Delhi
Delhi scams: what to watch for
The scams that hit Delhi visitors hardest are the airport and station taxi overcharge, the "closed today" line outside monuments and shops, and fake travel agents selling train tickets or tours. Agree the fare or use an app before you get in, buy tickets only on official sites, and walk away from anyone who approaches you first.
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GuideDelhi
Key facts
- Most common
- Taxi and auto overcharge, especially at the airport and New Delhi station
- Second most common
- "Closed today" at monuments, then a redirect to a shop or agency
- Ticket rule
- Buy train tickets on IRCTC and monument tickets on the ASI site only
- Auto fare
- Meter or agreed price before you sit; app cabs avoid the argument
- Emergency
- 112 (all services)
- Card and cash
- Keep small rupee notes; ₹10–500 notes are the working currency
Top picks: the scams worth knowing
Delhi's tourist scams are not exotic. Almost all of them run on one move: someone approaches you first, creates a small problem, and offers to solve it for money. If you remember only that, you avoid most of them.
The three that cost the most are transport overcharging, the "closed today" redirect, and fake ticketing or tour agencies. The rest — the shoe-shine that ruins a shoe, the bracelet tied on your wrist, the "free" guide at a monument — cost a few hundred rupees and a bit of temper.
| Scam | Where it happens | Typical cost | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi or auto overcharge | IGI Airport, New Delhi station, Connaught Place | ₹300–1,500 over the fair fare (2026 estimate) | Use an app cab or the prepaid taxi desk; agree the price first |
| "Closed today" redirect | Outside Red Fort, Jama Masjid, shops in Connaught Place | ₹500–5,000 in a shop or agency | Check the official site; walk to the gate yourself |
| Fake travel agent | Paharganj, Connaught Place | ₹1,000–20,000 | Book trains on IRCTC, tours through your hotel or a known operator |
| Gem or carpet "investment" | Hotel lobbies, Karol Bagh | ₹10,000+ | No legitimate shop sells to tourists as an investment |
| Fake tourist office | Near New Delhi station | ₹500–3,000 | There is no official walk-in tourist office selling tours |
| Bracelet or shoe-shine | Monument gates, markets | ₹100–500 | Say no and keep walking; do not let anyone touch your shoes |
Prices and hours
Fares and ticket prices change, so treat the numbers below as bands, not quotes. The rule that matters is the same everywhere: know the price before you commit, and pay the official counter or the app, never a person who walked up to you.
Delhi's monuments keep roughly daylight hours and most close on Mondays or Fridays; check the ASI listing for the day you plan to go, because that is exactly the excuse the "closed today" scam uses. The Red Fort and Qutub Minar are the two where touts work hardest.
| Item | Price (2026 estimate) | Hours / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airport prepaid taxi to central Delhi | ₹500–700 | Desk inside the terminal, 24 hours |
| App cab, airport to central Delhi | ₹400–800 | 24 hours; surge at night |
| Auto-rickshaw, short central hop | ₹50–150 | Meter or agreed; refuse the flat "tourist" rate |
| Metro, single journey | ₹10–60 | About 05:00–23:00 (check) |
| Red Fort entry, foreign visitor | ₹500–600 | Sunrise to sunset, closed Mondays (check) |
| Qutub Minar entry, foreign visitor | ₹500–600 | Sunrise to sunset, open daily (check) |
| Humayun's Tomb entry, foreign visitor | ₹500–600 | Sunrise to sunset, open daily (check) |
| Official guide at a monument | ₹1,000–2,500 | Book at the ASI counter, not at the gate |
Prices are 2026 estimates; confirm at the official counter (check).
How to get there
The scams cluster where travellers arrive tired and unfamiliar: IGI Airport, New Delhi railway station and the Paharganj lanes beside it, and the area around Connaught Place. If you land at IGI, walk past the men asking "taxi?" inside the arrivals hall and use the prepaid desk or the app pickup zone. At New Delhi station, ignore anyone who offers to "show you" the ticket office; the official counters are signposted and the IRCTC site works from your phone.
For the rest of the city, the Delhi Metro is the cleanest way to avoid the transport argument entirely. It runs roughly 05:00–23:00 (check), costs ₹10–60 a ride, and reaches most of the places a first-time visitor wants. Autos and cabs are fine too, as long as you set the price or the meter before the wheels move.
- Airport: prepaid taxi desk or app pickup, never a driver who approaches you inside
- New Delhi station: official counters only; buy online on IRCTC where you can
- Monuments: buy at the ASI counter or online, not from a man with a clipboard
- Around: Metro for most trips; app cab or metered auto for the rest
FAQ
Questions people ask
What scams target tourists in Delhi?
Taxi and auto overcharging, especially from IGI Airport and New Delhi station; the "closed today" line outside monuments, which sends you to a shop or agency; fake travel agents selling train tickets or tours; gem and carpet "investment" pitches; and small hustles at monument gates such as bracelet-tying and shoe-shine damage.
Is Delhi safe at night?
Central areas such as Connaught Place and the hotel districts are busy and generally fine for the walk back to your hotel. Use an app cab after dark rather than hailing, keep to lit main roads, and avoid empty stretches around stations. Women travellers report more hassle; a cab booked through an app is the usual fix.
What should I do if my wallet is stolen in Delhi?
Call 112, then file a police report at the nearest station — you need the copy for insurance and for replacing a passport. Block your cards through your bank's app, and contact your embassy or consulate for emergency documents. Keep a photo of your passport and a spare card somewhere separate from your wallet.
Do I need to worry about the water and food?
Drink sealed bottled or filtered water, and eat at busy places where food is cooked to order. Delhi's tap water is not for drinking (check). Stomach upsets are common in the first days; see the food and markets page for where to eat.
How do I avoid taxi overcharging at the airport?
Use the prepaid taxi desk inside the terminal or book an app cab to a marked pickup zone. Both give you a fixed price before you move. Ignore anyone who approaches you in the arrivals hall offering a taxi.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialIncredible India (Ministry of Tourism)
- officialDelhi Tourism
- officialIndian Railways IRCTC
- officialArchaeological Survey of India
- officialDelhi Metro Rail Corporation
- secondaryWikivoyage – Delhi