Common tourist scams in United Kingdom and how to avoid them

Scams aimed at visitors in the UK are usually small and quick: a distraction, a rushed decision, or a card that leaves your sight for a moment. The specific scripts change by city and season, so treat the list below as examples to recognise rather than a fixed set (check).

Ticket fraud: someone outside a stadium, arena or major attraction offers spare or last-minute tickets, often at or below face value. Counterfeit, already-used or never-delivered tickets are the risk. Buy only from the venue box office, the official ticketing site or a licensed reseller, and be wary of any deal that has to be closed in cash on the street (check).

Card and ATM fraud: skimming devices on cash machines, and strangers who watch you enter your PIN or offer to re-enter the card when the machine jams, are the classic versions. Use machines inside banks or busy shops, cover the keypad, and decline help. If a machine keeps your card, call your bank on the number from your own banking app rather than a number stuck on the machine (check).

Taxi and minicab overcharging around stations and airports: agree the fare basis before you get in, and prefer a licensed taxi rank or a ride-hailing app so the price is set in the app rather than negotiated (check).

Phone, text and email fraud: messages that look like a bank, delivery firm or tax office and ask you to click a link or move money are a common fraud pattern. Banks do not ask for your full PIN or for a transfer to a safe account. Hang up and call the organisation on the number from its official site (check).

Distraction theft in crowds, on the Tube and in nightlife areas: keep phones and wallets in a front pocket or zipped bag, and pay attention when someone bumps you or stages a scene (check).

Pay by contactless card or phone where it is accepted; it limits how much cash you carry and leaves a record if something goes wrong (check).

Keep your bank's official app and phone number saved offline so you can freeze a card in seconds rather than hunting for a number.

For trains and long-distance coaches, book through the operator's own site or app; third-party resellers can add fees and are harder to deal with when a service is cancelled (check).

If you are scammed, report non-urgent crime to the police on 101, and report fraud and cybercrime to Action Fraud (check). For a lost or stolen card, call your bank first, then the police if you need a crime reference number for insurance.

Travel insurance that covers theft and card fraud is worth checking for a UK trip, especially in London. Read the excess and what proof the insurer needs before you travel.