Scams in Istanbul – Tourists Beware!

Scams in Istanbul? I’m sure if you’ve done a little research, you know that that scams in Istanbul are common.

Istanbul is a lovely city, but many of its residents are poor, and unfortunately, this creates an environment where people do whatever they can to get by, including scamming tourists.

He isn’t offering to shine your shoes for free, although he makes it sound like he is.

Shoe shiner drops brush

If you are going to buy jewelry at the Bazaar, please know and understand what real silver and gold look like.

Selling cast metal as real silver

These people aren’t just being friendly and hospitable. They are actually trying to guide you to their store.

Giving you “directions”

Only go to a restaurant or a shop because you want to go, not because you feel pressured.

The Aggressive Approach

I’m sure there are plenty of other scams in Istanbul, but fortunately since I was only there for a few days, these are the only ones I encountered.

SWIPE UP FOR MORE!