Question 1

What is the "Christmas Market Pickpocketing at Raekoja Plats" scam in Tallinn?

Accepted Answer

During the December Christmas Market on Raekoja Plats (Town Hall Square), the dense crowds around mulled wine stalls, craft vendors, and the carousel create ideal conditions for pickpocketing teams. Thieves typically work in pairs — one distracts by bumping into the victim or asking a question while the second extracts wallets or phones from coat pockets and jacket zips. The problem is concentrated in the evenings when lighting is low and crowds are thickest. Keep valuables in a front zip pocket or an inner jacket pocket and do not carry more cash than you need for the evening. Be alert when someone bumps into you or asks you to stop and help them — check your pockets immediately. Bags should be worn across the body with the clasp facing inward.

Question 2

What is the "Fake Amber Jewellery Sellers in Old Town" scam in Tallinn?

Accepted Answer

Street vendors and small market stalls in Tallinn's Old Town sell jewellery and pendants advertised as genuine Baltic amber at prices that seem low. The pieces are frequently plastic or press amber — reconstituted amber dust fused under heat — rather than authentic natural amber. Sellers assure buyers the amber is real and may perform a quick "test" that is easy to fake. Buy amber only from reputable shops with clear provenance information, ideally members of the Estonian Amber Guild or similar trade body. You can test genuine amber at home with a salt-water float test — real amber floats in saturated salt water, plastic sinks. Prices well below €20 for a large pendant should raise suspicion.

Question 3

What is the "Pickpocketing at Cruise Terminal and Old Town" scam in Tallinn?

Accepted Answer

Professional pickpocket teams operate around the cruise terminal, Tallinn bus station, and the main Old Town tourist thoroughfares. Teams use distraction techniques — bumping, asking for directions — while an accomplice steals wallets and phones. Keep valuables in a zipped front pocket or a crossbody bag. Be especially alert when large cruise ships are docked — that's when pickpocketing activity peaks. Do not keep your phone in a back pocket and avoid opening your wallet in open public areas.

Street Scams in Tallinn

Christmas Market Pickpocketing at Raekoja Plats

Fake Amber Jewellery Sellers in Old Town

Pickpocketing at Cruise Terminal and Old Town

Experienced a scam here?