Common Tourist Scams in Las Vegas (and How to Avoid Them)
The Strip — pickpockets and crossing the road
- Pickpockets: present in the densest crowds, especially New Year's Eve, F1 weekend, big fight nights. Front pocket only; daypack in front in crowds.
- "Costumed character" hustle: characters offer photos, then demand $20+ tip. Most are fine but firmer-tip-pressure ones operate on the Strip near Caesars and Bellagio.
- "CD seller" hustle: similar — hands you the CD, demands payment.
- Pedestrian crashes on Las Vegas Boulevard: real and recurring. Always use the bridges/crosswalks; jaywalking on the Strip can be fatal.
- Walking back to your hotel at 3am: stick to the Strip's main routes. Off-Strip side-street walking is sketchier.
FAQ
- What's the biggest scam to avoid in Las Vegas?
- Costumed-character photo hustles on the Strip near Caesars and Bellagio (the photo is fine; the demand for $20+ "tips" afterwards is the catch — agree on the price before the photo, or politely decline). CD-seller hustles work the same way. "Discount helicopter tour" booths and time-share-pitch "welcome desks" off the Strip pull people into 4-hour sales presentations. Hotel resort fees of $40-50/night are baked into bills beyond the booked rate — check before booking. Counterfeit show tickets on resale sites are common; buy directly through official channels (Ticketmaster, individual show sites, hotel concierges).
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