Other Tourist Scams in Nassau, Bahamas

How it works

Drugs are added to food, drinks, gum, and cigarettes at bars, casinos, nightclubs, and beach bars in Nassau to facilitate robbery or sexual assault. The Canadian government travel advisory specifically flags casino patrons, nightclub and bar customers, hotel guests, and beach visitors as targets of this tactic. Victims typically have no memory of the incident, making prosecution difficult. The practice is distinct from the street-level approach scam near Rawson Square — it occurs in seemingly legitimate licensed venues where tourists let their guard down.

How it works

A well-documented scam in Nassau involves a friendly local who approaches tourists near Rawson Square or the Straw Market, offering to show them "the real Nassau" or take them to a cheaper restaurant or bar away from the tourist strip. Tourists are taken to an unfamiliar area south of Bay Street, given drinks laced with sedatives, and robbed of cash, phones, and jewelry. Some victims have woken in unknown locations with no memory of the incident. The U.S. Embassy in Nassau has issued specific warnings about accepting drinks from strangers.