Tourist Scams in Romania

Unofficial taxis outside Bucharest's Henri Coandă Airport charge tourists €50–100 for trips that should cost €15–20. The drivers often operate with fake meters that run 5–10x too fast.

How to avoid: Use Uber or Bolt apps from Bucharest Airport — both operate at the airport and offer transparent pricing. The official licensed taxi company rank is inside the terminal. Avoid any driver who approaches you outside the doors.

Hostesses in bars near the Old Town (Lipscani) invite tourists in for drinks, then a huge bill arrives — often hundreds of euros — with extras neither party agreed to. Doormen or associates prevent leaving until payment is made.

How to avoid: Use only well-reviewed bars. Agree on prices before ordering and be deeply sceptical of invitations from strangers near bar entrances.

Some taxis parked outside Bucharest's main train station (Gara de Nord) and airport have tampered meters that run at 5–10× the normal rate. The driver claims the rate is legitimate and may become aggressive if challenged.

How to avoid: Use only the official TAXI stands with printed tariff rates on the door (around 1.39–3.5 RON per km). Better still, use Uber, Bolt, or Free Now which show the price upfront.

Fraudulent landlords advertise apartments near Piața Unirii and the Old Town on Facebook Marketplace and local classified sites, requesting a security deposit of €100–300 to "hold" the unit before arrival. Once the transfer is made, the listing disappears and the host becomes unreachable. The properties often use stolen photos from legitimate listings on Airbnb or Booking.com.

How to avoid: Book only through platforms with verified payment protection (Airbnb, Booking.com) and never transfer deposits via bank transfer or Western Union to private individuals. Reverse-search listing photos before paying anything.

Some exchange bureaus in the city centre display attractive rates but shortchange tourists by counting notes quickly and incorrectly, banking on travellers not recounting immediately.

How to avoid: Count every note before leaving the counter. Use bank ATMs for cash rather than street bureaus.

Restaurants in Lipscani's Old Town display attractive photos and reasonable prices outside, but add large cover charges, service fees, and inflated tourist menu items not shown on the board outside.

How to avoid: Read the full menu including all fees before sitting down. Ask about cover charges explicitly.

A common street scam in Bucharest's pedestrianized zones, particularly along Calea Victoriei and around Piața Română, involves a distraction using a stray or planted puppy. One person encourages tourists to hold or photograph the dog while an accomplice pickpockets wallets, phones, or cameras from unzipped bags. The setup is convincing because Bucharest genuinely has stray dogs, making the scenario feel natural.

How to avoid: Keep bags zipped and positioned in front of your body in crowded pedestrian areas. Be especially vigilant when a stranger draws your attention to an animal or object on the ground. Politely decline any unsolicited invitations to interact.

Individuals posing as plainclothes police officers approach tourists asking to inspect their passports and wallets for counterfeit currency. Real Romanian police do not carry out random wallet checks on tourists.

How to avoid: Decline any request to show your wallet. Ask to be taken to the nearest police station and contact the real police if harassed.