Common tourist scams in Peru and how to avoid them

Scams in Peru follow the tourist calendar. In Lima they cluster around Miraflores, Barranco, the airport and the bus terminals. In Cusco they cluster around the Plaza de Armas, the road up to Sacsayhuamán and the train station for Aguas Calientes. Knowing which one belongs to which place is most of the defence.

The fake police stop is the one that costs the most. Someone shows a badge or a lanyard, says there is a drug or counterfeit-money problem, and asks to see your wallet, your dollars or your passport. Real police do not inspect your cash on the street. Say no, keep walking to a bank, hotel or shop with staff, and offer to continue the conversation at a police station. Never hand over notes to be 'checked' — the count that comes back is always lower.

Taxi scams run in two directions. The driver quotes a flat fare far above the meter, or takes a long route, or hands back change in counterfeit soles or old withdrawn notes. The fix is simple: use a ride-hailing app where you can, agree the price before you get in when you cannot, and pay with small notes you have counted yourself. At Lima airport, ignore the touts inside arrivals and use the official taxi counters or an app pickup point.

At ATMs, watch for skimming devices on the card slot and for anyone offering to 'help' when the machine eats your card. Use ATMs inside bank branches or shopping malls during the day, cover the keypad, and decline dynamic currency conversion — pay in soles, not in your home currency. If a machine behaves oddly, cancel and use another bank.

Ticket and tour scams are common in Cusco. Someone sells you a Machu Picchu entry, a Sacred Valley tour or a bus ticket that does not exist, or a 'combo' that is more expensive than buying each part at the counter. Buy Machu Picchu entry from the official government channel, buy bus and train tickets from the operator's own office or site, and treat anyone approaching you on the plaza as a salesperson, not an official.

Smaller ones add up: the restaurant menu with two prices, the 'free' walking tour that ends with a hard sell, the shoe-shine that starts on your shoes before you agree, the spiked drink in a bar, and the distraction team on a crowded bus. None of these are dangerous if you keep your bag in front of you and your phone out of your hand at street level.

Carry two wallets: a small one with a day's spending and an old card, and a hidden one with the rest. If someone demands your wallet, you hand over the small one.

Photograph your passport, entry stamp and insurance policy and keep them in cloud storage. Carry the passport itself only when you need it; a photocopy is enough for most checks.

Learn three phrases: no, gracias; no entiendo; llamo a la policía. A calm no in Spanish ends most approaches faster than an argument in English.

Use the emergency numbers: 105 police, 116 fire, 106 SAMU ambulance. Save them before you land.

If you are scammed, report it at the nearest police station and get a copy of the report — insurers usually ask for one. Cancel cards immediately if a card was involved.