Scammers Are Targeting Travelers In 2025 Like Never Before (And These Destinations Are At The Center)

When you travel, you're extra susceptible to falling for scams. The surroundings are unfamiliar, as are the currency and local prices. Buying services like accommodations and tours beforehand is also fraught with danger, since you're essentially paying an entity that's hundreds or thousands of miles away, taking whatever they promise online at face value. Of course, this is where booking platforms that verify their listings come in handy, but with people wising up to common travel scams to be aware of before your vacation, bad actors are coming up with increasingly creative ways to separate unsuspecting travelers from their money. It comes as no surprise that Travel Trends 2025, a report by the Mastercard Economics Institute that looked at real-world payment data, found that several industries with high fraud rates are travel-related. Travel agencies and tour companies were found to be one of the most notorious, with taxi and car rentals following close behind. Hotels were lower, but still have a higher volume of scams compared to the global average. 

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker recorded hundreds of cases between 2024 and 2025 of domestic travelers losing money to fraudulent booking sites, timeshare companies, travel agents, and cruise lines. With electronic visas getting more common, several fake visa websites for countries like Thailand and Laos have been found to be charging travelers exorbitant amounts for fraudulent travel documents. Furthermore, travel hubs like Cancun, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Delhi, and Barcelona have a relatively high proportion of payment scams. In general, higher tourist volumes lead to an increase in scams, with high tourist season numbers exacerbating the issue by up to 28%, the Mastercard report found. However, cities like San Francisco, Seoul, Dublin, and Budapest still had a relatively low incidence of payment fraud despite being popular destinations.

Very often, a tempting online deal can make one rush into booking and making a payment, which is something scammers know and take advantage of. Mastercard's report found a 12% rise in fraudulent transactions during the early stages of trip planning in 2024 compared to 2023. On the BBB Scam Tracker, a large number of complaints from 2025 are associated with flight reservations and travelers being charged hefty flight cancellation or rebooking fees by fraudulent websites. Booking tours online before reaching one's destination can also be risky, with companies offering services and itineraries that can then turn out to be subpar. 

Furthermore, even if the operator is legit, tour guides often get commissions from restaurants and shops for bringing in tourists, so they may take you to places that give a kickback instead of authentic spots. Worse, some tour agencies can end up glorifying certain sights with doctored photographs, or even charge you for a non-existent tour before disappearing. Scams by tour operators and travel agencies account for more than 60% of tourist scams in bustling cities like Hong Kong, Delhi, and Barcelona, so be particularly careful when making bookings in advance.

When booking accommodations, watch out for deals that look too good to be true. A luxurious stay at a low price, especially at a local or standalone hotel that's not part of an international hotel chain, could be overpromising. You can also learn to spot fake photos on Airbnb listings. Cities like Phuket, Singapore, Antalya, and Cancun see a particularly large share of accommodation scams. In general, be sure to check stringently anytime you're paying in advance or giving credit card details to make bookings before travel.

Once you're at your destination, things can feel like a rush of excitement. You're happy to start enjoying your trip, but there are lots of unfamiliar aspects to navigate. All the new stimuli can be distracting, and that is often what scammers use to their benefit. Thefts often occur in bustling spots in busy tourist destinations, with taxi drivers being one of the major scam perpetrators. From being overcharged to receiving the wrong amount of change back and being taken to a place that is not your destination, a taxi driver attempting to rip you off can have multiple tricks up their sleeve. Furthermore, you may not even be safe if you rent a car for your stay. Car rental businesses can wrongfully blame tourists for damage to the car, be unclear with their pricing, or charge hidden fees. According to Mastercard, a large proportion of tourist scams were found to be related to taxis and car rentals in London, Istanbul, Bangkok, and Jakarta.

While restaurants in busy tourist spots can be pricey and offer underwhelming fare — counting on their popular location to garner business — the large volume of visitors and transactions they get also increases the chances of scams. Overcharging for water or adding surprise charges is common, and it's always a good idea to clarify prices before ordering if you're in doubt. New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and international destinations like Manila and Riyadh had the highest proportion of fraud in food services. Scammers will continuously look for new ways to outsmart tourists, and travel insurance has limitations and may not cover theft and loss from scams. Consequently, it's a good idea to remain vigilant and carry multiple credit cards (separately) before setting off to a new destination.