Other Tourist Scams in Shiraz

Fake Photography Fine at Shah Cheragh Mosque

Individuals posing as mosque officials or plainclothes religious police approach tourists at Shah Cheragh Mosque — one of Shiraz's most visited sites — and claim that the visitor has violated photography rules or dress code regulations, then demand an on-the-spot cash "fine" of 500,000–2,000,000 IRR. Shah Cheragh is a functioning pilgrimage site with genuine photography restrictions in some areas, which makes the scam plausible. The fake official never produces any written documentation or official receipt.