Amsterdam is one of those cities that you have to visit at least once in your entire life. There are so many things you can do, see, and experience while visiting this city – but there are dangers that come with those as well.
Amsterdam is indeed one of the safest locations in the world, as it has been rated as such many times, but the careless tourist is most likely to be caught in an unpleasant situation, specifically scammed. Therefore, before hailing one of the airport taxis of Amsterdam, we recommend you give our article a read and find out which are the seven most common tourist scams that you must try to avoid while visiting Amsterdam.
Pickpocketing
While pickpocketing may seem more of a crime than a scam, there are people out there that rely on different means in order to pickpocket you. For example, tourists might be asked for directions or help by an individual, while another one is behind their back and getting their hands on your valuables.
It is recommended that you don’t stop for any chats with strangers and that you are aware of your surroundings at all times.
Public Transportation Tickets
Naturally, you’ll have to buy some tickets if you want to travel fast while you are in Amsterdam. In such cases, you’ll have two options – either buy them from registered offices or find the individuals that sell these tickets for a discounted price.
However, there’s a catch that will definitely make you choose the first option. Those people that will offer to sell you tickets at a cheaper price have only used tickets in store for you – which they probably found lying on the street or have used themselves.
The Taxis in Schiphol Airport
Taxi scams are among the most common ones that a tourist might experience – and, naturally, these happen while you are looking for transportation from the airport to your hotel. Reportedly, there have been taxi drivers that have asked even 1000 Euros for trips that would have normally cost only 40 or 80 Euros. That’s why we recommend you to call a reputable Amsterdam airport transfer service in order to secure your cheap travel to your accommodation.
Buying Street Bikes
If you don’t like public transportation or paying a taxi to take you to the places you want to visit, then you might want to get your hands on a bike – especially on one of the cheap ones sold by Amsterdam’s street merchants. We don’t recommend you to buy any of the bikes you see on the streets as they are most likely stolen or ready to break into pieces. Moreover, buying a stolen bike is considered a criminal offence here.
Out of the Blue Boat Trips
You might be approached by strangers/ locals while enjoying your coffee, for example, and they will offer you boat rides. At a glance, this looks like the perfect opportunity for you to see Amsterdam from a different angle.
However, keep in mind that there are little to no people that will just come to you and offer their services without later charging you more than they should. And since you’ll be on a boat, in the middle of the water, you’ll just have to pay any amount they ask for – so don’t accept their offer.
Fake Police
As reported by the police forces of Amsterdam, there are individuals around the city that often pose as police officers in order to steal from tourists. These will claim that they are searching for counterfeit drugs or money and demand that they have a look in your bag. Of course, all they will be searching for will be your valuables – remember that the Dutch police rarely do this kind of searches and doesn’t demand that they search your bag; instead, you will probably be asked to show them its contents.
Street Drug Dealers
If you are in Amsterdam for this particular reason – trying things that you can’t usually try in other countries – then it is recommended that you get those from within stores, shops, or places that look legit.
Never go for the cheap drugs sold by the street dealers as they are most likely of very poor quality and sometimes even mixed with dangerous chemicals. Just avoid street dealers – it’s for your safety, after all.
