Greece
Common tourist scams in Greece and how to avoid them
The scams that cost most in Greece are the quiet ones: taxi meters that never start, menus without prices, and inflated bills in heavy tourist zones. Agree the fare or insist on the meter before you move, and read the bill before you pay. Pickpocketing is a real but smaller risk, mostly on packed Athens metro and buses.
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Key facts
- Most common
- Taxi meter not used, unpriced menus, inflated bills, fake tour or ticket sellers
- Where
- Athens tourist core (Plaka, Monastiraki, Syntagma), port areas, island ferry quays
- Taxi rulecheck
- Meter must run; ask for a receipt with the licence number
- Card rule
- Keep the card in sight; never let it leave for a 'second terminal'
- Emergency
- 112 general · 100 police · 1571 tourist police
- Report a scam
- Tourist police 1571; keep the receipt and licence plate
- Pickpocket riskcheck
- Moderate in crowds; low outside cities and resorts
Details
Greece is a low-violence destination for visitors; the losses are usually small and avoidable. The pattern to watch is a price that was never stated: a taxi that starts moving without the meter, a taverna table with no menu prices, a boat trip sold at the quay for cash with no ticket. Fix the price before the service starts and most of these disappear.
Taxis and transfers. Insist the meter is on before you sit back, or agree a flat fare in writing or on the app before departure. Airport and port runs are the classic case. If the driver refuses the meter, take the next car. Keep the receipt; it carries the licence number, which is what the tourist police ask for.
Restaurants and bars. In the busiest squares of Athens, Mykonos and Santorini, ask for the price list before ordering, check the bill line by line, and pay in euros rather than letting the terminal choose the conversion. A cover charge per person is normal in Greece; a cover charge that appears twice is not.
Tickets and tours. Buy Acropolis and museum tickets at the official ticket office or the official online shop, not from someone on the pavement. Ferry and inter-island tickets come from the ferry company, a licensed agency or a booking platform, not from a stranger at the port holding a clipboard.
Cards and ATMs. Use bank-branded ATMs, decline the machine's own conversion rate and let your bank do it, and cover the keypad. At a till, keep the card in your hand or in sight; a request to 'try the other terminal in the back' is the moment to cancel the sale.
Pickpockets. Crowded metro cars on Line 1 and Line 3, the Monastiraki and Syntagma areas, and packed ferries in July and August are the places to keep bags zipped and in front. Nothing here is violent; the risk is a hand in an open bag.
Street 'help'. A stranger who offers to help with the ticket machine and then asks for money, a bracelet pressed onto your wrist, or a petition to sign are all ways to get close to your pockets. A firm no and a step back is enough.
| Situation | The move | What it costs if you miss it |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi at airport or port | Meter on, or flat fare agreed first | €10–40 extra (2026 estimate) |
| Taverna with no prices | Ask for the price list before ordering | Bill 30–50% above normal (2026 estimate) |
| Card terminal | Pay in EUR, keep card in sight | 3–5% conversion markup |
| Acropolis or museum ticket | Official ticket office or official site | Fake or resold ticket, full loss |
| Ferry ticket at the quay | Ferry company, licensed agency or platform | No valid ticket, no refund |
| ATM | Bank-branded machine, decline conversion | 3–7% on the withdrawal |
Cost bands are 2026 estimates; the exact figure depends on the route, the bill and your bank.
Tips
- Screenshot your booking and the agreed fare before you get in the car.
- Carry small notes and coins; 'no change' is a common way to round a bill up.
- Photograph the taxi plate and the receipt if the fare looks wrong.
- Use the official ticket site or app for the Acropolis, and arrive early rather than buying from touts.
- Keep one card and a little cash separate from your main wallet.
- In a crowd, move your phone and wallet to a front pocket or a zipped bag worn in front.
- If a price is not written down, ask before you order, sit or board.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What are the most common tourist scams in Greece?
Taxi meters that are not started, menus and bills with no stated prices, inflated charges in heavy tourist zones, fake ticket or tour sellers near major sites and ports, and card or ATM tricks that add a currency conversion. Pickpocketing in crowds is the other regular report.
Is Greece safe from pickpockets?
Greece is generally safe, but pickpocketing happens in crowded places: Athens metro lines 1 and 3, Monastiraki and Syntagma, markets and packed summer ferries. Keep bags zipped and in front of you, and split your cash and cards. Violent crime against visitors is rare.
What should I do if I am scammed in Greece?
Stop the payment if you still can, keep the receipt, licence plate or booking reference, and report it to the tourist police on 1571 (or 100 for police, 112 for emergencies). Tell your bank at once if a card was involved. Small losses are usually not recovered, so prevention is the main defence.
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