Avoid the 10 Tourist Scams in Cambodia For Safest Journey
If you are planning to have tour to Cambodia, make sure you avoid these tourist scams in Cambodia from now and then.
Tourist scams are common in so many countries on the globe especially for those who visit the country for the first time.
The scammers may assume that the visitors don’t know more about the country yet, thus, they can play their plan to get lots of money by scamming.
Consider these 10 tourist scams you must avoid in Cambodia and make sure you have a safe tour in the country.
Gambling Scam
Gambling scams frequently occur in Cambodia.
Once you come to see a tour attraction in the country, a local person will seemingly step closer to you to build a friendship.
Later, you will be invited to a dinner in a café or a restaurant. This is when a gambling scam comes into play.
When you are just enjoying meals with the person, you will be offered to play the game. Absolutely, you will lose the game and are required to pay.
If you refuse to play the game to avid the scams, this scammer will just hold at a knife point.
This is the harsher version of the gambling scams that are mostly happening in Cambodia.
Visa Scam
Corruptions are unavoidable in many countries in the world including Cambodia.
Though the government has been trying to stamp out big efforts, some officials are still expecting bribes at the borders before a visa is issued.
In this case, a one month visa for a tourist can be charged $30. When you come to the visa desk, that is the time the visa scam occurs.
The officials will ask you to pay additional paperwork including medical checks.
One thing you have to know. These people aren’t the officials and the medical checks are not required for issuing visa.
Well, this is a second kind of tourist scams in Cambodia you must be aware and avoid.
Motorbike Theft Scam
The third tourist scams in Cambodia you have to know
just before you make a decision to go to that country is the motorbike theft scam.
In relation to having an enjoyable tour, many tourists are usually rent motorbikes in Cambodia as a cheap way to get around.
Renting motorbikes will also help them move easily from place to place in Cambodia.
In this case, the rental places provide you with the key and the thefts probably have already had the key.
Since you stay in the country for a few days only, the rental places will ask for the key just before you leave.
When the motorbike is stolen, you will be required to pay the fine for about $1.000 to get your passport back.
Hence, it is very recommended that you find a reliable motorbike rental shop if you are planning to visit Cambodia.
Fake Police Officer Scam
Another tourist scam listed from the 10 tourist scams in Cambodia is the fake police officer scam.
This is how the local people are pretending to police officers.
They stop the tourists and ask for their passports. Once the fake police officers get the passports, they will ask for a fine to the tourists if they want to get the passport back.
Thus, it is much recommended that you bring only the passport photocopy instead of the original one while you are walking around a town or a city.
However, if you meet such a fake police officer while you are bringing your passport in your bag, ask to see his ID and bring it to the police station nearby. Don’t ever hand anything over.
Missing Bag Scam
When you are staying in a guesthouse, you will share the room with the other backpackers.
Once you build a firm friendship with them, you will just spend the whole day tripping around the country and have beer then in the night.
Soon after, they will claim that their bags containing all valuable things is stolen and they ask you to lend them some money.
They say that they would return it as soon as they reach their embassy. Of course, you will never get your money back.
To avoid this, you can say that you are just running out of cash money.
Milk Scam
Another tourist scams in Cambodia you may experience is milk scam.
This is what you must be aware. A poor mother will appear poor and not able to buy milk for her children.
When she takes you to the store, you will end up paying ten times the price.
Just after you leave, the mother will return the milk to the store and share the profit with the owner.
Do you know? The store owner is just on the scam.
Crooked Traffic Cop Scam
The crooked traffic cop scam occurs mostly in Cambodia.
This way, the traffic polices have multiple reasons to fine you with a couple of dollars.
To avoid this scam, make sure you always wear a helmet, working the lights and stick to the rules of the road.
However, if you experience this crooked traffic cop scam. You can ask to be taken into a police station.
Later, they will just let you go.
Drugs Scam
Drugs scam is also familiar in Cambodia.
Being a tourist in Cambodia must also be aware of this kind of scam.
This way, the tuk tuk drivers as well as other touts are selling drugs around.
They will invite you to go to the corner around to a scheduled spot where the police may be hiding.
When they successfully sell the drugs to you, they will appear and arrest you.
Absolutely, you must pay more and more if you don’t want to live in the cells.
Rape Scam
Rape scam is particularly aimed at men.
This way, an attractive girl is trying to get anyone interested.
This girl is willing to stay with a man (tourist) in a few days. A few moments later, this girl will come up with the angry males.
The girl will be saying that she has been raped. This crime will just disappear if the tourist pays the price.
This is just one of the most-happening tourist scams in Cambodia that you must pay attention to.
Monk Scam
Another tourist scam you must be aware
when you are visiting Cambodia for the first time is the monk scam.
This kind of scam mostly occurs in Phnom Penh and Pub Street in Siem Reap. Some artists come up with the dress of monks.
They would sell bracelet as well as other goods. This way, you will never know or even realize that they will just take all of your valuable things out of your pockets and bags.
They are the criminal gangs you must try to avoid by not staying at a place with a genuine monk.
Conlcusion
In short, Cambodia is not a safe country to visit. There are so many tourist scams in Cambodia happening almost every day.
Thus, the top 10 tourist scams we told you here is expected to be able to inspire you how to recognize the scams and keep safety of every scam that may approach.
