Istanbul, just like every world city, has to cope with its typical tourist scams. Although most Turks are unbelievably honest and would go the extra mile to help you rather than rip you off, in a city with well over 18 million inhabitants, you’ll always find a few people with different intentions. This shouldn’t scare you, on the contrary. Compared to other world cities, Istanbul has fewer tourist traps, and thanks to this post you will be able to spot and avoid these Istanbul tourist scams easily. Once you’re done, don’t forget to check out how to prevent popular Istanbul taxi scams, too.
The Setting
Before I dive into the details of each different Istanbul tourist scam, keep the following in mind:
- Most of these rip-offs occur in Istanbul’s very touristic, crowded and/or busy places, e.g. Sultanhamet Square, Istiklal Caddesi, Cumhurriyet Caddesi, Taksim Square and its surrounding streets. Therefore, you are less likely to come across scams in residential areas such as Cihangir.
- Their preferred targets are tourists travelling alone (Let’s Have a Drink) or in very small groups
- If you suspect a scam coming up and don’t accept their invitation right from the start, they will never get rude or insult you, and just move on
Let’s Have a Drink
Goal — Get you to enter one of their bars with overpriced drinks and underdressed women. The result is always the same: you end up with a huge bill, often into hundreds of Euros.
Target — Single white men
Set-up — A well-dressed man, fluent in English, approaches you and tries to start a conversation. If you’re a smoker he’ll ask you for a lighter (and if you pay close attention, you may even notice him throwing away a burning sigarette seconds earlier). If you’re not, then he may just walk up to you. And even if you’re sitting alone at a terrace table, he may sit down at the table next to you and start a conversation this way.
Regardless of his approach, the conversation will always lead in the same direction: whether you would like to join him for some after work drinks in a great place (of a friend of his) that he knows.
How to Avoid — Never take advice from complete strangers about establishments worth trying out. You’ll find a nice selection of the best cafés, bars and nightclubs on this site. Just tell him you’re waiting/meeting with two or three other friends and are not interested. Right from the start decline his invitation and move on. Don’t promise ‘tomorrow’, because he may keep on trying his chance for days to come.
Carpet or Leather Shop
Goal — Get you to buy goods in shops he works for, and where you with near certainty won’t get the best bargain.
Target — Anybody wandering around in Sultanahmet and the Grand Bazaar
Set-up — A very friendly guy, fluent in several languages, will ask if you are lost and need some help in locating some of the sightseeing spots and/or Grand Bazaar shops. And as he ‘guides’ you, he’ll pass some of his shops and remember he had to drop something off. He will of course invite you in to meet his family member(s).
Before you know it, you’ll be drinking tea, listening to how only they still make quality leather or carpets, and why you should buy something there. If you manage to keep your wallets closed, he promises to take you to the place you were actually looking for … and the whole procedure starts again.
How to Avoid — When people offer to guide you around, be aware. Instead, if you’re really lost, you take the initiative by asking someone.
Pickpocketing
Goal — Steal your wallet or other valuables.
Target — Careless tourists.
Set-up — None! Any crowded street, public transport, or place will do.
How to Avoid — Just like any Turk, keep your wallet in the front pockets of your pants, wear your handbags within eyesight and carry back-packs on the front of your body. Make sure all the zippers are properly closed. Also, never leave bags or other valuables such as mobile phones, iPods, etc. unattended on (terrace) tables or easy to grab for bypassers.
Shoe Shine
Goal — Talk you into getting a shoe shine (for free) and overcharge you afterwards.
Target — Singles, couples, small families or groups
Set-up — They have mainly two tricks up their sleeve to get them to polish your shoes. Either they walk past you and drop their brush on one of your shoes, or they walk in front of you and drop their brush hoping you would pick it up and hand it to him. The result for both cases is the same: to apologize or as a token of gratitude, they start shining your shoes. While you think it’s for free, he’ll demand you to pay much more than the price of a regular shoe shine. If you start arguing, more of his ‘colleagues’ will show up to back him up.
How to Avoid — Don’t pick up the brush and just keep on walking. In case the brush fell on your shoe, tell him that it’s ok and move on. Having said this, there are plenty of legitimate shoe shines in Istanbul doing a great job. They normally don’t move around and ask between 5 and 10 TL. Agree on the price beforehand — for both shoes! (another trick)
Restaurants 1
Goal — Overcharge tourists.
Target — Unaware tourists.
Set-up — They offer tourists a different price list (in their own language) than locals, with prices significantly higher than they would charge locals.
How to Avoid — Compare the Turkish price list with the one you got, but if nobody in your group speaks Turkish, it’s pretty difficult to do. Make sure to have a good look at the price list, and compare it with the same dishes at similar establishments. Only enter if it looks reasonable for what you anticipate to get.
Restaurants 2
Goal — Make you pay for things you didn’t order (but consumed).
Target — Unaware hungry tourists.
Set-up — This mostly happens in restaurants specifically geared towards tourists. You and your friends are hungry and tired, sit down, flip through the menu and order your meal, not really paying attention to what’s included and what’s not. You also order a few beers, for example. If you don’t specify which beer brand you prefer, surely he’ll bring you the more expensive Miler than instead of the cheaper local Efes.
While waiting for your food, the waiter brings your aperitifs and puts some nuts or bread on the table. Besides the ordered drinks, he also pour everyone a glass of water. Hungry as you are, everyone digs in and consumes the bread and plate of nuts, thinking this is complementary. Of course you’ll find those items on your bill later on. The same with “can I happen some more french fries, please?” This more often than not will be jotted down as an extra portion.
How to Avoid — Pay close attention to what you’re ordering, and when in doubt specifically ask the waiter what comes with the dish and what you need to order extra. Also be very specific while ordering, and be sure to immediately send back anything you didn’t order and without touching or trying it.
Taxi Scams
Goal — Overcharge you for the ride.
Target — Anybody
Set-up — Traffic jams, short cuts, etc.
How to Avoid — Check out Tips To Prevent Popular Istanbul Taxi Scams.
Dean says
This is so true. When I was in Istanbul, I exited a restaurant and a guy came up to me and said ‘thank you for coming to my restaurant’. I s/h known there and then. He then led me to his ‘new’ cafe. we had a drink and when the bill came, basically I lost about $700. When I tried to speak 5 tough guys showed up. Fortunately, I still had some money back at the hotel. Never again will I be so naive.
Jay says
A victim of a common scam in Istanbul – on 27th January 2020
Dear readers,
I would like to describe my experience of how I unfortunately became a victim of a common scam in Istanbul.
I was a tourist and stayed in Sultanahment, Istanbul, Turkey for 5 days. I was approached by a Turkish man on a Monday evening, who spoke exceptional English and Turkish. He appeared to be quite knowledgeable with regards to tourist locations and the history revolving such places. He was dressed in fashionable clothes. He offered to be my guide for around 1-2 hours showing me the major landmarks. As I had no particular plans that evening, I let him accompany me.
We soon arrived at a local cafe and had two cups of chai (tea), which I offered to pay for. At this point I recall the man looking into the contents of my wallet, possibly to assess how much money I had. I didn’t think much about it at the time. The man then bought a cheap loaf of bread. As the evening drew on, he suggested that we go to a bar for a quick drink. I didn’t want to be disrespectful, so I said I would join him only for a short while (in hindsight this was a major mistake on my part, I should have been more vigilant).
We arrived at a bar located in Taksim square, the entrance to the building was quite narrow, and it had a title “tattoos and piercings”, we went to the top floor (3rd floor). There was a bar and girls and mature women parading without much clothes on. The man “offered to buy me a drink”, and I initially declined. When he kept on insisting about a drink, I said a fruit juice would be good. He ordered a beer for himself. We were soon accompanied by a couple of girls along with a bottle of champagne. During this time the man leaves you with the impression that the drinks are entirely on him!
The champagne bottles kept on arriving (I don’t drink alcohol), so the champagne was consumed by the girls and the guy that brought me to the bar. At this point it looked very suspect, and I asked where the toilet was, as I really wanted to escape. I was told the toilet was out of order, (the toilets were on the ground floor), and I was told that I couldn’t leave until the bill arrived (again more alarm bells ringing).
The bill was brought and the amount was for 4, 400 Turkish lira, around over £500. I disputed the bill, and said to the owner of the bar (who was about 6’ 2”, and well built), that the man brought me here and offered to buy me a drink. At this the owner pushed the man who fell onto a comfy sofa cushion (it was obvious this was nothing but drama, a well scripted pantomime being played out). The owner then looked towards me as if hinting to do the same to me. There were many other staff around who were blocking my exit to the building. In order to prevent any form of further altercation, and possibly also prevent sustaining bruises at least to myself, I very reluctantly had to hand over the contents of my wallet. This was 300 Turkish lira and cash of £60, so in total about £100 cash (i.e. British Pounds).
Whilst they were counting the cash and security checking the £60 notes, I discreetly slipped my debit card into my pants and fortunately they didn’t get me to strip! Once they were satisfied the cash I had was legit, and once they gave up on looking for any debit/credit cards, only then was I allowed to leave the premises.
The morale of the story is, if a complete stranger approaches you in Turkey, please just kindly say “no thank you”, and promptly walk away. I promise you, it will save you at least £100 in cash!
P.S: the above was definitely a scam. After I excited the building I attempted to take photos of the man that lead me to the bar. He kept on blocking the camera on my phone. I managed to get a photo from the side of his face and took a photo of his back whilst he was briskly walking away from me. Essentially the man gets a big commission from the bar, for swindling unsuspecting tourists, hence this explains the modern trendy and expensive clothes he was wearing.
If you don’t look Turkish then you will be a prime target. These fraudsters prey on tourists.
Erlend says
Hi Jay,
Thanks for sharing this, a perfect example of the “Let’s have a drink” scam in my article. I’m glad you could hide your credit card, if not the would have accompanied you to an ATM to withdraw the rest of the money.
Again, most Turks are very welcoming and hospitable, with the best of intentions to make your stay as nice as possible. Unfortunately, there are always a dozen of rotten apples who ruin it for everyone.
marilen tomacruz says
Me and my husband are traveling to istanbul this april for a week, Is Sultanamet the best area to stay at? Thank you.
Erlend says
Hi Marilen,
Have you read this post on how to choose between Sultanahmet and Taksim?
Hope this helps.
Amir says
Be careful of the fake money!! A taxi told me that if a money has a letter for example, C before the numbers its not for taxi and its only for shopping!! Lol what a BS!! And he told me that i need to give him 100 turkish lira so he can exchange the rest. If you give the money, in return he will give you fake copied money. And also this happen near Bosphorus cruise trip
Erlend says
Thanks for sharing this Amir.
Nasi says
I m now in Istanbul and I faced few of these scams
I suggest For single tourist to be very careful before visiting any night club or bars . Group of people targeting and trying to steal money from single tourists … in fact I say , never go alone to any bars or nightclubs near Taksim.
Panca says
Another type of approach they are doing is pretending to take selfie and asking for help to take the picture..introduce himself as a civil engineer, offerring you meals and he paid for it, then ask you to spend sometime with beer in the bar..come out with extra ordinary bill.
Erlend says
Thanks for sharing this.
Habib Mahdaoui says
A white man who bring you to a Bar (their Bar), and the bill is $120 a bottle! Because one of their girls set beside you and wa talking to you.. according to the boss, you were enjoying girl sitting beside you 😆😆😆 crazy people..