These are the tourist scams Trzly has documented across Grecia, grouped by destination. Each one is real, with a clear way to stay safe. Read before you land.
Come funziona: Drivers claim the meter is broken, quote an inflated flat price, run a higher night tariff by day, or add invented surcharges, especially on airport and port runs.
Come evitarla: Know the fixed airport fare in advance, insist on the meter or the set rate for the airport, use a ride-hailing app where possible, and pay with small, counted notes.
Come funziona: A friendly local or 'tourist' invites a solo traveller, often near Syntagma or Omonia, to a bar where drinks are spiked or a huge bill appears, enforced by intimidating staff.
Come evitarla: Be wary of strangers steering you to a specific bar, choose your own well-reviewed venue, never leave a drink unattended, and leave immediately if anything feels staged or pushy.
Come funziona: Someone asks you to sign a petition or donate to a 'charity', often with a clipboard, to distract you and press for money while an accomplice may target your bag.
Come evitarla: Decline politely and keep walking. Do not sign anything or open your bag, and keep valuables secured when groups approach you near busy squares and sights.
Come funziona: Thieves work the crowded metro, especially the airport and central lines, and busy tourist spots, using bumps and distractions to lift phones and wallets.
Come evitarla: Keep bags zipped and in front of you, avoid back pockets, and stay alert as train doors open and close and in packed squares and markets like Monastiraki.
Come funziona: Some tourist-facing tavernas, especially near the Old Port and the busiest lanes, have vague or missing prices, push 'specials' with no listed cost, or bill fish at a high per-kilo rate so the total lands far above what you expected.
Come evitarla: Choose places with clear printed prices, ask the cost of any special and the weight and total for fish before ordering, and check the itemised bill. A small cover charge for bread is normal in Greece; a padded total is not.
Come funziona: A driver may refuse the meter and quote a high flat fare once he hears you are a tourist, take a longer route, or steer you to a shop, tour or restaurant that pays him a commission rather than the place you asked for.
Come evitarla: Insist on the meter or agree a fair fixed price before getting in, and say clearly where you want to go. There is no Uber or Careem on Corfu, so use official ranks, ask your hotel the going rate, and decline unsolicited shopping or restaurant suggestions.
Come funziona: A rental shop may hand over a scooter or ATV with existing scratches and dents, then claim you caused them on return and charge for the repair, or hold a large cash deposit against 'damage'.
Come evitarla: Photograph and video the vehicle from all sides before you leave, note every existing mark with the staff, and read the deposit and insurance terms. Rent from established shops with clear paperwork rather than the cheapest roadside stand.
Come funziona: Some ATMs and card machines offer to charge you in your home currency instead of euros, at a poor built-in exchange rate, and independent ATMs may add high withdrawal fees on top.
Come evitarla: Always choose to be charged in euros and let your own bank convert, decline the offered 'conversion', and prefer bank ATMs over standalone tourist machines to keep fees down.
Come funziona: Shops in the busiest lanes may start olive-wood carvings, kumquat products and 'handmade' souvenirs at high prices, or present ordinary factory goods as rare local crafts.
Come evitarla: Compare a few shops before buying, be sceptical of grand authenticity claims, and buy kumquat liqueur, olive oil and crafts from established local producers rather than the first stall by the cruise dock.
Come funziona: Some drivers, especially from the airport, port or busy ranks, avoid starting the meter, claim a flat 'tourist' price, or add vague extras, leaving you paying well over the true fare.
Come evitarla: Ask for the meter (Tariff 1 in the city, Tariff 2 at night or out of town) before setting off, or agree a price first. Know that airport and port surcharges are legitimate, but keep it reasonable and use only official ranks or a booking app.
Come funziona: At some waterfront tavernas, fresh fish and seafood are priced per kilo rather than per portion, and a casually chosen fish can produce a surprisingly large bill.
Come evitarla: Always ask the price per kilo and have the fish weighed in front of you before it is cooked, so you know the cost. Confirm the total for your chosen piece, and be wary of menus with no printed prices near the harbour.
Come funziona: Near the Knossos entrance, people may offer to guide you for a fee, attach themselves without a clear price, or push a rushed tour, then demand a steep sum at the end.
Come evitarla: Buy your ticket at the official booth or online, and use only licensed guides, who carry official ID, or the site's own information and audio guide. A polite, firm 'no thank you' is enough to decline the rest.
Come funziona: Shops on the main tourist streets may start prices high, present ordinary goods as rare or hand-made, or sell overpriced 'Cretan' oil, honey and herbs to visitors who do not compare.
Come evitarla: Compare a few shops, buy food products from proper delis, supermarkets or village producers, and be sceptical of pushy 'special price for you' pitches. Fixed-price shops away from the harbour are usually fairer.
Come funziona: In a busy cafe or bar, or with a bill that lumps together cover charges and service, it is easy to be handed the wrong change or charged for extras you did not notice.
Come evitarla: Check the menu and the printed bill, count your change, and query anything unclear politely. Carrying small notes and coins for cafes, kiosks and buses avoids most mix-ups.
Come funziona: Some fashionable beach clubs and bars quote vague prices, add hidden minimum-spend charges, or present a shockingly large bill for drinks, sunbeds or bottle service, backed by pushy staff.
Come evitarla: Ask for prices and any minimum spend in writing before you sit or order, check the menu, keep your receipts, and be especially careful with bottle service and sunbed 'packages'.
Come funziona: With few taxis on the island, drivers may quote inflated flat fares, especially late at night from the port, airport or party beaches, or add vague extras.
Come evitarla: Use the official taxi rank or a booking app, agree the fare before setting off, know that legitimate luggage and airport surcharges are small, and keep small notes.
Come funziona: A few tourist-facing spots show menus without clear prices or push fresh fish 'by the kilo', then hand over a far bigger bill than expected.
Come evitarla: Only order where prices are clearly written, confirm the cost of fish and specials by weight before agreeing, and walk away if a place will not show clear prices.
Come funziona: In packed lanes, bars and at the ports, thieves use crowding and distraction to lift phones and wallets, especially late at night.
Come evitarla: Keep bags zipped and in front, avoid back pockets, and stay aware of your belongings in crowded bars and when boarding busy boats and buses.
Come funziona: In the busiest Old Town lanes and around Mandraki, some places lure you in with touts, then hand over inflated or handwritten bills with vague 'service' charges, mystery cover fees, or drinks priced far above the menu.
Come evitarla: Eat where there is a clear, printed and priced menu, and skip anywhere with an aggressive person pulling you in. Confirm prices before ordering, check the itemised bill against the menu, and do not be rushed into paying a total you cannot see broken down.
Come funziona: Some drivers avoid the meter for tourists, claim it is broken, quote a high flat price, or add extra passengers and detours, leaving you paying well above the real fare.
Come evitarla: For metered city trips insist the meter is on before you move; for the airport agree the set fare first. Better still, use Uber Taxi, which fixes the price in advance and removes the argument, and know that fares rise slightly at night and on Sundays.
Come funziona: Standalone tourist ATMs and card machines often offer to charge you in your home currency ('dynamic currency conversion'), which hides a poor exchange rate and extra fees, and some tack on high withdrawal charges.
Come evitarla: Always choose to be charged in euros, not your home currency, when a machine asks. Use ATMs attached to real banks where possible, decline strangers who offer to 'help' at the machine, and prefer paying by card charged in euros.
Come funziona: Sellers at Mandraki and Kolymbia push boat trips, 'private' Symi day tours or beach excursions with promises that do not always match the boat, the schedule or the crowd on the day.
Come evitarla: Book with an established operator, confirm exactly what is included, the boat, the timings and the return, and read recent reviews. Be sceptical of a hard-sell price that is 'only for today' and pay in a way that leaves a record.
Come funziona: Shops on the main tourist streets may start prices very high, present ordinary goods as handmade or rare, or push overpriced 'local' honey, oil or sponges to visitors who do not compare.
Come evitarla: Compare a few shops before buying and be ready to negotiate on higher-priced items. Buy food and craft products from established shops rather than pavement stalls, and treat 'antique' or 'handmade' claims with healthy scepticism.
Come funziona: Handlers offer donkey rides up the steep Fira cliff path, then charge far more than quoted, and the animals are often overloaded in the heat, an animal-welfare concern.
Come evitarla: Use the cable car instead, which is quick and comfortable. If you do consider a ride, agree the exact price first, and many visitors choose to avoid the donkeys altogether on welfare grounds.
Come funziona: Restaurants and bars with a prime Oia or Fira sunset view charge steep prices, sometimes with a minimum spend, a cover charge or a compulsory set menu at sunset.
Come evitarla: Check prices and any minimum spend before sitting down, or enjoy the sunset for free from a public viewpoint and eat afterwards at a better-value spot away from the cliff edge.
Come funziona: Some independent ATMs and card machines push 'dynamic currency conversion', offering to charge you in your home currency at a poor exchange rate plus extra fees.
Come evitarla: Always choose to be charged in euros, not your home currency, on any ATM or card machine. Use bank ATMs where possible and decline the offered conversion.
Come funziona: With very few taxis on the island, drivers at busy times or late at night may quote inflated flat fares or refuse the meter, especially for airport and port runs.
Come evitarla: Agree the fare before getting in, ask your hotel for the going rate, and pre-book transfers for arrivals and departures. The public bus via Fira is a cheap fallback in daytime.
Come funziona: Some drivers claim the meter is broken, run a night tariff by day, take a longer route, or add invented surcharges, especially on airport and late-night runs.
Come evitarla: Insist on the meter or agree the fixed airport fare first, roughly know the distance, use a ride-hailing app where possible, and pay with small, counted notes.
Come funziona: A friendly stranger steers a solo traveller to a specific bar or club where drinks are hugely overpriced, a large bill appears, or a drink is spiked, backed up by intimidating staff.
Come evitarla: Choose your own well-reviewed venue, be wary of anyone insisting on one place, never leave a drink unattended, and check prices before ordering bottles or tables.
Come funziona: A few tourist-facing tavernas show menus without prices or push expensive fish 'by the kilo', then present a much larger bill than expected at the end.
Come evitarla: Always check written prices before ordering, confirm the cost of fish and specials by weight, and walk away from any place that will not show clear prices.
Come funziona: Thieves work the busy market lanes, packed buses and crowded seafront events, using bumps and distractions to lift phones and wallets.
Come evitarla: Keep bags zipped and in front of you, avoid back pockets, and stay alert on crowded buses and in the markets around Aristotelous and Modiano.