Question 1

What is the "Fake Parking Fee Collectors at Beach Access Points" scam in Kauai?

Accepted Answer

Ke'e Beach at the end of Kuhio Highway (Route 560) in Haena State Park requires an advance reservation through the Hawaii DLNR's GoReserveHawaii system; parking is included in the $35 per-vehicle reservation fee. Opportunistic individuals have been reported positioning themselves near the Haena State Park entrance and along the final stretch of Route 560 presenting themselves as "fee collectors" or "parking attendants" and demanding cash payments from arriving vehicles. The State of Hawaii does not collect fees at the roadside — all transactions are online-only. Reserve your Haena State Park / Ke'e Beach access at goreservehawaii.com before your visit — same-day entry is rarely available in peak season. The park does not have attendants who collect cash at the roadside. If approached by anyone requesting cash for parking, do not pay and report to Kauai Police at (808) 241-1711.

Question 2

What is the "False Road Closure and Alternate Route Misdirection" scam in Kauai?

Accepted Answer

Kauai's single-road access to the North Shore via Kuhio Highway (Route 56/560) is subject to periodic real closures from flooding and rockfall, creating an environment where misinformation spreads easily. Tourists have reported individuals — both in person and through unofficial-looking handwritten signs near Princeville — claiming that the highway to Hanalei or Ke'e Beach is closed and directing traffic to private property access points or paid parking areas. In some cases, "local guides" have charged fees of $20–50 per vehicle to escort visitors along supposedly open alternate routes that are simply standard roads. Check real-time road conditions at hawaii511.org or call the Hawaii DOT recorded line before heading north. The Hawaii DOT posts all legitimate closures on its website. Do not follow handwritten signs or accept direction from individuals not in official HDOT or Kauai County vests. If in doubt, turn around and verify online before paying anyone.

Question 3

What is the "Counterfeit Gold Jewelry Sold by "Stranded Traveler" Sellers" scam in Kauai?

Accepted Answer

Small groups working Kauai parking lots approach people with a hard-luck story - they say they are visitors who were robbed or lost their wallet and need cash for fuel or a car repair - and offer to sell "rare" or "antique" gold jewelry far below its apparent worth. The pieces are worthless plated base metal, and buyers only discover this when a jeweler examines them. Kauai Police have issued repeated public warnings about this since 2022, and in February 2025 arrested six men over a single week following a report of sellers working a Walmart parking lot. Never buy jewelry from someone who approaches you in a parking lot, on the street, or at your door, however sympathetic their story. If a piece genuinely interests you, insist on having it valued by a licensed jeweler before any money changes hands - a real seller will wait, a scammer will not. Report approaches to Kauai Police dispatch on (808) 241-1711.

Question 4

What is the "Street Charity Solicitation and CD / Lei Gifting Scams" scam in Kauai?

Accepted Answer

Individuals in tourist areas of Kapaa and near the Coconut Marketplace approach visitors with unsolicited gifts — a shell lei, a homemade CD of Hawaiian music, or a small carved trinket — then immediately demand payment or a "donation to a local Hawaiian cultural foundation," sometimes becoming aggressive when refused. A variation involves vendors at the Kapaa Craft Fair and Hanalei Farmers Market selling items represented as locally handmade Hawaiian art that are commercially imported goods marked up by 300–500%. Do not accept unsolicited items from strangers in tourist areas; politely decline before the item is placed in your hands. For crafts and art, look for the "Made in Hawaii" certification or ask directly if the item was made on Kauai. The Hanalei Farmers Market and legitimate galleries in Hanapepe Art Night (every Friday) are reliable venues for genuine local work.

Street Scams in Kauai

Fake Parking Fee Collectors at Beach Access Points

False Road Closure and Alternate Route Misdirection

Counterfeit Gold Jewelry Sold by "Stranded Traveler" Sellers

Street Charity Solicitation and CD / Lei Gifting Scams

Experienced a scam here?