redditors discuss, says All Clear, involves taking long detours, avoiding faster roads or missing turns to increase the fare. Track your route using your GPS so you can keep a feeling of orientation and understanding about where you are. Mistakes can happen, so be polite and simply ask your driver if you think they’ve gone the wrong way according to your map.
5. Unofficial airport taxi ranks
Airports can be remarkably busy places, particularly at arrivals. Because of the increased demand, this is often the part of a trip where many people fall victim to taxi scams. Research the airport in advance and find out if ride hailing apps like Uber, Lyft or Grab are allowed. If they are, there will sometimes be a stand for you to wait for them. If not, try to look for an official airport taxi rank using signage, or asking an employee - and be wary of people offering you “line-jump” offers by approaching you in the line.
Letitia Smith, head of communications at AllClear, said: “Exciting adventures are waiting for travelers all around the world, but unfortunately scams are still a travel risk. While taxis can feel preferable to trying to navigate foreign public transport systems, they are also one of the places where travelers can fall victim to scamming.
“The results of our research show that taxi scams can happen anywhere and at any time, particularly if a visitor looks like they may be unfamiliar with local pricing. To protect yourself when taking taxis abroad, it’s important to always check what the local rate is, or what the fare should be before you get into the vehicle, and if a scam happens then do report it to the appropriate governing body.
“Remember your travel insurance too, so it can help you travel with confidence, and protect you from other unexpected events on your travels.”
The 15 countries most talked about for taxi scams on Reddit
- Turkey - 4,224 comments
- India - 2,301 comments
- Thailand - 2,169 comments
- Vietnam - 1,741 comments
- Egypt - 1,715 comments
- Australia - 1,598 comments
- Mexico - 1,367 comments
- Morocco - 1,329 comments
- United States of America - 1,283 comments
- Canada - 995 comments
- France - 957 comments
- Colombia - 924 comments
- Philippines - 840 comments
- Italy - 832 comments
- Norway - 799 comments
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