Street Scams in Moscow, Russia
Pickpockets, distraction thieves, fake petitions, and street hustles in tourist areas. Below are the street scams scams reported in Moscow — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Hamburg, Marseille, and Munich.
Last updated: April 9, 2026
3
Street Scams Scams
11
Total in Moscow
How it works
Individuals posing as plainclothes police officers approach tourists near major landmarks and demand to inspect their documents, citing invented offenses such as suspected drug possession or illegal currency exchange. Once the tourist opens their wallet or bag to produce a passport, an accomplice nearby palms cash or the victim is pressured to pay a fabricated fine on the spot. This scam is well documented around Okhotny Ryad metro station, Alexandrovsky Garden near the Kremlin, and along Tverskaya Ulitsa.
How it works
Along Ulitsa Arbat -- the pedestrian tourist strip running between Arbatskaya and Smolenskaya metro stations -- individuals dressed as Russian military officers, matryoshka dolls, or Soviet-era figures invite tourists to pose for a free photo. Once the photo is taken, they demand aggressive payment of 500-2,000 RUB per person and become hostile if refused, sometimes physically grabbing the tourist's phone or camera until payment is made.
How it works
Souvenir stalls lining Ulitsa Arbat charge prices 3-10 times higher than identical goods available at Izmailovsky Market (Vernissage Market) or at larger chain souvenir shops in central Moscow. Items including matryoshka dolls, Soviet-era military badges, and fur hats are frequently misrepresented as hand-painted or antique when they are mass-produced imports. Vendors quote prices in dollars or euros rather than rubles to maximize the perception of value.
See all scams in Moscow
11 total warnings across all categories