Common Tourist Scams in Delhi (and How to Avoid Them)
The standard Delhi scams
- "Your hotel is closed / overbooked": classic Paharganj + New Delhi station scam. Driver takes you to a commission-paying hotel instead. Insist on going to your booking; call the hotel from the car.
- Fake "tourist information" offices: Connaught Place is full of them. The real India Tourism office is at 88 Janpath. Other "Government Tourist Offices" are scams.
- Pre-paid taxi at the airport: legitimate IPTS booth is in arrivals — use it. Don't accept rides from touts inside.
- "Your Uber driver is here": only follow the app. Ignore drivers calling your name in the parking lot.
- Begging children + scams around tourist sites: don't engage; never give money to children directly.
- Rickshaw "no meter, broken meter": agree price first or insist on the meter.
FAQ
- What's the 'your hotel is closed' scam and how do I avoid it?
- Classic Paharganj and New Delhi station scam: an auto-rickshaw or taxi driver tells you the hotel you booked is closed, full or unsafe and offers to take you somewhere 'they recommend' instead (a commission-paying alternative, usually massively overpriced and bad quality). Defence: call your hotel before getting in any vehicle to confirm operations; insist on going to your booking address and refuse all detours; if a driver persists, get out and find another. The same logic applies to 'fake tourist information' offices around Connaught Place — the only genuine India Tourism office is at 88 Janpath; any other 'Government Tourist Office' is private and selling commission tours. Use the pre-paid IPTS booth in airport arrivals, not touts.
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