Common Tourist Scams in Toronto (and How to Avoid Them)
Auto theft — context for tourists
- The headlines: Toronto and the GTA have one of North America's worst auto-theft rates, particularly for SUVs (Toyota Highlanders, Range Rovers, Lexus).
- Tourist relevance: minimal if you're not driving a high-value SUV. Rental cars are rarely targeted because they're not high-value resale.
- If you're driving a rental: park in covered or attended lots. Don't leave anything visible in the car.
- Auto-theft does not involve tourist confrontation: it's overnight thefts from driveways, not carjackings. You won't encounter it as a visitor.
FAQ
- What's the biggest scam to avoid in Toronto?
- Toronto has very little organised scam culture, but the recurring practical traps are airport-area unmarked private-hire offers at Pearson arrivals (use the UP Express train to Union Station for CAD $12.35, the licensed taxi rank, or a metered Uber instead), CN Tower and Eaton Centre pickpockets working dense queues (front pockets only, bag zipped), and hidden 13% HST plus the expected 18-20% tip not shown in menu prices — a CAD $30 dish becomes about CAD $40 on the bill, which surprises many visitors.
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