The first scam many visitors meet in India is waiting right outside arrivals. A friendly, helpful man appears exactly when you are tired and disoriented, and the goal is to separate you from your booking. It is easy to avoid once you know the move.
How this scam works
Outside the airport a man says he works for the official taxi service or tourist information and offers to help.
He asks where you are staying, then claims your hotel is closed, full, overbooked, or even burned down.
He offers a better place he happens to know. That place pays him a commission and is usually worse and pricier.
Some drivers agree the destination, then take you somewhere else entirely and pressure you to check in.
What it sounds like
Tout: Sir, that area is not safe and your hotel closed last month. I know a much better place, very clean.
You: Ignore it. Go to the official prepaid booth or your booked app cab and stick to your reservation.
Red flags
- Anyone approaching you first in the arrivals crowd offering rides or help.
- A sudden claim that your hotel is closed, full, or burned down.
- A driver who wants to take you to a different hotel or a shop on the way.
What to do
- Use only the government prepaid taxi booth inside the terminal, the official airport taxi stand, or a booked app cab like Uber or Ola.
- If a driver says your hotel is closed, call the hotel yourself to confirm. It almost never is.
- Never let a driver talk you out of your reservation or add a shopping stop.
How to report this scam in India
For cyber or card fraud, report at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930. See the travel scams guide for more.
Frequently asked questions
Is my hotel really closed?
Almost never. Call the hotel directly to confirm. The closed hotel story is a standard trick to divert you to a place that pays the driver a commission.
What is the safest way from an Indian airport to my hotel?
Book an app cab like Uber or Ola where the fare is fixed, or use the official prepaid taxi booth inside the terminal. Avoid anyone offering rides in the arrivals area.
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