Havana
Havana scams: what to watch for
In Havana the money is the main target: change money only at a bank or CADECA, count your change, and never hand your card to anyone. Expect inflated taxi fares, fake 'free' guides and cigar or rum offers on the street. Walk the old town by day, take a taxi after dark, and keep a second cash stash.
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GuideHavana
Key facts
- Top risk
- Cash and change: short-changing, fake notes, street money changers
- Change money at
- Bank or CADECA office; keep the receipt
- Taxi from the airport
- Agree the price in CUP or USD before you get in; official taxis only
- Cards
- US-issued cards generally do not work; never let a card leave your sight
- After dark
- Use a taxi rather than walking Centro Habana side streets
- Emergency
- 106 police · 104 ambulance · 105 fire
- If robbed
- Police report at the station, then your embassy; a report helps insurance
Top picks: the scams that actually cost you money
Most Havana scams need your cash in their hand for a few seconds. The fix is boring and works: know the price first, hold the notes yourself, and count what comes back before you walk away.
The second group is about trust. Anyone who approaches you in the street with a plan for your evening — a cheap cigar, a bar with live music, a friend's paladar — is selling something. That does not make every friendly Cuban a scammer, but the ones who open the conversation are working.
- Best single habit: hold your own cash and count the change.
- Second habit: agree every price before the service starts.
- Third habit: keep a spare 50–100 USD hidden separately from your wallet.
| Scam | Where it happens | What it costs | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short change | Paladares, bars, street stalls | 200–1,000 CUP per round (2026 estimate) | Count change before leaving; pay with smaller notes |
| Fake or torn notes | Street money changers, taxi drivers | One note's worth | Change money only at a bank or CADECA |
| Taxi overcharge | Airport, Vedado, Old Town ranks | 10–30 USD above the fair fare (2026 estimate) | Agree the price before getting in; use official taxis |
| 'Free' guide or helper | Old Town, Plaza de la Revolución | 5–20 USD expected at the end | Say no at the start; hire guides through your hotel |
| Cigar and rum offers | Street, Malecón, near hotels | 20–100 USD for fakes (2026 estimate) | Buy at official shops with a receipt |
| Card or ATM help | ATMs, small shops | Your whole balance | Never let anyone hold your card or watch your PIN |
| Bar tab surprise | Bars with live music | Adds 20–50 USD (2026 estimate) | Ask for the menu price before ordering |
Prices are 2026 estimates in CUP or USD; the peso rate moves, so treat the dollar figures as a band (check).
Prices and hours: what things should cost
Knowing the going rate removes most of the leverage a scammer has. Cuban peso prices are low; anything quoted in dollars to a visitor is usually a tourist price. If a number sounds like a Western city price, it is not the local one.
Banks and CADECA exchange offices keep weekday hours and shorter Saturday hours; queues are normal. Carry your passport when changing money, and keep the receipt — some hotels ask for it. Street changers offer a better-looking rate and hand back notes that are torn, fake or simply fewer than agreed.
- Ask '¿Cuánto es?' and repeat the number back before you commit.
- Pay in the currency you were quoted in; switching currencies mid-payment invites confusion.
- Keep small notes; big notes are where short-changing starts.
| Item | Typical price (2026 estimate) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Official taxi, airport to Old Town | 25–30 USD | Agree before boarding; check the meter or fixed price |
| Taxi across the city centre | 5–10 USD | Short hops in CUP are cheaper |
| Bici-taxi, short ride | 2–5 USD | Agree the total, not per person |
| Coffee or a beer, local place | 1–3 USD | Menu price, not a spoken price |
| Paladar meal for two | 20–40 USD | Check whether a service charge is added |
| Cigar, official shop | From about 10 USD | Receipt proves it is genuine |
| Bank or CADECA hours | Weekdays, shorter Saturday hours | Bring your passport |
Bank and CADECA opening hours vary by branch and can change with power cuts; confirm locally (check).
How to get there and move around safely
Most visitors land at José Martí International Airport and take a taxi or a pre-booked transfer into the city. Use the official taxi rank rather than anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a ride. If you have arranged a casa particular or hotel transfer, confirm the driver's name and the price in writing before you fly.
Inside Havana, official taxis and app-based or hotel-arranged cars are the simple option after dark. Walking is fine in the daytime in Old Town, Vedado and along the Malecón where there are other people around; the side streets of Centro Habana are where visitors report the most trouble at night. Bici-taxis are cheap and fine for short daylight hops once the price is agreed.
Carry only what you need for the day. Leave your passport, spare cards and most of your cash in a hotel safe or a locked bag, and split the rest between two pockets.
- Airport: official rank or pre-booked transfer, price agreed first.
- Day: walk the busy streets; keep bags in front of you.
- Night: taxi, not a walk through quiet blocks.
- Always: a small amount of cash in one pocket, the rest hidden.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What scams target tourists in Havana?
The common ones are short-changing and fake notes, inflated taxi fares, 'free' guides who expect payment at the end, counterfeit cigars and rum sold on the street, and bars that add charges you did not agree. Almost all of them need you to hand over cash or a card, so control that moment.
Is Havana safe at night?
Old Town, Vedado and the Malecón are busy and generally fine in the evening. Centro Habana side streets are where visitors report the most incidents, so take a taxi rather than walking. Carry little cash and no valuables you would hate to lose.
What should I do if my wallet is stolen in Havana?
Report it at the nearest police station and get a written report — you need it for insurance and for replacing a passport. Then contact your embassy and cancel your cards. Emergency numbers: police 106, ambulance 104, fire 105.
Should I change money on the street?
No. Use a bank or CADECA office, bring your passport and keep the receipt. Street changers offer a better-looking rate and hand back torn, fake or too few notes, and you have no recourse afterwards.
Are the cigars sold on the street real?
Assume not. Buy at official shops and keep the receipt; genuine boxes carry a guarantee seal. Street sellers near hotels and on the Malecón mostly move counterfeit stock at prices that look like a bargain.
Do credit cards work in Havana?
US-issued cards generally do not work in Cuba, and many other foreign cards fail too. Treat the trip as cash-only, bring enough for the whole stay, and never let a card leave your sight if a machine does accept it.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialCuba Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Havana
- secondaryWikivoyage – Cuba