ISTANBUL: AVOID THESE SCAMS!

When visiting new cities or countries, it’s important not only to research the main attractions but also to be aware of potential scams that might occur in that destination.

That’s why we’d like to share some of the most common scams in Istanbul, so if you ever find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, you’ll be able to recognize it and handle it with ease.

Just to clarify:

Unfortunately, scams targeting tourists exist in nearly every major and highly visited city around the world. That doesn’t mean there's imminent danger or that you should avoid certain places altogether. As with anywhere else, it’s simply about taking a few smart precautions.

Istanbul, in general, is a very safe city. Most locals are warm, welcoming, and genuinely willing to help without expecting anything in return. But in a city of over 20 million people, you’re bound to come across a few with less-than-honest intentions just like in any other major city. The key is to stay aware of your surroundings and be mindful of who approaches you.

These tips are just to make you aware of potential scams, not to suggest that they happen all the time or that everyone is out to trick you.

1. Don't buy tickets from people on the streets.

Avoid buying tickets from anyone on the streets, this includes transport tickets, for museums or even tours, they are surely much more expensive and all they want is to get extra money from tourists.

HOW TO AVOID IT:

Only buy tickets at the OFFICIAL ticket offices for tours or museums, and for transportation, get the "IstanbulKart" from a yellow machine or buy individual tickets at ticket offices or authorized machines. Not from people offering them on the streets.

2. People selling perfumes on the streets.

This is another common scam, especially around Taksim, Sultanahmet, and just outside the bazaars.

If a man approaches you carrying several "perfumes," it’s best to ignore him completely. As soon as you engage, even with just a word, he likely won’t leave you alone. He’ll insist on giving you a perfume, trying to pressure you into buying it. If you take it, that’s where the real trouble begins, he may refuse to take it back and could even become pushy or slightly aggressive to get you to pay.

Also, just to clarify: the perfumes they sell are not genuine. We don’t know what ingredients are used in them, and using them could potentially be harmful to your health, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.

HOW TO AVOID IT:

First of all, do not exchange any words with them, if he tries to block your path or to follow you while walking to give you a perfume, just say “no, thank you”, and most importantly, DO NOT GRAB ANYTHING.

3. Nightclub. This scam particularly aims at male solo travellers.

This scam is most commonly reported around Taksim and Istiklal Street.

It usually starts with a friendly approach, someone might ask where you're from or strike up a casual conversation by asking for a lighter or something similar. After breaking the ice, they may invite you out for a beer.

Once they’ve gained your trust, they’ll suggest heading to a club they “know.” What you won’t know is that they have an arrangement with the place. You’ll be offered several drinks, and sometimes women will join your table to make it all seem more fun and relaxed. Then, at some point, both the men who brought you and the women will suddenly disappear.

You’ll be left alone and the bill will land in your hands. It could be as high as $500 or more. If you refuse to pay or insist on only covering what you consumed, the club’s security may block the exit and pressure you into paying the full amount.

HOW TO AVOID IT:

Once again, avoid interacting with guys who come to you on the street wanting to talk and invite you to have a beer, it will surely not have a happy ending.

4. The man with simit on the head or the shoe shiner who "accidentally" drops his brush.

Many travelers have fallen for the classic shoe shiner scam. As you walk down the street, you might see a man carrying his tools, walking in a tired or clumsy way. If he "accidentally" drops his brush near you, don’t pick it up!

It might feel natural to help him by handing it back, but that’s exactly what he’s counting on.

As soon as you return the brush, he’ll act overly grateful and insist on shining your shoes as a thank-you. But once he's done, he’ll demand an absurd amount of money, some tourists have reported being asked for 500 TL or more.

There’s also a similar scam that even made it onto local news in Türkiye. On Istiklal Street, some men carrying trays of simit (Turkish sesame bread) on their heads pretended to faint or collapse, causing all the simits to fall to the ground. Bystanders, feeling bad for them, would offer money, only to find out later it was just a staged act.

While many of these scammers were eventually caught by local police, it's always possible that new ones have taken their place. Stay alert and trust your instincts.

HOW TO AVOID IT:

This may sound a little rude or selfish, but if you want to avoid this scam and tricks, it is better that you keep walking and do not respond to their actions.

5. Taxi.

Try not to take taxis from the street. There are many ways they can scam you. Instead of using the taximeter, they set a price and make the taxi ride longer or put as an excuse that "there was a lot of traffic" and they will want to charge you much more than they initially agreed.

HOW TO AVOID IT:

Use apps like Uber or BiTaksi to safely find a taxi, or ask your hotel reception to call one for you to take you to your destination.

Another common scam involves taxi drivers switching the bill you gave them.

For instance, let’s say you hand the driver a 50 TL note. When you're not looking, he might quickly swap it for a 5 TL note and claim that’s what you gave him. If you're not paying close attention, it’s easy to second-guess yourself and get confused.

To avoid this, always be mindful of the bills you hand over. It’s a good idea to carry small denomination notes and coins so you can pay the exact fare. And if you only have a 100 TL bill, make sure to stay focused, watch the driver's hands and don’t get distracted during the payment.

6. Istanbulkart.

It has been brough to our attention by some of our followers on our social media that in recent months some guys are approaching tourists who are trying to buy their IstanbulKart at the tram stations such as Sultanahmet. They usually "try to help" those who look a bit confused by how the machines work.

Their modus operandi is that they usually approach the tourists by kindly offering their services to either get the IstanbulKart for them or by topping up their personal IstanhulKart by taking the money from the tourists.

Some of them after buying the Istanbulkart from the machines for the tourists, will ask for money in return and a few can be quite pushy about it.

On the other hand, if they ask money in return to give you a single transportation pass WITHOUT you having the IstanbulKart, they'll get much more money from you, they'll just put their card into the reading machine, and they will not give you any change for the money you gave them.

Everything happens quickly, so you need to be aware.

The machines just next to the tram station in Sultanahmet are all the time crowded and is a total chaos, so sometimes tourists find themselves under pressure because they cannot understand very well how the machines work, people are waiting in line behind them, and others start rushing them, so if a person approaches you is easy to accept "their help" just to get out of the pressure, but sometimes that can turn into an uncomfortable situation.

However, I must also say that not all will try to take advantage of you during this situation.

I've also witnessed in Sultanahmet, how a Turkish man was kindly helping tourists struggling with the machines, he just stood next to them, instructed them how to get it, and everything was flowing perfectly, I never saw him asking for anything in return and he seemed happy to help!

HOW TO AVOID IT:

Never buy a single pass for any transportation from people on the streets, they will surely scam you!

7. Restaurants.

If you decide to eat in touristy areas, always check the menu displayed at the entrance. It should include prices. Just to be safe, take a photo of it. If there’s no menu outside, ask for one as soon as you sit down and check the prices before ordering. Otherwise, they might charge you whatever they want, sometimes 3 to 4 times more than the actual cost.

Another thing to watch out for: in restaurants in tourist-heavy areas, once you order, they might start bringing extras to your table, small appetizers, bottles of water, or bread without asking. While you wait for your main dish, it’s easy to assume these are complimentary, but they often end up on your bill without any warning.

In more local neighborhoods, it’s common for things like salads, sauces, bread, and pickles to be included for free. But in touristy spots, some places take advantage of visitors this way, so it’s always good to double-check.

HOW TO AVOID IT:

Check the prices directly from the menu and also make sure what’s included in the plate or menu you ordered, that way you won’t get a surprise with extra charges. If the waiter/watress brings you things that you know you haven't ordered, ask if those have extra charge or are already included. That way you'll avoid surprises. Try to always check reviews of the places you intend to visit from either Tripadvisor or Google Maps.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

In case of an emergency and you need to contact the authorities, these are the numbers you can call:

Police: 155

Firefighters: 110

Ambulance: 112

Tourism information: 176