Category "scams"

How can I tell if a visa agent is trustworthy?

I'm about to apply for a visa for an upcoming trip to China, so I'm looking into visa agents - those companies that will accept your passport and application do

Explain this interaction between a traveller, a boy and a bag of bread in Nepal? [closed]

I aimlessly bumped into a youtube video. A traveller in Nepal seemed to call the poor little boy hiding behind a post an idiot? I don't unders

What's the deal with the "string people" in central Paris?

I've taken my fiancée to Paris twice - first for our 1st anniversary, and again for our 4th - and both times we had troubles with guys bothering us aroun

At airports in Cambodia, should I be prepared for a visa scam?

When entering Cambodia by land, many people write that the Cambodian officials will try to scam you for more money than the visa costs (US $20): We have alr

Is there still any franc/ariary confusion risk in Madagascar?

Wikivoyage warns against franc/ariary confusion in Madagascar: The former currency Malagasy Franc (Franc Malgache) was replaced in 2005 by the Ariary (Ar-ee

Is Canadian Visa Expert a legitimate company or a scam?

I came across these guys: Canadian Visa Expert, who claim to be able to process visas to Canada, for work or study, for a fee of $467 (four hundred and sixty-se

How to deal with the fake police scam in Spain?

I have read so many internet articles about safety in Spain, and the fake police scam is one of the most mentioned problems. Most of those reported cases are t

Fake work permit and deportation

My friend didn't know that an agent gave him a fake work permit. He was not stopped at the Calcutta Airport and was cleared to board the Emirates Plane to Dubai

What to do when creeped out by Charlie Chaplin on Westminster Bridge?

There are creepy characters on Westminster bridge, example, one dressed up as Charlie Chaplin. A Google search says that they try to convince tourists to pose f

Why was I refused a tourist UK visa? Should I reapply for a business visa?

I am an India National. I wanted to visit a friend currently studying at Glasgow. I applied for a General Visitor Visa in early January 2015. The documents I pr

10% government tourist tax in Indonesia, what's going on with that?

While traveling in Sumatra & Java, I never seen (or noticed) a 10% government tourist tax. When arriving in Bali, many restaurant (& even homestays) di

How to check the status of an application for a UK work visa for an Indian? [closed]

My husband applied for a work visa in the UK after being told to contact Mr. James Bevan via mail (british.high.commission@india.com). All the

Official ESTA application website and are the others scams?

A quick search for ESTA application returned many results. According to this page on cbp.gov, the official site to apply for an ESTA is esta.cbp.dhs.gov. Are t

Will getting a refund from an ESTA scam site cause me to be blacklisted from the US?

A colleague accidentally purchased a US ESTA from a scam site that I won't dignify with a link, charging him $31. (The official site charges just $14.) Like m

Is it possible to insist on having your ID checked at the police station, not in the street in Austria?

I am a non-EU citizen and I understand that I could be stopped in Austria and asked for my passport (and visa). Moreover, as far as I know, there are police off

What is the name of the travel show that exposes how travelers are conned?

I once saw a travel show on Discovery or Nat Geo, I can't remember which one, in which the host of the show travels to different cities around the world and exp

Is The Mileage Club a legitimate business?

Is The Mileage Club a legitimate safe business to buy miles from?

How to make sure rental apartment is legitimate if I'm in a different city?

If I'm in one location, and I want to rent a place in another country/city for a few months, but I have to get the apartment remotely, and I do not have the abi

What is the official website of the Vietnam embassy in Canada?

I am looking for the official website of the embassy of Vietnam in Canada. After looking it up on Google, I found a first website that looks serious: http://vi

Job interview in London requires me to wire money to the travel agent. Is this a scam?

I was told that I can have a visitor visa to UK, is this legitimate? I have received an invitation letter and a job offer, and I was contacted by the appointed