Common Scams & How to Avoid Them in St. Louis, Missouri, United States

1. Grand Centre Taxi Scam

Avoid overpaying by agreeing on a fare before starting the ride from Grand Centre taxis.

Support genuine artists by confirming they are approved performers in popular entertainment areas.

Official Performers: Ensures the artist is authorized to busk in the area.
Donation Awareness: Understands that donations should be voluntary, not forced.
Safe Locations: Avoids deserted areas with questionable performers.

Double-check parking meters for authenticity and proper payment methods.

Legitimate Parking Meters: Avoids using fake or damaged meters.
Proper Payment Methods: Ensures the use of accepted payment methods.
Time Limits: Understands parking time restrictions and fees to avoid tickets.

Verify credentials before hiring an unofficial tour guide in popular tourist spots.

Official Guides: Ensures the guide is authorized to operate tours.
Price Comparison: Avoids overpaying by comparing prices with other reputable tour guides.
Safety First: Chooses guided tours in safer and more reliable areas of the city.

Purchase tickets directly from the Gateway Arch website or official vendors to avoid counterfeit or overpriced tickets.

Official Vendors: Ensures authenticity of ticket sellers.
Website Tickets: Avoids overpriced tickets by purchasing directly from the official website.
Ticket Availability: Ensures ticket availability by booking in advance.

Inspect bills for additional or incorrect items before making payments.

Bill Inspection: Avoids being charged for unordered items.
Tip Understanding: Understands standard tipping practices in St. Louis restaurants.
Price Comparison: Ensures prices are consistent with menu prices and local averages.

Purchase tickets from authorized vendors to avoid counterfeit or overpriced tickets.

Official Vendors: Ensures authenticity of ticket sellers.
Website Tickets: Avoids overpriced tickets by purchasing directly from the official event website.
Ticket Availability: Ensures ticket availability by booking in advance.

Request a new key or call hotel security if the provided room key doesn't work.

Room Key Replacement: Avoids unauthorized access to your hotel room.
Hotel Security: Ensures safety by alerting hotel security if necessary.
Room Verification: Verifies the room number and its occupancy with the hotel.

Purchase from reputable vendors or inspect items for authenticity.

Reputable Vendors: Ensures the seller's credibility.
Item Inspection: Checks for signs of counterfeit goods, such as poor quality or inconsistencies.
Pricing Comparison: Verifies that prices are reasonable and consistent with similar items.

Choose busy vendors with clean environments to minimize health risks and potential scams.

Busy Vendors: Ensures a higher chance of fresh food.
Clean Environment: Minimizes health risks by choosing clean and orderly vendors.
Price Comparison: Ensures food prices are consistent with local averages.

Use well-lit, busy ATMs and avoid machines that look tampered with or damaged.

Avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive information and use a VPN when possible.

VPN Usage: Encrypts data to protect from potential hackers.
Sensitive Information Protection: Avoids transmitting sensitive information over public networks.
Two-Factor Authentication: Adds an extra layer of security to accounts.

Park in well-lit, secured parking lots and avoid deserted areas.

Well-lit Parking Lots: Minimizes the risk of theft or assault.
Secured Parking Lots: Ensures your vehicle's safety with security measures like cameras and guards.
Avoid Deserted Areas: Reduces the chance of criminal activity in unsupervised parking lots.

Verify charities before donating by checking for official registration and researching their reputation.

Official Registration: Ensures the charity is registered and in good standing.
Reputation Check: Verifies the charity's legitimacy by researching their past activities and donations.
Secure Donation Methods: Avoids fraudulent activities by using secure donation platforms.

Inspect rental cars for damage before accepting and document any issues.

Pre-Rental Inspection: Avoids being charged for pre-existing damages.
Document Issues: Provides evidence of any damage or issues.
Reputable Rental Companies: Chooses established and reliable rental companies.