Common tourist scams in French Polynesia and how to avoid them

French Polynesia is not a destination where official advice tells you to watch your bag every minute, and the scams that dominate other countries — fake police, bracelet sellers, rigged card games — are not part of the everyday picture described in government travel advice. What is reported is quieter and mostly about money: card fraud in Papeete (check), taxi fares that are not what you expected (check), and tours sold by people who may not be licensed to run them (check). Treat each of these as a precaution, not a certainty.

The card issue is the one to plan around. Skimming at ATMs and at some small terminals in Papeete is reported (check), and it is easy to reduce: use ATMs inside a bank branch or a mall during opening hours, cover the keypad, and check the machine for a loose card slot or extra plastic around the reader. If a terminal is handed to you on a cable and taken out of sight, ask to walk to the counter instead. Keep one card separate from the one you use daily.

Dynamic currency conversion is not a scam exactly, but it can cost you (check). When a terminal or an online booking offers to charge you in US dollars, pounds or euros instead of CFP francs, the rate is set by the merchant and is usually worse than your bank's. Choose XPF every time. The same applies to Air Tahiti and ferry bookings made from abroad (check).

Taxis are the second common friction point (check). Fares from Faa'a airport into Papeete are short, and practice on metering varies, so agree the number before you get in or ask for the meter. Ride-hailing is limited outside Papeete, so plan the return trip as well. On the islands, guesthouses often arrange transfers for a set price, which removes the negotiation.

Excursions are where the money is biggest. Lagoon tours, whale swims, diving and boat transfers are sold by hotels, by dive shops and by individuals on the quay. Licensed operators should carry insurance and safety gear; some informal operators may not (check). If a price is far below the others, ask who runs the boat, what the safety equipment is, and whether the operator is registered. Your hotel or a PADI dive centre can confirm.

Rental cars and scooters are a smaller version of the same issue. Photograph the vehicle before you drive away, note existing damage on the form, and check whether the insurance covers the lagoon-side roads and the mountain passes. Scooter rentals in particular sometimes come with no helmet or a helmet that does not fit; that is a safety problem rather than a scam, but it is worth refusing.

Finally, the pearl and vanilla shops. Prices vary widely and quality claims are hard to verify. Buy from a shop with a fixed address and a receipt, ask for the pearl's certificate if it is sold as certified, and remember that a good price on a black pearl is not evidence of a scam — but pressure to buy now, before you have compared, is a reason to walk out.

Carry some CFP francs. Cards work in Papeete and at resorts, but pensions, small shops and island taxis may be cash only, and the nearest ATM can be a boat ride away (check).

Tell your bank you are travelling. A blocked card in the islands is a slow problem to fix.

Keep a photo of your passport and card numbers somewhere separate from the originals.

For emergencies the police number is 17 and medical is 15; 112 works from mobiles. For card fraud, contact your bank first; for anything that needs an official report, follow the reporting route given in your government's travel advice rather than calling 17 unless it is an emergency.

For anything booked online before you arrive, pay by card rather than bank transfer. Card payments can be disputed; transfers usually cannot.