Common Scams & How to Avoid Them in Quezon City, Philippines

1. Auburn Hotel Scam

Beware of fake hotel booking confirmations for the Auburn Hotel. Only book through official channels.

Official Bookings: Book through the hotel's website or authorized agents to avoid scams.
Location Verification: Check the location of the hotel before making a booking.
Contact Information: Ensure the contact information provided is accurate and belongs to the hotel.

Scammers may try to overcharge for Fiesta Pares, a popular Filipino dish. Stick to known restaurants or stalls.

Known Restaurants: Choose established restaurants or food stalls with good reviews.
Price Comparison: Compare prices of Fiesta Pares in different locations to avoid overpricing.
Avoid Street Vendors: Avoid buying from street vendors who may not offer genuine Fiesta Pares.

Scammers may approach tourists offering discounted transportation services around the Quezon Memorial Circle. Use official taxis or Grab.

Official Transportation: Use official taxis or ride-hailing services like Grab for safe and reliable transportation.
Avoid Street Offers: Do not accept offers from strangers for transportation in the Quezon Memorial Circle area.
Check Fare Rates: Be aware of regular fare rates to avoid overcharging when using official transport services.

Scammers may offer fake shopping vouchers for Mall Berde. Only use vouchers from legitimate sources.

Legitimate Sources: Buy shopping vouchers only from the mall's official website or authorized dealers.
Check Mall Location: Ensure you are visiting the real Mall Berde before using the voucher.
Avoid Street Sales: Do not buy vouchers from street vendors as they may be fake.

Scammers may offer diluted alcohol at Kapitolyo Food Park. Be cautious when ordering drinks.

Reputable Vendors: Choose vendors with good reputation for food and drinks.
Check Drink Prices: Be aware of regular drink prices to avoid overpriced or diluted drinks.
Avoid Suspicious Offers: Do not accept suspicious offers, especially for free drinks.

Unlicensed tour guides may offer services at lower prices but provide poor or misleading information.

Licensed Tour Guides: Only hire licensed tour guides to ensure accurate and reliable information.
Check Reviews: Read reviews from previous clients to gauge the quality of service offered by a tour guide.
Ask for Credentials: Request to see the tour guide's license and credentials before hiring their services.

Counterfeit goods are often sold at Kubok ng Quezon market. Buy only from trusted vendors.

Trusted Vendors: Choose vendors with good reputation and positive reviews for buying goods.
Check Prices: Be aware of regular prices for the items you want to buy to avoid overpriced or counterfeit goods.
Avoid Suspicious Offers: Do not buy from vendors who offer suspiciously cheap goods or pushy sales tactics.

Scammers may sell fake PowderMagic products. Buy only from official stores or authorized dealers.

Official Stores: Buy PowderMagic products only from the company's official store or authorized dealers.
Check Store Location: Ensure you are visiting a legitimate PowderMagic store before making a purchase.
Avoid Street Sales: Do not buy PowderMagic products from street vendors as they may be fake.

Scammers may try to charge for entry or offer fake tours at the Quezon City Museum. Buy tickets only at the museum entrance.

Entrance Tickets: Purchase tickets only at the museum's entrance to avoid scams.
Official Guided Tours: Join official guided tours offered by the museum staff for accurate information.
Avoid Street Offers: Do not accept offers for entry or tours from strangers outside the museum.

Scammers may ask for donations excessively at Ermita Church. Donate only what you are comfortable with.

Moderate Donation: Donate a moderate amount that you feel comfortable giving.
Avoid Pressure Tactics: Do not let anyone pressure you into donating more than you are comfortable with.
Respect Local Culture: Understand and respect the local culture when it comes to donations at religious sites.

Scammers may offer overpriced or counterfeit items at Quezon City Night Markets. Be cautious when shopping.

Reputable Vendors: Choose vendors with good reputation and positive reviews for buying goods.
Check Prices: Be aware of regular prices for the items you want to buy to avoid overpriced or counterfeit goods.
Avoid Suspicious Offers: Do not buy from vendors who offer suspiciously cheap goods or pushy sales tactics.

Scammers may sell fake artisanal products at Kapitolyo Artisan Market. Buy only from trusted vendors.

Trusted Vendors: Choose vendors with good reputation and positive reviews for buying artisanal goods.
Check Prices: Be aware of regular prices for the items you want to buy to avoid overpriced or counterfeit goods.
Avoid Suspicious Offers: Do not buy from vendors who offer suspiciously cheap goods or pushy sales tactics.

Scammers may overcharge for public transport in Quezon City. Be aware of regular fare rates.

Official Transportation: Use official taxis or ride-hailing services like Grab for safe and reliable transportation.
Check Fare Rates: Be aware of regular fare rates to avoid overcharging when using public transport.
Avoid Street Offers: Do not accept offers for transportation from strangers as they may try to scam you.

Scammers may use skimming devices on ATMs in Quezon City. Use well-lit, secure ATMs and be cautious when using your card.

Secure ATMs: Use ATMs located in well-lit areas with security cameras and avoid using ATMs that look tampered with.
Cover PIN: Cover the keypad when entering your PIN to prevent skimming devices from recording it.
Monitor Account Activity: Regularly monitor your account activity for any unusual transactions.

Public WiFi hotspots in Quezon City may not be secure. Only use secure, trusted networks.

Secure Networks: Use only secure, trusted WiFi networks when accessing sensitive information.
Avoid Unsecured Hotspots: Do not use unsecured public WiFi hotspots for sensitive activities like online banking.
Use VPN: Consider using a VPN to encrypt your internet connection when using public WiFi networks.