Biggest Tourist Scams in Great Britain

[@woltersworld]

Many of these scams are common in many places around the world. So do not think I am saying these only happen in the UK. However, tourists heading to the UK should pay special attention to these scams. Overall the UK is pretty good when it comes to scams though. Happy travels to where ever you are heading to!

[@sahilanant123]

If only they had signed the Schengen agreement 😒😭

[@callumsmith895]

no we’re leaving if we had the euro we would be screwed for leaving the eu

[@seraphina985]

Not a scam so much but a potential trap for the unwary in many of the bigger cities like Birmingham or Nottingham busses cannot give change as all money is kept in a sealed lock box for security, so always have small coins on you to give the right amount. If you make sure you have a couple of pound coins a 50p, 10p, 5p and a couple of 20p's you will be golden as almost all bus fares will be to the nearest 5 or 10 pence.

[@jtoatm5923]

Wolters World I’m from London, great video 👍 much love 💕

[@scottparker6869]

You forgot to say about the biggest scam, the cost of public transport in the UK

[@IndieOctopus]

If a London black cab says they can't accept card at the moment tell them they aren't allowed to be working under TfL rules with a broken card machine and that you are entitled to just get and record their taxi licence number. This will magically fix card machine issues for you most of the time

[@dylnm]

To be honest, just bring cash. Also I would only take one or two black cab journeys in London, Uber is way cheaper and I would disagree with Wolter in that in my experience they do know where they're going / they have GPS :)

[@exelmans8855]

Dylan Myers cannot stand Uber. Way better to go for cabs.

[@cozmo2233]

Pal or you could just not use the black cabs use uber or The tube way cheaper and you won’t get scammed

[@cozmo2233]

WidePeepo7 yea

[@andyt2k]

@@dylnm Uber have GPS but they have no city knowledge, so if traffic is bad they'll just sit there, or if you want to know anything about the area they usually have no idea

[@supergraphicultramodernjam]

Lived in London for nearly 14 years , solid tips Instead of taxis use public transport in London, a lot cheaper

[@liamtahaney713]

That's true almost anywhere. Taxis ain't worth it most of the time

[@ukisbeggar8462]

🇬🇧💩🇬🇧💩🇬🇧💩🇬🇧💩

[@tescotrain]

@@ukisbeggar8462 Shut up. Are you Indian?

[@yusurkassem4174]

@@liamtahaney713 i live in a town just outside London and I swear public transport is like paying for a plane ticket🤦🏻‍♀️ if i'm not alone always go for taxis, much cheaper and quicker

[@arojy1]

Will be traveling with my 50 years old parents. Do all London buses have seats? or some will sit and others will have to stand? And are they too crowded?

[@RolandBizjets]

The biggest scam? A 10£ beer in London’s pubs.

[@tonygrant06]

You must be nuts just walk out there is a pub always just around the corner.

[@dylnm]

Even the craft beer pubs are £5 max, which is absurd still but yeah

[@annmarie4442]

It's expensive in every big city. Try going outside London.

[@maxnoerenberg6370]

or the spruced up tap at the end of your pub night.......they will charge you much more then you actually ordered...mostly happen late at night and with people who put their drinks on a tap!

[@098saw]

try and find a sam smith pub. it's quiet inside, but for 3 pints i got charged 9£ in holborn

[@isiteckaslike]

The reason London's black cab drivers seem to know the directions better than others is because they do. In order to obtain their licence to operate they have to pass something called "the Knowledge", which is a training course lasting about three years with at least twelve verbal examinations. In those they are set tests by being given a destination in London and they have to immediately recite the relevant route in order to get from a given point to that destination. This system has been in operation since 1865.

[@isiteckaslike]

@Gabriel S Possibly, although the drivers have to be familiar with all parts of London and not just reliant on the hope that technology will take them safely through the unknown. They also have to be aware of things such as how to change routes part way through if roadworks or closures are suddenly set up due to things like burst water mains - technology might try to re-route via busy or very narrow sections of the city, whereas the drivers know all the quickest and best routes to use and also the times, streets and places to avoid. London is an old city with a strange layout as a legacy from medieval times, which creates bottlenecks. It is not laid out in a linear network like modern cities. The drivers can also give a lot of good free tourist advice about where to visit or stay in the city.

[@isiteckaslike]

@Gabriel S I suppose for now the best combo is a knowledgeable driver and a good navigation system...until driverless cars take over. That should make London's rush hour interesting...especially if there's a systems failure or hacking incident. 😂

[@thearmouredpenguin7148]

@Gabriel S Sat Nav's are pretty good but I would back an experienced London cabby against the GPS any day of the week.

[@WegrennerX]

And is now totally redundant because of navigation...

[@faithlesshound5621]

@@WegrennerX I would agree that Sat Nav routes may be far from ideal, both in cities where they may leave you trying to turn right onto a busy road (i.e. waiting forever unless there are traffic lights) and in the countryside, where you may be sent down a single track road to shave half a mile off the distance by A road. Sat Navs don't know which roads become packed during the rush hour, or the school run, or even if it's half term. But if you're in a strange city, you don't know those things either, and Sat Nav comes into its own and beats trying to drive while holding a street map in one hand.

[@thrawn1019]

Some ATMs have charges for lifting money, if you wander a tad more normally there is a free one very close. In glasgow people have started putting directions with sharpies on the ATM to the nearest free one😂🤷‍♂️

[@woltersworld]

Yes. I should have put that in. Thanks for this comment. I was in edinburgh last month and the hotel gave us a list of non-extra charge ATMs as the two closest to the hotel charged. Thank you. This is why comment sections exist :) thank you

[@thrawn1019]

@@woltersworld Anytime! Appreciate all the videos on Scotland, it's always good to see it being highlighted👌

[@woltersworld]

@@thrawn1019 I've got more coming from shetland and edinburgh. And maybe a few other Scotland parts :)

[@thrawn1019]

@@woltersworld Good stuff! Should be class🙏

[@NeverMetTheGuy]

That's so Glasgow.

[@SkipMDMan]

I like to have fun with the pickpockets. I'll buy a bunch of wallets at the thrift store for like a quarter each, fill them with colored paper that looks like the notes of whatever country I'm going to be in, then include a note disparaging their intelligence, family and even their pets. I seem to always know when I've been hit so I'll casually watch them and see if they look inside the wallet before they get out of sight. It's really fun if they do look, especially if they look back at you and you can laugh and point at them!

[@BatCaveOz]

No you don't. Cool story, bro.

[@ddd1hhh]

I took a fake wallet to Italy and stuffed full of empty candy wrappers, but no one ever stole it… 😂😂😂

[@Starmerispureevil]

Load it with razor blades and used hypodermic needles

[@ahmd5]

I dropped 100 £ from my pocket without noticing at Tesco in Shepards Bush while paying for groceries, 2 people were quick to point out to me the cash on the floor. God bless them wherever they are.

[@woltersworld]

That was really nice of them

[@dresdi]

You're very lucky

[@thevirgintraveller]

There are a lot of good people in England in general that will go out of their way to help you in situations like this, although there are a lot of scammers, they are few and far between.

[@ducknuggets1951]

my friend left his wallet on the bus with £80 inside it. Someone handed it in and it was kept for him where there bus would terminate - although there are thieves everywhere you do get some gems.

[@IrishBiteGirl]

That's like any place in the world. You get lucky and a nice person with dignity sees and lets you know... Or someone worse is there and takes it. Just chance.

[@TheDandelionblush]

So interesting to see this from an US perspective. Honestly in London I would never use an Uber or taxi you can get everywhere with the tube or by walking

[@djlads]

Exactly I have never once used a taxi in London only the bus and tube, esp now with the 24hr tube at weekends.

[@EarlJohn61]

You try passing through London (in at Paddington, Out at St Pancreas) with a broken wrist & 2 large suitcases... Tube? way to crowded with the broken wrist. Walk? If I'd had both hands & only the one bag not a problem. So I paid for the convenience and made an earlier train than I was trying for...

[@jamescbender43081]

I’ll take a black cab too or from the airport if I have a lot of luggage, but other than that I haven’t had a reason to not use public transport.

[@jenniferandrew3373]

Traveling with a friend who uses a cane and isn't steady on her feet meant using Uber and Taxis. Also, traveling after knee surgery meant using taxis. I could walk without aids, but my knee got sore quickly. There are times when you just spend the money, because you need to.

[@marinaau8551]

@@jenniferandrew3373 when we were in London 2019, we had to use the taxi bcos mum had a bad knee and to be early birds at a tourist site. But when we went to Eastbourne, we rented a car to travel around the country side and small towns and shoppind in Ashford

[@benswindlehurst1857]

If someone offers to sell you something for a euro in the uk, don’t buy, we don’t use the euro

[@offgridtbone2162]

Biggest scam in UK is virgin charging 208 quid for a single fare from Manchester to London . Cheaper to fly to Europe and get a connecting flight to Heathrow. Good video dude

[@ahmadz251]

Go to mytrainticket.co.uk and buy your ticket in advance... always got me the cheapest tickets

[@woltersworld]

Yes. The train tickets are insane expensive

[@myra0224]

@@ahmadz251 I'm from Belgium but my father works for the railroad here so he gets free tickets for a lot of European countries including England and it really surprised me how expensive the trains are there. We were lucky to travel for free but it's just insane ...

[@ahmadz251]

@@myra0224 agree with you on this... train tickets are crazy expensive... was just sharing the way how i got cheap tickets... I loved European train travels because they are so scenic

[@Kwippy]

The maximum price for Manchester to London is 175 pounds which isn't cheap but it isn't 208. Unless it's first class ticket. Why are you misleading people?

[@michaelscott7166]

If you get lumbered with some Scottish Notes but happen to be in England where a lot of places won't take them (because less common, harder to identify forgeries) go to a convenience store with a self service check out (Tesco Express, Sainsbury's Local) and spend them there. Worth it even if you just buy a 50p bottle of water to get that Scottish £20 off your hands.

[@woltersworld]

Good call!

[@darkchia00]

I used a Scottish note at a book store in Bath. He was happy to take it to make a sale. So maybe try using those notes in smaller independent stores if that situation comes up. Using that money to buy something you want bests buying something just to get rid of it.

[@michaelscott7166]

@@darkchia00 As a local I can say I It's usually the smaller independent stores that won't take Scottish Money as a counterfeit note is a relatively larger burden to the business as opposed a bigger company so you did OK getting rid at the Bookshop, especially somewhere as far South as Bath. But yeah, the reason I said a bottle of water from the convenience store was alluding to your point on using it on something useful and Sainsbury's/Tesco's are generally significantly cheaper in the centre of tourist areas.

[@darkchia00]

@@michaelscott7166 Well, then. I stand corrected. I must have had the rare exception that day.

[@francescamurray7203]

Just take them to the bank and swap them....for free

[@goldstarsforall]

the cabbies in london have to take the quickest route and they also have to know each an every attraction in london.

[@TheSmbrown]

My relatives in London tell me that one of the most common crimes is people stealing cell phones. Their advise, keep your phone in a zippered, inside pocket or bag, and never set it down on a table.

[@404killer]

idk, id advise just keep your stuff close. dont buy special clothes to prevent getting robbed lol, this isnt Prague.

[@thevirgintraveller]

If you're walking down the street with a £1000+ iphone, don't act bait with it on show. It's just common sense really because they're an easy target.

[@captaindiego228]

Yeah dont walk around london with your phone out because people on mopeds will just drive on the pavement and just take your phone while your distracted, there's even a whole BBC video about it

[@TELBOYO10]

just wave your phone at the card reader

[@patricklamshear1806]

If you see a person sitting at an atm covering himself with a blanket,don't use that atm,there is a good chance that person has an atm reader,been caught once never again be warned.

[@shanethrelfall416]

And always cover your pin

[@ducknuggets1951]

Please everyone dont hold your phone close to pavements edges looking onto the street as in London and all other city because thugs in scooters snatch them out your hand - keep your valuables safe and you will Love the UK

[@indiekiddrugpatrol3117]

That only happens in big scummy cities like London and Brum, most cities don't have moped gangs

[@simonh6371]

@@indiekiddrugpatrol3117 Lmfao big scummy cities like London and Brum. Funny cos it's true bro.

[@LannasMissingLink]

A friend of mine had that happen to her in Dublin. It didnt used to be a thing, but in the last few years it's gone up

[@yusurkassem4174]

Damn that's actually scary i never thought about that. I live in a small town so that's not something that's likely to happen here

[@MadhuttyRotMG]

One thing to mention for tourists in London, ask for ID. If someone's coming up to you claiming to be of authority or whatever and you feel even remotely skeptical, just ask for proof of identification. Anyone working legitimately will be more than happy to show you.

[@charlotteb6519]

Keep your cell phones hidden when walking around London and keep an eye out for motorbikes nearby. If you find a bank that has ATM machines indoors then it's safer to use them instead.

[@mkaizn]

Truth is my radar that’s just being paranoid

[@syxs621]

The biggest scam is your gonna have your pants pulled down for 6 pound a pint

[@alexandriaadamsonmusic-aut4575]

In London, particularly if you want to go to a west end show, many theatres hold “day seats”; go to the box office early in the morning for it opening, cue up and you’ll save £££! Day seats normally are front row and, depending on what theatre, you can get a ticket as much as £20

[@ducknuggets1951]

thank you Alexandria that is some valuable information there

[@Mad11paine]

are those like in NY where they sell tickets for smaller price when the show is tonight?

[@alexandriaadamsonmusic-aut4575]

DariaSparrow sort of yes, sort of no, last time was in NY actual box offices at the theatres didn’t do day or standby seats. Definitely an option Broadway should adopt as not many tourists can afford box office or TKTS rate seats, and sometimes TKTS seats aren’t that great. When we went to TKTS, seats weren’t great, and from having sight and mobility difficulties, it was difficult to enjoy the show. When Mamma Mia was at the Winter Garden, I paid $100 and the seat was terrible!

[@mariposapapillon9261]

@@Mad11paine Not sure if NYC's theater district still does the following, but way back in 1999, I was able to see "RENT" for $20 by participating in a lottery on the sidewalk just outside the theater where "RENT" was running. I hadn't known about the raffle/lottery beforehand, so that was a cool surprise! I'm a native New Yorker and had seen plenty of plays and musicals up to my teens -- when I used to go with my parents. Once I hit the work world full time in my 20s, I made little money to be able to afford nighttime Broadway shows, and lived too far away to bother to come into the city to see those lower-priced Saturday and Sunday matinees. But by my 30s, while no longer living in NYC, I realized my dream of landing a legal-industry job smack dab in the middle of the theater district and was desiring to see "RENT" specifically. I was in the first row, and "Mimi" scared the heck out of me jumping to the front of the stage (lol), but I had a grand ol' time with a bunch of strangers also seated at the front of the orchestra section. My neck hurt from looking up a lot, but I didn't care. I got to see "RENT" with the original cast for only twenty bucks. Two regrets to this day, however, are never seeing "CATS" and, back in the late 1970s, "A Chorus Line" -- and back then I was attending a high school within four measly blocks (not four avenues -- which in Manhattan is, like, eight blocks) of the theater district. Oh well ...

[@bilbobaggins7137]

Duck Nuggets try queuing up otherwise you'll end up in the snooker club.

[@TripHacksDC]

I think you are right that many of these are universal travel scams. It's always good to keep an eye out in an unfamiliar place.

[@borisstudios366]

You ever considered going to the city of lincoln on England. Its a wonderful city. All though its not a weeks worth of stuff to do, it makes a great 2 day trip, plus there's loads of classic seaside resorts around. Its full of local tourism.

[@boywithadolphin]

This is why it is a good idea to wear dirty clothes. I never get scammed and people offer me money!

[@lavayuki]

I'm from the UK and live near manchester, travel to London a few times a year and I have never had any problems myself. I agree with the bank scams, those are so common, as are phone bill scams and car break ins. But the UK has generally less scams than other European countries. This is interesting though as I hadn't come across them myself. In London you can get the 12.5% table service charge refunded if you don't want to pay it

[@ukisbeggar8462]

🇬🇧=💩

[@Catsandcamera]

That first one also works the other way around, if you're English in a different country the ATMs there ask if you want it converted into pounds first

[@susie9893]

Yeah I was thinking that that rule applies to pretty much any country you visit

[@johneklund-dowling5205]

Including the USA

[@Teverell]

Tip for ladies: Wear your bag across the body so you can see it, zip up the inner compartment (and don't put your valuables in the outer pocket - and get a small carabiner so you can clip the zipper to the strap for when you're in a crowded place such as the Tube. It only takes a moment for you to undo to get to your stuff, but it's that unexpected frustration that'll disconcert the pickpocket and make them move to an easier target.

[@jamesgillespie9000]

Something to note is the UK Bank of England have introduced new plastic £5 and £10 notes, and shops aren't supposed to accept the old paper ones, but I recently spoke to American travellers who had gotten their currency in the US before they came and had been given old money so couldn't use it. Just get money out when you come here, also visit Northern Ireland!

[@annieheritage8444]

James Gillespie It’s also worth mentioning that if anyone, tourist or not, has old style notes, take them to any bank and they will exchange them for new ones for free 🙂

[@ronik24]

I only had a bad experience in the UK once in the early 1990s when we went on our first class trip to England. Imagine a London taxi driver just driving away from a group of 13-year-old kids only to scam them out of two pounds change... what a scoundrel. What I also would mention - it is not a scam, but quite a hassle. In my home town Vienna if you want to call a taxi it just takes a few seconds on the phone: you tell them your location, they tell you the minutes it will take, all very efficient. When I called a taxi in London for the first time, it took about fifteen minutes - they needed all my data and credit card information only to send someone! And it was not the best part of London, so this was one of the few times I felt quite unsafe and exposed over there. Thanks for another nice videos! :-)

[@Sean-tn5nv]

That is not normal at all, your name is all they normally ask and they will usually be about 5-10mins.

[@ronik24]

@@Sean-tn5nv Don't know, maybe it depends on the area you are in and on the company. It was in 2008 I think at Willesden Junction quite late at night, by the way.

[@LittleMissProcraftinator]

Ronik with the £2 change the driver may have thought you were giving a tip. If you're expecting change stay in the taxi until the driver gives you the change them get out

[@ronik24]

@@LittleMissProcraftinator Definitely not. The whole trip was very short, two pounds in the early 90s would have been an exorbitant tip. And read carefully: we were 13 year old kids!! He took advantage of our inexperience.

[@LittleMissProcraftinator]

@@ronik24 sorry you were ripped off

[@butalina]

Took a tour of the entire UK with CIE tour then stayed a week in Mayfair in London at the Chesterfield...Next April.will be going to Southampton for a few day then taking a cruise to Norway.

[@QWE1233I4J]

Anything a tory says is usually a scam

[@captaindiego228]

Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh

[@Meoldson]

The UK is indeed much safer than the murder mystery shows would have you believe. As a Brit I do however have some concerns about visiting America. I've seen Murder She Wrote, so I know that Americais very murdery.

[@annagoldfinch9517]

Thank you! I'm leaving to UK in like... 11 hours or so, this will definitely help since we're going for a month.

[@darkchia00]

Have fun!

[@austenmckenna5555]

Have a nice stay! You'll have loads of fun there!

[@Fizzy.500]

Welcome to our country

[@ducknuggets1951]

Our wonderful Land is for you to Enjoy

[@dylnm]

have a good time and check out Pizza Pilgrims for the best pizza in London ;)

[@jimmyuk007]

Some ATMs are rip off for paying charges etc....and look out fake scamming on ATMs as well. Also looks for scooters around London as they looking victims to rob as they are professional on it

[@electricsense9501]

This video is valid for Dublin too

[@JJDoggett]

Good advice on ATMs here, I'd also add that when looking for an ATM there are some private ones that will charge you a fee (usually £2-£3) for withdrawals. Always look for one that says 'free cash withdrawals' above it to avoid this.

[@pianocrisante90]

There is another travel scam when it comes to taxis is when the driver tells you that the taxi metre is not working, and you end up being overcharged.

[@dcarbs2979]

Never seen that in the UK (I live here!), but plenty in 3rd world countries (India etc.), where ironically the amount you are being overcharged you probably wouldn't bother to pick up if you dropped it! UK taxis are better licensed and regulated

[@yodudeHQ]

I'm English and yeah, never seen a single one of these scams

[@stewarthills9344]

Perhaps because these are aimed at tourists, and as you’re English, it makes perfect sense you’ve never witnessed such scams

[@yodudeHQ]

@@stewarthills9344 not really, they're common on the continent just not really in the UK

[@exelmans8855]

Allan there’s no tourist in the UK compare to powerhouse like France or Spain.

[@yodudeHQ]

@@exelmans8855 ok

[@jbjaguar2717]

You have seen them, just didn't recognise them. After living in London, I: 1. Had my bike stolen after leaving it inside a pub for 1 minute. 2. Saw more begging gangs than I can count. 3. Saw many obvious pickpockets hanging around Picadilly Circus and Oxford Street. 4. Nearly got robbed by a gang in Hackney while using my cellphone in the street.

[@callumsmith895]

be wary of moped theifs i was almost a victim.they come up beside you, steal your mobile and drive off.

[@j.j.1064]

Great video. However! The official advice is ...Do NOT give money to beggars. There are assistance programs for the homeless run by charities like shelter, mind, ect who are better placed to know how and who to assist. Giving money is more likely going to end up in the bank accounts of drug gangs and you will be feeding the addictions of vulnerable people and your well intentioned"gift" will in fact be prolonging their problem.

[@simonh6371]

The charities are just a drop in the ocean, there is a real problem with homelessness and charities can't help much, they may offer people drop in centres where they can get a shower and a cup of tea or a subsidised (not free) meal but fact is there are tens of thousands of genuine homeless in London. But there are also many Roma gypsy beggar gangs, as well as crackheads. If you live here you will know who is genuine and who isn't though, if they are actually approaching tourists they are most likely scammers.

[@jessj8313]

If you get on a train, and think you're being robbed, it's not a scam. It just costs that much.

[@Sean-tn5nv]

I mean most of these apply worldwide. I will say though the taxi credit card not working. That's because they want the cash so the taxman does not know how much they are earning not because they charge an extra 3% haha.

[@Pittsburghyinzer]

I had my wallet stolen on the train in San Francisco. The best thing I did was call the police and they filed a report. They couldn’t do anything for me but when I went to fly home and didn’t have my information for security, I had the police report and I was processed quickly. Had I not had that it would have been a headache.

[@shanethrelfall416]

As a U.K. bus driver I refuse to take Scottish money, we’re actually told not to take it, if we do and it turns out to be a fake it comes out of our wages, apparently Scottish money is easier to fake and it’s not worth the risk

[@jonathanforrest6879]

Come to Yorkshire, it’s proper nice

[@alykissas]

Also, you don't have to get British pounds because almost everywhere takes cards, unless you feel the need to do so, but make sure your debit cards don't charge you a foreign transaction fee on top of the conversion rate (great tip about the conversion thing -- I didn't know that when I first visited the UK). For Americans, the best thing you can do is set up Apple Pay or Google Pay on your phone and use that since we don't typically have Contactless cards and almost everywhere in England loves contactless. Plus, it's safer than using your card as the card number on your phone is special to your phone so if someone gets it, it won't match your actual card number, AND the best part is you avoid the awkward situation of having to sign for the transaction and the awkward searching for pens because they just don't do that there. Also, even if you set-up a PIN number on your credit or debit card it most likely won't work because our systems or different, and they don't do debit cards in the UK. Finally, you can use Apple Pay/Google Pay for the Tube instead of using an Oyster card and you can save a ton of $$/pounds (8 pounds versus 14-20, just for not having a paper ticket) if you use contactless when taking the train from Gatwick to London or on some other parts of the train lines that accept contactless.

[@eddiebruv]

London transport doesn’t need a special card anymore. You can swipe you debit card directly at the turnstiles.

[@gerrib1633]

I think scams exist anywhere, but if you use common sense and take care when in new surrounding, travel is exciting!

[@woltersworld]

Exactly.

Scams make travelling very less exciting

[@wesmatron]

Pro tip: Pickpockets will often watch people near a prominent "Beware of pickpockets" sign. Upon seeing this sign many people will instinctively tap and check the pocket they are keeping their wallet in. Don't do it.

[@ledzep2937]

I travel a lot and my advice is trust nobody, especially the ones that start talking to you.

[@jackplant6903]

NEVER take the black cabs off the street the money meater goes up so fast and they take the long way round so you spend much more money, if you in manchester use "metro taxis" (i dont now if they have them anywere els in the uk) but there way more reliable

[@cr3237]

Just watch out for the 'lost' tourist with a large map if you are sitting at a table in an outside cafe. They will spread it out over your phone, purse, valuables etc and will scoop them up when they collect the map. Happens all over the world though too.

[@Phlegethon]

Well it’s not illegal to ask for money from people it’s also not illegal to dress as a religious person

[@l.e.decker8986]

Great advice! The only negative experience I've ever had traveling abroad was the evening we were accosted by a group of young teenage boys in Dublin. It was alarming for sure.

[@thevirgintraveller]

Be assertive and tell them to do one, that can happen anywhere

[@richard6440]

we were accosted by a group of young teenage boys .......pick out the one with the mouth, the one who does all the talking.....then pick out the biggest one ............if they threaten you , punch the mouthy one first, then the biggest one next...once those two are on the ground, the others will leg it. .......

[@DonDon-df5ie]

One thing I love about Americans when they come over to the UK. I'm going to visit London, stonehenge, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Wales all in a day.

[@Phlegethon]

My machine is down. Oh I don’t have cash. Oh it’s fixed!

[@Dorset_Phil]

I think these tips apply to any major city in the world. I was advised most of these when visiting Washington DC.

[@lewiss626]

To be honest it’s not uncommon for someone to leave a valid day bus day ticket for example at a bus stop for you to pick up or they might offer you it before you get on the bus. I see it a lot in my city (Leeds)

[@ianeyre3590]

Watch the price for travelling between the airports and central London. Local train services are often a lot cheaper and use the same route. Also, use the Tube from Heathrow.

[@peterwilliamallen1063]

Nice information, but why do travellers when talking about the UK always bring up Manchester in dealings, firstly Manchester is only the 8th largest City in the UK having only about 580,000 inhabitants living in the City of Manchester it's only tourist feature is Old Trafford, why is the UK's Second Largest City after London not mentioned,the City of Birmingham's population is 1.3 million on it's own and the conurbation of the West Midlands area has nigh on 6 million people with loads of tourist places such as Cadbury World, our Canals and the home in his younger life of JR Tolkien. So why mention London ,Manchester and Scotland, why not London, Birmingham and Scotland.

[@gregh378]

Manchester may be the 8th largest on paper, but in reality it's about the same size as Birmingham. And I say this as a Brummie, there's really not a lot for tourists to do here. It's just not a big part of our city.

[@mogz1485]

Being from Newcastle take it from me, Londons a tourist trap, go to anwick or the lakes

[@sarahjane8101]

Just wanted to add on the ATM make sure you pull and fiddle with the little plastic bit where you put your card in. People have been trying to scan cards by creating their own version of that plastic cover and then put something attached to it that scans the card. However the ATMs attached to banks shouldn't have this issue, but i thought I'd mention this for other people using ATMs in shops etc.. Here's a link to a video in case my explanation is a tad rubbish kzbin.info/www/bejne/op2Xl2ONntJnpq8

[@jbjaguar2717]

The point about people selling old tickets is good. But be aware, it's very common in parts of the UK to give your ticket to others for free if you no longer need it.

[@Kwippy]

When I was new to London, my family once took a black cab from central London to a suburb which was a fair distance but well withing Greater London area. The driver told us we had to pay a big supplement on the meter fare because he would have to go back to central London empty. This was many years ago. I swore then I would never take a London black cab again and to this day, I haven't.

[@camptube7621]

If he had been reported he would have been in serious trouble. Always get his licence number. Rare but happens.

[@westwonic]

Being a Londoner, I NEVER use black cabs, such a waste of money, as buses and the Tube is cheap.

[@yorkshiret2807]

You do need a skim/guard card in your wallet because they scan your wallet with out you even knowing and it reads your card details so a skim card blocks the connection. They will do this while your in a crowded area & it’s not easy to move. If not I do believe tin foil works just as good (aluminium foil)

[@gallaghim]

Luckily as a solo traveler to London a few years ago, i could get away with not needing a backpack or anything when out and about. That was a conscious decision to avoid getting robbed or something. I did use to live there, but it had been many years. Only take a backpack if absolutely necessary. I miss it over there.

[@offthebeatenpathadventures1348]

You just made my day by talking about religious orders and being next to storm troopers. The empire will always have my vote. Seriously, that's good on advice on the ATMs. It also sounds like you just need to be uber diligent to prevent pick pockets.

[@AlexIevuta]

Just in time. Preparing for a short visit to London next week

[@Catsandcamera]

Those are the old pound coins at 9:03 !

[@derpimusmaximus8815]

Yeah, though most banks will accept old coins for exchange no matter how old. Some might require that you have an account with them, so tourists are probably out of luck there.

[@timwills4481]

@@derpimusmaximus8815 I got back one of the old 1 pound coins in change, and no one wanted to take it as legal tender. I went to a bank branch to ask about it, and they had me go to a currency exchange. I received back around 80p, which was a lot better than nothing.

[@nerdydev]

@@timwills4481 check change before leaving always

[@ukisbeggar8462]

Then dance

[@dcarbs2979]

@@derpimusmaximus8815 Tourists probably won't be issued with the old notes/coins in the first place. I used the old pounds at the post office for about 6 months after they weren't allowed in shops.

[@natoaxo]

As an English citizen I can confirm your tips are bang on. Would love to meet you Mark if you ever do any talks or meets in England as I really enjoy your videos!

[@zz44ppppp]

UK citizen*

[@natoaxo]

@@zz44ppppp good use of your time

[@zz44ppppp]

@@natoaxo 😊

[@anonimato1987]

@@zz44ppppp EUn't citizen*

[@faithlesshound5621]

It's better to have an old or battered suitcase than sparkling new luggage when travelling by coach or train. The only time someone tried to walk off with mine, I happened to have a fancy-looking case. Actually an old lady pointed to my case and asked a young man to help her with it, then walked off down the platform. That was a scam that she used to repeat at Banbury.

[@walkietalkietraveller2932]

interesting comment and good advice ! :)

[@oliviap7517]

The trains here are incredibly expensive here compared to the rest of Europe. If you can I'd strongly recommend buying a rail card which gets you one third off your ticket.

[@thevirgintraveller]

Book train travel in advance and you can save a lot of money, walk up tickets (where you buy on the day from the booking office) are expensive.

[@tescotrain]

You could also use TrainPal.

[@barryholt9564]

Lived in London for many years, now live in Dublin Ireland which for these purposes can be regarded as much the same. As Mr Wolter says, beggars here pretty much run the gamut in terms of how genuine they are. And how ingenious they are ! Like pretty much everyone I've encountered hundreds of beggars and I've known a few. Hard drugs of course have been a serious problem in this part of the world for decades but there is also a serious housing problem- in Dublin very much a housing CRISIS- and whilst social welfare is still more generous than in the States people do fall through the cracks; drugs obviously are the number one reason for people begging but you do encounter people trying to make the price of a litre of milk or a bus fare or a bed for the night. confusingly, if not surprisingly however, these last two are also the reasons usually given by chancers for needing money. One guy operating outside a hospital, told me and my wife he needed bus fare to attend his mother's funeral! started pulling out photographs, rosary beads and crucifixes, crying, I swear, REAL salt tears... found out later it was a con- he hit us for €20! Do beware of guys not inconveniently camped out beside ATMs; if you hadn't copped the combination of emotional blackmail and subtle menace, some of these characters can be genuinely dangerous- talked to one guy in London who pulled out a machete saying 'people who didn't have money had no right to be in the West End at night anyway!' ( oh the irony!) Might be worth noting also, as well as organised Roma gypsy begging gangs, there exists in London and to a lesser extent Dublin the phenomenon of weaker beggars being prayed on for protection by tougher ones. finally, I'm sure it's not unique to the British Isles but be aware, especially in chancier neighborhoods, that a request for money or a cigarette can be a prelude to a mugging or even worse. Since you can't go back in time and 'turn down the tourist-iness', I can't tell you what to do if it happens, you'll have to play it by ear (probably better off to give them something in the hope of placating them; almost definitely not the time to share with them your neoconservative / liberalist ideas..) but at least (perhaps) forewarned is forearmed. Oh and since you're probably asking, how much do beggars make? Depends HUGELY on such factors as pitch (location), time of day, weather and demeanour--but in an hour, might be as little as 2 or 3 quid (bucks), or as much (rarely) as 30-odd Pounds or 40Euro, possibly even more. usually, somewhere in the middle. for various reasons it shouldn't be viewed as an 8hr. a day gig though, and it might not be productive labour but it is, I'm told, hard WORK, and as demeaning as you might suppose.

[@hassanalihusseini1717]

Good video! Especially because you gave credit to Cab drivers instead of tax fraud companies as Uber or Lyft! These companies have to be boycotted by every responsible tr5aveller (as Airbnb has to, too).

[@benjamindunnill3496]

Visit Yorkshire ( Holmfirth ) it’s amazing !

[@camptube7621]

I wish more Americans would come to Yorkshire. It’s a beautiful area with lots of historic places like York. Very cheap and we are a friendly people.

[@kelly1827]

"Not actual Imperial soldiers" 😝🤣🤣🤣

[@dcarbs2979]

Exactly. The *actual* Imperial soldiers are the Queens Guard at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Literally, they're real soldiers, not a tourist attraction.

[@bookbear619]

The way to escape beggars that works for me is to say in a medium loud voice "NO EENGLISH," then turn and quickly walk away. That usually leaves the beggar stunned for a second and allows an escape. I'm told this probably works for me because my ancestry is Veddy pale-skinned Briddish. so your mileage may vary.

[@EJA-hc3ex]

Was in London last year. Went in May. Luckily did not see any of those petition scams in the city - though in Westminster Abbey there were police all over the place so I would not think they would dare to scam someone. Lots of people on trains so I would put my bag in front of me to be sure no one will take it. Saw beggars but they never bother you. Had a wonderful time and i would advise to get around as early as possible because when the clock strikes 11AM there are so many people

[@Bartimon-rj3hs]

blackcabs are the worst

[@davidlazarus67]

The “Taxi scam” is not really a scam. The banks charge them more for the transactions and they are not credited with the money for several days either. I heard this from a taxi driver in central London. So paying the driver in cash is like an extra tip for them as they don’t get skimmed by the bank fees.

[@davidlazarus67]

patrick henry Yes it is.

[@hayleykent6434]

Try visiting Kent, much better. Experience tons of history from the war times... London is fine for a day trip :)

[@jgowls4ever]

As a Brit the ATM scams are probably the main problem you will come up against. If it looks like it's been tampered with in any way just move along, I see plenty that have been fire damaged or look like someone has tried messing with the reader so just go somewhere else. ATM's are all over so just look for the next one. Enjoy your trip over here

[@jakeyzealous4907]

While not a scam as such, rail tickets can be a very expensive sometimes. For example most of the time the price of a single nearly the same cost as a return, which is an issue if you aren’t doing a round trip. Also off peak and peak times can really inflate prices for longer journeys!

[@ccityplanner1217]

If taxi drivers said their credit card system was down, they would probably intend people to think the reader has run out of battery, although I can't see any respectable company allowing this. If someone ticket-scams me, I would ask to look at the ticket to verify that the information is correct. This scam I imagine would be more of a problem in cities where they don't physically print the date on tickets, such as Oslo.

[@ljrigsbee]

I travel with a security purse and backpack. These have clips that can be used to secure the zippers which make it much harder for a pickpocket to target you. Since they want an easy target, they probably won't bother. My backpack also has a clip that can be detached at the bottom of one of the shoulder straps that allows it to be secured to a chair or table leg when eating out (another scam to look out for).

[@kaiyan246]

Pick pocketing doesn't necessarily happen too much outside of London. It's not too bad at all. It's Just mostly in London where you have to be careful. Most of the time they want your gadgets instead of the money as they're worth more. My dad's wife had her phone stolen.

[@colin.d]

Those comments are not just relevant to the UK, but many places in Europe.

[@annmarie4442]

Bypass London and visit North England and Scotland. Nicer places, friendlier people 👍

[@schumi246]

Most of the people I saw in London were pretty friendly, even the customs officer, when I forgot the postal code of my hotel, but knew where it was, he happily looked it up for me. Also, at the hotel, it was only 11:30 when I got there, and check in wasn’t until 2, so they let me put my larger bag behind the desk, so,I could go out for a couple hours and see a few sights before checking in. The main draw for northern England and Scotland would be fewer crowds, for me.

[@WDH59510]

Anything (especially in London) advertising itself as an 'Aberdeen Angus Steakhouse' - AVOID. You would get more nutrition out of eating your own shoes. And you should also avoid anything advertising itself as a 'Genuine Cockney (or Scottish) Experience'. These are rip-off merchants out to fleece gullible tourists.

[@robertwalsh5461]

London Black Taxi Drives have the most rigorous training... ( this post only touches on how rigorous) They have to learn every single street address in the city...EVERY SINGLE ONE! They also know every street and alley BY HEART! It’s a fact!

[@awesomeeverton7111]

As a Londoner, in general, if you do want to visit, visit from April to September! Otherwise you won't get any sun.

[@ss4147]

Black CAB 🚕 TO EXPENSIVE LOL 😂 2020 New technology much better everyone have Internet everyone have map 🗺 google on the phone

[@michaelrief4424]

I will never forget when I went to Aruba in 1988 and in Miami I got a chunk of the Aruban currency the Florin. When I got down there they told me that they don’t accept that crap and that’s exactly what they said. They wanted the U.S. Dollar.

[@fifaplayer6833]

Must be a London thing that 'pound for a dead ticket' scam. In Newcastle people just give you theirs for free and they always work. I've even been given football match tickets in Newcastle for free too (twice!) while in the queue to pay for my own by people with family members that couldn't make it to the game.

[@moviesisaw]

For me, the biggest scam in the UK is at the car rental places. They'll offer to sell you a tank of fuel at a lower price so that you can bring the car back with an empty tank. In reality, it's hugely unlikely that you be able to arrive back with a completely empty tank. They know you'll pay for the fuel and then just give them more fuel for free. It's a rip off and should be stopped.

[@QPRTokyo]

Most pickpocket gangs around Europe come from one country. The ATM “scam”is not really a scam. It is the same in all ATM s around the world that deals with international currencies. I guess you don’t have any in the states.

[@JSL2000]

Something else to watch out for is beggers hanging around "tourist maps". The big boards you see in cities with "You are here" in a big red dot and arrow. As soon as they see a tourist looking at it, they're over to offer their help. Some are actually excellent and very helpful as they know the city. Others are just chancers and pick pockets. Either way, they'll all want something off you.

[@chimsuaumo]

When getting money out, i onky use the atms (or cash points as some call them here) inside a bank or building society. When using a credit or debit card in a shop. Always check the amount on the machine. Some shops will put the decimal point in the wrong place.

[@sophiecat2161]

Wow our home country is so awful yet you're happy to travel here and film about it so you get attention? Funny how I had the same experiences using atm n services abroad. Its not a scam, just common sense to educate yourself. Please don't return and irritate those of us who LOVE living in the UK.

[@paulelliott2564]

Sorry but you are putting people off going to the UK. Just say to be careful everywhere. I was only ever pickpocted in your San Francisco.

[@old.not.too.grumpy.]

Very out of date the money shown was the old notes. Chip and pin is hardly ever used now it's all tap amd go for sales under £100. So if you use your loose your cards report them right away as if not you might be paying for someone's spending spree