Common Scams & How to Avoid Them in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil

1. Beachfront Hustlers

Street vendors selling trinkets or offering services, who often overcharge tourists. Can be pushy and aggressive.

Unexpected Price Increase: Items may be priced higher for tourists than locals.
Aggressive Selling Tactics: Vendors may follow or harass visitors to make a sale.
Counterfeit Goods: Be wary of low-quality or counterfeit items being sold.

Dishonest taxi drivers who overcharge or take circuitous routes to inflate fares.

Fake or Overpriced Meters: Some taxis may have tampered meters or charge a higher fare.
Route Manipulation: Drivers might take longer routes to raise the fare.
Unlicensed Drivers: Be cautious when taking unlicensed taxis or rideshare services.

Criminals posing as police officers to extort money from tourists.

Falsified Uniforms: Imposters may wear fake or altered uniforms.
Planting Evidence: Scammers might plant drugs or fake evidence on travelers.
Extortion: They demand money to avoid arrest or release an alleged 'offense'.

Criminals installing devices on ATMs to steal card information.

Fake Card Readers: Skimmers attach fake card readers over the real one.
Camera Surveillance: Criminals may also install hidden cameras to record PINs.
Phishing Scams: Scammers might send phishing emails asking for card details.

Fraudulent hotels or hostels that overbook rooms and then offer subpar alternatives.

Substandard Alternatives: You might be offered a lower quality room than expected.
Location Distance: The hotel or hostel may be located far from attractions and amenities.
Inadequate Services: Services offered might not meet the expected level of quality.

Unlicensed tour guides offering subpar service or taking tourists to places that do not offer the best experience.

Lack of Knowledge: The guide may lack knowledge about local attractions and history.
Poor Planning: Tour itineraries might be poorly planned, wasting time and resources.
High Prices: Fraudulent tour guides may charge higher prices than licensed guides.

Stores selling fake brand-name items at lower prices.

Low Quality: The quality of the products is inferior to the genuine articles.
Health Risks: Counterfeit goods may pose health risks due to poor manufacturing processes.
Legal Issues: Possession of counterfeit goods can lead to legal problems.

Local service providers charging tourists higher prices for the same services offered to locals.

Price Discrimination: The price discrepancy is based on the assumption that tourists can afford to pay more.
Lack of Bargaining Skills: Tourists may not have as much experience in negotiating prices.
Overpriced Local Attractions: Entrance fees for local attractions are often higher for tourists than locals.

Individuals or organizations pretending to collect donations for a charitable cause but keeping the money for themselves.

Lack of Accountability: There is often no way to verify where the collected funds are being directed.
Fraudulent Collectors: Collectors may not be associated with any legitimate charity organization.
Pressure Tactics: Scammers might use emotional appeals or pressure to collect donations.

Thieves stealing credit card information through pickpocketing or other means.

Pickpocketing: Theft often occurs in crowded places, such as markets and tourist attractions.
Shoulder Surfing: Thieves might watch from a distance to observe your PIN.
Skimming Devices: Criminals may use skimming devices on ATMs or card readers.

Locals who befriend tourists and offer help or advice, eventually asking for money.

False Friendship: The 'friend' might not have good intentions.
Manipulation: They might manipulate the situation to ask for money or favors.
Fraudulent Services: The 'friend' may offer services (e.g., tours, transportation) at inflated prices.

Scammers pretending to be interested in a romantic relationship, with the goal of extracting money.

Emotional Manipulation: Scammers might use emotional appeals or promises of love to gain trust.
Request for Money: Eventually, they will ask for money for various reasons, such as emergencies or travel expenses.
Identity Theft: Scammers might use stolen identities and photos to create fake profiles.

Tour operators offering poorly planned or misrepresented tours and excursions.

Misinformation: The tour operator may provide false information about the itinerary or attractions.
Low Quality Services: Tours might lack essential services, such as transportation or guides.
Inadequate Safety Measures: Tour operators may neglect safety measures to cut costs.

Receiving counterfeit bills in change or during transactions.

Poor Quality Counterfeits: The quality of the counterfeit money may be noticeably lower than genuine bills.
No Fluorescence: Counterfeit bills may lack the fluorescent security features when exposed to UV light.
Incorrect Tactile Features: The texture of counterfeit money might feel different from genuine bills.

Foodborne illnesses resulting from eating contaminated street food.

Poor Hygiene Practices: Vendors may not practice good hygiene, increasing the risk of contamination.
Unsafe Food Preparation: Inadequate food handling and storage can lead to bacterial growth.
Undercooked Foods: Some foods may be undercooked, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses.