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Problem is, official taxis are no better. Especially in Istanbul. It's not only a tourist issue, to their credit they don't discriminate who they would shaft.
I am turkish and i am from inner anatolia. istanbul taxi drivers scammed me 3 times. i am living in istanbul for 12 years adn i never use taxi anymore in istanbul. there is a proverb in Turkiye. mthrfcker taxi driver. in istanbul, public transport is the best way
I went to alanya.. taxi at the bus station drove me a short distance. When we stopped at my hotel I thought I should pay but he got out quickly to go to the luggage. So I got out. Then after I got the luggage out he said 300. I said I only had 100 (meter was 90). I gave him 100. This man was incensed.. for.... Me paying the actual price.
I went to Turkey and never got scammed, but tell everyone to watch out for zebra crossings, the cars don't stop even if you are crossing. They use you as target practice. Nearly got hit twice.
Every country has a different culture around traffic and such. You observe what the locals do and follow them, it's always a bad idea to insist on supposed rules in a foreign place one doesn't have a feel for yet. Go with the flow, not against it.
Dear Olga, as a Turkish person, thank you for your unbiased video. Believe me these scammers similarly target Turkish people too but tourists are definitely more vulnerable. When you're an empathetic and a tender person (like I am), you're always a target. So gotta ignore people whom you don't have anything to do with.
About a month ago we went to Istanbul . The first taxi driver asked 700 liras to take us from Ortakoy to Taksim . We turned him down because we knew it was too much. The second said he would use the taximetre and the final charge was that of about 55 liras. He also got a 20 lira bill as a tip . Istanbul was great and the people also, except perhaps from the people at some restaurants who called us "stingy " just because we didn't want to buy their cheap parfums. From Greece 🇬🇷 with love ❤.
If you took a video and called the police, especially in touristic places, the police would come to you within minutes. The vehicle would be banned from traffic for 1 month and the driver's license would be fined.
@@LetsRock1t thank you for the info but you see at 23:30 in Ortakoy and trying to get to the hotel it didn't really seem a good idea to mess with the police .
Thank you for your video, I had my bad experiences, although not in Turkey... I pay attention to your words: "dont be afraid to be rude", and scammers pick their targets based on certain criterias, even if you just look kind... I came to the point Im wearing dark shades, so, I do not make any eye contact with anyone at all, I do not answer any questions, pretending not to understand: this is nowadays surviving guide, the world is not an honest place, and, what really annoys me, is the actual fact that many tourists are not so rich, but they work hard for saving the money for a well deserved holiday. And thats what they come across... great video, thank you!
Only take a small amount of Turkish lira with you from the UK. The exchange rate varies daily, so change daily if poss. Do not use money change stalls in the street, they will rob you. Use a bank. Ask for notes of low denomination - less chance of being short changed in the markets.
As a local from Alanya, I will give u all some advice: Follow the steps of other Turkish locals/local young folk to avoid this. I mean look around yourself and watch what other young Turkish people do, where they eat their food, which bars they are going to and generally which locations they are crowdedly present..etc. I mean try to analyze the situation as a whole picture. For example, firstly don't get scammed by that chatting personnel who always try to start a chat with u from nowhere and offer you something. (Those ankward, shitty guys who always wanna chat when they immediately see u) We generally see what happens: All of them call of u like have a seat lady, have food from here mister or they always call u for a boat tour etc. While u having fun with some service, they generally planning how to bargain your money a little bit more...Of course I wouldn't say that is all of them are like this, but it would be better if u can be a bit more skeptical to avoid scams. What do Turkish locals/young people think about this whole process u wonder? Actually, we feel sad for you. Also, we really get full of cringe so much by seeing that. Don't listen to them. Don't play the game with their rule, and don't lose unfair money. Additionally, If you see more tourists rather than locals in a restaurant, for example, and if that restaurant or bar is located in the Alanya dock region, you probably gonna be scammed. Also, don't be fooled by those other awkward guys behaving like monkeys or dancing like idiots to entertain you. I am sorry to say this but, while they are acting as a friend to you, again, they generally thinking the money or.. they having ugly chat between themselves about your lovers and wives. Because they are mainly coming from uneducated parts of the country for just to work in summer in Alanya. As I mention above, they are generally not locals of Alanya, and if you pay attention most of the locals are missing, you can't find locals at their bars, restaurants, or other places. I hope this long writing helps.
As a Norwegian who´s half Turkish and have been travelling to Alanya for 24 years - all I can say to this is: fantasticly explained. This is so true. As a "tourist" myself I see hundreds getting scammed by the ways you´re explaining it, and it is sad to see.
Thank you, also I experienced another scam, in taksim there’s a lot of pigeons, they’re beautiful lovely and you definitely want to take some pictures, there would be people offering you food to feed them, never accept the food even tho they wouldn’t ask for money (at first), he offered food for the pigeons , took our phone and insisted he takes pictures of us, and after he finished we wanted to tip him until he said no it’s actually my job and asked us for a lot of money! And it’s really hard to argue!
Fixed taxi price: take a pen and paper and let the taxidriver write the fixed price and where to go and hold the paper in your hand during the trip. No discussions after.
We spoke to the drivers in Marmaris and agreed the price before we got into the taxi. We had a thoroughly positive holiday there and I have never felt safer than I did there, except crossing the road once or twice and that was mainly tourists on scooters and ATVs in the cycle lanes.
Im in Istanbul now and also with the Istanbul kart are a lot of scams They wait for you in the ATMs and apparently they want to Help you but then youre obligate to give them money. The Police are 50 m left but do nothing. Very disgusting .
if you report them to the police, police will definitely find them using the street videos.. no one can escape turkish police. there are too many immigrants and non-locals nowadays in istanbul... so, there are more scammers!
1. Now you know much about Turkey more than a Turkish .. lol 2. When you were talking about Taxi rent, it reminded me my sweet mom who always keep on advising/suggesting/telling/teaching us about these types of things .. lol 3. About BAR .. we never go to BARS .. lol 4. About Restaurant .. most of our food was in package, so not worried about scams .. lol 5. I didn't take service of any shoe cleaner or shiner, because Turkey was so clean regarding roads that my shoes never need to clean, I just clean them by rubbing with a piece of toilet paper ... Lol 6. Olga you are so sweet and honest, you post these videos and advise tourists for their benefits. God bless you and Love your efforts ❤️
I don't think I will ever know as much about Turkey as Turkish people. But I do think my perspective as a foreigner can be useful for other foreigners who travel or plan to live in Turkey ☺️
Thank you so much Olga! I have lived in Turkey for 25 years but becuase I have blond/white hair and blue eyes they still try to scam me!! It is so sad because this country has so much potential and they could do so much better if they were honest!! However, there are some good ones but you need to be on your guard all the time.
over here in uk the organizations scam us constantly in bright daylight every day and they tell us that they do!...sadly we are not given a chance or a choice to accept or reject it!
I did experience the restaurant pricing trick as well. In my case it was about 10x the price stated on the original menu. When I challenged him, it took him about 10 mins to get another menu. This time it was adjusted with a pen. LUCKILY, I didn’t allow him open the drinks before double checking. Let’s just say I was lucky with my instincts
I am a Türk living in the States. I need to be careful in Turkey, too. People are greedy. The moment they hear my kids speak English, they may try scamming me.
Another popular “dropping” scam is empty wallet dropped in front of you by someone. When you pick it up and approach the person to give it back, you are assumed to be the one who took all money from the wallet.
I went to Turkey and got scammed a few times and few times I also avoided scam. First was in Higa Sophia when guy decided be our guide and I tried to walk away. He was extremely angry. Unfortunately my husband decided pay him even I worn him before. I saw shoe guy and he dropped brush in front of us. We didn’t pay attention and he was disappointed. But we had really bad experience in a central bazar. Sellers offer us a Turkish rugs, they brought us to the second or third floor empty building. They turn on elevator for us, was very kind and smiley. We went to the big room and they started to show is rugs. Prices were in 10 times more than in US and most important these rugs were made in China. When I told them I need to think and maybe I will come back, they were extremely angry and didn’t turn on elevator for us. Sorry but I didn’t feel safe. They tricked us in restaurant as well, but the scariest part was when some tall guy in long leather coat follow us every step. We escaped him just stepping inside unknown building and watched him looking for us from second floor window. But I like beauty of Istanbul and anyways will recommend visit this country. Just be careful.
I am a student in Turkey and I have experienced being scammed too😫 They gave me an apartment that was so expensive and made me sign a contract. We spent an entire day looking for an apartment and almost all said they didn't rent houses to foreigners then we found one at night time I just had to get it because I was tired 😟 now I have to pay that price for an entire year. I decided to comment here because I don't have any channel to warn people about it with. What's worse is that the apartment has Soo many faults but there's not much I can do because wherever I go they tell me to just fix it that I can't terminate the contract. I'm really suffering from this.🤧
Taxi Scam - Update . We took an official taxi from Istanbul Airport. His meter was on but at the end he asked us around 400 liras more than what showed on the meter. Then he showed us a hidden sticker that said that customer will pay for the tolls pn the highway, Istanbul Card Scam: Usually ticket machines for public transport are in Turkish. I was at a ticket machine opposite Eminonu trying to figure out the way to get a ticket and a well dressed person approached me , helped me to get the ticket and then started asking for crazy amount of money.
My bf is from Canada and I must tell, it’s a horrible experience. Every person in Istanbul feel like it’s his obligation to scam him. Staring from the taxi drivers and then to infinity. About the taxi drivers yes they are official and no that means NOTHING! They will scam you with a smile. We took an official taxi from sabiha Gökçen airport in Istanbul and the driver said that we have to pay him 200 liras for the speed road. We had the same issue three months earlier. We agreed cuz it’s normal to pay for the speed roads. But I thought it was strange one guy took 100 liras and the other took 200 liras. So I called 153 (authority that deals with such things) and they told me that client has to pay 33 liras in total for that. 33 liras! And in two cafes we were also almost scammed. On one of them the waiter just put the service fee into the bill. But I know it’s wrong. You can leave the tip, but only if you want. In another cafe the guy came up to my bf and said you have to give me the tip, cuz it’s not included into the bill. Both of the cafes were in good districts where locals go. One in Nisantasi and another one is in besiktas. One is called kruvasan and another is called minoa akaretler. I always loved Istanbul, but after this kind of experience I want to get out of here as soon as possible. It’s a stress, every single day.
They just experienced hyper-inflation, and prices haven't caught up. Also, a lot of locals got burned by the inflation and can't afford to pay the "new" prices. 33 lira now amounts to less than $2! For a cab ride from the airport? Forget about it. Even 200 liras isn't unreasonable. In the USA, you pay comparably astronomical rates. Is tourism really about coming to a country to take advantage of currency arbitrage, or is it about experiencing a different place and all it has to offer? Now, of course, if they are charging you more than what you would pay in your home-country, that's another story.
@@gordonquick6830 This has been going on since I first moved to Istanbul in 2000 and before then too of course. You don’t know that the occurrences she describes happened recently. I know several foreigners who were made to pay 200 pounds sterling for taxi rides within the city, 200 USD for two kebabs and soft drinks and a million other stories. I’m an experienced traveller and lived in Istanbul for 9 years, so nobody succeeded in scamming me, but they tried, nearly every day. Add the constant, never ending sexual harassment (I’m tall, blonde and blue eyed) and Istanbul is one of the most stress filled cities to live in, especially for a woman 😢
@@gordonquick6830 According to your logic Turkish taxi drivers or waiters, or people in general have the right to scam others just because they are in need? Don’t compare usa or Canada to Turkey. It’s different economy, different level of life. You get different value for what you pay for. About the experience that’s interesting. Scam in any country is a scam! Nobody wants to experience being fooled. Would you like it if you go to Canada and the taxi driver takes 200$ from you for the highway, which costs 50$ for example? Or pay 100$ more of your restaurant bill? I don’t think so. That’s not for the taxi driver or the waiter to decide what’s reasonable or not reasonable. I worked in Istanbul during the Covid time. I had plenty of chances to scam my clients. It was hard time for me cuz I had nobody there, who would help me. But I never did. I could have also said oh but it’s Covid and I need money. Any person can justify stealing like that. We also live in Sri Lanka for the last three years. The level of poverty there is on the level that Turkey can’t even imagine in their worst dream. And guess what??? They had a crisis, they had bombing, they had covid. But! I have NEVER experienced such a horrible attitude. Of course taxi drivers will try to get a little bit more. But in restaurants we have never been scammed like in Turkey! Trying to take advantage of white people there is more exception than a norm. So don’t tell me about poverty or inflation or other bullshit people try to justify robbery or scams.
I was in Ankara going from my hotel (mithat hotel, don't go) to university (15 min ride) and the receptionist asked for a taxi, 3 squares away it changed drivers and the driver took me OUTSIDE THE CITY, and yelling the address and I was yelling him back that the address I told him was on the same district. Had to pay him 3 times the ride but I was so outraged, the receptionist knew I was a solo woman traveler. So on the last day here I will ask him for the number of his "taxi driver friend" and told him I'm going to tell the police and actually do it. I can't right now because I'm trying very hard to get an apartment without getting scammed and it is kind of hard 😓
Yes your videos helps a lot olga ... i am from Ethiopia and my wife is from usa... we saw most of your vidios when we visit turkey... we trust your likns and they were so helpfull.... we would love to say thank you and keep it up
Once when I was admiring Hagia Sophia from outside, a man out of the blue asked me (in English) what time is Hagia Sophia closed. I thought to myself: why on earth do you ask that to me? Do I look like an officer? But then I didn't answer him whatsoever. He then asked me where I am from, do I speak English.. I completely ignored him, and acted like he did not exist. And then I walked away. I always bear in my mind: anyone who out of the blue starts conversation with me in good english (especially in touristy area in İstanbul), is a scammer. Do not answer him anything. Not even a gesture (nodding, shaking head, etc.). Just ignore him.
I travelled to Turkey many times and never had issues with scammers. I found that it was just the opposite. Great people, great country, beautiful nature, stunning beaches and delicious food. I sincerely recommend Türkiye to everybody. Greetings from Sweden to Lovely Turkish people and to all travellers💖🇹🇷
I’ve had a guy give me a card with money on it in Istanbul when having trouble with the machine. Like you said there is good and bad in every country with no exceptions.
the one scam where you pay in a bar has some variations too- often in the first bar the unknown stranger will pay, so in the second bar he then makes you feel like its your turn. The second bar sometimes has very high prices on a menu like hundreds of dollars per drink (i think police try to close these down and are helpful). Sometimes in the second bar they will kind of "kidnap" you, drive you to some cash mashine until they have "their" money. Another think is to check the menu for service fees and so on. Often they will bring you stupid bread and water and you may think its just hospitality, so you have to decline in right away because often they charge some big amount for that without you knowing
Small restaurants in a touristy area would do something like that (although I myself never saw it). If you go to a big chain restaurant there will be no service fees and bread will be for free. If the price for the bread is ridiculous - I say threaten to call the tourist police. For example, in my latest video th-cam.com/video/sZilz_S86fw/w-d-xo.html we go to Beach Park, where along with the restaurants there is a branch of tourist police.
It was a great sharing, there are tourism police especially in taksim etc. regions. There are personnel available to assist you according to your country, you can definitely ask for help from the Turkish Tourist Police in cases of fraud that will happen to you.
In my experience the tourism police is more of a joke, my uncle came to visit and got scammed at a bar, they didn't even take his statement and just laughed at him when he told them what happened. He never came back to turkey.
@@OlgaProGoingPlaces yes, but there are several locations in Istanbul with this name. Can you give a clear location? Is it Mimar Sinan Teras Cafe (because it does not really look like this is it)? Is it in Sultanahmet or which area? Thank you!
Unfortunately these scams only happens in touristic places... As I am Turkish myself. I was even scammed in Istanbul then my wife... the taxi drivers in Istanbul are a unique breed. As I spoke with some of the taxi drivers, I was told because they speak Turkish doesn't mean they are Turkish. True..
yes, that’s true! and as I say later n the video there many more good people in Turkiye who are willing to help a stranger without expecting anything in return. But when you’re a foreigner you become a target for scammers and I tried to explain how to avoid those situations, so people can have good memories about visiting Turkiye 😊
an aquintance of mine even got "kidnapped" - taxi driver said he knows a shortcut to the airport -before he knew he was in some backstreet where 5 other drivers made him give them all his money.
They are Turkish. This is turkey. The scams are not new.its old .and have been happening for a long time. The taxi drivers are turkish.and the scammers are misty Turkish
This is a nice vid. Thanks for sharing. The bar scam seems like one where you just need to practice common sense. The one thing that I don’t understand is why so many people always seem to have an “open tab” - why not just pay as you order… like “I’ll take 2…,” and then ask how much… and just pay it. It’s kind of hard to get stuck with a bill ..when you’ve already paid for your order upfront.
Thats good advice - But yeah use some common sense, dont let others persons pick the bar, question why another person would invite you for a drink. (thats how the scam often goes, they pay the first tab in the bar you sit in and then you feel like you have to pay in the bar they recommend). And check what google says about the bar But never forget how scammers get people - they make them feel in control. So lets say you pay after every beer you ordered, that doesnt solve your problem when there are 5 people who are in on it and say you ordered beer for them aswell. And many of these bars are full of people who are in on it from waiters, to guests, to some tough guys who are very convincing. If they decided they get money from you, they probably wont care if you dont have an "open tab" or that you have proof.
Well i experienced the shoe scam, i didnt pay him what he wanted but ended up giving him some coins, the falling brush technique looked so innocent and real that despite your kindness you see yourself become cold-hearted because these scams force you to
I've been scammed every single time in Turkey. I got old money change when I bought something at the airport. I have to pay a cup of tea 10 times more than the locals. And yes, the price of the food 3 times more than written on the menu. I never thought of taking photo of the menu. So far I never met anybody is polite.
Taksim scam places all closed down, when I was there 3 years ago it was there every block but, now i didnt see any. I ask my friend what happen to those places and they said government closed down all of them.
Great video like always. I was in Turkiye about 7 days ago and now back in Australia. You forgot to add the currency exchange exam. I have changed AUD to TR at Grand Bazaar where the venue at CCTV, before leaving I examined the currency to avoid getting counterfeit money but on this instance I have 100 lira short. So I went Ziraat bank in future exchanges and their exchange rate was extremely good. People just be careful when using with taxis in Turkey
Following my comment about taxis, they have two rates. Day rate and night rate. 1 or 2. Not sure which one is which but the metre reading is displayed on the centre mirror
I’m going solo to Kermer Antalya next week and I really hope I meet some people I can feel safe around, even though I’m a guy I’m still quite nervous going alone but I really want to enjoy myself and know I’m safe
Oh i experienced a lot of scams in Turkey. Taxi, bars, restaurants, tour operators and a lot more. It is a beautiful country, so many things to explore but full of dishonest people. I think they will progress a lot if they are tourist friendly and honest.
I got scammed by a lady taxi driver in Prague Airport recently, so taxis are notorious of being so wherever you go. Amazingly, I never got scammed by a taxi in Moscow and i used them daily.
It is good that you've explained all this. Even as a Turkish, I have been scammed in old part of Istanbul. I am not saying Turkish people do not scam but the restaurant owner and workers weren't Turkish but refugees. There were prices, I showed from the menu what I wanted to eat and bill came triple then the price in the menu. I disagreed and restaurant owner came and he was like mafia. And these people are like they have never seen a single woman in their life. I felt like I was going to be r^* but protected myself. Please, do not go to restaurants around Grand Bazaar. The ones inside is established, have been there long time ago but the ones just outside Grand Bazaar are scammers. Sadly, I have been scammed in every country as a tourist especially by taxi drivers.
I was tricked by the shoe brusher in Istanbul. Up until the moment he asked for payment I felt even a bit amused. I ended up with my feet wet and lost all the coins in my wallet, which were luckily not many. When the guy saw I only had a couple coins his face turned from "nice mode" to "moody mode". It was an interesting experience.
Sorry to hear that, Turkiye is a beautiful country. But if you’re afraid of scams, don’t go to Paris, Amsterdam, London etc - it’s even worse there! And Rome. I was scammed by taxi driver over there really bad. Just don’t be a tourist and don’t travel to any big city, then you might stay safe.
In istanbul, you must be bold! 1. Went to a restaurant. The food and the service were bad. The bill was 350TL. I gave the guy 400TL. he asked to keep the charge. I said "no!. No one asks for tip. Why would I give him tip if the food and the service were bad? 2. Went to bakery and ordered two pieces of very small cookies. The guy took my 200TL and gave me 4TL change. I had him open the cash register and told him to give my money back. He gave me back my 200TL. loved how he looked at me because he didn't expect it from me
Dear Olga and René, that was a very informative video, thank you. I believe it will help many people to be more aware. I live in Mahmutlar and I've never been scammed, but there have been attempts. Other big scams are real estate scams and renovation scams. When buying real estate, it's best to invest in a reputable lawyer who speaks your language. When a person wants to help with a renovation, ask for a business address, a real phone number and business license number, and NEVER give money as a down payment. A license number can always be researched.
Olga, VERY nicely explained👍; I was with friends in Istanbul in May and one must be really ready ... in the Hagia Sophia area, yes lots of people, different pretexts, in order to entice shopping; ... in some restaurants they automatically brought us water and bread, water ok, we drank and paid for it, but we didn't even touch the bread, they took it away, and still charged it (no mention of couvert or sth...) of course that we didn't pay for it; ... and "shoe shiner scam" - fun - fortunately, mine wasn't rude, he wanted to clean my mesh shoes at all costs and I also explained him how terribly expensive my children and grandchildren are 😂. Anyway, we really and very much liked Istanbul, had a beautiful stay, met nice people, we'll definitely be back and happy we have supported great and hardworking traders as well as nice ordinary people❤
Yes, in touristy areas in every big city one should be extra careful 😊 We were never charged for bread in restaurants in Turkey, that is really interesting! Glad you had a good time in Istanbul, the city is really beautiful 👍🏻
Don't buy dried fruit for more than €5,- per kilo. Some shops start hustling a price more than €40 per kilo and add you some Turkish delight to you to give you the impression you get a good deal.
I was taken to somebody's carpet shop by the tour guide of our azamara cruise. And of course the jewellery section below. Which of course they entised me to buy and I like a fool paid a ridiculous amount of money for the jewellery i think I was totally scammed on the price
Watch out for the tram machine (Istanbulkart yellow machine) scams! Sleight of hands will get you 570 Lira poorer. This needs to be document more widely!!!!
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We are Olga and Rene. After spending 1 year in Turkey we travelled SE Asia and spend 1 year in Da Nang, Vietnam. We review local prices, cost of living, our daily life as foreigners. Subscribe to see which hidden gem of a country we will discover next!
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Don’t be afraid to travel to Turkey. Turkey is a great country for travellers. For a fraction of a price that you would pay in Europe you are getting beautiful beaches, breathtaking views and gourgeous mountains.
So don’t let the tourist scams discourage you from travelling. Instead use this knowledge to feel more confident when you travel abroad.
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Problem is, official taxis are no better. Especially in Istanbul. It's not only a tourist issue, to their credit they don't discriminate who they would shaft.
I am turkish and i am from inner anatolia. istanbul taxi drivers scammed me 3 times. i am living in istanbul for 12 years adn i never use taxi anymore in istanbul. there is a proverb in Turkiye. mthrfcker taxi driver. in istanbul, public transport is the best way
A lot of scamming places in Turkey and Greece. Italy as well. Read the reviews and not just from a single site!
Cheers carol babes xx
I went to alanya.. taxi at the bus station drove me a short distance. When we stopped at my hotel I thought I should pay but he got out quickly to go to the luggage. So I got out. Then after I got the luggage out he said 300. I said I only had 100 (meter was 90). I gave him 100. This man was incensed.. for.... Me paying the actual price.
I went to Turkey and never got scammed, but tell everyone to watch out for zebra crossings, the cars don't stop even if you are crossing. They use you as target practice. Nearly got hit twice.
It’s al beep beep ✌️🤣👍
@Mt Dm it was frustrating. In Poland even the trams stop for you at the crossings.
Zebra crossings are there so the ambulances know where to travel too
Every country has a different culture around traffic and such. You observe what the locals do and follow them, it's always a bad idea to insist on supposed rules in a foreign place one doesn't have a feel for yet. Go with the flow, not against it.
@@kennethdrewary1094 I still wouldn’t visit Poland
Dear Olga, as a Turkish person, thank you for your unbiased video. Believe me these scammers similarly target Turkish people too but tourists are definitely more vulnerable. When you're an empathetic and a tender person (like I am), you're always a target. So gotta ignore people whom you don't have anything to do with.
About a month ago we went to Istanbul . The first taxi driver asked 700 liras to take us from Ortakoy to Taksim . We turned him down because we knew it was too much. The second said he would use the taximetre and the final charge was that of about 55 liras. He also got a 20 lira bill as a tip . Istanbul was great and the people also, except perhaps from the people at some restaurants who called us "stingy " just because we didn't want to buy their cheap parfums. From Greece 🇬🇷 with love ❤.
yes, when they offer a fixed price it's almost always a scam, you were smart to take the one that is using taximeter 👍🏻
If you took a video and called the police, especially in touristic places, the police would come to you within minutes. The vehicle would be banned from traffic for 1 month and the driver's license would be fined.
@@LetsRock1t thank you for the info but you see at 23:30 in Ortakoy and trying to get to the hotel it didn't really seem a good idea to mess with the police .
From Turkey with LOVE to Greece too. Wish our governments got along as much as our people do
OMG wat a rip off!!!
Thank you for your video, I had my bad experiences, although not in Turkey... I pay attention to your words: "dont be afraid to be rude", and scammers pick their targets based on certain criterias, even if you just look kind... I came to the point Im wearing dark shades, so, I do not make any eye contact with anyone at all, I do not answer any questions, pretending not to understand: this is nowadays surviving guide, the world is not an honest place, and, what really annoys me, is the actual fact that many tourists are not so rich, but they work hard for saving the money for a well deserved holiday. And thats what they come across... great video, thank you!
Exactly, people must take care of tourists no to scam them, because they are just like guests in their country.
Only take a small amount of Turkish lira with you from the UK. The exchange rate varies daily, so change daily if poss. Do not use money change stalls in the street, they will rob you. Use a bank. Ask for notes of low denomination - less chance of being short changed in the markets.
As a local from Alanya, I will give u all some advice: Follow the steps of other Turkish locals/local young folk to avoid this. I mean look around yourself and watch what other young Turkish people do, where they eat their food, which bars they are going to and generally which locations they are crowdedly present..etc. I mean try to analyze the situation as a whole picture.
For example, firstly don't get scammed by that chatting personnel who always try to start a chat with u from nowhere and offer you something. (Those ankward, shitty guys who always wanna chat when they immediately see u) We generally see what happens: All of them call of u like have a seat lady, have food from here mister or they always call u for a boat tour etc. While u having fun with some service, they generally planning how to bargain your money a little bit more...Of course I wouldn't say that is all of them are like this, but it would be better if u can be a bit more skeptical to avoid scams.
What do Turkish locals/young people think about this whole process u wonder? Actually, we feel sad for you. Also, we really get full of cringe so much by seeing that. Don't listen to them. Don't play the game with their rule, and don't lose unfair money. Additionally, If you see more tourists rather than locals in a restaurant, for example, and if that restaurant or bar is located in the Alanya dock region, you probably gonna be scammed. Also, don't be fooled by those other awkward guys behaving like monkeys or dancing like idiots to entertain you. I am sorry to say this but, while they are acting as a friend to you, again, they generally thinking the money or.. they having ugly chat between themselves about your lovers and wives. Because they are mainly coming from uneducated parts of the country for just to work in summer in Alanya. As I mention above, they are generally not locals of Alanya, and if you pay attention most of the locals are missing, you can't find locals at their bars, restaurants, or other places. I hope this long writing helps.
good advice
Thank you so much dear
As a Norwegian who´s half Turkish and have been travelling to Alanya for 24 years - all I can say to this is: fantasticly explained. This is so true. As a "tourist" myself I see hundreds getting scammed by the ways you´re explaining it, and it is sad to see.
You are absolutely right,I spent three weeks in Alanya I had a great time. I avoided all the tourist traps and I lived like the locals
“ not locals” ?
Thank you, also I experienced another scam, in taksim there’s a lot of pigeons, they’re beautiful lovely and you definitely want to take some pictures, there would be people offering you food to feed them, never accept the food even tho they wouldn’t ask for money (at first), he offered food for the pigeons , took our phone and insisted he takes pictures of us, and after he finished we wanted to tip him until he said no it’s actually my job and asked us for a lot of money! And it’s really hard to argue!
Thank you for this excellent advice. I love Turkey a lot and the people are generally very friendly 🇹🇷
Fixed taxi price: take a pen and paper and let the taxidriver write the fixed price and where to go and hold the paper in your hand during the trip. No discussions after.
We spoke to the drivers in Marmaris and agreed the price before we got into the taxi. We had a thoroughly positive holiday there and I have never felt safer than I did there, except crossing the road once or twice and that was mainly tourists on scooters and ATVs in the cycle lanes.
Im in Istanbul now and also with the Istanbul kart are a lot of scams They wait for you in the ATMs and apparently they want to Help you but then youre obligate to give them money. The Police are 50 m left but do nothing. Very disgusting .
do you advice me to visit it !!!!!!
if you report them to the police, police will definitely find them using the street videos.. no one can escape turkish police. there are too many immigrants and non-locals nowadays in istanbul... so, there are more scammers!
1. Now you know much about Turkey more than a Turkish .. lol
2. When you were talking about Taxi rent, it reminded me my sweet mom who always keep on advising/suggesting/telling/teaching us about these types of things .. lol
3. About BAR .. we never go to BARS .. lol
4. About Restaurant .. most of our food was in package, so not worried about scams .. lol
5. I didn't take service of any shoe cleaner or shiner, because Turkey was so clean regarding roads that my shoes never need to clean, I just clean them by rubbing with a piece of toilet paper ... Lol
6. Olga you are so sweet and honest, you post these videos and advise tourists for their benefits. God bless you and Love your efforts ❤️
I don't think I will ever know as much about Turkey as Turkish people. But I do think my perspective as a foreigner can be useful for other foreigners who travel or plan to live in Turkey ☺️
@@OlgaProGoingPlaces You are doing great job 🙂❤️
I always bring a pack of sanitizer hand wipes in suitcase to clean my shoes etc.
Thankyou for all your video, s and tips we fly out Sunday ❤
Thank you so much Olga! I have lived in Turkey for 25 years but becuase I have blond/white hair and blue eyes they still try to scam me!! It is so sad because this country has so much potential and they could do so much better if they were honest!! However, there are some good ones but you need to be on your guard all the time.
over here in uk the organizations scam us constantly in bright daylight every day and they tell us that they do!...sadly we are not given a chance or a choice to accept or reject it!
It's not only Turkey. You need to watch out for all tourist destinations. Sadly!
I have traveled all over the world and Turkey is #1 for amount of scammers you will encounter
Yoy should visit to greece 🤣🤣
You obviously haven't travelled to many countries, wait till you see Italy
+Mexico
Omg Italy, no one can pass.
Try Philippine, then you know what scammers are and do 😢😢
I'm going to Antalya soon and this video was extremely helpful. Thank you very much Olga!
Have a great trip!
@@vandhuymartins2459 hi 👋
Hi 👋
Been there one time. Everyone looking at you like on a walking wallet and everyone trying to scam you. NEVER again
I did experience the restaurant pricing trick as well. In my case it was about 10x the price stated on the original menu. When I challenged him, it took him about 10 mins to get another menu. This time it was adjusted with a pen. LUCKILY, I didn’t allow him open the drinks before double checking. Let’s just say I was lucky with my instincts
Thank you Ogla for the great information. I dealt with the taxi and restaurants scam in Istanbul. You have to be careful.
I am a Türk living in the States. I need to be careful in Turkey, too. People are greedy. The moment they hear my kids speak English, they may try scamming me.
@@tugbaozkan7803 🇺🇸 is not greedy? Lol
Your video is very clear. I'm so grateful as my first time and first day here in Antalya . I was well informed, thank you
Thanks for the straightforward and helpful video. I like that it's not trying to be over-the-top or sensational.
Hey 👋
I travel a lot. Sadly in Turkey I experienced a lot os scam attempts.
Hey 👋
Another popular “dropping” scam is empty wallet dropped in front of you by someone. When you pick it up and approach the person to give it back, you are assumed to be the one who took all money from the wallet.
Hi 👋
I went to Turkey and got scammed a few times and few times I also avoided scam. First was in Higa Sophia when guy decided be our guide and I tried to walk away. He was extremely angry. Unfortunately my husband decided pay him even I worn him before. I saw shoe guy and he dropped brush in front of us. We didn’t pay attention and he was disappointed. But we had really bad experience in a central bazar. Sellers offer us a Turkish rugs, they brought us to the second or third floor empty building. They turn on elevator for us, was very kind and smiley. We went to the big room and they started to show is rugs. Prices were in 10 times more than in US and most important these rugs were made in China. When I told them I need to think and maybe I will come back, they were extremely angry and didn’t turn on elevator for us. Sorry but I didn’t feel safe. They tricked us in restaurant as well, but the scariest part was when some tall guy in long leather coat follow us every step. We escaped him just stepping inside unknown building and watched him looking for us from second floor window. But I like beauty of Istanbul and anyways will recommend visit this country. Just be careful.
I am a student in Turkey and I have experienced being scammed too😫
They gave me an apartment that was so expensive and made me sign a contract. We spent an entire day looking for an apartment and almost all said they didn't rent houses to foreigners then we found one at night time I just had to get it because I was tired 😟 now I have to pay that price for an entire year.
I decided to comment here because I don't have any channel to warn people about it with.
What's worse is that the apartment has Soo many faults but there's not much I can do because wherever I go they tell me to just fix it that I can't terminate the contract. I'm really suffering from this.🤧
feel sorry for you 😒 im going to turkey soon i hope i dont get scam ill be there looking witl all 30 eyes all around 😂
@@nunosantos2015 you really should 😪😄
When in bars, always choose to pay for your order every time drink is delivered to your table.
Thank you for the many useful tips. We can put them to good use. Next week we will be in Lara. greetings from Germany
Glad it was helpful! Have a good time in Antalya
Hey 👋
These restaurants need to be named and shamed.
I think there should be a proper investigation in each case first, sometimes it can be just a misunderstanding.
Taxi Scam - Update . We took an official taxi from Istanbul Airport. His meter was on but at the end he asked us around 400 liras more than what showed on the meter. Then he showed us a hidden sticker that said that customer will pay for the tolls pn the highway,
Istanbul Card Scam:
Usually ticket machines for public transport are in Turkish. I was at a ticket machine opposite Eminonu trying to figure out the way to get a ticket and a well dressed person approached me , helped me to get the ticket and then started asking for crazy amount of money.
My bf is from Canada and I must tell, it’s a horrible experience. Every person in Istanbul feel like it’s his obligation to scam him. Staring from the taxi drivers and then to infinity. About the taxi drivers yes they are official and no that means NOTHING! They will scam you with a smile. We took an official taxi from sabiha Gökçen airport in Istanbul and the driver said that we have to pay him 200 liras for the speed road. We had the same issue three months earlier. We agreed cuz it’s normal to pay for the speed roads. But I thought it was strange one guy took 100 liras and the other took 200 liras. So I called 153 (authority that deals with such things) and they told me that client has to pay 33 liras in total for that. 33 liras! And in two cafes we were also almost scammed. On one of them the waiter just put the service fee into the bill. But I know it’s wrong. You can leave the tip, but only if you want. In another cafe the guy came up to my bf and said you have to give me the tip, cuz it’s not included into the bill. Both of the cafes were in good districts where locals go. One in Nisantasi and another one is in besiktas. One is called kruvasan and another is called minoa akaretler. I always loved Istanbul, but after this kind of experience I want to get out of here as soon as possible. It’s a stress, every single day.
It sounds like Istanbul is dodgy hey especially with the taxis !!!
They just experienced hyper-inflation, and prices haven't caught up. Also, a lot of locals got burned by the inflation and can't afford to pay the "new" prices. 33 lira now amounts to less than $2! For a cab ride from the airport? Forget about it. Even 200 liras isn't unreasonable. In the USA, you pay comparably astronomical rates. Is tourism really about coming to a country to take advantage of currency arbitrage, or is it about experiencing a different place and all it has to offer? Now, of course, if they are charging you more than what you would pay in your home-country, that's another story.
@@gordonquick6830 This has been going on since I first moved to Istanbul in 2000 and before then too of course. You don’t know that the occurrences she describes happened recently. I know several foreigners who were made to pay 200 pounds sterling for taxi rides within the city, 200 USD for two kebabs and soft drinks and a million other stories. I’m an experienced traveller and lived in Istanbul for 9 years, so nobody succeeded in scamming me, but they tried, nearly every day. Add the constant, never ending sexual harassment (I’m tall, blonde and blue eyed) and Istanbul is one of the most stress filled cities to live in, especially for a woman 😢
Imagine if you were blond with blue eyes
@@gordonquick6830 According to your logic Turkish taxi drivers or waiters, or people in general have the right to scam others just because they are in need? Don’t compare usa or Canada to Turkey. It’s different economy, different level of life. You get different value for what you pay for. About the experience that’s interesting. Scam in any country is a scam! Nobody wants to experience being fooled. Would you like it if you go to Canada and the taxi driver takes 200$ from you for the highway, which costs 50$ for example? Or pay 100$ more of your restaurant bill? I don’t think so. That’s not for the taxi driver or the waiter to decide what’s reasonable or not reasonable. I worked in Istanbul during the Covid time. I had plenty of chances to scam my clients. It was hard time for me cuz I had nobody there, who would help me. But I never did. I could have also said oh but it’s Covid and I need money. Any person can justify stealing like that.
We also live in Sri Lanka for the last three years. The level of poverty there is on the level that Turkey can’t even imagine in their worst dream. And guess what??? They had a crisis, they had bombing, they had covid. But! I have NEVER experienced such a horrible attitude. Of course taxi drivers will try to get a little bit more. But in restaurants we have never been scammed like in Turkey! Trying to take advantage of white people there is more exception than a norm. So don’t tell me about poverty or inflation or other bullshit people try to justify robbery or scams.
I was in Ankara going from my hotel (mithat hotel, don't go) to university (15 min ride) and the receptionist asked for a taxi, 3 squares away it changed drivers and the driver took me OUTSIDE THE CITY, and yelling the address and I was yelling him back that the address I told him was on the same district. Had to pay him 3 times the ride but I was so outraged, the receptionist knew I was a solo woman traveler. So on the last day here I will ask him for the number of his "taxi driver friend" and told him I'm going to tell the police and actually do it. I can't right now because I'm trying very hard to get an apartment without getting scammed and it is kind of hard 😓
Yes your videos helps a lot olga ... i am from Ethiopia and my wife is from usa... we saw most of your vidios when we visit turkey... we trust your likns and they were so helpfull.... we would love to say thank you and keep it up
thank you!
Thank you for this, we have never been to Istanbul but travelled to many places in Turkey & never ever been scammed. Parts of Spain, yes!!
Thanks so much for sharing this information with us., it’s very appreciate, blessings
Such good practical information.
Very well done.
Once when I was admiring Hagia Sophia from outside, a man out of the blue asked me (in English) what time is Hagia Sophia closed. I thought to myself: why on earth do you ask that to me? Do I look like an officer?
But then I didn't answer him whatsoever. He then asked me where I am from, do I speak English..
I completely ignored him, and acted like he did not exist. And then I walked away.
I always bear in my mind: anyone who out of the blue starts conversation with me in good english (especially in touristy area in İstanbul), is a scammer. Do not answer him anything. Not even a gesture (nodding, shaking head, etc.). Just ignore him.
This may not be true I’m a fluent English speaker going Antalya for vacation soon, I hope people can help me understand locals
Just because someone make a conversation with you is a scammer, weirdo
I travelled to Turkey many times and never had issues with scammers. I found that it was just the opposite. Great people, great country, beautiful nature, stunning beaches and delicious food. I sincerely recommend Türkiye to everybody. Greetings from Sweden to Lovely Turkish people and to all travellers💖🇹🇷
Hello Olga, thank you for this video very helpful, we just arrived from our holiday in Antalya. It happened to me some of them.
Thank you for your help, Olga!
I’ve had a guy give me a card with money on it in Istanbul when having trouble with the machine.
Like you said there is good and bad in every country with no exceptions.
Yes, Turkish people are in fact much more willing to help a stranger than people in the West.
Thanks so much I will travel to Turkiye next week This video help me so much 😊
Glad it was helpful!
the one scam where you pay in a bar has some variations too- often in the first bar the unknown stranger will pay, so in the second bar he then makes you feel like its your turn. The second bar sometimes has very high prices on a menu like hundreds of dollars per drink (i think police try to close these down and are helpful). Sometimes in the second bar they will kind of "kidnap" you, drive you to some cash mashine until they have "their" money.
Another think is to check the menu for service fees and so on. Often they will bring you stupid bread and water and you may think its just hospitality, so you have to decline in right away because often they charge some big amount for that without you knowing
crazy!
Small restaurants in a touristy area would do something like that (although I myself never saw it). If you go to a big chain restaurant there will be no service fees and bread will be for free.
If the price for the bread is ridiculous - I say threaten to call the tourist police. For example, in my latest video th-cam.com/video/sZilz_S86fw/w-d-xo.html we go to Beach Park, where along with the restaurants there is a branch of tourist police.
It was a great sharing, there are tourism police especially in taksim etc. regions. There are personnel available to assist you according to your country, you can definitely ask for help from the Turkish Tourist Police in cases of fraud that will happen to you.
Also in Sultanahmet there is a Tourist Police Office. So you should always have a look for the Taxi number to be able to report in case.
In my experience the tourism police is more of a joke, my uncle came to visit and got scammed at a bar, they didn't even take his statement and just laughed at him when he told them what happened. He never came back to turkey.
Thanks for your video - it's great to know what to be prepared for when traveling 👍
Worst thing is extras added to you food bill in a restaurant
Well done Olga great advice.
Thanks Olga.
Hi. What’s the restaurant name where you ate? From minute 3:56
Hi, it's Teras Cafe.
@@OlgaProGoingPlaces yes, but there are several locations in Istanbul with this name. Can you give a clear location? Is it Mimar Sinan Teras Cafe (because it does not really look like this is it)? Is it in Sultanahmet or which area? Thank you!
It is near Old Town in Antalya
@@OlgaProGoingPlaces I understand. I don’t know why I thought it was in Istanbul. Thanks😊
Watching this video as I have holiday booked for Turkey but feeling deeply saddened by the recent earthquake. May Allah grant them all jannah. Ameen
It is a tragedy
@@OlgaProGoingPlaces The tragedy could have been reduced if the corrupt planning had been stopped. The government obviously values money over people.
I like the acting of the brush at 9:10 and how he is forcing you to come and pick up. 🤣🤣🤣
Unfortunately these scams only happens in touristic places... As I am Turkish myself. I was even scammed in Istanbul then my wife... the taxi drivers in Istanbul are a unique breed. As I spoke with some of the taxi drivers, I was told because they speak Turkish doesn't mean they are Turkish. True..
yes, that’s true! and as I say later n the video there many more good people in Turkiye who are willing to help a stranger without expecting anything in return. But when you’re a foreigner you become a target for scammers and I tried to explain how to avoid those situations, so people can have good memories about visiting Turkiye 😊
an aquintance of mine even got "kidnapped" - taxi driver said he knows a shortcut to the airport -before he knew he was in some backstreet where 5 other drivers made him give them all his money.
They are Turkish. This is turkey. The scams are not new.its old .and have been happening for a long time. The taxi drivers are turkish.and the scammers are misty Turkish
This is a nice vid. Thanks for sharing. The bar scam seems like one where you just need to practice common sense. The one thing that I don’t understand is why so many people always seem to have an “open tab” - why not just pay as you order… like “I’ll take 2…,” and then ask how much… and just pay it. It’s kind of hard to get stuck with a bill ..when you’ve already paid for your order upfront.
yeah, we tend to just let things go when we drink. that’s why the bar scam is so common and effective 😊
Thats good advice - But yeah use some common sense, dont let others persons pick the bar, question why another person would invite you for a drink. (thats how the scam often goes, they pay the first tab in the bar you sit in and then you feel like you have to pay in the bar they recommend). And check what google says about the bar
But never forget how scammers get people - they make them feel in control. So lets say you pay after every beer you ordered, that doesnt solve your problem when there are 5 people who are in on it and say you ordered beer for them aswell. And many of these bars are full of people who are in on it from waiters, to guests, to some tough guys who are very convincing. If they decided they get money from you, they probably wont care if you dont have an "open tab" or that you have proof.
Good advice Thank you..
Very informative video thank you for sharing my friend ❤
Well i experienced the shoe scam, i didnt pay him what he wanted but ended up giving him some coins, the falling brush technique looked so innocent and real that despite your kindness you see yourself become cold-hearted because these scams force you to
Great Video. Thank You So Much for Making Us Aware of the scams
thanks for all this information.its help us
Thx for ur honesty hope i visit istanbul 1 day
Thanks for very important information
I've been scammed every single time in Turkey. I got old money change when I bought something at the airport. I have to pay a cup of tea 10 times more than the locals. And yes, the price of the food 3 times more than written on the menu. I never thought of taking photo of the menu. So far I never met anybody is polite.
Maybe stick to places like McDonald's, burger king, kfc. They have a tourist rate, but it's not extortionate
Whenever I travel abroad I usually ask for the receipt in advance. If the price is high then just move away
Your information is really helpful.
Thank you for your valuable information I going to Turkey next year.
Thank you for doing this video
Thanks for sharing ❤
i went to turkey to many times almost everywhere i never had any problems good people good everything
Благодара за този съвет❤
Thanks, it was very informative, what you doing, keep making this kind of stuff. Rashid
your channel is like the turkei version of "honest guide”
never heard about it before, will check it out!
@@OlgaProGoingPlaces yea look, ı think your content is very similar
Very interesting, thanks Olga!
Wow can't wait for my trip, gonna be there next tuesday!
Taksim scam places all closed down, when I was there 3 years ago it was there every block but, now i didnt see any. I ask my friend what happen to those places and they said government closed down all of them.
Great video like always.
I was in Turkiye about 7 days ago and now back in Australia.
You forgot to add the currency exchange exam. I have changed AUD to TR at Grand Bazaar where the venue at CCTV, before leaving I examined the currency to avoid getting counterfeit money but on this instance I have 100 lira short. So I went Ziraat bank in future exchanges and their exchange rate was extremely good.
People just be careful when using with taxis in Turkey
Following my comment about taxis, they have two rates. Day rate and night rate. 1 or 2. Not sure which one is which but the metre reading is displayed on the centre mirror
I’m not 100% sure, but I heard they canceled day/night rate and now it’s the same
@@GuidoHatsizz There is only 1 rate bro.
@@LetsRock1t I wasn’t aware, thanks for the info.
I’m going solo to Kermer Antalya next week and I really hope I meet some people I can feel safe around, even though I’m a guy I’m still quite nervous going alone but I really want to enjoy myself and know I’m safe
th-cam.com/video/xzsef10na5E/w-d-xo.html
In January, a restaurant I went to doubled the price of the menu item on the menu when I went to pay. Taking a picture of the menu is a good idea.
Oh i experienced a lot of scams in Turkey. Taxi, bars, restaurants, tour operators and a lot more. It is a beautiful country, so many things to explore but full of dishonest people. I think they will progress a lot if they are tourist friendly and honest.
In fact, shop rents in touristic areas are very high, so you should not compare them with the prices in local places.
dolandırıcıların çoğu kürt asıllıdır %80 türk değildir
I got scammed by a lady taxi driver in Prague Airport recently, so taxis are notorious of being so wherever you go. Amazingly, I never got scammed by a taxi in Moscow and i used them daily.
It is good that you've explained all this. Even as a Turkish, I have been scammed in old part of Istanbul. I am not saying Turkish people do not scam but the restaurant owner and workers weren't Turkish but refugees. There were prices, I showed from the menu what I wanted to eat and bill came triple then the price in the menu. I disagreed and restaurant owner came and he was like mafia. And these people are like they have never seen a single woman in their life. I felt like I was going to be r^* but protected myself. Please, do not go to restaurants around Grand Bazaar. The ones inside is established, have been there long time ago but the ones just outside Grand Bazaar are scammers. Sadly, I have been scammed in every country as a tourist especially by taxi drivers.
That is very true -- they hire Bulgarians -- why ??
@@keepcreationprocess What I mean as a refugee is not exactly Bulgarians, but Syrians, Afghans and Arabs are taken because of cheap labor
Super advice... if I ever decide to go there, because of their newest scams using rentals!
I was tricked by the shoe brusher in Istanbul. Up until the moment he asked for payment I felt even a bit amused. I ended up with my feet wet and lost all the coins in my wallet, which were luckily not many. When the guy saw I only had a couple coins his face turned from "nice mode" to "moody mode". It was an interesting experience.
But the brushers do this to everyone, not just for tourist. Taxis same to
luckily I've read about scams just that day or the day before and it happened on Galata bridge. Completely ignored the brush
Thanks for the warnings. I canceled my trip to Turkey.
Sorry to hear that, Turkiye is a beautiful country. But if you’re afraid of scams, don’t go to Paris, Amsterdam, London etc - it’s even worse there! And Rome. I was scammed by taxi driver over there really bad.
Just don’t be a tourist and don’t travel to any big city, then you might stay safe.
I have been avoiding big cities for about ten years.@@OlgaProGoingPlaces
Thank you so much for this information xx
whats the restaurant name in Antalia with the nice view please? minute 5:15
Hi, it's Teras Cafe.
In istanbul, you must be bold!
1. Went to a restaurant. The food and the service were bad. The bill was 350TL. I gave the guy 400TL. he asked to keep the charge. I said "no!. No one asks for tip. Why would I give him tip if the food and the service were bad?
2. Went to bakery and ordered two pieces of very small cookies. The guy took my 200TL and gave me 4TL change. I had him open the cash register and told him to give my money back. He gave me back my 200TL. loved how he looked at me because he didn't expect it from me
thank you very much for this video, its very helpful
Thanks Olga! Appreciate the advice❤
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks foor sharing this video
Dear Olga and René, that was a very informative video, thank you. I believe it will help many people to be more aware. I live in Mahmutlar and I've never been scammed, but there have been attempts. Other big scams are real estate scams and renovation scams. When buying real estate, it's best to invest in a reputable lawyer who speaks your language. When a person wants to help with a renovation, ask for a business address, a real phone number and business license number, and NEVER give money as a down payment. A license number can always be researched.
thanks for sharing!
@@OlgaProGoingPlaces You're welcome! Now I have to find a way to get İkamet. I bought a flat in Mahmutlar in July 2021. This is just crazy! 🤣
Olga, VERY nicely explained👍; I was with friends in Istanbul in May and one must be really ready ... in the Hagia Sophia area, yes lots of people, different pretexts, in order to entice shopping; ... in some restaurants they automatically brought us water and bread, water ok, we drank and paid for it, but we didn't even touch the bread, they took it away, and still charged it (no mention of couvert or sth...) of course that we didn't pay for it; ... and "shoe shiner scam" - fun - fortunately, mine wasn't rude, he wanted to clean my mesh shoes at all costs and I also explained him how terribly expensive my children and grandchildren are 😂. Anyway, we really and very much liked Istanbul, had a beautiful stay, met nice people, we'll definitely be back and happy we have supported great and hardworking traders as well as nice ordinary people❤
Yes, in touristy areas in every big city one should be extra careful 😊
We were never charged for bread in restaurants in Turkey, that is really interesting!
Glad you had a good time in Istanbul, the city is really beautiful 👍🏻
Restaurants dont charge for breads though. They refill the basket without additional pay.
Hey 👋
Don't buy dried fruit for more than €5,- per kilo.
Some shops start hustling a price more than €40 per kilo and add you some Turkish delight to you to give you the impression you get a good deal.
great informative video how much long you will stay in turkey
Hey 👋
Merci beaucoup pour tout ces précieux conseilles
I was taken to somebody's carpet shop by the tour guide of our azamara cruise. And of course the jewellery section below. Which of course they entised me to buy and I like a fool paid a ridiculous amount of money for the jewellery i think I was totally scammed on the price
Thanks for those info
nice thanks. I will visit Turkey this fall.
Have a great trip!
100% true. I am already a victim of these scam in Istanbul. Thanks for this video. Keep it up.
Take a pic, BRILLIANT! I record everything so fully agree
Watch out for the tram machine (Istanbulkart yellow machine) scams! Sleight of hands will get you 570 Lira poorer. This needs to be document more widely!!!!
Very very informative video Thank you so much.