Just Fell Victim to a Scam in Istanbul -- God Do I feel Like an Idiot!
Oct 13, 2006, 2:10 pm
#151
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Idiots or not, what's the benefit in blaming the victim? Your point would or would not include that the con-artists good enough to "succeed" in making a victim of someone should maximize the criminal outcome?
This was a great scam back in the 70s and 80s maybe, but I can't believe people actually still fall for this one.....
Oct 13, 2006, 2:20 pm
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Originally Posted by andrzej
my only point is that you would have to live in a cave if you were not warned somewhere about the shell game. Hundreds of movies, tv shows, tv news, newspapers, magazines, newspapers and on and on.
This was a great scam back in the 70s and 80s maybe, but I can't believe people actually still fall for this one.....
This was a great scam back in the 70s and 80s maybe, but I can't believe people actually still fall for this one.....
Oct 13, 2006, 2:21 pm
#153
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Pres, sorry to hear about your experiences. I've not been a victim of such scams but can understand how abused/violated one can feel after being robbed....
An acquaintance of mine from school told me he and some friends got stiffed on a similar type of thing in Paris. They went over for a lad's weekend of fun when they were 18 and ended up several hundred quid out of pocket. I've been wary of being ripped off in general, particularly when it comes to travelling.
What are these two?
An acquaintance of mine from school told me he and some friends got stiffed on a similar type of thing in Paris. They went over for a lad's weekend of fun when they were 18 and ended up several hundred quid out of pocket. I've been wary of being ripped off in general, particularly when it comes to travelling.
Originally Posted by chicagosecretagent
There are dozens of scams all over downtown. They target the tourists. The two I see most frequently are the ones with the chess game set up on Michigan Avenue and the shell game on the CTA. The CTA scam is very well done with several actors dressed in professional clothing, i.e. medical scrubs and lots of enthusiasm. Most people don't ever realize they've been scammed until they think about it later.
Oct 13, 2006, 2:22 pm
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Originally Posted by PTravel
I was thinking the same thing. A master "travel scams to avoid" would be very helpful.
Oct 13, 2006, 2:29 pm
#155
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Originally Posted by Fraser
What are these two?
Oct 13, 2006, 3:08 pm
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Originally Posted by secretbunnyboy
Yeah, I've just been looking myself. I'm assuming that the shell game is the three moving cups, find the shell/ball game (a variation on the "find the lady" three card game) but might be wrong...
Oct 13, 2006, 3:12 pm
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Originally Posted by secretbunnyboy
Yeah, I've just been looking myself. I'm assuming that the shell game is the three moving cups, find the shell/ball game (a variation on the "find the lady" three card game) but might be wrong...
Oct 13, 2006, 3:41 pm
#158
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Who volunteers?
Oct 13, 2006, 3:49 pm
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
If there's enough material on FT, perhaps someone starting a Master Thread about common travel scams -- even if it is just links to posts like the OP and other scams we've been subjected to -- would benefit us all.
Oct 13, 2006, 4:07 pm
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My personal rule when traveling: If someone approaches me-there is something in it for them. I've not been wrong yet. It also helps to research the country you are traveling to through Lonely Planet, this site, etc to learn of the more common scams. You'll feel pretty pleased with yourself for successfully navigating the terrain!
Thanks for sharing your experience. Chalk it up to a lesson learned, a little more wisdom and being helpful to other travelers. Don't let it eat you up. Live and learn...
Thanks for sharing your experience. Chalk it up to a lesson learned, a little more wisdom and being helpful to other travelers. Don't let it eat you up. Live and learn...
Oct 13, 2006, 5:21 pm
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Originally Posted by lianluo
It also helps to research the country you are traveling to through Lonely Planet, this site, etc to learn of the more common scams. You'll feel pretty pleased with yourself for successfully navigating the terrain!
Oct 13, 2006, 5:31 pm
#162
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My experience in Istanbul...
I would like to thank the OP for the courage to post his story..and warning to other travellers!
When I was in Istanbul earlier this year, there were many locals that came up to me, asking me how I was, where I was from, how did I find Istanbul etc etc. On the one occasion, I did have a 1/2 hour conversation with one individual (who spoke perfect English) until eventually he said that he ran a carpet business and would I like to go and see his warehouse. I was quite wary of him during our conversation, but remained polite at all times, and politely told him that I was not in the market for carpets, thanked him for his conversation and left. Later on, I saw him making conversation with another tourist
It is really difficult deciding between a scammer (I include carpet salesmen in Istanbul!
) and a local being friendly, and I think one just needs to be wary all the time, and not let one's guard down.
I think a lot of us could have quite easily fallen for the same scam (or something similar) that the OP suffered!!
When I was in Istanbul earlier this year, there were many locals that came up to me, asking me how I was, where I was from, how did I find Istanbul etc etc. On the one occasion, I did have a 1/2 hour conversation with one individual (who spoke perfect English) until eventually he said that he ran a carpet business and would I like to go and see his warehouse. I was quite wary of him during our conversation, but remained polite at all times, and politely told him that I was not in the market for carpets, thanked him for his conversation and left. Later on, I saw him making conversation with another tourist
It is really difficult deciding between a scammer (I include carpet salesmen in Istanbul!
) and a local being friendly, and I think one just needs to be wary all the time, and not let one's guard down.I think a lot of us could have quite easily fallen for the same scam (or something similar) that the OP suffered!!
Oct 13, 2006, 5:34 pm
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
If there's enough material on FT, perhaps someone starting a Master Thread about common travel scams -- even if it is just links to posts like the OP and other scams we've been subjected to -- would benefit us all.
Oct 13, 2006, 5:49 pm
#164
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Thanks again for all the kind comments. I do hope that my story saves someone else from making the same mistake I did.
A couple of points:
1. I usually do research my trips quite extensively. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to do so before this trip. Mistake #1.
2. Please do not think I have an altogether hostile view of Turkey or the Turkish people. I wasn't there long enough to form an opinion and, from all the positive stories I have heard about travel in Turkey, I do not doubt that my experience was an abberation.
3. I almost certainly will go back to Istanbul. In fact, I expect to be spending time there later this year/early next year for my next deal. Part of my reason for coming home was the knowledge that I will have a chance to go back.
A couple of points:
1. I usually do research my trips quite extensively. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to do so before this trip. Mistake #1.
2. Please do not think I have an altogether hostile view of Turkey or the Turkish people. I wasn't there long enough to form an opinion and, from all the positive stories I have heard about travel in Turkey, I do not doubt that my experience was an abberation.
3. I almost certainly will go back to Istanbul. In fact, I expect to be spending time there later this year/early next year for my next deal. Part of my reason for coming home was the knowledge that I will have a chance to go back.
Oct 13, 2006, 6:43 pm
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Originally Posted by PresRDC
Thanks again for all the kind comments. I do hope that my story saves someone else from making the same mistake I did.
1. I usually do research my trips quite extensively. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to do so before this trip. Mistake #1.
1. I usually do research my trips quite extensively. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to do so before this trip. Mistake #1.
If you get mugged at night in NYC the right solution isn't to swear off NYC, insist on choreographed trips, or conclude that NYC is only OK in the daylight hours.
Three experiences from my youth: I met a nice native lady of Athens, talked for hours over dinner and drinks, rode the train all over the city to places I'd never have imagined going, and hung out at her place. It was a chance to see the real lives of Athenians.
Another: getting way lost on one of the Greek Islands, and hitching a ride back to town in a garbage truck. A lot of fun, a great story.
Another: in Fethiye, on the south coast of turkey, paying a muscular lady five bucks to drag me on a tube behind her speedboat. She made a game of trying to swing me as close as possible to shore, threatening to dash me on the rocks. It was genuinely dangerous. And great fun.
You think you should have had control over the outcome. The criminal who took you could have as easily pulled a knife, or threatened you directly with a bunch of his oversized pals. Consider this a polite mugging and you may feel better about what happened.
I've spent weeks alone in Turkey, walking in through places where poverty is the norm, and never had this sort of trouble. I haven't run into the bad luck that you have, though I recognize that walking in strange places has an element of risk. I think the risks are worth taking.
BTW, if you're interested in ideas for your next trip, I wrote up a lengthy trip report after my last trip last year. It has a collection of ideas for things you might do in Istanbul. Also encourage you to check out Cappadocia, Ephesus, Fethiye, and Edgidir.
-KF