Common Tourist Scams in Craiova (and How to Avoid Them)
Money + standard Romania scams
- Currency: Romanian leu (RON). 1 EUR ≈ 5 RON.
- Cards: widely accepted in Craiova restaurants + hotels; small markets cash.
- ATMs: bank-branch (BRD, BCR, Raiffeisen, ING) for the best rate. Avoid Euronet.
- "Don't pay in RON" (DCC): card-reader scam takes 7-10%; always pay in lei.
- Currency-exchange "0% commission" booths: poor rates; use bank ATMs.
- Taxi-meter scam: meter shows the right rate, but the per-km posted rate may not match. Check the rear-window sticker; 2.50-2.80 RON/km daytime is the legitimate rate.
- Gypsy taxi scam at airports: less an issue at Craiova small airport; bigger at Bucharest Otopeni.
FAQ
- What's the actual scam picture in Craiova?
- Mild and standard-Romania rather than Craiova-specific. The currency-exchange-rate trap: avoid '0% commission' booths, use bank-branch ATMs (BRD, BCR, Raiffeisen, ING) for the best rate, and never use Euronet. The DCC ('don't charge in RON') card-reader scam takes 7-10% — always pay in lei not euros at any terminal. Taxi-meter scam: the meter shows the right number but the per-km posted rate may not match — check the rear-window sticker (2.50-2.80 RON/km daytime is legitimate). The fake-police 'show me your wallet to check for counterfeits' pattern exists in Bucharest more than Craiova but real Romanian police won't ever ask to inspect your wallet. Bolt solves most of the taxi issues.
Live Craiova safety score (updates daily) →