T?rkiye Tops the List with 4,224 Cases...
India, Thailand, and Vietnam Also Rank High
"Broken Meter" and "Long Detours" Among Most Common Scams
T?rkiye has been identified as the country where the highest number of foreign travelers have experienced taxi fare scams. The most common types of scams include drivers not turning on the meter or taking unnecessarily long detours far from the intended destination to inflate the fare.
According to reports from British media outlets such as The Independent on December 2 (local time), travel insurance company AllClear analyzed posts and comments related to "taxi fare scams" on Reddit and found that complaints involving T?rkiye totaled 4,224, the highest among all countries.
India ranked second with 2,301 cases, followed by Thailand (2,169), Vietnam (1,741), and Egypt (1,715). Australia (1,598), Mexico (1,367), Morocco (1,329), the United States (1,283), and Canada (995) also had a relatively high number of complaints. Major European tourist destinations such as France (957), Italy (832), and Norway (799) were also included in the rankings.
AllClear explained, "Taxi fare scams were more prevalent in tourist destinations with underdeveloped public transportation infrastructure, as travelers are more reliant on taxis." The company added that several countries in North Africa, the Americas, and parts of Europe were also among the top 15.
Incidents most frequently occurred immediately after travelers arrived at airports. Analysts noted that this is a typical tactic targeting travelers who are unfamiliar with local geography and fare systems.
The most commonly reported scam methods included: claiming the meter was broken or not using it at all; forcing passengers to load their luggage first and then insisting they board; claiming the credit card terminal was not working; and deliberately taking much longer routes.
In particular, detours that deviated from the destination and followed routes not shown on maps were repeatedly cited as a major issue.
Experts advised, "Tourists who are unfamiliar with local taxi fare systems are at greater risk of being targeted by scams. Before your trip, check the fare standards for the country you are visiting and always ensure the meter is being used when you board." They also emphasized, "During the ride, use GPS to track your route yourself to help reduce the risk of being scammed. If you do fall victim, report the incident to local transportation authorities and check the coverage of your travel insurance."
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