Scams

India is renowned for its touts and scams, for its hassles and for being hectic. There are various ways we can reduce the chances of being overcharged or just plain cheated, but there's no way we can avoid them altogether, so the single most important piece of advice for any India first-timer is to try to remain calm, no matter what. Frustrations boil over easily in India, and being able to control them, take a deep breath and move on, is key to enjoying our overall experience.

Scams change as dodgy characters try to stay ahead of the game, so we are to chat with other travellers and tourism officials to stay abreast of the latest hazards.

We need to be careful when paying for souvenirs with a credit card. Government shops are usually legitimate; private souvenir shops have a reputation for secretly running off extra copies of the credit-card imprint slip, which will be used for phoney transactions after you have left the shop. Insist that the trader carries out any credit-card transaction on the counter in front of you. Alternatively, take out cash from an ATM and avoid the risk.

Train and bus stations are often swarming with touts – if anyone asks if this your first trip to India, say you’ve been here several times, as this is usually a ruse to gauge your vulnerability.

Source: Lonely Planet    Click on this: Scams in India