Share your travel scam experiences in the comments to help other travelers avoid them👇 Here are the links I mentioned in this video: 👉 COMPLETE Anti-Travel Scam Cheat Sheet (free): bit.ly/3us3JhM 👉 Travel eSIM for heavy data users (discount code PROJECTUNTETHERED): bit.ly/41DWwYw 👉 Travel eSIM for tethering and lighter data users (discount code MITCH9827): bit.ly/3IlWfkX

@MsPeggyCruise411

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing. At NCL’s port in Belize, there is Mahogany Bar and Grill, “be on alert” the short Latin male will keep part of your change on purpose! I demanded the rest of my money! He said, ‘we have to split our tips’😳

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Nice work! Important to always count change!

@marcjtdc

5 ай бұрын

well its common sense that even if its a 100% legit phone number website or email and someone asks for you to verify your card number it's always a scam.

@toboekey1273

4 ай бұрын

​@ProjectUntethered hey u should get a credit card with no foreign transaction fee and u should get capital one credit card cuz they have virtual cards for your physical credit card so u can juat use your virtual credit card and after the transaction u can have the virtual credit card changed instantly 😁 so good luck to the scammers in trying to steal money from your credit card 🤣🤣🤣 i love virtual credit cards

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

I need to use this feature more!

*This is one of the best videos ever. NO stolen videos, stupid sound effects, fake laughs, stupid loud “music” or a narrator who loves to hear his own voice. DIRECT, TO THE POINT. CONGRATULATIONS!!!*

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

You win the nicest comment of the day award! 🏆🏆🏆

@23daughters

3 ай бұрын

And easy on the eye too ;)

@quazmodic

Ай бұрын

... and addresses only Americans. (on the Wotld Wide Web) LOL

You don't hand over your passport to anyone in public. Hand them a copy and tell them your passport is in your hotel safe - even if it's in your money belt.

@jimshelley8831

5 ай бұрын

I always have a pic of my passport on my phone.

@jimshelley8831

5 ай бұрын

I always buy a SIM card at the airport, might cost a little more but they are legitimate. Not all phones take eSims.

@annemiura7767

4 ай бұрын

My mother was a great traveler and taught us to protect our passport at all costs. By the time I was 10 , my mother,my brothers and I had already circumnavigated the globe. I still travel internationally and, fingers crossed, have never been snagged by a scam - thanks to mum !! I am glad you alerting people to the various travel scams, some of which can really ruin a trip .

@tessajones9393

2 ай бұрын

100%. Copies of passports are the number one thing to do, I reckon.

@mikeydude750

2 ай бұрын

Depends on the country. In Japan you're required to have your passport on you at all times.

Here is a little tip. Before going to a country do a series of Google searches to come up with the profile of the police chief.. screenshot it and put it on your phone as wallpaper. If a cop tries to scam you simply show him the cops pic. He will leave you alone very fast

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

HAha this is genius. Have you actually tried this?

@christopherm5958

3 ай бұрын

Great advice. I'll use that one TY

@tessajones9393

2 ай бұрын

Lol scam inception

@albertngai3112

Ай бұрын

WA HA HA! Good one!

I absolutely despise restaurants that do not display prices in their menus, that means that your face will dictate the price. Also it's a good idea to snap a photo of your food prior eating, not so you post online, but as proof of what you actually had because often places may sneak another dish or drink in your bill then will use your language barrier agaist you, forcing you into payng for something you've never had.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Oooo snapping a pic of your food is a great tip as well - very smart!

@brucehuddler7518

5 ай бұрын

I ate in a Restaurant, party of 3. After finishing the meal, Waitress brought us a bill for party of 6. Read your bill, check it for accuracy.

@kevwwong

4 ай бұрын

Smart idea. Also a good idea to have a conversion app on your phone. I'm just off a cruise, and most of the ports take US dollars. But not always. Example: I had a fellow cruiser ask the tour guide if 3000 MXN was a good tip for his services (spoiler alert: it is an EXTREMELY good tip and the guide said as much)

@johnl7443

4 ай бұрын

You can ask the price or leave if you don’t like the vibe

@Number6_

3 ай бұрын

I am not going to eat food from strangers I can't trust! The only real thing you will get is food poisoning and disintary.

In Canada, restaurant wait staff have been bringing the mobile credit card terminal to the table for probably 10 years now. We NEVER put our card in the little black folder and let them take it away. Paying the bill is always done at the table so that our card never leaves our hand. The waiter leaves the terminal at the table or stands a metre away and waits. The tip is calculated right on the terminal and entered in. There is no receipt signing. Most of the time, we tap the card. This was also done in Japan, Thailand and Europe. USA, you guys need to get with the times.

@albertngai3112

4 ай бұрын

@@ron_google5742 Calling police escalates the matter to a whole other level and will ruin that day on vacation. I was merely pointing out the practice with credit cards in general in Canada, which has been that way for more than 10 years. So, any time you choose to use your cc for a purchase, it's just better if you don't let the card leave your hand.

@chuckinhouston9952

3 ай бұрын

Most restaurants in Houston have done it the way you describe for ~10 years. The USA is a big country. Many smaller towns still do it the old way.

@ClarityDetermination

Ай бұрын

Really you had to write it that way? Not very 🇨🇦

@albertngai3112

Ай бұрын

@@chuckinhouston9952 3 cheers for Houston. I was referring to Chicago, New York, LA, and smoother spots I've been to. Not small towns.

@ronv6637

Ай бұрын

You're still in canada,need I say more?

In Aruba Dec 2023, the Airbnb wifi must have been hacked. I'd emailed my airline because I couldn't use online check in. The response was that my flights to Curacao had been cancelled due to lack of payment. I replied that's not possible, I booked the flights in May. They responded to send my credit card info to see what had happened with payment. At that moment my Spidey senses kicked in. I called the airline, spoke to an agent who said my flights were intact, no need to worry!

@ProjectUntethered

4 күн бұрын

Thank goodness for those spidey senses - yikes! That's a good reminder to always use a VPN when you're not sure about the wifi security, including Airbnbs!

So, Never trust any stranger outside a Restaurant, Never do a ATM pull with anyone near by, use ATM’s in front of banks with security guards present, do not talk to strangers at ATM’s, especially giving you advice, Never get involved with any taxi driver during (any other than fare) purchases. Go in bar, pay bill with cash, don’t hand them your card.

In Honolulu, I came across a well dressed disabled tourist who was holding a broken front wheel from his wheelchair. I stopped to see if he was alright and with tears in his eyes he told me his wheelchair was broken and he needed a taxi to get to his hotel as he had no other way of getting back. So I gave him $20. Afterwards I wondered if it was a scam or genuine, but his face was red with anguish and there were real tears there. A year later I'm back in Honolulu again. Coming out of a restaurant one morning, I came across a familiar sight. The same person, in a broken wheelchair, holding his detached front wheel and was talking to a gentleman who was then getting his wallet out. I went over there like a shot and got up real close and said "Hey, do you remember me? - I'm the Australian tourist you had me with this scam last year!". With that the gentleman smiled and put his money away. At first the scammer said that he was genuine and that the wheel had failed again (a year later!) - pitiful!!. I gave him a verbal dressing down and afterwards he did look a bit sheepish - but who knows, he was a good actor after all. I told him that if I saw him again I'd report him to the police - and I'd really put him in a wheelchair.

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

Wow that is crazy! Seems like he’s had lots of time to practice his act 🙄

Listening to all these scams and reading comments, it really puts me off travelling anywhere :-(

@vaska1999

3 ай бұрын

I've been travelling all over the world for the past 50 years and have never run into any of these scams.

@BarnaliD

3 ай бұрын

No, don't let this stop you from traveling. There is SO MUCHto be gained from traveling as opposed to any losses.

@tessajones9393

2 ай бұрын

I mean, it can happen in home countries, I presume.

@nadiataylor2566

2 ай бұрын

@@tessajones9393 zit absolutely can. But the difference is in your own country you speak to local language, understand the customs and how things work and can more easily discern when something doesn't look, feel or sound right...

@lollypopdrop3961

2 ай бұрын

@@vaska1999 Well Buddy,,,,,, You must have been booked in the Penthouse at The PLAZA HOTEL in NYC, where "KEVIN" stayed over the Christmas Holidays in "Home Alone" 😂😂😂🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🗽🗽🗽🗽 the rest of us,,, are struggling with No-tell , Motel 6

Another tip: Always ask for one menu to be left on your table to avoid price switches when the bill comes. And if there is a sandwich board out front that lures you with a deal, snap a picture of it, so you can bring it up when the bill comes and that special price has disappeared.

@redhatbear1135

10 күн бұрын

Olive Garden used to have two menus one for groups!

Booking scam happened to us recently too. I was able to avoid it because I'd seen a video like this one. Thanks for keeping us all informed!

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

I'm glad you were able to avoid it - that's a sneaky one!

I experienced a scam in a Bangkok hotel back in November. Someone in the hotel skimmed the room safe, I had two pouches each containing £1,000. Because I incorrectly assumed the hotel room safes were secure, I did not check the pouches until 10 days later. Checking, I found that one pouch only contained £500, and the other £420. Since the hotel does not take responsibility, I lost over £1,000, and spent the rest of my vacation carrying the remaining funds on my person.

@Male666chauvinist

5 ай бұрын

What’s the name of the hotel Sir

@Gaiaempower

5 ай бұрын

Can you extrapolate on how they skimmed to room safe please and is there a way to avoid this happening? That's a real concern!

@patriciaandrada4

4 ай бұрын

I never bring too much cash when I travel, as much as possible I use credit card for food and shopping. I usually stay in reputable hotels or an Airbnb. I also don’t put my cash in the safe, I stash it elsewhere 😊

@PsychicLord

4 ай бұрын

@@Male666chauvinist All I can say is it was a 5 Star in the Sukhumvit area. Thai hotels do not like to be embarrassed by bad shoutouts, sadly doing so can lead to future complications.

@PsychicLord

4 ай бұрын

@@Gaiaempower Since certain employees know the master code, I can only assume this is how they got access.

Are you supposed to keep your passport on you? I never do. I leave it in the hotel safe. I carry about a hundred worth in local currency and tuck half away in an inside pocket. I've never had problems, and if I felt intimidated at the last moment, I would give the hidden cash. I also have a 40 dollar watch and no other jewelry. Does any of this make sense?

@tessajones9393

2 ай бұрын

The staff of the hotel can get into the safe. I carry original passports and copies, then show copies when needed and say the original is in the safe. In case they're a scammer.

@christopherm5958

2 ай бұрын

@@tessajones9393 Great advice, thanks

Thank you for this honest advice. I can confirm that menu switching is a real problem in several countries and I have encountered it in Bulgaria. First you order food with the cheaper menu in hand, then the waiter takes the orders AND all the menu cards from the table, ultimately the bill is much higher. If you remember the prices, you'll be asked to check the numbers again, but the menu "magically" shows a completely different set of prices for the same dishes. In the end you have to pay, being aware of the fraud but not being able to prove it in another country, another language, etc.

@vaska1999

3 ай бұрын

That's a pretty elaborate, planned out scam. 😮

There is so much danger of getting scammed everywhere. Be it in or out of the country, one has to stress about everything all the time. What has life become? And it's not getting better!

@ClarityDetermination

Ай бұрын

I think you can do all these things with little stress. It's not much different than a game.

Unlimited scammers on the internet…no need to travel

@Kazoom28

3 ай бұрын

We get scammed even locally (Not travelling), so just learn to be smart and careful.

No way In the world I am handing my card to anyone (including in the US). If I can't dab and go or insert the card myself and insert my PIN. It ain't happening. I went to a Starbucks in Brunei. They tried to take my card, I said no and dabbed my card on the machine and the payment went through. Then they asked for my full card number, I asked why they needed it. They said the machine wasn't connected to the POS machine. I told them that wasn't my problem, as the payment had gone through. Not sure if it was an attempted scan, but was for sure weird, especially as the staff member told me he wasn't a scammer, even though I never suggested he was.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

That's a good rule to follow. And yeah, that sounds super sketchy!

@Number6_

3 ай бұрын

He was a scammer. As is the company.

Another tip. Always carry 2 credit cardS. One with a very low credit ($500) & your regular one. We mostly use the low credit one & pay it off every night when we travel.

@rjw8316

3 ай бұрын

Excellent idea....I will do that. Thanks.

@callende

2 ай бұрын

great tip! thank you!!

I pay for a passport card and carry that with me. Bought a Rabbit card in BKk BTS with it. I set alert messages in my bank so that every transaction is emailed to me. I go to an ATM where there are people using it, then you know it. I set up a security cam in my hotel room every where I go. Just a few tips to share .

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

Please explain how the security cam works!

@richardclausen154

3 ай бұрын

Also very interested in your security cam setup!

@ClarityDetermination

Ай бұрын

That is great. Which type of camera did you choose to use for a hotel room?

Even in the US, I hold onto the menu until paycheck. "We might want to order something else later"

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

That’s very smart!

When exchanging US dollars or paying at a restaurant take a photo of the bill so they dont return it with a fake saying you gave a fake. Also if you keep money in your hotel safe take a pic of the bills. If they steal the money you will know if they exchange it with a fake , you will not know for quite a while and then you wont know who gave you the fake.

@BarnaliD

3 ай бұрын

Hotel safes aren't really safe for your credit cards. The management and others have an unlock code. When I was in Peru, there was a note on the safe, from management stating they were not responsible for lost or stolen items from your SAFE!

@callende

2 ай бұрын

Great tip! I was scammed by a local store in Bakersfield, CA, USA. I paid cash to have a Western Union sent to someone. The person I sent the WU to said they couldn't get the money because the transaction was canceled. I contacted WU directly, and they said the merchant (local store) canceled the WU (after I left the store with the receipt in hand) because I had given them a fake $100. Police were called. No help. Police said they couldn't recognize the bill on video, so my loss. I went as far as contacting the U.S. Secret Service to report, and the agent said that they had more important matters to direct their attention to... "like protecting the President of the United States." That was 2010. Today, when using cash in any transaction with large bills, I insist the clerk check the bill in front of me using that counterfeit money marker.

Tip: always have two credit cards and two ATM cards. Pack one set deep. You can cancel a card if you need to and have one to use.

Got scammed in Bogota with a variation of the restaurant scam. We went out for drinks from the drink menu they gave us. I knew exactly what the price would be and the waitress was so nice and helpful. Then the bill came out and it was 4X as much!!! I asked for the waitress who helped us. She just “disappeared” and when I asked for her they said “no one by that name works here.” Then the manager, a male and several security came out and he says “is there a problem here?” What am I gonna do? So I paid the amount and had a bitter lesson about being wiser when I travel.

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

Wow that is crazy! I’m so sorry that happened to you :-(

@tjripl10

4 ай бұрын

Ate with Thai friends in Thailand . There was a special on the menu. After I ate and payed my Thai friend looked at the receipt and immediately went to the cashier and demanded the extra money taken. They gave the money back and done.

You forgot to mention that every CC transaction can be charged back in case of a fraud. I use CC everywhere I can not only because its handy, but also because you can apply for a chargeback in case of a fraud. And a good advice would be: carry more than one cc on your trip and use virtual cc when paying online.

@julianmarshall2127

3 ай бұрын

I don't have credit cards,but I use debit cards.this just gave me an idea.anytime I'm traveling,I would keep a low amount of cash on my primary card and use that.i would then transfer money from my secondary card to the primary one as needed.i have online banking with both banks so I can easily transfer funds from one bank to the other.would only do that once I'm comfortable using a secure Internet connection

Last year in Bangkok, a random guy came over to us on a street just being friendly, "hey, where're you from?", "what are you going to see?". Then he started to comment on some temples and history. When we told him we were going to see the big Gold Buddha, he said that sadly the temple is closed (he came up with some plausible reason) that day but another temple worth visiting is close by and that he'd call a tuk tuk for us. Miracously, a tuk tuk just stopped in front of us out of nowhere and my husband was ready to hop in but I faked I had to get back to the hotel and change because I was too hot. I think our "friendly guide" realized then that I knew it was a scam so he didn't push any further and went away. Only then I explained my husband that I've heard of this scam before on KZread actually. A taxi driver or some stranger will tell you that some tourist attraction is closed for the day and bring you to some low profile place that charges extra. Plus they charge more for the ride itself.

@girlwithnoname77

Ай бұрын

This happened to us is l in 2001! We wanted to go to the big Buddha and was told it was closed, and instead the "cheap" tok tok took us around to various shops so he can get petrol vouchers and what not. It was a very frustrating experience as we didn't know what was happening until too late.

Here’s another one. We booked a cruise and purchased travel insurance through the cruise line. Within 10 minutes we received an email saying that our insurance was declined and to call them. We figured that it was because we were Canadian and we were purchasing insurance in the USA. I was busy and didn’t call. A week later I checked my account with the cruise line and the charge was still there for the insurance. I called the cruise line, explained the situation. They checked, and said that we had insurance. Had we called the number on the email, I would have “purchased “ insurance and given my credit card information. Be careful folks.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Wow that sounds super easy to fall for! It seems like nowadays your safest bet is to assume any email is a scam unless proven otherwise. For example, whenever I receive an email with a message from my bank, I always log into the official website and check the message there to make sure it's legit. It's sad that scammers make it so we can't trust anything anymore.

We were scammed in France with the phony gold ring scam. We had to pay for a ring that we were told could be ours but it was not. We were traveling using Rick Steves guide book and if we would have read just two pages farther in the book we would have been warned about this. We have the ring to this day and are 40 euros poorer but have a great story to remember it by. Don't buy the ring it is very shiny brass. We were so gullible it is ridiculous.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

That's a bummer - at least you have a story and a fake ring out of it! I think all travelers are doomed to fall for a scam eventually. Watching videos and listening to stories like this can help you avoid them, but there's so many sneaky people out there, eventually we all get caught off guard - so don't feel bad!

I tried paying 149 Turkish Lira for a waffle in Turkey, by card. It was declined. Suddenly I began receiving messages from my bank. Apparently I was being scammed out of 149 EUROS by the shop - but the bank prevented that. In any case, the bank is one of the oldest in Australia and trying to re-activate my cards was a nightmare. In the end they sent me a new card - only one, not two cards. As I was waiting in my room to be summoned downstairs to receive and sign for it, I got a knock on the door from hotel staff, who just brought it to me! The courier just handed it over. 😡 Moral of the story, next time I'll arm myself with 3 cards from 3 different banks !

@scottfree993

5 ай бұрын

Even 149 liras for a waffle is a total rip off in Turkey, that's a red flag in itself right there.

That scam with simcards happened to us when we travelled to Istanbul. We arrived at the airport Sabia Gökcen on the Asian side and got 2 simcards for around 30 US$ each at a seemingly official Turkcell counter. It was expensive but we needed internet urgently and thought "f*** it". They told us that the cards would get activated after 15 to 30 mins. So we left the airport and were wondering why this didn't happen. After we left, we couldn't get back into the airport to complain. The next day we went to an official Turkcell store in the center of Istanbul and there they told us that we were sold 2 empty simcars that needed to get charged, 20 Gigabytes were like 5 US$. We were super pissed. Fortunately that was the only scam we experienced on this trip.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

That is the worst - especially when you're desperate to connect!

@1bluensx

5 ай бұрын

Turkey is one of the worst. I think one of the 5 in scammers in world. Also. Egypt, Prague, Brazil, Vietnam, and Mexico

@vaska1999

3 ай бұрын

Never leave a vendor's until your new card has been activated and is fully functional.

@sympathietrager343

3 ай бұрын

@@vaska1999 No shit.

@thelaundress11

2 ай бұрын

Get an eSIM. DON’T bother with physical SIM cards anymore

Even in the U.S. I have been scammed with menu prices. I always politely ask if I may hold on to the hard copy menu until later. The server is often annoyed, but they allow it in most cases. If not, then I take photos of the items I ordered

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

That's very smart! Do you remember where you got scammed?

@mellocello187

4 ай бұрын

Doubt it. Why not ask them to bring the menu back? Never heard of that anywhere in the US. The menu scams are because the travelers don’t speak the language. Do you speak English? Did you call the police?

We never give our credit cards to pay for our meals. If the waiter cannot bring the machine, we go to the machine. There are scams everywhere even in Canada.

When the waiter brings the card machine, swipe and put the wrong pin code in, if it is a scam the machine will accept the wrong pin.

Do not take any kind of taxi in Peru ! We had heard this , but at the airport they had the official taxis of Peru - they were all wearing badge and all had same color cars and vans - so we went with them- the driver told us one price when we got in the cab , and when we got to our hotel the price went way up - and my husband said no - but he still made a big fuss as if we were ripping him off - so I always READ about transportation in every country I visit!!!!!!!! 2) scam nu# 2- don’t take anything you are handed , small paper , cute animals, sample - 3) I dont use booking anymore

@ToriE1073

3 ай бұрын

We stopped using Booking too

@gumonthepants

3 ай бұрын

I'm heading to Iquitos Peru in the Amazon end of the month. They got the tuk-tuk taxis there, pretty cheap. I plan on drawing out enough soles at the airport layover in Lima and use their cash.

My husband and I have been spending more time traveling our own country. So much to see that we will never see it all!

Thanks for the scam videos. This world is more and more sketchy. Sad that we have to live in a world like this. But here we are. Thanks for sharing your story so others stay safe!!

I got a false charge from chik fila in Dallas airport. I flew thru there in September and used my debit card for food. The card never left my hand. Then 2 months later I got another charge and I was in NC.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Yikes! It’s a good thing you noticed it!

@Isadorka1

5 ай бұрын

I'm living in Hungary and suddenly restaurant charges began to appear on my statement from the UK??? First it was modest 30 pounds but the 5th charge was 95 pounds. I've never been to the UK - thankfully, the bank took care of it for me but I still don't know how it happened.

Thanks for the video. If i'm not mistaken, T-mobile has an international plan. I opted for that instead of dealing SIM cards. When I go out in a foreign city, I carry a copy of my passport. Great idea taking a photo of that menu.

@operavin

3 ай бұрын

Same. TMobile international plan. Got burned in 2009 with a $2000 bill but it’s included now.

I got scammed at the train station in Madrid. a guy was trying to help me buy a train ticket on the kiosks. then he said he was living on the street and just needed €20 to pay for the other half of his train ticket to see his family. I was reluctant but decided to help him out. I come back 2 days later to the train station and see him doing the same thing to other people. I tried confronting him when he was trying to scam someone else but he jus shooed me away.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Grr that's so annoying! At least you can be proud that you had a helping heart 😇

@williamaungleyraud

5 ай бұрын

Always beware of overly helpful people. True kindness still exists, but it generally never comes along with an excuse, meaning, genuine people don't justify themselves for being kind towards strangers. Take this as a rule of thumb.

@theukyankee

5 ай бұрын

That happens a lot in England as well, especially in London.

@tessajones9393

2 ай бұрын

I've seen people doing that as full-time work in Sydney and Brisbane Australia. (Where I'm from) So I presume it's everywhere.

My daughter and I had the "plainclothes police" shakedown in the subway in Paris. It was a crew with a lady who spoke broken English and two burly men. We should have kept walking when they tried to stop us but once they had us cornered we were scared and paid the "fine."

@MariA-bu2jv

5 ай бұрын

Yep, this happened to me in Paris 😐

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Wow this seems like a common one in Paris! What were they charging you for?

@DavidWilliams-qr5yj

5 ай бұрын

Never pay a fine directly to an officer ! Unless your in a corrupt Asian country where their money is practically worthless, it's then easier to loose a couple of bucks of local currency

Thanks for all the info. I am always aware that scammers are everywhere and I don’t trust anyone. You presented some new info , which goes to show there is no end to the scam lifestyle.

Bringing the credit card machine to you should be adopted in US restaurants

Always ask how much. Always take photos of prices. Always keep a total of what you are buying and make sure it makes at checkout. Always check and confirm prices.

@ProjectUntethered

4 күн бұрын

Wise words!

Thank you so much for your excellent video on avoiding scams. It will help alot of international travelers! I was a victim of a data plan scam in Thailand. I bought what I thought was a 30-day plan and paid plenty for it but it actually expired in 3 days. This was at a multi-story retail building near Central World Mall in central Bangkok. The whole building was filled with kiosks with retailers exclusively from India. No Thai people.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Sounds like this scam happens in many different countries 😒

@sharonwhite7707

3 ай бұрын

Thai people are no better, the ones at the airport sell empty SIM cards. You need to choose calling capability as well so they activate it properly.

I keep falling for the restaurant - "not on the menu" special... Happened in Istanbul, Bangkok, Mexico City, and Tokyo. Think by now I would have learned my lesson... guess I like to pay 5 times the price for a meal. My wife says I'm too trusting.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

My wife says that too 😂 Most people are good. So it's sad that the few bad eggs make it so we have to put up our guards more.

@AnnaBanana-rq9vh

4 ай бұрын

We travel to Mexico a lot and have ordered off menu a lot and fortunately never had an issue! Ugh.

@ClarityDetermination

Ай бұрын

Trusting? That's the word? 😅

When in thai, I carry a laminated copy of my biological passport page with visa on the reverse side. They reduce it to a credit card size so easy to carry.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

I love this idea - I might try it myself!

@pandemicoftheunvaccinated5367

5 ай бұрын

@ProjectUntethered There's a camera/photo shop near cheap charlies on soi buakhao in pattaya-they will do it for you at around 200 baht.

@Syl839

3 ай бұрын

Who reduces it to a credit card size?

@pandemicoftheunvaccinated5367

3 ай бұрын

@@Syl839 The photo shop near cheap charlies on soi buakhao.

The “daily special” in any restaurant may not be the best option. For example, a resto may normally sell a 100 plates of fried fish on Sunday night. If business was off on Sunday, then Monday’s special may be the fish that the restaurant now has too much of. Similarly, if the restaurant expects Wednesday lunch to be extra busy, then they may promote a daily special that takes very little time to prepare like cottage cheese on lettuce.

I use Google Fi to travel and live abroad. It doesn't matter what country I go to, Google Fi will automatically piggy back on the best local provider so as soon as your plane lands, you already have mobile phone and data. No extra rates and nothing to do on your part. Stress free.

@mattbradley3245

5 ай бұрын

Yep, me too. Google Fi makes it all so much easier.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

I've heard great things about Google Fi! The only downside is I believe they limit how much time you can spend abroad. I've heard many stories of people getting their plans cancelled after a few months. But for shorter trips, it seems like a great option.

@user-xg6yc8ho3w

5 ай бұрын

@@ProjectUntethered Yes it's true. They state more than 6 months and your plan "may" get paused until you re-enter the USA again. But I was living in Russia for 10 months before and during the invasion of Ukraine and then flew directly to Turkey for 3 months (for total 12 months abroad), and Google Fi sent me a message that my account would be paused if I don't return to the US within 30 days. Although they didn't send me that message until I had already been out of the US for about 9 months. Then they paused it like they said. It automatically resumed the first day I came back to America.(I think there is no pausing for Canada and Mexico though)

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

@user-xg6yc8ho3w that is very interesting - thanks for sharing!

@bernadette7000

4 ай бұрын

yes, about three months@@ProjectUntethered

Wow! Bless you both for educating us!! Really informative!❤

How is Booking letting this go on !!!! Another apps compromised ???

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Someone else commented that they experienced it on Agoda as well 😑

@DavidWilliams-qr5yj

5 ай бұрын

@ProjectUntethered thanks I have used agoda extensively

Good to know! thank you for sharing.

Thank you for your tips.

Notifications from anyone should always be verified by a separate call to the (hotel, airline, bank, gov agency, police, merchant) to verify if it's from them. 99% of the time, not. The ATM touch pad not completing your session was a new one for me, good call. The worst one was setting up a subscription in a foreign country on credit card, then trying to cancel ... not just SIM cards, you need to watch this for hotels and rental car agencies also, they charge (phony) damage, minibar, gas, etc. to your card long after you checked out and/or turned in the car. More and more banks are now offering the option of 2-party verification by SMS or text for any transactions attempted on the card. Another reason to have good int'l roaming ...

@ProjectUntethered

4 күн бұрын

These are great tips! I'll try to include them in a future video ;)

Excellent video with advice and suggestions that other videos do not have! Thank you!

I can not believe that in the US you still hand over your card to the waiter. In Hungary and most European countries this practice has stopped years ago. All cards have RF chips, so you just touch with the card the portable terminal the waiter brings to your table to pay. In shops and supermarkets the situation is the same. I have not let my card leave my hand for about 5 years. One warning about European restaurants, in lot of countries, for example, France, Germany, Italy, the service charge is included in the price and the waiters are getting a decent wage, nothing like in the US, where I believe they do not even get the prescribed minimum wage. This service charge is indicated on the menu, but in most cases only in the local language. The typical American tourist does not notice this, then adds the ususal 20% tip just like at home, and then complains about the high restaurant prices in Europe. If you are uncertain, you can always ask the waiter if the prices include the service.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Yeah I have no idea why we're still so old-fashioned in the US. It's possible that times are slowly changing and I haven't realized it though - it's probably been a year since I've been to a US restaurant. That's a good Europe travel tip for Americans!

@thehun1234

5 ай бұрын

@@ProjectUntethered I forgot to add, if service charge (tip) is not included, 10% is usually acceptable tip in most European countries, mainly because waiters and kitchen staff are getting paid at least the country specific minimum wage.

@kailynn4483

4 ай бұрын

There is no service fee included in German restaurants. We usually give 10-15% of the bill as tips.

@thehun1234

4 ай бұрын

@@kailynn4483 I have been to Germany lots of times, often staying with locals. When I stayed with locals I always took them to a restaurant as a thank you. Whenever I asked them about tipping at these times they said, just round up the bill to the nearest Euro (or Mark before the Euro was introduced).

@kailynn4483

4 ай бұрын

@@thehun1234 I would only do this, if the service was really bad. 😅 But tipping is voluntarily, actually as thanks for good service, and nobody is forced to give tips. Everybody can decide if and how much they want to give. So the method your friends are using, is also okay. 🙂

Thank you so much for sharing your stories and tips. Greatly appreciated it!

Thanks man, and happy new year

Your content is invaluable! Thanks.

OMG. Thank you so much!

Thank you for your knowledge! I really appreciate it. 😘

Good information! Thank you.

Re number one, how does the restaurant allow the guy in uniform to stand outside their premises. Surely they know the scam ??

Your travel tip vids are so good!! Thank you so much for the awesome content

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

You’re so welcome! Glad to have you as a subscriber! 🤗

The first one happened to my friend in Cancun and under up with a $400 bill for 2 people

❤ thank you for Informed ❤

Thanks you so much for your help with information ❤❤❤❤❤

Excellent video ❤ Thank you so much ❣️

Good job - thanks!

Excellent video. I hadn't heard of some of these.

Great tips.

Wow! Thanks for the great tips!..

This is great advice!

Thank you for your insight.

Love your content and your funnels 😊

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

🤗🤗🤗

About corrupt cops, similar thing happened to a KZreadr in Naples, Italy. The way the corrupt cops work is that at the end of the day they have to turn the money in to the sergeant then up to the chain of command. A percent will go to supplement the police operation and what's left will go back down the chain of command to the cops, each taking their cut along the way. In the US, cities, counties, towns have in their yearly budget how much money the police will collect from parking and traffic/moving violations. The last month of the cycle is when you see lots of cops around because they had not met their quota. In the end its the same objective by different means. The corrupt cops know the money they collected belong to the police department. They don't want to loose their coveted job security.

So good information 👍 thank you so much 😊

Good video. Thank you!

Thank you for the information I just joined your channel

I've had problems with sim cards in Indonesia. So helpful your videos

Brilliant, thanks

Yes thanks for this, learned a lot.

On a side note, this man's eyes are mesmerizing!

Use cash not credit cards

Currently I don't know what the situation is like. In Brazil three years ago you couldn't get a SIM without having what they call CPF, a registration with the Treasury, the passport was not valid to buy it. The solution was to buy a prepaid card in someone else's name. In many shopping centers there were people who sold them, quite cheaply, and then you recharged as the data was used up.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Yeah, we had read that it could be tricky, but we decided to go ask in the official stores just in case to see if things had changed. When they said they could start a plan for us no problem, we just trusted them!

@ahmosenefertari6397

5 ай бұрын

You can buy a prepaid with no CPF. But then you need to charge ir later.

Buying a SIM card with a credit card when traveling is just stupid

If you survived egypt then you're basically prepared for all types of scams 😂

Went to Florionopolis, Brazil for three weeks around 2011/2012. Was dumbfounded by the costs of eating out. Hole in the wall places came out to around $25-$30USD per person with no drinks. I know this was an expensive beach town but I couldn't help but to had felt we were being overcharged. Maybe my friends and I were taken advantage of or maybe prices are crazy there. Food wasn't even great for the price.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

That definitely sounds too pricey for a hole in the wall place!

@ahmosenefertari6397

5 ай бұрын

Brazil can be expensive, specially wheb youbare ordering close to the beaxh, but this price were for how many people?

Great info. New subscriber.

@ProjectUntethered

3 ай бұрын

Honored to have you! 🤓

Yeah only Carry a photo copy of your passport info page, and only pay cash! Mind you I’m talking about Thailand and scams are rare

Brazilian here, I'd say that what happened to your sim card wasn't a scam, it was pure and simple lack of organization and proper management from the company, we residents suffer that kind of stuff as well.

@ProjectUntethered

Ай бұрын

Interesting! I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse haha. Either way I wish I would've just paid extra for a travel eSIM.

I pay with cash as much as possible

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Unfortunately dealing with cash has its own set of scams and downside :/ (counterfeit bills, no recourse to block payments, many places harder to get receipts for proof of payment, etc). In the end, there’s no perfect solution, so you just have to stay vigilant with each payment method you use 🤓

I was only scammed ones in vienna, austria. We booked a 5 person room in a motel area near the 13th district. Everything was fine until we checked out. Some hungarian pimps came over and told us to pay up for the unpaid nights with the girls from one of them. None of us did that because we were 2 couples and one female :D The people in that hostel/motel came over claiming that they have proof. Two of those girls went inside our rooms for around 50 minutes and came out. No one else was seen in the footage and we luckily had a theathre card that had a confirmation email ( thank you greeting + the photo with the group with the offer to buy these pictures as a set). Without that we would have been in some real trouble because the police was oddly on their side... I mean they had footage of the girls going in but not from the time when we left the apartment nor when returned.. Doo step inn was the name. I heard the owners changed but I am not sure. Wouldnt recommend it even if it had good prices. The asked money was also on the lower end probably to make it easier wether to call the police or not. I think they´ve asked for 240€ or something.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

Wow that is crazy! So they went into your room while you were gone at the theatre? That is nuts. Hopefully you left them a bad review online to scare off other travelers from staying there!

@TDK67DK

5 ай бұрын

@@ProjectUntethered We did and we also saw reviews of other people talking about similar situations, like broken walls which were presumably not damaged by the guests. I guess they try to scam from time to time with different things.

@ProjectUntethered

5 ай бұрын

@TDK67DK wow that’s crazy… seems like nowadays you have to record everything upon arrival to avoid these scammers. Or try to always read reviews beforehand if possible. It’s sad :/

Thanks!

Thank you.

Thank you

Who eats in restaurants of this kind filled only by tourists? Eat in places crowded by locals. They know where the food is cheap and best.

@watersbey25

4 ай бұрын

And enjoy getting sick. They may serve delicious cheap food, but hygiene goes out the door Pay extra for boring bland food and save yourself from getting sick.

I love your English, shared with ppl learning the language

@ProjectUntethered

4 күн бұрын

Thanks for the compliment! I've had some people comment making fun of the way I talk, but I think it's because I've subconsciously trained myself to speak slow and clear since my wife isn't a native speaker 😇

Thanks so much for the Esim discount code. I just signed up for my next travel destination to check out how it goes and with your code it cost me almost nothing :)

@ProjectUntethered

4 ай бұрын

You're very welcome!!

very good advice

At a restaurant here in Ontario, they bring the machine to the table and you never have to let your card out of your hand to pay. Interesting to hear about the tap ATM - I have never seen that as an option, but I will be sure not to use it. You have some great advice and information. I just wish my phone could accept an e-sim card but it's not compatible; maybe with my next phone.

@BrianRP1209

4 ай бұрын

When I’m finished at an ATM I always make sure my account is logged out.