Modern Scams To Avoid: Istanbul 2024

We have to agree, travellers heading to Istanbul are bombarded with warnings about scams from all over. Luckily on our trip, we came across only a few scammers, and we think, Istanbul as a city has developed very much. However, what caught us off guard was how smoothly those few schemes were executed. Modern scams in Istanbul 2024 are far different to scams back in the day. And comparing the Asian Side Vs European Side, one is definitely more sketchy.

Fortunately, we travelled in February when there weren't many tourists. We reckon summer would bring in more scammers out from their lair, and you must be prepared for all sorts of trickery. While pickpocketing and scenic route tour scams are quite common around the world, here are the most trending scams in Istanbul in 2024;

Top Scams in Istanbul

Istanbul Card scam

When purchasing our Istanbul Card, we were very cautious about our surroundings. Apparently, some haven't been so. When we checked into our hotel in Fatih, our host cautioned us, informing us of an Istanbulkart scam that happened to one of his guests that very same day.

This sneaky scam takes the disguise of genuine help. Scammers lurk around the card machines. While you try to figure out the system on screen, a stranger would offer to help you.

They would assist you with the entire process and even help put in your cash notes to the machine, but when topping up they will swiftly switch your card to theirs and place it on the card reader. All cards look the same after all. It happens so fast that you wouldn't notice, and how will you know? When your card gets rejected on a trip.

A lot of travellers struggle with their Istanbulkart, hence we made a step-by-step guide on how to obtain and top up your Istanbulkart.

Here's a video guide on how to top up your Istanbul Card in 2024:

Stamped Dollar scam

This was a scam we experienced first-hand at the Taksim underground metro. We were trying to figure out our station and instantly a local couple approached us to help. Read about our whole 10-day budget itinerary here.

At first, we assumed they were genuine, but it quickly became apparent that the man was trying too hard to buddy up with my husband, while the woman kept telling me the most random things (about her being pregnant and so on.. like why?). She indirectly kept questioning me about my shopping experience in Istanbul, clearly fishing for information about our finances. Yep, it was a sneaky attempt to gauge our spending.

Soon, the man asked whether our dollar bills were stamped at the airport and asked to let him check. We knew right there this was a Bonnie and Clyde move.

Imagine if we had handed over our dollar bills for inspection, he would've likely swapped them with his counterfeit bills and returned them to us. We wouldn't notice until we tried to exchange our money at a currency exchange counter.

So be very cautious with your foreign cash notes. Only exchange them at reputable money exchangers or banks. And do not show anyone your foreign banknotes.

Laundry Prices

Well, here's something that's not necessarily a scam, but it feels like one. Laundry prices are sky-high in Istanbul. It's not common for regular hotels and inns to have laundry services. In all four hotels we stayed during our trip, none of them had laundry services.

It seemed to us that Turkish locals prefer getting their laundry done at home. Because of this, the laundry services you find in the neighbourhood might be slightly pricier than you expect. The cost per piece can range from 25TL to 50TL. We once got a few clothes cleaned for 440TL, which is a huge amount. We wish we could carry our Portable Washing Machine to save us some cash.

Zultanite Scam

If you're on any tours, especially the Green Tour, your guide might make a couple of stops at local stores. One stop could be at a gem store, where they'll introduce you to a unique natural gem called Zultanite, found exclusively in Turkey.

The gem store has a very pretty production process in display and would try their best to sell you jewellery, especially Zultanite. Prices for Zultanite jewellery begin at 35 Euros (approximately $36), and they assure customers of its authenticity, providing written certificates with each purchase.

Now Zultanite is an actual stone, and it's very rare. It's only found in the rural Anatolian mountains. Commercial production started in 2006 so they're still a very small industry. Zultanite crafted from natural gemstones starts at $500. Each piece comes with a plastic guarantee card featuring a hologram to ensure its authenticity.

What these 'Gem stores' sell is Lab-made Zultanite. If you've bought one of these Zultanite jewellery or you're wondering whether it's authentic, check the certificate. If it reads 'Laboration Zultanite', it's lab-made. These are not fake Zultanite, but they are not real Zultanite either.

Do not pay more than 40 Euros for Laboration Zultanite as it will surely be a scam if so. Also, we advise you not to buy any Zultanite from Istanbul. Do not look for authentic Zultanite without proper guidance as there is a high chance of getting scammed.

Types of Zultanite

Taxi Charge scam

Taxis have been known notoriously for their scams throughout the past two decades. They've been so problematic that the government had to get involved at some point to regulate their operations. Today all Taxis have an identification document and some even have card machines (we don't trust those though). Still, as many Turkish locals say, Taxis remain a problem in the city even today.

But we know, that travelling long distances with heavy baggage requires you to get a taxi at some point. So we did use taxis on two occasions (we only used Uber and BiTaksi to be safe) and here's what we noticed:

1. The apps don't provide you with an exact rate. Instead, both Uber and BiTaksi give you a ballpark figure. Our trip from Taksim to Kadikoy on the Asian side had a range from 310TL to 440TL (around $13 to $15).
   

2. The final rate is decided by the driver at the end of the ride. He will type the charge on his phone. Here it's important to remember the rate your app showed you initially so you know the driver can't scam you. In our case, the driver typed 440TL, the highest amount shown in the app's range, but it was fine.

We didn't experience any taxi scams using these apps. But if you are using a regular yellow taxi on the road, make sure you agree on a rate before getting in or check whether the meter is working. When handing over the cash notes, count them out loud so the driver knows that you gave him the correct amount. Transport in Istanbul is generally safe, so don't stress too much.

Restaurant scam (i) - Pay for more

We've heard about a well-known restaurant scam and we encountered a completely different one (TWICE!). That's why we're sharing both experiences with you so you can be prepared for either.

First is the most common restaurant scam where prices on the menu and the final bill don't add up. We did see a lot of small restaurants with attractive prices on their menu boards outside, yet we didn't come across any scams. However, past travellers did mention how they were manipulated to pay more saying the menu board reads the same.

Remember the menu board rates are written using erasable markers, which means they can erase and rewrite at any given time. If that happens it'll only be your word against theirs.

The best option is to go to restaurants that have high demand. They already got the sales, they wouldn't bother trying to scam you. Or you can pay before you eat. That way your bill is already taken care of. If you're wondering what to eat in Turkey, we have a list of 22 Must-Try Foods in Turkey and what we think is overrated.

Restaurant Scam (ii) - Advanced Pickpocketing

A Street In Balat

This is a relatively new scam that caught us off guard – we hadn't heard about it before but encountered it twice in Balat. We were at a cosy coffee shop near Vodina Street (the one with the famous rainbow stairs), and after we finished, the waiter/owner offered us free tea. We declined, but he brought it anyway.

My husband, who always has his phone handy, briefly placed it on the table to take the tea glass. In the blink of an eye, his phone disappeared. As we quickly got up, the man handed the phone back to him.

And a few minutes later, we decided to grab some doners from a small doner shop nearby. As we sat down to enjoy our food, both my husband and I were scrolling through our phones. When the waiter brought our doners (oddly without a plate, but hey, it's street food, right?), we had to place our phones on the table to pick them up. Suddenly, I realized my phone was missing.

I panicked instantly and then I spotted my phone at the cashier's table. My heart almost skipped a beat. When I walked towards the cashier, he (we guess it's the owner) silently handed my phone back.

We are still curious as to why they did it, was it a prank or something that should be taken more seriously? It's hard to believe it was just a coincidence that two different shop owners nabbed our phones on the same day. Makes you wonder what would've happened if we hadn't noticed. Lesson learned: keep an eye on your phones and wallets, especially in Balat.

Cheap ticket scam

When you visit major tourist sites like Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, you'll find so many 'Travel guides', at the entrance offering you help. They'd pitch you stuff like 'Cheap Bosphorus Dinner Cruise tickets', 'Cheap tickets' and other tempting offers. While we dodged this scam, certain travellers have purchased 'cheap tickets', which happen to be fraudulent.

As you know, major tourist attractions today are all digitized. You need to punch in your ticket and the gates open for you. So don't risk it with those bargain tickets that'll just get you turned away at the gate.

Surgical Scam

As you may know, Turkey is reputed for their cosmetic procedures like hair transplants, plastic surgeries and weight reduction surgeries. Millions of people from around the world travel to Turkey specifically for these procedures as they're cheap.

This has given conmen a good opportunity to scam medical tourists. We found some genuinely horrid stories on TikTok of tourists who came across these scammers.

Although we have no experience in this area, we believe it's our responsibility to share this information with you.

What caught our attention was a particular kidney trafficking incident where a weight reduction surgery at a cheap clinic ended up costing a patient's kidney.

If you are a foreigner visiting Turkey for any surgery, make sure you do it at a reputed hospital. If not, visit the hospital/clinic with a local, and make sure you understand all the paperwork before you sign anything.

Scams that have become very common in Istanbul

Many blogs on the internet mentioned two other highly famous scams that we didn't experience on our trip. We believe they've become so mainstream that they've fallen out of trend. Then again, we visited during the low season. These scammers could appear again when the sun's shining.

Shoe shine scam

Travellers had mentioned how a random shoe polisher would drop his brush in front of you. Out of kindness you would pick it up and hand it over to him, in return he would insist and offer to clean your shoes for free. While he pretends to clean, he would talk about his sad life story. Finally, he would ask for a charge of about 100TL ($3).

When you hand over the amount, he'll claim he said 190TL (about $6). If you argue, he'll get aggressive. Since you're on holiday, you don't want to spoil the vibe, so you'll just give him what he asked for and move on.

If you do come across such an instance, do NOT offer help.

Fake policeman - What to do when approached?

The scariest scam that we were relieved not to encounter, and we hope no one does, involves fake policemen. These scammers dress up as policemen and approach you, asking to see your travel documents and demanding money. It's nearly impossible to tell the difference between real policemen and fake ones.

However, it's essential to remember that no genuine police officer would randomly ask you to show travel documents unless you've committed a crime or are involved in something illegal. Additionally, they would never ask for money.

If you face such a situation, you can do either of the following or both:

• Ask them to show their identification badge

• Call your consulate or embassy right away (As a foreigner, you have the right to do this)

To answer some of your burning questions in terms of the safety of neighbourhoods:

What's the safest neighbourhood in Istanbul?

If you ask us what's the best place to stay in Istanbul, we'll say it's Sultanahmet immediately. We found the Sultanahmet neighbourhood to be very safe. The city was lit up even at night and there were always people and police officers wherever we went, we felt safe throughout our stay.

Is Sultanahmet safe at night?

Yes, Sultanahmet is very safe at night as per our travels in February. There will be Police guarding the streets around the clock, and there will be a lot of tourists. However, we were advised by our hotel's host to avoid visiting the beach area (Kennedy Road) after 6 p.m., but the rest of the Sultanahmet neighbourhood was very safe. Be on alert for pickpocketers and general scammers though. To be extra safe, you can wear a Money Belt when walking the streets so you know all your valuables are visible to you at all times.

Is Taksim safe at night?

From our experience, we didn't face any danger of any sort, but we didn't particularly feel safe either. We booked our stay close to Taksim Square and the neighbourhood was not very pleasant. If you're travelling solo, we don't recommend Taksim as a place to stay. Other areas in Beyoglu may be better, so make sure you do thorough research before booking your stay.

Can an unmarried couple share a room in Turkey?

Yes, although Turkey is also a Muslim country, unlike Indonesia, unmarried couples can share a hotel room. As per our knowledge, it's illegal for a hotel to ask you to show your marriage certificates and such documents when booking a hotel. So don't worry.

Are you Travelling to Istanbul anytime soon? We hope this was helpful! Let us know how your trip goes in the comments below!