Tour & Activity Scams in Dubai, UAE
Unlicensed guides, fake tickets, bait-and-switch excursions, and ticket scalping. Below are the tour & activities scams reported in Dubai — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Abu Dhabi, Baku, and Petra.
Last updated: April 2, 2026
2
Tour & Activities Scams
11
Total in Dubai
How it works
Budget desert safari operators advertise very low base prices online, then pressure tourists during the trip to pay for photography packages, alcoholic beverages, extra food, and entertainment that were implied to be included. The final bill can be double the advertised price.
How it works
Tourists are approached in malls and told they have won a prize or a free desert safari. This leads to a high-pressure timeshare or holiday club presentation lasting several hours, with aggressive sales tactics and deliberate difficulty leaving.
See all scams in Dubai
11 total warnings across all categories