Is Perth Safe in January 2026?

On the Hay Street pedestrian mall in central Perth, individuals carrying clipboards approach tourists and ask them to sign a petition for a charitable cause such as wildlife conservation or children's welfare. Once you engage and sign, a second person or the same individual immediately pressures you to make a cash donation or — increasingly — to enter your bank card details into a handheld EFTPOS terminal for a "direct debit." The charities named are either fictitious or have no relationship with the people collecting. Victims who enter card details have reported unauthorised recurring charges appearing within days.

How to avoid: Do not sign any clipboard petition on the street from an unsolicited approacher. If you wish to donate to a charity, do so directly through the charity's official website. Never hand your bank card to a street fundraiser or enter your PIN on their device.

Scammers posing as official vendors sell tickets to Perth summer festivals, concerts, and sporting events on social media and classified sites at steep discounts. Buyers receive invalid QR codes or counterfeit tickets at the gate.

How to avoid: Buy only from official venue websites or authorized ticketing platforms (Ticketmaster, Ticketek). Verify seller identity before payment. Avoid cash-only deals.

Predatory individuals in Northbridge nightlife district offer free drinks to tourists or slip substances into unattended beverages at busy bars. Victims lose wallets, phones, and become vulnerable to further exploitation.

How to avoid: Never leave drinks unattended. Use buddy system when clubbing. Stick to mainstream venues with visible security. Be cautious of overly friendly strangers offering drinks.

In Perth's Northbridge entertainment district, some bars and restaurants add phantom charges to bills for extra drinks or 'premium' pours that were never requested. The tactic is common in busy venues where the noise and crowd make it hard to query a bill on the spot. Tourists are handed totals well above what they ordered, banking on social pressure to pay without scrutiny.

How to avoid: Always ask for an itemised receipt and check every line before paying. If a charge looks wrong, question it calmly — genuine venues will correct errors without fuss.

Unlicensed drivers wait outside Perth Airport's international and domestic terminals, offering flat-rate rides that are significantly more expensive than metered fares. Some variants involve taking the passenger to a nearby ATM under the pretense that card payments are not available, then taking the cash and driving off.

How to avoid: Use the official 13cabs or Swan Taxis app, or Uber and DiDi from the airport. Never accept rides from anyone who approaches you proactively outside the terminal. Licensed taxis queue at the designated taxi rank and always use meters.