How I Got Scammed at the Colosseum (And How You Won’t)
Twenty years behind a camera taught me to spot fake lighting, fake setups, fake performances.
But somehow, I missed the fake ticket vendor outside Rome’s Colosseum.
The guy had a booth. Professional-looking laminated badges. Even a printed rate card. The sun was brutal, the line to the official ticket office snaked around the block, and I was already mentally framing my shots of the ancient amphitheater.
“Skip the line,” he said. “Same tickets, no wait.”
I handed him 50 euros.
Five minutes later, security at the entrance informed me my ticket was worthless. The vendor? Gone. My money? Gone. My confidence in spotting scams? Obliterated.
That moment—standing there with a counterfeit ticket while a security guard looked at me with practiced pity—taught me more about travel fraud than any blog post ever could.
Quick note: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you buy something through them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I actually use. If something’s garbage, I’ll tell you—commission or not.
TL;DR: How to Outsmart 99% of Travel Scams
- Verify the URL: Never click links in travel alert texts; go to the official site manually.
- Tug the ATM: If the card reader moves, it’s a skimmer.
- The Payment Rule: If they won’t take a credit card (insisting on Zelle, Wire, or Crypto), it’s 100% a scam.
- Three-Source Check: Before booking anything, verify on Google Reviews + Reddit + BBB.
- Trust Your Gut: That uneasy feeling? That’s thousands of years of threat detection. Listen to it.
The Problem: Travel Scams Are Evolving Faster Than Our Defenses
Here’s what nobody tells you about travel scams: they’re no longer run by desperate street hustlers. They’re sophisticated operations run by organized networks using AI-generated websites, deepfake voice calls, and psychological manipulation that would make a filmmaker jealous.
According to the Joint Economic Committee, online travel fraud cost consumers $1 trillion globally in 2024. That’s not a typo. One trillion.
The Mastercard Economics Institute found that travel fraud spikes 18% during summer peak season and 28% during winter holidays. Scammers know exactly when you’re most vulnerable—when you’re excited, distracted, and making quick decisions.
And here’s the kicker: one in five Americans has been scammed while booking travel. These aren’t just “unlucky” people. They’re regular travelers like you and me who made one small mistake.
The scams I encountered while filming documentaries across three continents aren’t the old-school pickpocket tricks. They’re refined, tested, and designed to exploit the exact psychology that makes us good travelers: trust in humanity, desire for authentic experiences, and willingness to take reasonable risks.
The Underlying Cause: Why Scammers Target Travelers
Scammers love tourists for three reasons:
- You’re in an unfamiliar environment. You don’t know what’s normal. That “standard taxi fare” or “typical tour price”? You have no baseline.
- You’re making decisions quickly. When you’re tired from a flight, overwhelmed by a new city, or rushing to catch a train, your decision-making quality drops. Scammers create urgency: “last seats,” “special today only,” “about to close.”
- You’re unlikely to pursue legal action. You’ll be gone in a week. Even if you report it, what’s going to happen? Nothing. Scammers know this.
When I was attending the a film festival for my film Going Home in Bangkok, I fell for a classic: the “broken meter” tuk-tuk driver who quoted us 100 baht for a three-minute ride, then demanded 500 when we arrived. I paid because I had was in a rush, I was exhausted, and arguing in broken Thai over $12 USD seemed pointless.
That’s exactly what they counted on.
The Solution: A Filmmaker’s Framework for Spotting Scams
After getting burned in Rome, I started approaching travel with the same scrutiny I use when scouting locations. On set, if something doesn’t look right, we investigate. Same principle applies here.
Here’s what actually works:
1. The “Too Perfect” Test
During pre-production, if a location scout shows me photos that look magazine-perfect with no visible flaws, I get suspicious. Same logic applies to travel deals.
AI-generated travel scams are now creating entire fake booking sites with stolen photos and fabricated reviews. McAfee reported a 900% surge in AI travel scams in 2025. These sites look flawless—perfect grammar, professional design, compelling testimonials.
Real businesses have minor imperfections. Fake ones look too perfect because they’re assembled from templates.
What to check:
- URL irregularities (Booklng.com instead of Booking.com)
- Domain age (use a WHOIS lookup—legit sites have years of history)
- SSL certificate (click the padlock—it should be issued to the company you think you’re visiting)
- Reverse image search the property photos (often stolen from real listings)
2. Payment Method as the Universal Tell
I’ve filmed in 15 countries. I’ve paid for permits, locations, crew meals, and equipment rentals in multiple currencies. Know what legitimate businesses always accept? Credit cards.
Know what scammers prefer? Wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, Venmo, or Zelle for large amounts.
Why? Credit cards have fraud protection and can be disputed. Wire transfers and crypto are irreversible.
Important note on contactless payment fraud: While tap-to-pay is generally secure, scammers have developed devices that can skim contactless card data in crowded areas. Keep cards in RFID-blocking wallets only if you use contactless payments frequently in high-risk environments. Otherwise, the bigger risk is the payment method itself.
If someone insists on payment methods that can’t be traced or reversed, that’s not a red flag. That’s a siren.
Tools I actually use:
- Privacy.com virtual cards (Create one-time-use card numbers for sketchy bookings. If it’s a scam, they get a dead card number. The $10/month paid plan is worth it for peace of mind.)
- Credit cards with travel fraud protection (I use the Chase Sapphire Reserve—yes, it has an annual fee, but when I had a fraudulent charge in Istanbul, they resolved it in one phone call)
Keep it Real: Privacy.com’s free tier limits you to 12 cards per month. If you’re booking a complex trip with multiple vendors, you’ll hit that limit fast. The UI is also clunky—it takes three clicks to generate a card when it should take one. But for sketchy bookings? Invaluable. Who shouldn’t buy it: People who only book through major platforms like Expedia.
I use the same kind of verification skepticism I developed while reviewing the PeakDesign Nomad Travel Bag 40L—if something seems off about the materials, construction, or marketing claims, I dig deeper until I’m satisfied.
3. The Three-Source Verification Rule
When I’m researching camera gear, I never trust one review. I check YouTube, Reddit, and specialty forums. Travel bookings deserve the same rigor.
Before booking anything outside major platforms:
- Check Google Reviews (look for patterns, not individual 5-stars)
- Search Reddit for “[company name] scam”
- Verify on Better Business Bureau or TrustPilot
Real example: While prepping for The Camping Discovery shoot, I almost booked a “filmmaker-friendly” Airbnb in Joshua Tree that had glowing reviews and perfect photos. A Reddit search turned up multiple posts about bait-and-switch—people would arrive to find a different, worse property. The host would offer a “partial refund” to switch or tell them to cancel (losing their money). We booked elsewhere.
4. The Direct Contact Bypass
Got an email saying your hotel reservation was cancelled? A text about a flight delay?
Never click the link.
This is how phishing works. The email looks legitimate—correct logo, professional formatting, urgent language. But the link goes to a fake site that steals your credit card info.
Instead:
- Open a new browser window
- Type the company’s URL manually (or use a saved bookmark)
- Log into your account directly
- Check if the issue actually exists
I learned this the hard way when I got a text saying my credit card would be charged $500 unless I “verified” my reservation by clicking a link. The text looked like it came from Booking.com. It wasn’t. The link went to “boooking-verify.com”—notice the extra “o”.
Implementing the Solution: Scam-by-Scam Defense Strategies
Let me walk you through the specific scams I’ve encountered and the exact defensive playbook that works.
Taxi & Tuk-Tuk Overcharges
The scam: Driver claims meter is broken, takes a “scenic route,” or quotes one price then demands triple at your destination.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Bangkok, Rome, Paris, Istanbul, Mexico City, Barcelona
THE DEFENSE:
- Use ride-hailing apps (Grab in Southeast Asia, Uber elsewhere)
- Before entering, screenshot the estimated fare
- If the driver insists on cash-only or won’t use the meter, walk away
- Pro tip: In Bangkok, I use the BTS Skytrain + taxi combo. Take the train to the nearest station, then grab a short taxi ride with the meter running. Saves money and reduces scam risk.
Tools that help:
- Rome2Rio (Free app that shows realistic transport costs between locations—if your driver’s quote is 3x higher, you know something’s wrong)
- Google Maps (Shows fare estimates for different transport options)
Keep it Real: Ride-hailing apps surge-price aggressively during peak hours. Sometimes the “scam” taxi is actually cheaper than a legitimate Uber at 2x surge. The difference is you know the Uber price upfront. Who shouldn’t use this: In cities where ride-hailing is banned or heavily restricted (parts of Italy, Germany), you’re stuck with traditional taxis—just ensure the meter runs.
ATM Skimming & Card Cloning
The scam: Skimming devices attached to ATMs capture your card data. Hidden cameras record your PIN. Days later, your account is drained.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Tourist-heavy areas worldwide—near Colosseum, Eiffel Tower, major train stations
THE DEFENSE:
- Only use ATMs inside bank branches (not street-facing machines)
- Physically tug on the card reader before inserting your card—genuine hardware is industrial-grade and won’t move
- Cover the PIN pad with your other hand (blocks cameras)
- Check your account daily via mobile app
- Set up transaction alerts for any charge over $1
The technical bit: Modern EMV chip cards use encryption that should prevent this. But many ATMs still read the magnetic stripe where your data is stored in cleartext. A skimmer copies that stripe.
Here’s why that matters: Secure transactions use RSA encryption where your PIN P is transformed into ciphertext C using a public key e and modulus n:
C ≡ P^e (mod n)
Without the private key, the scammer just has a string of useless numbers. The problem? Many merchants overseas don’t verify properly, and the magnetic stripe data can be cloned onto a blank card. That’s why chip-based transactions are always safer—the chip generates a unique code for each transaction that can’t be reused.
Tools I use:
- Charles Schwab Checking (No foreign transaction fees, unlimited ATM fee reimbursement worldwide. This has saved me hundreds in fees across Europe and Asia.)
- Real-time transaction alerts via my banking app (Every charge over $1 sends a push notification)
Keep it Real: Schwab requires opening both checking and brokerage accounts, which means more paperwork and maintenance. Their customer service phone wait times can hit 20+ minutes. But for international travel? The fee reimbursement alone has saved me $400+ per year. Who shouldn’t use it: People who only travel domestically or twice a year—the setup hassle isn’t worth it.
Fake Booking Sites & Phishing
The scam: Sites that look identical to Booking.com, Expedia, or airline websites. They take your money and personal info. The reservation doesn’t exist.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Everywhere online, especially via sponsored Google ads and social media
THE DEFENSE:
- Never click travel ads—go directly to the company website
- Check the URL carefully (Booklng.com vs Booking.com)
- Look for HTTPS and verify the SSL certificate
- If the deal is 50%+ cheaper than other sites, it’s fake
- Use official apps, not mobile websites
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all booking accounts
- For digital nomads: Save verified booking sites as browser bookmarks to avoid typosquatting domains
Real example: A DP on one of my shoots got an email claiming his flight was cancelled. The email had Delta’s logo, fonts, color scheme. The link went to “delta-air-lines-helpdesk.com”—not delta.com. He clicked, entered his confirmation number and credit card to “rebook.” Two hours later, $1,200 in charges. Delta had no record of the email.
Keep it Real on booking platforms:
- Booking.com vs Expedia vs Direct: I’ve tested all three. Booking.com has better cancellation policies (free cancellation is standard). Expedia bundles hotel+flight for savings. Booking direct with chains gets you loyalty points. The “best” depends on your trip. None are scams, but prices vary by $30-100 for the same room.
I used this same comparison approach when researching Good Neighbor hotels near Disneyland—verified reviews matter more than star ratings.
The “Free Gift” / Friendship Bracelet Scam
The scam: Someone ties a bracelet on your wrist, hands you a flower, or gives you a “free” bird seed to feed pigeons. Then aggressively demands payment.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Paris (Sacré-Cœur, Eiffel Tower), Rome (Spanish Steps), New York (Times Square), Barcelona
THE DEFENSE:
- Keep your hands in your pockets in touristy areas
- Say “no” loudly and keep walking
- Don’t make eye contact with street vendors
- If they grab your wrist, shake it off immediately—do not engage
Behind the psychology: These scammers use the “reciprocity principle”—once they’ve “given” you something, you feel obligated to pay. That’s why they insist on tying it on you first. Break that chain by refusing the “gift” entirely.
While filming Elsa in Paris, I watched this happen to a couple at Sacré-Cœur. A man insisted on tying string bracelets on both their wrists while saying “friendship, good luck.” Then demanded 20 euros per bracelet. When they refused, two more men appeared. They paid to avoid confrontation.
Fake Tours & Travel Packages
The scam: Booking a tour or vacation package through a company that doesn’t exist or severely misrepresents what you’ll receive.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Social media ads, Google search results (especially sponsored listings)
THE DEFENSE:
- Book tours through established platforms (GetYourGuide, Viator)
- Check Google Reviews for the specific tour, not just the company
- Search “[tour name] scam” on Reddit
- Look for refund policies and physical addresses
- Verify business licenses (in the US, check Better Business Bureau)
Keep it Real on tour platforms:
- GetYourGuide: Better for European tours, easy cancellation, verified reviews. Commission structure means tour operators price 15-20% higher than direct booking. But the fraud protection is worth it.
- Viator (owned by Tripadvisor): More options in Asia and Latin America. Similar pricing to GetYourGuide. Interface is clunkier. Who shouldn’t use these: If you’re booking a major museum (Louvre, British Museum), buy directly from their official site—saves the platform fee.
The Distraction Theft Scam
The scam: One person spills something on you or creates a commotion. While you’re distracted, their partner steals your bag, wallet, or phone.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Barcelona, Buenos Aires, crowded markets and metros worldwide
THE DEFENSE:
- Use a crossbody bag with the zipper facing your body
- Keep phone and wallet in front pockets (not back pockets or backpack)
- If someone spills on you, step away immediately and check your belongings
- Be hypervigilant in crowded areas, especially metro stations
Gear I use:
- Pacsafe Metrosafe Crossbody (Anti-slash fabric, locking zippers, RFID protection. Has saved my gear in multiple sketchy situations. Around $80.)
Keep it Real: The Pacsafe bag screams “I’m a paranoid tourist with expensive stuff.” It’s bulky and you can’t access your phone quickly. But when I’m carrying camera equipment through crowds, that tradeoff is worth it. Who shouldn’t buy it: Solo travelers in low-risk areas where a regular bag works fine.
For longer trips where weight matters, I apply the same lightweight backpacking principles I use on film shoots—every item must justify its presence.
Fake Currency Exchange
The scam: Street vendors or shops offer competitive exchange rates, then hand you counterfeit bills or shortchange you.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Bali, Vietnam, Eastern Europe, tourist areas worldwide
THE DEFENSE:
- Only exchange currency at banks or official exchange counters in airports
- Count your money before leaving the counter
- Learn what genuine local currency looks like (feel, security features)
- Use ATMs instead of cash exchanges
- Check the current exchange rate on XE.com before exchanging
Real example: During Dissociative Identity location scouting in Bali, a crew member exchanged $200 USD at a street vendor. Handed back what looked like 2.8 million rupiah. Except half the bills were counterfeit. By the time we realized, the vendor was gone. We ate that loss.
The “Closed Attraction” Redirect
The scam: Someone approaches you near a major attraction and claims it’s closed for a holiday/renovation/private event. They offer to take you to a “better” place (where they get commission) or sell you an overpriced alternative tour.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Bangkok, New Delhi, Cairo, major tourist attractions worldwide
THE DEFENSE:
- Check attraction hours on the official website before you go
- If someone tells you it’s closed, walk to the entrance yourself and verify
- Don’t accept recommendations from random people on the street
- Ignore anyone who approaches you unsolicited near tourist sites
Vacation Rental Bait-and-Switch
The scam: The photos and description look perfect. You book, you pay, you arrive. It’s either a completely different property, doesn’t exist, or is already occupied by other “guests” who also paid.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Any city with vacation rentals, especially popular tourist destinations
THE DEFENSE:
- Only book through established platforms with payment protection (Airbnb, VRBO)
- Check that reviews mention specific property details from the photos
- Be suspicious of “too good to be true” prices
- Request a video call with the host to see the property
- Pay through the platform, never via direct wire transfer
Red flags:
- Host insists on moving payment off-platform “to save you fees”
- Recently created account with few or no reviews
- Property listed on multiple platforms at wildly different prices
- Host can’t answer specific questions about the neighborhood
- Photos look professionally staged with no “lived-in” elements
NEW 2026 Threat: QR Code Phishing (“Quishing”)
The scam: Scammers paste fake QR codes over legitimate ones on restaurant menus, parking meters, hotel checkout stands, and tourist information kiosks. When you scan the code, it directs you to a payment site that steals your credit card info or installs malware on your phone.
WHERE IT HAPPENS: Major cities worldwide, especially at parking meters and restaurant tables
THE DEFENSE:
- Before scanning any QR code, check if it’s a sticker placed over the original
- Look for signs of tampering—peeling edges, misaligned placement
- For parking and payments, use official apps instead of QR codes
- Check the URL preview before the page loads (most phones show this)
- Never enter credit card info directly from a QR code—use contactless payment methods instead
- For restaurants, ask for a physical menu rather than scanning a table QR code
Why this works: QR codes are impossible for humans to “read” visually. A scammer can generate a code that looks identical to the real one. The FBI issued a warning about quishing in late 2025 after a wave of parking meter scams cost tourists over $2 million in Los Angeles alone.
Pro tip: I now photograph legitimate QR codes when I check into hotels or park in lots, so I can compare if the code looks different later.
The Verdict: What Actually Works vs. Security Theater
After getting scammed multiple times and spending thousands on “travel security” products, here’s what actually matters:
Worth the investment:
- Virtual credit cards for online bookings (Privacy.com)
- Schwab checking account for international ATM use
- A crossbody anti-theft bag for high-risk areas
- Transaction alerts set to $1+ threshold
- VPN for public Wi-Fi (I use NordVPN—$4/month, works reliably)
Keep it Real on VPNs: Most “travel security experts” push VPNs hard. Truth? Unless you’re accessing banking or email on public Wi-Fi, you probably don’t need one. HTTPS already encrypts your connection. VPNs add security but also slow your connection by 20-40%. I use NordVPN when booking flights or checking bank accounts on hotel Wi-Fi, but not for casual browsing. Who shouldn’t buy it: If you only access already-encrypted sites (https) on hotel Wi-Fi, save your money.
Not worth it:
- RFID-blocking wallets (RFID theft is theoretically possible but virtually never happens)
- Travel insurance from third-party brokers (get it, but buy directly from the insurer, not through a “comparison” site that adds markup)
- “Travel security” courses (the free State Department travel advisory site has better, updated info)
The absolute best defense is free: skepticism, verification, and willingness to walk away from deals that feel wrong.
Wrap-Up: Trust Your Gut (It’s Calibrated from Thousands of Years of Evolution)
The Colosseum ticket scam cost me 50 euros and my pride. But it taught me something valuable: the same intuition that tells me a shot is off or an actor’s performance isn’t authentic works for spotting scams.
When that vendor offered to “save me time,” something felt wrong. But I ignored it because I was hot, tired, and impatient.
Every scam I fell for afterward—the Bangkok tuk-tuk, the Bali currency exchange, the phishing email—followed the same pattern. I ignored the small voice saying “this doesn’t add up.”
Your gut is pattern-matching based on thousands of years of evolutionary threat detection. When something feels off, it usually is. That hesitation isn’t paranoia. It’s your brain processing signals your conscious mind hasn’t assembled yet.
The scammers rely on you suppressing that voice. They create urgency, manufacture scarcity, and pressure you into deciding before thinking.
The best travel security tool you have is this: pause. Verify. And if it still feels wrong, walk away.
Trust that. It’s served humans well for millennia. It’ll serve you well in Rome.
FAQ: Outsmarting Travel Scams in 2026
Q: Are QR codes in restaurants and parking lots safe to scan while traveling?
A: Be cautious of “Quishing” (QR Phishing). Scammers often paste fake QR code stickers over legitimate ones at outdoor cafes or parking meters to redirect you to fraudulent payment sites. Always verify that the sticker isn’t peeling or layered, and whenever possible, type the URL manually or use an official parking app.
Q: What should I do if my phone is stolen while I’m abroad?
A: Your phone is now your most valuable travel document. Before you leave, ensure “Find My” (iPhone) or “Find My Device” (Android) is active. If stolen, use a secondary device to remotely wipe your data immediately. This prevents scammers from accessing your banking apps, even if they bypass your passcode.
Q: Is it safe to use "Free Public Wi-Fi" at airports and hotels?
A: While most websites use HTTPS encryption, public Wi-Fi remains a risk for “Man-in-the-Middle” attacks. If you must access sensitive accounts (like your bank or email), use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or your phone’s cellular hotspot. This creates a secure tunnel for your data, making it unreadable to anyone sniffing the network.
Q: Does travel insurance cover money lost to street scams?
A: Most standard travel insurance policies cover theft (like a stolen bag) but rarely cover fraud (where you willingly handed over money, even if deceived). To file a successful claim for theft, you almost always need a local police report. Always read the “Fine Print” on your policy regarding “Loss of Cash.”
The “PeekatThis” Bio & Closing
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About the Author:
Trent Peek is a director, producer, and actor who spends way too much time staring at monitors. While he’s comfortable with high-end glass from RED and ARRI, he still has a soft spot for the Blackmagic Pocket and the “duct tape and a dream” style of indie filmmaking.
His recent short film, “Going Home,” was a selection for the 2024 Soho International Film Festival, proving that sometimes the “lessons from the trenches” actually pay off.
When he isn’t on set, Trent is likely traveling (usually forgetting at least one essential pair of shoes), falling asleep two pages into a book, or brainstorming film ideas that—let’s be honest—will probably never see the light of day. It’s a mess, but it’s his mess.
P.S. Writing this in the third person felt incredibly weird.
Connect with Trent:
- Watch: YouTube | [Vimeo]
- Credits: [IMDB] | [Stage 32]
- Social: Instagram @trentalor | [Facebook @peekatthis]
- Hear him talk shop: Check out his guest spot on the Pushin Podcast discussing the director’s role in indie film.
Business Inquiries: trentalor@peekatthis.com