These are the tourist scams Trzly has documented across Georgia, grouped by destination. Each one is real, with a clear way to stay safe. Read before you land.
Hoe het werkt: Many Batumi taxis have no working meter, or a meter that can be switched to a high tourist tariff. A driver may quote a low price then demand far more at the end, or charge several times the fair rate for a short ride.
Hoe het te vermijden: Use the Bolt app, which fixes the fare in advance and tracks the route, for almost every ride. If you must take a street taxi, agree the exact price before getting in and have small notes ready to pay the agreed amount.
Banknote switch on payment
Hoe het werkt: When you pay with a larger note, a dishonest driver or cashier claims you handed over a smaller one, for example insisting your 50-lari note was only 5, and asks for more, counting on poor light and unfamiliar notes.
Hoe het te vermijden: Say the value of the note out loud as you hand it over, keep your cash sorted by value, and pay with smaller notes where you can. Georgian banknotes look quite different from each other once you learn them.
Poor exchange rates and hidden fees
Hoe het werkt: Some exchange booths advertise an attractive rate but apply a worse one at the counter, add a commission that was not displayed, or short-change tourists who do not count carefully.
Hoe het te vermijden: Compare the rate on a couple of official exchange offices near the Piazza or in the centre, confirm the exact amount you will receive before handing over cash, and count your money at the counter before leaving. ATMs from major banks are a reliable alternative.
Airport taxi touts
Hoe het werkt: Drivers inside or just outside the terminal may approach arrivals offering a ride at a 'special' price that is well above the short, cheap trip into town, or steer you away from the public bus.
Hoe het te vermijden: Book a Bolt on the app, or use the No.10 city bus from the stop in front of the terminal. If you take a taxi, agree the fare first and know that central Batumi is only a short drive from the airport.
Menus without prices and padded bills
Hoe het werkt: A few tourist-facing restaurants, bars or clubs use menus with no prices, or add extra items, a large 'service' charge or rounded-up totals to the bill, especially late at night on the seafront.
Hoe het te vermijden: Choose places that clearly list prices, check the menu before ordering, and read the bill itemised before paying. Be extra cautious with hostess bars and anyone inviting you in off the street at night.
Hoe het werkt: Unofficial drivers wait inside the arrivals hall and offer a 'taxi', then charge far above the going rate, sometimes several times the normal fare, especially to tired late-night arrivals.
Hoe het te vermijden: Ignore drivers who approach you and instead order a Bolt on the app or take the public bus 337. If you must take a street taxi, agree the full price out loud before getting in.
Street taxis with no meter
Hoe het werkt: Taxis hailed on the street rarely use a meter, and some quote a low price then demand much more on arrival, or claim not to have change for a large note.
Hoe het te vermijden: Use the Bolt app so the fare is fixed in advance and paid in the app. If you do flag down a street taxi, settle the exact price first and carry small notes so change is never an excuse.
Bar and 'friendly local' bill scam
Hoe het werkt: A friendly stranger, sometimes a woman, strikes up a conversation and suggests a nearby bar. Drinks arrive without prices and the bill at the end is huge, enforced by staff, with the new 'friend' vanishing.
Hoe het te vermijden: Be wary of strangers who steer you to a specific bar or club. Choose your own well-reviewed venues, check drink prices before ordering, and pay by card so a padded charge can be disputed.
Exchange booth shortchanging
Hoe het werkt: Some currency booths advertise an attractive rate on a board but apply a worse one, add a hidden commission, or count out less cash than agreed while you are distracted.
Hoe het te vermijden: Change money at a bank or a busy, reputable exchange office, and confirm the exact amount you will receive before handing over your notes. Count the cash carefully before you leave the window.
Tourist restaurant overcharging
Hoe het werkt: A few restaurants in the busiest tourist lanes pad bills with items you did not order, unusually high prices, or a service charge added on top without mention.
Hoe het te vermijden: Check prices on the menu before ordering, note whether a service charge is already included, and review the itemised bill. Eating a street back from the main sights is usually cheaper and better.