Tourist Scams in USA

New York

24 documented scams · 1 high severity

New York City tourists face the three-card monte shell game near Times Square, fake Buddhist monks giving unsolicited bracelets for money, CD rap scams, and taxi drivers taking longer routes.

Kona

17 documented scams

Kailua-Kona sits along Ali'i Drive on the dry, sunny western flank of Hawaii's Big Island — the largest landmass in the US state system — drawing visitors for manta ray night dives, Kilauea volcano tours, sport fishing off Kailua Pier, and the celebrated Kona coffee belt that stretches along Mamalahoa Highway through Captain Cook and Holualoa. The concentration of premium adventure tourism, a sprawling island geography that makes rental vehicles essential, and a nationally recognized agricultural product (100% Kona coffee) create distinct scam vectors that do not exist at Hawaii's other major tourist destinations. Most schemes target visitors at the point of booking — roadside activity kiosks, airport rental counters, and unverified tour operators — rather than on the street.

Sedona

15 documented scams · 2 high severity

Stunning red rock scenery, spiritual vortexes, and world-class hiking. Fake Native American jewelry and predatory vortex tour operators are the most widespread tourist traps.

Memphis

15 documented scams · 2 high severity

Memphis draws around 12 million annual visitors to Graceland, Beale Street, the National Civil Rights Museum, and Sun Studio. The concentration of music-history tourism downtown and along Elvis Presley Blvd creates predictable targeting patterns: fake Graceland ticket resellers, unauthorized Beale Street photo operators, rideshare cash-demand schemes between the airport and downtown, and souvenir shops passing off mass-produced goods as authentic Memphis-made. Most scams cluster between Beale Street, Graceland, and the Memphis International Airport corridor.

Myrtle Beach

15 documented scams · 2 high severity

Myrtle Beach draws more than 20 million visitors annually to its 60-mile Grand Strand coastline, with Broadway at the Beach, the SkyWheel, and hundreds of resort properties concentrated along Kings Highway and Ocean Boulevard. The destination's budget-friendly tourism model — heavy on package deals, resort corridors, and entertainment complexes — creates ideal conditions for aggressive timeshare sales operations and boardwalk vendor pressure tactics targeting domestic families and retirees. Most visitor-reported scams center on deceptive vacation ownership presentations and fraudulent online rental listings rather than street crime.

Scottsdale

15 documented scams · 1 high severity

Scottsdale draws millions of visitors annually as one of America's premier resort and entertainment destinations, anchored by world-class golf courses, luxury spas, and a vibrant Old Town bar district. The city's reputation as a bachelor and bachelorette party hotspot—combined with high-end clubs, expensive dining, and an influx of spring breakers along Scottsdale Road and the Entertainment District—creates fertile ground for cover charge fraud, drink spiking, and inflated service billing. First-time visitors and party groups are the primary targets, particularly around Old Town's main strip and the Talking Stick Resort corridor.

Salt Lake City

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

Salt Lake City is Utah's capital and gateway to world-class skiing at Park City, Alta, Snowbird, and Deer Valley, as well as the red rock canyon country. The city sees tourist scams concentrated around ski resort transport, Temple Square in the downtown area, and major events. Rideshare impersonation, overpriced ski shuttle services from SLC Airport, and fake ski accommodation packages are the primary documented concerns.

Fort Lauderdale

14 documented scams

Fort Lauderdale combines Florida beach tourism, the busiest cruise port in the US (Port Everglades), and spring break crowds into a single concentrated tourist zone. Millions of first-time cruise passengers and seasonal visitors create predictable opportunities for scams around the beach strip, port pickup areas, and Las Olas Boulevard. Most issues cluster around rideshare staging, fake boat tours, beach vendor upselling, and rental scams targeting snowbirds and event-week arrivals.

Charlotte

14 documented scams · 1 high severity

Charlotte is the largest city in the Carolinas and a major financial hub, drawing business travelers, sports fans, and leisure tourists to Uptown's bank headquarters district, the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Rosa Parks Boulevard, and Bank of America Stadium on South Graham Street. The city's rapid growth—fueled by corporate relocations and an expanding hospitality sector—has created a tourist environment where visitors encounter overpriced parking near major venues, Airbnb listing fraud, and scams concentrated around the NoDa arts district and South End's light rail corridor. Major events like NASCAR races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord and Panthers or Hornets home games drive surge-period scam activity.

Minneapolis

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

Minneapolis is Minnesota's largest city, known for the Mall of America in neighboring Bloomington, the Chain of Lakes, Prince's musical legacy, and a robust arts and food scene. The city sees tourist scams concentrated around the Mall of America area, the Nicollet Mall downtown corridor, and major sports venues. Rideshare impersonation, fake sports ticket sales, and online accommodation fraud are the most common documented issues for visitors.

Pittsburgh

14 documented scams

Pittsburgh has reinvented itself from a steel city into a major tourism and university destination, drawing visitors to the Strip District's food markets along Penn Avenue, the North Shore's sports venues—PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium—and the Carnegie Museum complex in Oakland. The city's distinctive topography of steep hillsides, rivers, and bridges creates navigation challenges for visitors, while the concentration of sports event traffic around the North Shore and the tourism density in the Strip District generate conditions for parking fraud, rideshare exploitation, and overpriced hospitality. Game days for the Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins are peak periods for scam activity.

Tampa

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

Tampa is Florida's third-largest city, a growing destination known for Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, Ybor City historic district, and Tampa Bay sports teams. The city sees tourist scams concentrated in the Ybor City entertainment district, near cruise terminal embarkation points, and at Tampa International Airport. Rideshare impersonation at the cruise terminals and fake pre-cruise accommodation packages are particularly common given Tampa's role as a major cruise port.

Savannah

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

Georgia's charming coastal city, famous for its moss-draped squares, haunted history, and Southern hospitality. Ghost tour scams and fake parking attendants are common in the Historic District.

Dallas

14 documented scams · 1 high severity

Dallas is Texas's largest city and a major business, culture, and convention destination known for Dealey Plaza, the Sixth Floor Museum, AT&T Stadium, and the Arts District. As a major US hub, it sees travel scams typical of large American cities including rideshare impersonation, fake ticket sales for major events and concerts, and online accommodation fraud. The tourist areas around Dealey Plaza, Deep Ellum, and the Convention Center concentrate visitor-targeting activity.

Seattle

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

Home to Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and a thriving food and tech culture. Pickpockets and fake rideshare drivers target visitors near the market and Sea-Tac airport.

New Orleans

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

New Orleans' Bourbon Street sees watered-down drink scams, shoe-shining cons where a stranger polishes your shoes then demands payment, and fake psychic readers targeting tourists.

San Francisco

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

San Francisco tourists encounter sob story panhandling at Fisherman's Wharf, overpriced parking scams near Alcatraz, and counterfeit concert/event tickets sold near major venues.

Honolulu

14 documented scams

Honolulu tourists face timeshare presentation ambushes at hotels, overpriced luau packages sold by street promoters, and rental car damage scams at the airport.

Atlanta

14 documented scams · 3 high severity

The Southern hub of culture, cuisine, and history with the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and a thriving arts scene. Airport rideshare impersonators and parking scams are common.

Charleston

14 documented scams · 1 high severity

A jewel of the American South with antebellum architecture, cobblestone streets, and a world-class dining scene. Vacation rental fraud and unlicensed tour guides are the most documented scams.

Chicago

14 documented scams · 2 high severity

The Windy City dazzles with iconic architecture, deep-dish pizza, and a vibrant music scene. Watch your pockets on the L and near major tourist corridors.

Los Angeles

14 documented scams · 1 high severity

Los Angeles sees Hollywood Walk of Fame character photo scams, CD promotion scams in tourist areas, timeshare hard sells in Anaheim, and overpriced shuttle services from LAX.

Nashville

14 documented scams · 1 high severity

Music City USA is famous for its honky-tonks on Lower Broadway, the Grand Ole Opry, and vibrant nightlife. Surprise fees and fake tickets are common traps for visitors.

San Antonio

14 documented scams · 3 high severity

Home to the Alamo and the famous River Walk. Tourists should watch for fake attraction ticket websites, impersonator scams, and overcharging taxis near major sights.

San Diego

14 documented scams

Known for its beautiful beaches, the San Diego Zoo, and the Gaslamp Quarter. Pedicab price gouging and timeshare traps are among the most reported tourist complaints.

Austin

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

Live music capital of the world, home to SXSW, ACL Fest, and a legendary food scene. Festival ticket fraud and fake parking QR codes have targeted tourists in growing numbers.

Destin

13 documented scams · 2 high severity

Destin is a Florida Panhandle resort city known for its emerald-green Gulf water and sugar-white sand beaches, drawing millions of visitors annually for spring break, family vacations, and fishing charters. The heavy concentration of vacation rentals, beach chair operators, and watersports vendors creates consistent opportunities for rental fraud, equipment damage disputes, and overpriced charter bookings. Timeshare presentation pressure is endemic along the Emerald Coast corridor.

St. Louis

13 documented scams

St. Louis anchors the Missouri side of the Mississippi River corridor and draws tourists to the Gateway Arch National Park on the riverfront, Busch Stadium in the Ballpark Village district, and the Forest Park museum campus west of downtown. The city's tourist infrastructure is concentrated in a relatively compact area around the Arch grounds on the riverfront and the Laclede's Landing entertainment district on Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard, while the broader city has significant neighborhood variation in safety that first-time visitors may not anticipate. Major events including Cardinals games and the St. Louis Blues playoff runs drive surge-period scam activity near the Gateway District.

Denver

13 documented scams

Gateway to the Rockies with world-class skiing, Red Rocks concerts, and a vibrant craft beer scene. Fake QR code parking scams and unlicensed cannabis sellers target unsuspecting tourists.

Anaheim

13 documented scams

Anaheim draws over 25 million visitors annually, most heading for Disneyland Resort and the surrounding theme-park district. The concentration of first-time visitors, international tourists, and families carrying expensive park tickets creates a dense target environment for scams ranging from fake ticket resellers outside park gates to unofficial shuttle operators preying on tired guests at the end of the day. Most issues occur on Harbor Boulevard, in rideshare pickup zones, and on websites pretending to offer discounted tickets.

Branson

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

Branson is a Missouri entertainment tourism city known for its concentration of live performance theatres, theme parks, and table rock lake recreation, drawing over ten million visitors annually. Ticket broker operations selling overpriced or misrepresented show packages are the most consistently reported scam, and timeshare presentation pressure is pervasive throughout the resort corridor. Visitors unfamiliar with the city's sprawling Highway 76 strip face aggressive sales tactics at attraction booking desks.

Santa Fe

13 documented scams

Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the United States and a major cultural tourism hub, drawing over two million visitors annually to its historic Plaza district, Canyon Road gallery corridor, and the Palace of the Governors on Washington Avenue. The city's thriving market for Southwestern and Native American art—combined with a steady flow of affluent tourists unfamiliar with local pricing norms—creates a concentrated environment for counterfeit art sales, fake "Indian-made" goods, and overpriced tour packages. The Santa Fe Plaza and surrounding streets see the highest concentration of tourist-targeting activity.

Palm Springs

13 documented scams · 2 high severity

Palm Springs draws over five million visitors annually to its mid-century modern architecture, desert resort pools, and the Coachella Valley's event circuit—including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach in nearby Indio. The city's concentration of luxury vacation rentals, boutique hotels along North Palm Canyon Drive, and major event weeks creates fertile conditions for rental listing fraud, ticket scalping, and price gouging. The downtown strip between Amado Road and Tahquitz Canyon Way sees the highest volume of tourist-facing commercial activity.

Atlantic City

13 documented scams

Atlantic City draws roughly 27 million visitors annually to a compact boardwalk and casino district that has been a gambling tourism hub since the 1970s. A dense mix of day-trippers from New York and Philadelphia, international bus tourists, and casino loyalty-club regulars creates constant opportunities for confidence scams, rigged street games, and casino-adjacent fraud. Most issues concentrate on the Boardwalk between Trump Plaza and Resorts, casino parking garages, and cheap bus package tours that lure seniors with free buffet credits.

Napa

13 documented scams

Napa anchors the Napa Valley wine region, one of the most visited tourist corridors in California, drawing over three million visitors annually to its tasting rooms, Michelin-starred restaurants, and wine train along the Napa Valley Wine Train route from Napa to St. Helena. The combination of expensive discretionary spending, unfamiliar wine pricing, and alcohol-impaired judgment creates conditions for inflated tasting fees, counterfeit wine sales, and deceptive wine club memberships. First Street downtown and the Highway 29 winery corridor between Napa and Calistoga are the primary zones of tourist commercial activity.

Asheville

13 documented scams

Asheville has transformed from a quiet Appalachian city into one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the American South, drawing visitors to its vibrant arts scene, craft brewery corridor along Merrimon Avenue and the South Slope, and Blue Ridge Parkway access. The rapid tourism boom has outpaced local consumer protections, creating conditions for parking fraud near Pack Square Park, short-term rental deception in the River Arts District, and aggressive street-level solicitation throughout downtown. Visitors unfamiliar with the city's neighborhood layout and parking system are most vulnerable.

Jackson Hole

13 documented scams

Jackson Hole is one of America's premier outdoor tourism destinations, serving as the primary gateway to Grand Teton National Park and the southern entrance to Yellowstone, while also hosting one of the world's most visited ski resorts at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village. The combination of extreme remoteness, high-income visitor demographics, and peak season scarcity—particularly for accommodation and wildlife tour bookings—drives pricing exploitation, counterfeit tour ticket sales, and short-term rental fraud at rates amplified by the limited accommodation supply in Teton County. The Town Square in downtown Jackson on Cache Street is the central hub for tourist commercial activity.

Las Vegas

13 documented scams

Las Vegas tourists encounter strip club scams involving huge hidden fees, timeshare presentation hard sells, rigged street games near the Strip, and counterfeit event tickets.

Aspen

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

Aspen is a high-end Colorado ski and mountain town drawing roughly 1.6 million annual visitors across the four Aspen Skiing Company mountains and a dense summer festival and luxury-travel calendar. The concentration of wealth, high nightly rates (often 800-2500 dollars), and a constant rotation of first-time visitors to ski culture creates distinct scam patterns: fake luxury rental listings, unauthorized "concierge" services, lift ticket fraud, and inflated "private chef" or "apres-ski" bookings. Most issues cluster in downtown Aspen, at the Snowmass Base Village, and in the transfer corridor from Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE).

Gatlinburg

13 documented scams

Gatlinburg is the main gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the United States with over 13 million annual visitors. The compact downtown Parkway strip concentrates tourist traffic through a dense lineup of attractions, souvenir shops, and chain dining aimed squarely at short-stay families. Scams cluster around fake cabin rentals, timeshare presentations disguised as welcome center offers, inflated attraction combo tickets, and counterfeit "moonshine" or craft goods on the Parkway.

Louisville

13 documented scams

Louisville draws roughly 18 million annual visitors to the Kentucky Derby, the Bourbon Trail, Churchill Downs, and the Muhammad Ali Center. The compact downtown and NuLu tourism corridor concentrate scam patterns around two peak-season spikes: Derby Week (first week of May) and bourbon tourism year-round. Most issues cluster around Churchill Downs on Derby days, fake distillery tours on the Main St bourbon strip, fraudulent rental listings during Derby, and rideshare cash-demand schemes between SDF airport and downtown hotels.

Cape Cod

13 documented scams · 2 high severity

Cape Cod is a Massachusetts peninsula that is one of New England's most iconic summer destinations, drawing visitors for beaches, seafood, whale watching, and historic village tourism. Tourist-facing seafood restaurants consistently charge significantly above local rates for lobster and clam dishes, and whale watching operators vary significantly in the quality and proximity of experiences delivered. Summer vacation rental fraud is a growing issue with properties misrepresented in online listings.

Kansas City

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

Kansas City straddles the Missouri-Kansas border and has become a national tourism destination fueled by its barbecue restaurant culture, the Power & Light District entertainment complex on Grand Boulevard, and back-to-back Super Bowl championship runs for the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The city's tourism footprint is anchored in the Crossroads Arts District, the Country Club Plaza shopping district on Ward Parkway, and the River Market neighborhood along the Missouri River. Major sporting events—particularly Chiefs games and Royals games at Kauffman Stadium—drive surge-period parking fraud and ticket scam activity along the Truman Sports Complex corridor on Blue Parkway.

Panama City Beach

13 documented scams · 3 high severity

Panama City Beach is one of the United States' most famous spring break destinations, drawing hundreds of thousands of college students and families annually to its Gulf Coast beaches and entertainment strip. The Front Beach Road corridor concentrates bar and club activity where drink-spiking, pickpocketing, and overcharging are most frequently reported. Vacation rental fraud is a persistent issue with numerous listings misrepresenting proximity to the beach.

Orlando

13 documented scams

Home to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld, Orlando is one of the most visited cities in the world. Tourists are prime targets for ticket fraud and timeshare scams.

Boston

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

Cradle of American history with the Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, and world-class universities. Stay alert on the MBTA and around Faneuil Hall where street scams are common.

Philadelphia

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

The birthplace of American democracy, home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and a legendary food culture. Watch out for unlicensed cabs at PHL and street hustles near historic sites.

Phoenix

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

A desert city known for warm winters, stunning landscapes, and Scottsdale's luxury resorts. ATM skimming and fake rideshare drivers near Sky Harbor Airport are well-documented hazards.

Portland

13 documented scams · 2 high severity

Known for its food trucks, craft beer, Powell's Books, and outdoor culture. ATM skimming, fake parking tickets, and smishing texts targeting drivers are among the top reported scams.

Washington DC

13 documented scams

The nation's capital is packed with free Smithsonian museums, iconic monuments, and historic landmarks. Street scams and unlicensed cabs target tourists near the National Mall.

Key West

13 documented scams · 1 high severity

The southernmost point of the continental USA, famous for Duval Street bars, world-class snorkeling, and spectacular sunsets. Bar tab padding and rental vehicle damage scams are prolific.

Houston

13 documented scams · 2 high severity

Houston is a major business hub and the fourth-largest city in the US, attracting visitors to its NASA Johnson Space Center, Museum District, and energy industry. Scam activity is reported around downtown corridors, major transit points, and tourist-facing areas, with ride-hailing fraud, street petition scams, and ATM skimming among the most documented incidents. The city's reliance on personal transport means visitors interacting with informal drivers face elevated risk.

Miami

12 documented scams · 1 high severity

Miami tourists face overpriced taxi and ride-share alternatives near South Beach, fake charity solicitors, and cruise port scams involving unofficial shuttle services charging high fees.

Maui

11 documented scams

Maui is Hawaii's second-largest island, drawing over 3 million visitors annually to Kaanapali Beach, the Road to Hana, Haleakala crater, and Molokini Crater snorkel tours. The island's combination of remote geography, high tourist spending, and the economic disruption caused by the August 2023 Lahaina wildfires — which destroyed much of the historic town and tightened the rental housing supply — has intensified scam activity around accommodation bookings, tour packages, and activity desks. First-time visitors (malihini) unfamiliar with standard pricing are the most frequent targets, particularly those booking activities through hotel lobbies or third-party websites rather than directly with licensed operators.

Monterey

10 documented scams

Monterey on California's Central Coast draws roughly 4 million annual visitors to Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the 17-Mile Drive, and the adjacent golf/resort towns of Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea. The mix of international aquarium tourists, cruise ship day-trippers at Pier 2, and affluent visitors to Pebble Beach creates predictable scam patterns: fake aquarium ticket resellers, inflated tour pricing at Cannery Row, unlicensed whale-watching operators at Fishermans Wharf, and parking attendants at lots with no authority. Most issues concentrate between Cannery Row, Fishermans Wharf, and 17-Mile Drive entry gates.

Santa Barbara

10 documented scams

Santa Barbara draws around 7 million annual visitors to its Mediterranean-style waterfront, Stearns Wharf, the Funk Zone wineries, and State Street shopping corridor. The mix of affluent weekend visitors from Los Angeles, international wine-country tourists, and cruise ship day-trippers creates predictable scam patterns: fake winery tour operators, inflated "wine tasting" bait pricing, parking attendants in private lots, and pickpocketing on State Street and at the Harbor. Most issues cluster between Stearns Wharf, the Funk Zone, lower State Street, and the downtown shopping area.

Lake Tahoe

10 documented scams

Lake Tahoe straddles California and Nevada, drawing millions of visitors year-round for skiing in winter (Palisades Tahoe, Heavenly, Northstar), summer watersports, and casino nightlife on the Nevada south shore. The mix of ski resort tourists, high-season lake renters, and Stateline casino visitors creates distinct scam patterns: fake rental listings for lakefront homes, lift ticket fraud at resort parking lots, unlicensed boat tour operators, and overpriced chain-up services during winter storms. Most issues concentrate in South Lake Tahoe along Hwy 50 and at resort base villages.

Anchorage

10 documented scams

Anchorage sits at the base of the Chugach Mountains on the shore of Cook Inlet and serves as the primary gateway for the roughly two million tourists who visit Alaska each year, connecting cruise passengers to interior destinations like Denali and Fairbanks via rail and road along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline corridor. The city's role as a staging point for Alaska tourism creates an extreme concentration of first-time visitors during cruise season (May–September), a dynamic that unlicensed tour operators and scam vendors exploit heavily downtown and near the waterfront. Travelers unfamiliar with Alaska's vast geography are particularly vulnerable to inflated excursion pricing, counterfeit native goods, and fraudulent wildlife guarantee claims.

Kauai

10 documented scams

Kauai draws outdoor travelers to its Na Pali Coast sea cliffs, Waimea Canyon, and restricted-access beaches like Ke'e Beach in Haena State Park, making premium nature tourism the backbone of the island's economy. The island's geographic isolation — a single coastal highway with no circumnavigation route, limited airport access through Lihue (LIH), and heavy reliance on advance-booked tours — creates concentrated opportunities for booking fraud, fake rental listings, and tour overcharges. First-time visitors unfamiliar with Hawaii's strict short-term rental regulations and the true cost of licensed Na Pali Coast operators are the most common targets.

Virginia Beach

10 documented scams · 2 high severity

Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia by population and one of the East Coast's most visited oceanfront resort destinations, anchored by its three-mile boardwalk and adjacent resort strip. The Atlantic Avenue boardwalk area generates pickpocket activity, overpriced street food vendors, and aggressive timeshare presentation operators targeting families. Parking scam operators in unofficial lots near the oceanfront are among the most reported visitor issues.