10 Biggest Tourist SCAMS in Paris
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ค. 2024
- Discover the 10 biggest tourist SCAMS in Paris so you don't get ripped off during your stay.
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⏱ Time codes (Top 9 Biggest Tourist SCAMS in Paris)
00:00 INTRO
00:34 Phone Theft on Terrasses
01:03 Found Gold Ring Scam
01:40 Fake Metro or Museum Tickets Scam
02:17 Pigalle Shows Expensive Champagne Scam
03:05 Free Bracelets Street Sellers Scam
03:41 Restaurant Scam
04:30 Fake Taxi Scam
05:29 Help Me I'm Lost Scam
06:12 Paris Pickpockets
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Then menu scam really hurt my feeling my first time in Paris lol. I went to a restaurant with some friends and they gave us an English menu without even asking. I then went the next day alone, feeling brave and wanting to practice my French, so I asked for the French menu and was super confused at how much the prices had gone down from what I ordered yesterday. 😅😢
Can you name the restaurant? Thanks!
When traveling......or any time, anywhere actually.......I find the best practice is to simply ask the price before you order. And that includes asking if that's for the whole enchilada or by the person, by the day or by the hour, or whatever they can fudge to screw you.
So ???
You got yourself robbed twice like there’s no any other decent peoples restaurants or cafes
@@jessiepinkman979 Lol um I wasn’t robbed at all, what are you talking about?
@@yukichong2260 Sorry, this was over a decade ago, I don’t remember, but it was near the Louvre, if that helps.
Very good advice. I was hit with 'The Gold Ring' scam on my first day and it was a warning from a Taxi Driver that made me ready. If I might just add, I was approached by a beautiful young girl, about 6 years old who was crying, she handed me a note in English, stating that her mother was in hospital and she needed help, as she handed me the note, there was a scuffle behind me and I found that three 'Roma' women had come up behind me and were grabbing at my camera case. A local business women, was pushing them away in a manner I would have never done. She then scolded me about allowing anyone to distract me in that way and walked off. She very likely saved me the loss of my camera.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel True. I saw a large group of young Gypsy children overwhelm a tourist standing in line at the louvre sticking their little hands in all his pockets at once and pretending to hug him but his daughter lived in Paris and she recognized it immediately and start smacking them and their hands and screaming at them to protect her father which she did. They were an Asian family so looked like tourists.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel Yes, they certainly should. Most people will be unprepared for how pushy these gypsy kids can be ( this is a speciality of the Roma ). They are especially dangerous around cash-machines ( ATM ) where several of them try to distract you and then they try to grab the money,.
I was alone waiting for my son when a woman approached me showing me a ring on the ground close to my foot. I told her it was not mine and I didn't want it in a polite but no nonsense way and she could have it, she left, no need to be rude.
@@avagrego3195 sure there is. why not? did she take the ring??
The prices on the menu doesn’t apply to all tourists, just Americans as you’re so hated universally
In Paris right now, and I had the gold ring scam crossing the bridge over the Seine from the Louvre and someone try to stop me to sign a petition. Thanks to these videos, I spotted and easily avoided both. Having a fab time here 🎉
Another one I had that is not mentioned so much. Again walking near the Louvre. Boy who looks about 12-14 sitting on the ground in front of the souvenir shops, very thin and covered with a blanket. In front of him is a clear cup filled with some coins. You don't notice it and accidentally kick it over. You are supposed to feel bad, and bend over to help pick up the coins. Which is when you are targeted. Keep walking.
Great advice. I had an attempted pickpocket on the train from CDG to Gare de Nord. Thanks to you I knew they were fishy and kept a tight grip on my luggage and had my wallet in my front pocket(I always do). The train stopped and one guy tried to grab my bag while the other tried to put his hand in my pocket. I yelled "hey, hey, hey" and they ran away. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...
You need to also mention groups of young people with clipboards collecting for “charity”. We politely declined in French, but they swarmed us and wouldn’t go away until we started yelling and got kind of nasty. Alarms went off in my head telling me we were going to be pickpocketed by them, so many all around us. Don’t hesitate to make a scene.
@@kurrwa wow. No.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel why? I went to Greece and I was only bothered by Africans. Is this racist? just a true statement. no wonder Europe going down weak culture has no right to exist
@@kurrwa the word is coloured. But sometimes they re gypsies. I dont know are they white or not
@@LesFrenchiesTravel Just tell the truth, whatever that may be, it helps.
@@kurrwa yes, they are not native French people
I wish I had seen this video sooner. I got scammed last year in the summer and these guys are really spilling the truth. Take their advice to heart.
How?
Those scammers are not french, they should be out of the country and send back home! we need a big tidy up in Paris and after you will definitely see less scammers!
@@chrishayes312 God forbid, don't say that or you'll have the politically correct police onto you. God forbid, we actually admit it publicly and tell the truth.
@@gallopinggoose7997gotta love the Schengen zone
Parisian here. The "gold ring" technique is used all over the planet in bit touristic cities. I've oberved it in Venice recently, with variants in items but basically the same thing all the time.
Was in Paris in 2009. Was approached about both the gold ring and friendship bracelet scams and told them both to go away. Also had a woman try to distract me with a letter written in English she needed 'read' outside Notre Dame Cathedral but kept my back to some planters and told her to keep her distance. She too went away. Lastly, we were enjoying Dinner at a restaurant on the street and watched a 'crippled' beggar get up and walk away just before another 'cripple' sat down in her place and resumed begging. It's all very organized with schedules, territories and lots of teams. I haven't felt any desire to return.
Tell the mute scammer HEY! you dropped a euro, and watch them break the act.
When me and my husband went to Paris, I wore a cross body bag. I always kept it in front of me and always kept my hands on the bag. I never it hung it on my chair in a restaurant. We kept everything in it we needed. Never kept our phones on the table either. I'm one of those very cautious peeps that locks their doors on the vehicle when getting gas.
Your name "Frye" is short for "Frightened" I guess
For men do you recommend not putting your wallets in your rear pockets?
@@PixelPerfect3 never put your wallet neither your phone into an open pocket.
You need to put them in closing pockets.
@@PixelPerfect3
I travel internationally and l never put my wallet in my back pocket or any pocket, use a pouch that goes underneath your shirt. Best thing is to blend in, don't look touristy, they look for people wearing ball caps ect., l have traveled and you can spot tourist; just have your wits about you, look at your surroundings. Never indulge in conversation with people you don't know.
@@slimshady94 with a name like that, one would expect you to have some street smarts, but guess not. That person is not frightened at all. They are street smart. Hope if you ever travel that you don’t lose all your money and your passport in a foreign because of your cocky attitude. It’s a terrible thing to have happen. Pickpockets are reality.
I knocked a pick pocket out in Amsterdam when I was 16. The dude looked shocked that someone actually stood up to him. He was bleeding everywhere and the cops got involved and arrested him. I couldn't say enough good things about the Amsterdam police world class.
Reminds me of a friend of mind, somewhere in Spain, having a cyclist drive past and trying to grab his bag. My friends is a huge dude, and did not appreciate it, so kicked the other and the bicycle into the street. But...had a surprise aroumd the next corner when bicycle dude waited and hit him over the head with a pottery potplant😮.Still did not get the bag bit my friend ended up with stitches on his head. Being a commercial diver it affected his work, so I assume any future pick pockets would not have gotten up again😂
There is also a scam going on at the Disney Eruo in Paris.
While visiting Paris, we bought train tickets to go to Disney. When we arrived there (which was the last station) we (and almost every tourist) were approached by a group of young adults in security uniforms claiming to be “metro security” and stated that we had broke the law and bought a ticket for 1 zone but traveled to 2 zones and that we had a pay a fine of €75 per person. When we explained to them that we specifically bought the tickets from the train station and we should have to be penalized for their error, they told us that because it was a mistake that they would only charge us €150 instead of the €300. At this time I realized that I was a scam because if we had truly broken the law, they would not be giving us a discount, and no country expects you to pay right there and then but rather ticket you. So I told them if we have broken the law then call the police. At this time they got agitated and told us if the police come they will take us to jail. I insisted that they call the police. Shortly after that, another person came claiming to be a supervisor and told us he will let us through this time but next time to buy the proper ticket. Sadly we saw too many people that actually paid them. I guess it helped to live in NYC for 3 years and learn the subway tricks!
Same in London, groups of youths in supermarket-generic tabards claiming to charge “penalty fare” discount if you pay on the spot. Real Staff are alert & chase scammers away but a few tourists pay up. Also beware sad -eyed beggar women with a “hungry baby” that’s just a rolled up bundle of rags!
Thanks for this! Love how France has just given up
I had something similair in Italy. They told us we didnt checked in while we just bought tickets. They told us pay now or we send the fine to your home adress. We chose that option and never heard of it again. Later that week we Saw the guy in the same bus and hé didnt dare look at us. It was our first holiday abroad…
That's not a scam. They are genuine. But it's very unfair for sure.
Just got back from Paris. Growing up in New York really shows how most big cities really are similar in this way. But with Just different languages
We have been to Paris twice and it is a beautiful City. The first time we didn't encounter any problems but the last time was during December and someone tried to pull the gold ring scam on us and we just walked away and we almost got caught up in the braclet scam at the Eifle Tower.. So sad that so much goes on at a place like Paris.
Another scam I saw was at Notre Dame. I was in the forecourt and a youth came up to me and said 'English?' I said 'yes', and they held up a sign saying that their brother had been detained at the border and they needed money to got him released. I refused. Later I saw a different youth walk up to a couple and say 'English?' They replied 'Nein". Then the youth said 'Deutsch?' They said 'Ja'. Then the youth proceeded to hold up a sign in German saying the exact same story, fishing for money.
I have been to Paris several times.Never been scammed,although came close.Got into a”taxi” at the airport and he took off with us then charged us some outrageous amount.I started to yell at him to take us back to the airport or I would get the police. He took us straight back.You have to be assertive and question when things don’t feel right and be highly attentive to what’s going on
I was in Paris once with my brother and we paid in a restaurant with a 50 euro note. The bill was 40, including tip. The waiter never came back with my 10 euro, so on our way out I 'accidently' trashed a glass box with apple pie... that's just my way of reacting...I think their damage went way beyond the 10 euro's...people from the restaurant looked so scared they didn't come after us...I felt pretty good...we call that 'The Soprano Reaction'...
I got scammed by that first trip. In hindsight I wish I would have threatened to call police...
That didn't work with my taxi driver in Shanghai. We were fighting for 30 minutes and I lost. Okay, company paid.
Lots of wisdom there! When I was in Paris you’d always have these guys come up to you with a Polaroid camera and they would take your picture and then make you feel guilty if you didn’t buy it. When I saw them coming I would raise my camera and take their picture first. I actually did this and the guy cracked up laughing because he knew that I had him figured out!
@@LesFrenchiesTravel 😂😉
Reply non merci, desolee.
no one can make me feel guilty. for anything.
Nicely played!
Ha! Ha! Same thing, but this was many years ago and I was a gullible Mr Bean type in my twenties at the time and I gave them the money!
Not sure if you’d call it a scam, but always check your restaurant bill for items you didn’t have, and also to see if they’ve already added service charges. Applies everywhere, I guess, not just on vacation.
I still enjoy travel, but I am finished with the big cities. Now I budget for a rental car, and head for the countryside. Authentic food, great scenery, much cheaper prices, and I don't have to spend my entire trip saying, "Eff off!" in Senegalese.
Same thinking!
So tired to self defence everything. Travelling it self is a tire job already.
Paris Tourist Board must be so proud. I visited the city over 40 years ago, it was beautiful. Wouldn’t bother going back now. Holding onto my bag for dear life and making sure I’m not being ripped off not my idea of a holiday.
Paris is also nowadays very crowded. Huge amounts of tourists, and it seemed to me the locals aren't always as motivated to keep up the places. The cafe at Invalides was horrible, though we enjoyed the museum itself. Just ordered espressos there to be able to sit down. But even in Paris there are still nice places to go, like the Luxembourg park and the area around it. Charming and we ate at a nice, small restaurant.
I'd say it's well worth it to visit other places in France. You can find a lot of smaller cities that are great. Last time we were in Blois in 2019, they are famous for the gardens, and you can visit some of the Loire valley castles, though Tours has more variety. In the cities they often speak English these days, and places that don't get millions of tourists tend to be more welcoming.
My first time in Paris, my friends and I went to a restaurant for lunch. It was in a touristy area and none of us spoke much French, but we were able to communicate well enough with the waiter, who spoke a bit of English. At the end of the meal we asked for the bill, and when we got it we saw that we had been charged for several items we didn’t order (or receive). All of a sudden our waiter spoke no English whatsoever, and he kept acting like he had no idea what we were saying when we tried to dispute the extra charges on the bill. I speak English, Spanish, and German fluently, so I told him in all three of those languages, plus some broken French, that we were NOT paying for items we didn’t order. He still played dumb. I made a big scene and even went to the front door so I could scream for the police. That finally got the idiot’s attention and our bill got "corrected." Lots of apologizing from the manager or owner, like he wasn’t in on the whole thing. That was in 1990 and I didn’t return to Paris for 25 years despite traveling to other parts of Europe several additional times. That one experience made me hate France and the French people for decades.
As an french i apologize for their behavior it's so rude from them , i hope you will have a better expérience next time, i dont live in paris .
So one asshole made you hate the whole french people ? That's a hell of a generalization..
I can totally relate. In 2004 I had a layover at their airport - Charles De Gaulle. I literally felt like I spent 2 hours in hell. ALL airport employees were purely hostile and unprofessional. I still vividly remember their stinky and filthy airport bathroom. Now imagine a restaurant in the US giving two different menus to two different groups of people, or creating a situation like yours? They can say whatever they want, but I am so appreciative that I live in the USA. I was born and raised in Russia, but I am very thankful to America for allowing my family to move here.
@@borisgetman9222 yes, I had a number of encounters in all parts of Paris that were like you described - openly hostile and unprofessional. Back during my first trip to Paris, the Metro still used tokens. As my friends and I were trying to see several areas of the city, I wanted to buy 10 tokens. The woman at the window gave me one. I held up 10 fingers and said "dix." She just glared at me. I said "ten," "zehn," "diez." She said something sternly in French. I said, "I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Ich verstehe nicht." She made a motion with her hand for me to move away from her window. I paid for and took the one token. I had to buy more tokens at the next Metro station, which went better - the guy there apparently knew how to count to "dix."
But everywhere I went, I was treated with rudeness. The front desk at my hotel, in shops, bars. Once we left Paris and we’re driving towards Switzerland, the people became wonderfully nice. The very best meal and nicest experience of the whole trip was in some tiny little town halfway between Paris and Basel. Wonderful staff in this small café, delicious food, and very reasonable prices.
@@DaveTexas Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I have met French people in the US, and they all seemed nice. But I am definitely not going to France. My list of European countries to visit: Switzerland, Norway, Italy and Denmark.
Such a helpful video! Thank you for sharing these insights. I'm happy to have this knowledge before heading to Paris on a solo trip!
A few years ago me and my family were in Paris in a museum. A pickpocket was slowly creeping up on my dad to grab his wallet and make a run for it, but fortunately my dad was quick and caught the pickpocketer before they could steal anything
please tell me Dad did some damages to the pickpocketer's face.
@@LongTran-sg9vc my dad caught the pickpocket but unfortunately they ran away. My dad told the French police there and they didn’t do anything about it. On the good side though the pickpocket didn’t steal anything😅
Myself and a friend were in the McDonald's near Gare Du Nord, and we were being sized up by a 'family' of pickpockets.
I saw one guy nod to his friend, and point to the pocket I had pulled my change out from. So, I sat down and pulled out my phone, pretended to make a call, and said 'Police' quite loudly..............they backed off!!
Thanks for confirming the gold ring scam. My first walk by the Arc of Triumph I was approached by a desperate-looking young woman who claimed she had found a ring - and I sensed this must be a scam and forcibly walked away. I am so glad that I did.
yeah was in a phone booth and some guy tried it on me, ran off. lol
@@aroundtheworldindays6770 I kept thinking of the line "you can't cheat an honest man." But really, the first thing you think is if some local finds a valuable, why on earth would they approach a tourist about it?
Same happened to us with the ring scam in Paris, except I took it and pretened to throw it in the Seine, should off seen their faces! I threw back at them as we walked away. Seems to be a common one.
I have been to Paris many times and never seen a scam, ever. Where are these people visiting.
@@robdangerfield7129 the only ones I've seen there is the cup shuffle scam, which are mostly operated around the Eiffel tower. You can find videos on how they work if you are curious. They are really strange
Thanks for sharing! These situations dame right ✅️ but can't believe these shameless scams actually happening everyday everywhere in Paris today. It's a no go place for me and friends since few years ago...
Big thanks for all your tips on visiting Paris from scams to watch out for to metro tickets to buy. Made our family trip to see the final stage of the TDF very enjoyable and wanting us to return to Paris again. The public transport is magnificent and very affordable. We covered so much on our long weekend. Thank you
One I had not thought about happened to two British TH-camrs going to Paris. They had their bag stolen not at the train station or walking but at the hotel lobby. As they were signing in a guy just walked off with their bag. Bottom line you really need to stay alert until you lock your stuff away.
@@LesFrenchiesTravel They showed hotel security video of the guy. Used his foot to slide the bag over and off he went. It can happen anywhere but when people are traveling their senses are overwhelmed by a new environment. What made me laugh was the hotel didn't even give them a free meal.
Thank you for the video. Most of people I know experienced pickpockets in Paris. Myself first time went 5 years ago, couldn’t sleep the whole night before the train to Paris. I was doing good, did saw few cases you mentioned in your video; golden rings; 2 guys tried to follow me,one disturbed me, another stole my things; someone tried to tired strings in your hand ...nothing working. I feel annoyed and sad about the situation: you can’t peacefully enjoy the city.
I will go to Paris next month for over a month, the old nightmare came back again; good thing is I have my friend with me this time. Thank you again for the video, very well made!
tie strings not tired strings
Get a can of mace spray
Great video glad you had footage of some of these scams
Loved the the video and thanks for all the information cheers 🥂 ☮️
I was just in Paris and handled scammers in a very childish way ... chasing them around and got them mad at me . Good video you two . Great advice 👏
😅😅😅 I'm sure they are still there , next time you go back you can give it a try 😅... but it seems our videos don't stop them sadly . Cheers to you both
Ha ha,i just watched one of your videos Stupid Tourist.Funny dude .
How dare you try to steal ‘your’ money back! These uncouth Americans
Thank you so much for the tips! Going to France during peak season in less than a week and I’m so scared of losing my belongings to these scams. Great heads up and love your videos!!!
Don't bring expensive gear...Leave your Rolex watch and Cartier bag at home. Lock passport at the hotel...Pay attention.
Recently (or not recently), there’s also the “sign my petition” scam, the scammers ask you if you speak English, then ask you to sign this petition. While they keep distracting you, someone will pickpocket you.
I found it easy to distinguish from actual petitions because they called me “lady” instead of “miss”
This advice pretty much sums up all of the European cities that I have visited. Zips on inside pockets are a godsend. A couple of the things we do are, we keep loose bank notes in pockets which are not seen and have an empty wallet in the place that you usually have your wallet because when you get bumped you instantly feel your pocket. Go to a local grocery shop and buy a couple of bits and carry your plastic bag, people assume you are local.
If you are in a crowd & a disruption & jostling starts to happen that is a huge warning to hold on to your belongings. Pickpockets are working - got me at the château Versailles 😢
The street scam artists don’t bother me when I am in Paris. I have an expression on my face that says “leave me the hell alone!” 😀
I travel with a guy that is 6'2" 250. No one wants to pi$$ off the big guy!
I travel with my 6'4" husband who is Welsh and always has a murderous look on his face. Great deterent, they don't know he is a pussy cat 😂
Yes Exactly!
My trick has been to dress like a busy parisian housewife...😘
Yeah, i am in no way a scary dude but here in our city (well it's in the north of Germany so actual scammers are rare and not as "professional" as in Paris or Rome) my resting bitchface and the combination of being relatively big, bearded and very obviously a death metal fan is usually enough to make them ignore me. Like, it happened several times that people in front of me and behind me got asked but i got away scot free.
Thanks for great tips for people visiting Paris for the first time. I enjoyed it a lot. I booked ahead for all attractions and watched videos like yours to prepare myself. Love to go back there soon.
Thanks for the tips, very kind of you
We were in Paris in 2015. We arrived on the Eurorail from London and had to get a taxi to our hotel. The first driver I asked wanted 100 euro so I said no way. The second driver looked up our hotel and said 60 euro so I said OK. After we reached our hotel we talked to another couple who did the same trip. They got a real taxi and it cost them less than 20 euro.
I don't understand why you would think it's acceptable to pay €60 for a taxi trip to hotel in any country around the world. Even taxis in Europe's most expensive country, Norway, don't cost that amount. It's crazy that anyone would agree to pay such an amount. A bit out of touch aren't we?
@@Dom4z lack of homework before going...
@@Dom4z In switzerland that is quite common to pay 50€+ for a 10-15km ride
@@Dom4z not sure how you can make any claims about the price without knowing the distance. Paris is large and depending on your destination, it can easily be a 35km travel from the airport to the hotel.
Don't use a taxi in Paris, they are expensive and they may scam you (you'll pay like in a week-end when it's monday), just use Uber or Bolt.
Another great video! Many thanks! I have a couple ideas for another: Topic: Several common, frustrating logistical/directional issues for tourists. Examples: 1) Walking from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord. I've heard that there are no clear street markings for this. Even though the distance is tiny, it would be highly annoying to be taking wrong turns (on foot) while you're dragging along your luggage behind!; 2) How to use a Metro station to take an RER train to Versailles (and which Versailles train stop to use for the Chateau, as opposed to the town). Just some friendly suggestions...
@@LesFrenchiesTravel You're very welcome. We fly to Paris this Dec.1. From your experience, do you mind if I ask you how rainy Paris is in December? I know that you get quite a bit, but is it typically every day and nonstop? (Many thanks from a "lifelong Californian")!
@@LesFrenchiesTravel Thanks! I've convinced my wife (originally from Bangkok) to prepare for a deluge. "It is what it is"! (Give me a shout if you guys ever need any Thailand tourism insights, btw.)
I was in Paris on the first week of September. After all my research online, I decided to not look like a tourist and I can tell you, no one bothered me or the rest of my family.
Do the junkie look 🥵and smell like a toilet 🚽😷also, you can get used to it friend, permanently ✌️
Ohhh no 🤤,,, you didn't go round like a whxxe!, you can get arrested for that 💅👄sweetheart 😂
What was your way to not look like a tourist? Specific cloth, attitude etc?
@@BrawndoQC yes to everything you mentioned. It is true that the US citizens are the ones with baseball caps, athletic wear, overweight and loud. I’m overweight, but I worked on the other matters. The only thing that were athletic on me were my shoes, I wore Van slip ons, but my clothing attire was business casual workwear (I’m gay). Dark jeans, nice casual shirts, and matching colored shoes.
@@P.Johanna so smart
Very valuable advice. I have seen some of these scams in Paris near the exact locations in the video. Thanks for sharing.
Best trip tip videos. Easy to follow and straight to the point.
Thanks. Very helpful 👍🏼
Thank you so much for your advice!
Thanks for making a helpful video!
Watch out for card cloning. I went to pay for a meal in a chain restaurant near the Moulin Rouge, the waiter put my card in the machine and immediately a chef popped out of the kitchen and said could he speak to the waiter, all this time my card is in the machine. My instinct was to pull the card out, but then the waiter re appeared, apologised and I paid.
This was the only place in Paris I used the card, the card company covered the loss, which was substantial but I was furious with myself for not reacting to gut instinct!
@@LesFrenchiesTravel Wish I hadn’t either!!!
Very helpful!!! Thank you!!!
Thanks so much for this video!! It’s really helpful!! 👍👍👍
Thank you very much for your information..its really big help for us..BLESS BOTH OF YOU..AMEN 🙏🏻
Thanks a mil for your videos of Paris. This scam video has helped me avoid these scammers, one scammer from Montmarte was trying to put bracelet on me but I just quickly walked away. I just ignored people calling at me except for the ones that asked me to take a photo of them. Thanks for your recommendation on where to eat.
Omg i had experienced this a month ago but thankfully my family was with me and we said no. Thanks very much for this video
Thank you for your video! From Montreal
What an excellent way to help Tourists, thank you Both😊
Thank you so much for this information 🙏🙏🙏😃
Good advice on avoiding pickpockets. I always keep everything on the inside pockets close to my body, don't put anything you don't want stolen in your bag or on show. Been to Paris and many other major cities and never once had something stolen.
Thanks for all the tips.
Thanks to you both for your kindness and helpful tips. God bless you. What a loving couple 💑 you are.
Excellent video, numbered points very useful, an engaging couple and a super balance between risk and enjoyment, did Paris no harm at all while performing a very important service.!
i m french living in sweden , i growed up in paris dans le 20 ieme arrondissement and i reconnized all the scams you described except the one with the gold ring , and you re absolutly right paris is a beautiful city but be aware and dont be an obvious tourist . great video .et bonne vacance .
Hopefully you find Sweden more peaceful and safe...
Love from Norway 🇳🇴
You should be able to walk around any major city in the world, looking obviously like a tourist, and not be bothered by scammers.
It's way past time the police were more heavy handed with idiots like these.
No words for cafés and restaurants ripping tourists off though. Pleased to say that doesn't happen in New Zealand!
@@kelleywoods5244 New Zealand loll r u kidding me , France is one of the most popular destinations in the world the police cant do alpt and they have better things to do then helping dumb tourists. Paris is a MEGA city just like New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong etc its not s small town.
@@doomergirl3981 obviously English isn't your first language, judging by your dreadful spelling and grammar mistakes.
You need to study up on reading and comprehension my dear 😉
@@doomergirl3981 Well, Tokyo may be a "mega city", as you say, but the vast majority of cafés and restaurants don't rip off tourists. There are some sketchy places that seem to scream out, "Don't come in here if you know what's good for you!", especially up to the mid-2000s or so in Ueno, Kabuchi-cho, etc., but I've never had a problem.
Thanks for mentioning the ways of transport in Paris. We are also 80.000 legally authorized private or shuttle drivers in France. We have to do exams theory and practical to get the cab driver licence.
Just came back from Paris today and You are very different with Uber driver as well.
very important information given by both of them. Nice and thank you
Thank you so much for your kind information n becareful in any where….
Love the content on your channel! Have fallen for a couple of the scams mentioned here 🤭 but still love Paris!
@@LesFrenchiesTravel also, when you’re an Asian American in Europe you stick out 🤨
GREAT TIPS ! THANK YOU
Great video and good information!!
Great tips.👍🥰
This happens sadly in every tourist cities and locations.
They know the ones to steal from. I have stories. But now I know how to travel even in my own country. Yeah even my hometown. They are everywhere. Love both 💕 God bless 🙏🏽☕🍰
After just getting back from Paris your 100% correct. I used the metro most of the time but I did need to use a Taxis when I took a night time dinner cruise. The good thing is they have Taxi Stands around most tourist areas so we just grabbed one there. I gave him the name and address of the hotel and off we went no problem. I made sure the meter was running and they took credit cards. For the scammers I just ignored them and walked pass them. For museums I would urge everyone to buy tickets before you leave home. One reason is some are time sensitive so you need to pick a time that isn't full, they only let a certain number of people in. As far as pickpockets they are everywhere I kept a money bag under my shirt. If you do get robbed shrug it off don't let it ruin your trip.
Great tips!
Thanks for great information. 👍
True, by accident I came across your channel. This is the 1st time I'm going to Paris this May.visiting London, after 35 years and doing Europe. Thank you for the warning signs.
Thought I might pipe in with another common trick used by panhandlers sitting on the sidewalks-often what they'll do is sit against a building on a busy sidewalk with a small paper or plastic cup (their favorite is clear plastic that's not easy to see) in front of them, filled with some coins (always copper, 1, 2 and 5 cent pieces-no higher denominations) and as they see pedestrians about to walk past them, they slyly push the cup forward into the path of the person/people walking to ensure that they accidentally kick it over. The cup and coins go flying, and most people will feel bad and stop to pick up all the coins and the cup, all the while apologizing for kicking it over...and then feeling so bad that they offer additional coins to add to the collection cup. In worse cases, there's a second person working this scam, and while the pedestrian is frantically picking up the coins they kicked over and apologizing profusely, the second person steals their wallet, phone or purse/bag/backpack that the pedestrian put on the ground in order to stop to pick up the coins. I realized this scam after it happened to me three times (I was never mugged myself, thank goodness, but I fell for it three times and gave additional coins because I felt bad), and I eventually started observing more closely when walking around Paris-it became very easy to spot when it was happening to other people. Scammers take advantage of people's generally good nature.
That is a new one!
True, this is why there should be prison sentences for these people. They are annoying AF, but worse they can ruin someone's lifetime vacation, and for that they should be made to pay dearly.
My husband and I went to a cafe - we had fruit cups and tea. The couple across the way were obviously friends with the waiter - and when we got the bill it charged us for roti du porc and wine. I think the waiter heard us speaking English and tried to pull a fast one. So I held up the ticket and said to the waiter (in French). You know damn well we had fruit cups - what the hell are you trying to pull?) Those bills were switched back tout de suite!
Thanks for the information
👍 I been there...I had not problems. ❤Thank you for sharing.🗼
Getting robbed is not a scam, but the warnings are fair. Summary: Anyone who wants to give you something free should be treated as a potential threat. Don’t be rude, just be firm and reject them.
Do not make eye contact. Maybe see an imaginary friend in the distance, wave and call out their name, then hurry away.
why not be rude? who cares?
Disagree. Just ignored them and keep walking, like a local.
@@suzycreamcheesez4371 Because a portion of Americans, especially in the south (from what I read online), were brought up with the mentality of it is polite to always say smile and say, "hello" to strangers, and make small talk. They call it "southern hospitality", up in New England, we call it creepy.
Thanks for advice 😘❗️
big thanks mate !
Bonjour,
Je vous ai découvert depuis peu, et j'apprécie vraiment vos témoignages, pleins d'exactitudes et de bienveillance.
Comme ici, tout ce que vous dîtes est juste et très bien observé. Cette 'mauvaise graine' (restons polis) est souvent issue d'organisations mafieuses, roumaines, albanaises, etc. La police les connaît bien, et vous les retrouvez à Berlin ou ailleurs.
When we visited Paris, our tour guide warned us specifically about the gold coin scam and another petition scam that was popular at the time (they ask you to sign a petition, and then pick your pocket while you are signing it). I went out exploring on my own and both of those scams were tried on me back to back! The gold coin scam I think I would have avoided without her warning. As soon as they asked for money that would've raised alarms in my head. But the petition scam I might have fallen for without her warning. I love a good petition, lol.
This is a great, friendly, accessible channel due to its hosts. Not arrogant and condescending. 👍
Thanks a lot for your tips!
Such a great and important video. I have personally experienced a few of these myself the last two times I was there. The ring scam happened to me along the river. The bracelet in Montmartre and at the base of the Eiffel tower someone approached me with a 'Petition' to sign (a distraction so they could pick-pocket me) and luckily a large Frenchman very loudly and angrily confronted and scared them off. On another occasion a young woman approached me on a bridge with a piece of paper and shoved it at me, motioning for me to read it. It had a fake sob story on it in english that was meant to convince me to give her money. She got quite angry when I said non and walked away. Just be cautious and skeptical when ever you are approached. I've been living in Europe for 10 years now and any time ANYONE approaches me, my alarm bells ring.
I've gotten a bag stolen at a Restaurant and I swear up and down that the restaurant staff was in on it. The waitress kept trying to distract us and once it was stolen they stalled us deliberately so that we could not catch the culprit.
Bag straps around your leg/foot, even if distracted nobody can snatch it.
I grew up in Johannesburg and we put our bags under the table around our feet, so every time we go anywhere in Europe I do this. My husband finds it funny and I get strange looks 😂
Was in Barcelona and had looped my backpack under the leg of the table. When I looked away briefly and looked back, there was a guy crouching trying to lift the table haha. Luckily I still have my bag.
@@blckwaterpark I would have kicked him in his face & told him to stop looking up my dress.
@@ameliab7245 well, thats how you get your liver sliced in half, so i would advise to act more rationally
but what shocked me was instead of running away or some normal behavior in such a situation, he just got up and walked over to the table next to me to try to scam them. This was such normal behavior to him.
Thanks for sharing. 👍
Thank you so much for sharing this kind of scam in paris .watching here from tokyo,japan.
I did not for the 30% or more pricing for the English menu ! It's good to know because it's something I don't pay attention because I am French. Thank you Colleen and Antoine
Another tip about asking for the English menu is NOT to ask for the menu, because the word menu in French is like the daily blue plate special and the “menu” is called la carte.
How can i differentiate between touristic ones and family owned restaurants,sir.
Made a mental note.... la carte
Thankyou..
Great advice. Thank you.
Thanks guys I appreciate ur advice and tips
I've got the "gold ring" hanging in my garage as a reminder of my stupidity, but the young lady was so convincing and looked like she could do with some money.
I offered 1€ for the ring and the woman got mad and snatched it back. This was outside the Opera House
Can you imagine a restaurant in the US giving two different menus to two different groups of people? They can say whatever they want, but I am SO appreciative that I live in the USA.
Why???
Well in USA the system itself will scam u- too high tips, too expensive for low qlty for almost everything
great ! thx for such little but very important awareness
Hi Guys! I followed your advised… went to Paris for 3 and half days (by myself), have great time!!!! Love it 🥰 thank youuuuuuuu
Marina
All your videos so helpful I’m trying to visit Paris thank you so much
From a pure parisian (born and raised), who lived 11 years in Colorado tho and love you people : thank you for this very accurate video. All of this is super true !
Be careful also with the "signing a petition" scam : a few young gipsy girls get around you to have you sign a paper, distract you and .... steal your wallet. Basic rule : when someone touches you, he is trying to distract you from another more subtile touch or reach in another part of your clothes.
Beside this, enjoy Paris. Sorry for the garbages all over the place, due to actual mayor, unfortunatly...
Bien d'accord!
Thank you very much and what an amazing couple you are. Well done🌹
Thanks for the info.
Great points. Thanks
Day 1 in Paris, nearly got into a fake taxi straight out of the airport, thanks for the heads up 👍🏻
Excellent advice. Thanks
You guys are amazing. Thank you❤
My partner and I got lured into an underground car park at Gare du Nord to get a taxi as we were told that the metro was on strike. We very quickly got out of that situation and reported it to a security booth. They just laughed. Bunch of wankers. Couldn't get out of Paris quick enough.
It’s a shitshow, a feckin slum.
Calm down, drama queen's.. It is part of life someone is taking advantage of you. Learn to recognise, hush them off and enjoy your life.
It's not that complicated 😉✌🏻
@@Lucifer-jt8gq The cops don't like those flower sellers either.
When I was at the Eiffel Tower one time, two cops with sub machine guns were chasing a flower seller (for some reason). Needless to say, all of his mates ran off too!!
@@OmmerSyssel I'm sorry, but that's a pretty shitty attitude on your part.
@@OmmerSyssel clap em