Russia
Common tourist scams in Russia and how to avoid them
The most common tourist scams in Russia are inflated taxi fares, especially from airports, and overcharging or short-changing in tourist-area bars and shops. Agree the price before you get in a cab, use a metered app, and count your change. Read your own government's travel advice before any trip, since the wider risk picture changes.
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Key facts
- Most common scam
- Unmetered airport taxi quoting a flat, inflated fare
- Second most common
- Bar or club bill inflated with items you did not order
- Safest taxi move
- Order through an app with a fixed price shown before pickup
- Currency
- Russian ruble (RUB); carry small notes for change
- Emergency number
- 112
- Official advice first
- Check your government's travel advice page before booking
Details
Scams in Russia follow the pattern you see in most big cities: they target people who have just arrived, are tired, and do not know the local price. The airport taxi is the classic. A driver approaches inside the terminal, offers a ride, and names a fare several times the normal rate. The fix is simple: ignore anyone who approaches you, walk to the official rank or order a car through an app, and check the price on screen before you get in.
In bars and clubs around the main tourist streets, the risk is the bill. A venue with staff outside inviting you in, no prices on the menu, or a host who orders drinks for you is a warning sign. Ask for the menu with prices first, keep your own tab, and pay item by item if you can. If the bill looks wrong, ask for an itemised receipt and stay calm; arguing loudly rarely helps.
Money handling is the third area. Short-changing is common where tourists pay with large notes, and so is the 'helpful' stranger who offers to break a note or use an ATM for you. Count your change before you leave the counter, use ATMs inside bank branches during opening hours, and do not let anyone stand close enough to see your PIN.
Pickpocketing is a real but ordinary risk in crowds: metro stations, markets, and busy tourist squares in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket or zipped bag, and do not keep everything in one place.
- Agree the fare or use a metered app before you get in any car.
- Ask to see a menu with prices before ordering in an unfamiliar bar.
- Count your change every time, especially after paying with a large note.
- Keep cash split between two places and your phone out of a back pocket.
- If a deal feels rushed or too helpful, walk away.
| Scam | Where it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Inflated taxi fare | Airports, main rail stations | Use an app or the official rank; agree the price first |
| Inflated bar bill | Tourist streets, nightlife districts | Ask for a priced menu; keep your own tab |
| Short change | Kiosks, markets, small shops | Count change before leaving; pay with smaller notes |
| Fake 'helper' at ATM | Near banks and metro exits | Use ATMs inside branches; cover your PIN |
| Pickpocketing | Metro, markets, crowded squares | Front pockets, zipped bag, split your cash |
Patterns vary by city; treat this as a starting checklist, not a fixed list.
Tips
Learn a few words of Russian for prices and numbers. Being able to read a menu or a meter removes most of the room a scammer needs. A translation app on your phone covers the rest.
Keep a photo of your passport and visa page, and a separate note of your embassy's phone number. If you are scammed, the practical steps are: stop paying, ask for an itemised receipt, and if you feel unsafe, leave. Report serious cases to the police on 112 and to your embassy, and tell your bank immediately if a card was involved.
Before you travel, read your own government's advice for Russia. The security picture is not the same as a normal tourist destination, and the advice pages are updated more often than any guide. This page covers street-level scams only; it does not replace that advice.
Questions people ask
What are the most common tourist scams in Russia?
Inflated taxi fares, especially from airports, and bar or club bills padded with drinks you did not order. Short-changing and pickpocketing in crowds are also common. Agree prices first, use a metered app, and count your change.
Is Russia safe from pickpockets?
No city is. Pickpocketing happens in metro stations, markets and busy tourist squares in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket or zipped bag, and split your cash between two places.
What should I do if I am scammed in Russia?
Stop paying, ask for an itemised receipt, and leave if you feel unsafe. Call 112 to report a serious case, contact your embassy, and tell your bank at once if a card was used. Keep any receipts or messages as evidence.
Deep dive
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