Money & ATM Scams in St. Petersburg

Street Currency Exchange Black Market

Men loitering near the Gostiny Dvor arcade on Nevsky Prospekt, around Sennaya Ploshchad market, and outside some souvenir shops offer to exchange euros or dollars at a "better rate" than banks. The actual exchange involves sleight-of-hand: high-denomination bills shown during the negotiation are switched for low-denomination or defunct Soviet-era notes, or the count is manipulated so that the tourist receives significantly less than agreed. The transaction happens quickly in a doorway or alley.