Question 1

What is the "Fake Police Wallet Check" scam in Seville?

Accepted Answer

A plainclothes "police officer" stops you claiming to check for counterfeit currency in your wallet. Real cash disappears during the inspection. Real Spanish police never inspect tourist wallets on the street. Ask for a badge number and offer to walk to the nearest comisaría together.

Question 2

What is the "Rosemary Sprig Scam" scam in Seville?

Accepted Answer

Women near tourist sites thrust a sprig of rosemary into your hand claiming it brings luck, then aggressively demand payment once you've accepted it, sometimes grabbing your arm. Keep your hands in your pockets and say "no gracias" firmly without making eye contact. Do not accept anything from strangers.

Question 3

What is the "Pickpocketing at Monuments" scam in Seville?

Accepted Answer

Pickpocket teams work in shifts at Plaza de España, the Cathedral, and during Feria and Semana Santa festivals. A distraction from one person covers another lifting your wallet or phone. Use a money belt or front trouser pocket. Leave your main wallet at the hotel and carry only small cash. Be especially alert during festivals.

Question 4

What is the "Distraction Theft at Outdoor Restaurant Tables" scam in Seville?

Accepted Answer

In the Barrio Santa Cruz and along Calle Mateos Gago near the Cathedral, thieves work in pairs targeting tourists eating or drinking at outdoor terraza tables. One person distracts with a question, a dropped item, or a newspaper held up to the table, while a partner removes a phone, camera, or bag left on the table or chair back. This is one of the most consistently reported theft methods in Seville's tourist zone. Never place phones, cameras, or bags on outdoor table surfaces. Keep bags in your lap or looped around a chair leg. If someone approaches your table uninvited, place your hand on valuables immediately and ask them to leave.

Question 5

What is the "Dropped Coin Distraction" scam in Seville?

Accepted Answer

A scammer drops coins near your feet. While you look down, a partner reaches into your bag or picks your pocket from behind. Ignore anything dropped near you by a stranger. Be especially alert whenever someone causes a scene or distraction around you.

Question 6

What is the "Clipboard Petition Pickpocket" scam in Seville?

Accepted Answer

Individuals with clipboards approach tourists asking them to sign a petition for a charity. While you write, an accomplice lifts your phone or wallet from a bag or table. Ignore clipboard-wielders entirely. Never put your phone or wallet on a table in a public cafe.

Street Scams in Seville

Fake Police Wallet Check

Rosemary Sprig Scam

Pickpocketing at Monuments

Distraction Theft at Outdoor Restaurant Tables

Dropped Coin Distraction

Clipboard Petition Pickpocket

Experienced a scam here?