The simple scams tourists are falling for
Everyone says it will never happen to them, until it does. It’s always advisable to keep your wits about you when you’re travelling. Here are the common scams that tourists are falling for in Cuba.
1. The milk powder scam
The scammer will approach a tourist and ask them to buy a bag of milk powder from a nearby store. After the traveller has paid and left, the scammer and storeowner split the money and the milk powder goes back on the shelves.
2. The money-changing scam
There are two different currencies in Cuba: the CUC, which is what tourists use mostly, and the national peso (CUP), which is worth 1/24th of a CUC. The scammer will offer to change traveller’s money, saying as a local they can get a better rate.
3. The cigar scam
Scammer will offer to sell “real” cigars at discount prices. Don’t be fooled, it is too good to be true. There are legitimate and official stores to buy cigars from in Havana, Trinidad, and other centres around the country.
4. The casa scam
In Cuba, it’s a common accommodation arrangement for tourists to stay in “casa particulars”, which are rooms inside or connected to a family home. At tourist areas, locals will beg you to stay at their house. While offers are usually legitimately, scammers have been known to take people to a house that is not theirs and demand money from the homeowner.