Travel smart: Look out for these 8 common scams in Romania and learn how to avoid them.
As an American living in Romania’s capital of Bucharest, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with Romanian scams targeting foreigners. I’ve also heard plenty of horror stories from fellow expats in the community here.
Speaking English can put a target on your back. It’s best to be aware and on alert, especially in busy tourist areas.
Below I’ve compiled the most commons scams to look out for if you’re relocating or visiting Romania on holiday:
Overcharging – Restaurant Scams to Avoid in Romania
When visiting Romania, be sure to double-check your final bill when dining out.
Several times, we’ve had waiters “accidentally” overcharge us in various ways. For example, once a waiter tried charging us for a bottle of wine when we only had one glass. Thankfully, my husband speaks Romanian and keeps all receipts, so we caught the mistake and had the restaurant refund us.
This is a very common scheme in Romania because it’s easily dismissed as an accident, when in fact, it was completely intentional.
Criminals are everywhere and being a tourist or foreigner can make you more of a target. Heck, even famous filmmaker Tim Burton was scammed while filming his popular Netflix series Wednesday in Romania. His production received fraudulently inflated invoices for camera equipment rentals, hotel rooms, etc.
No one is immune to these criminal tactics, so it’s best to be alert.
Romanian Romance Scams – Pig Fattening or Pig Butchering
The number one most common scam in Romania is called “pig fattening” or “pig butchering.”
This involves a Romanian woman developing an online relationship with unsuspecting foreign men overseas. They’ll spend weeks, months, even years flattering and coaxing these men into visiting them in their homeland.
Once the individual arrives in Romania and meets with their online girlfriend, things quickly turn south.
The woman (and often her husband!) rob the individual and steal any credit cards or other documents they may be carrying. Often, they’ll visit ATMs or bancomats and empty their bank accounts through cash withdrawals.
Short-term romance scams can also occur with locals you may meet at nightclubs.
Stay vigilant and smart when contemplating bringing someone back to your hotel or Airbnb. Otherwise, your passport may go missing by morning!
Taxi Fare – Typical Scams in Romania
Another common Romanian scam to lookout for is taxis that overcharge, especially in busy cities like Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Constanța.
I always recommend booking a cab in advance through either the Bolt app or Uber. This way, you know the exact rate and estimated travel time before beginning your journey.
Never ever hail a cab on the street, unless you want to pay triple the standard fare.
In addition to overcharging you, the driver may take longer routes to further increase the cost.
Parking Lot Scams – Bucharest + Major Cities
If you’re driving in Romania with your personal vehicle or perhaps a rental, be on the lookout for parking lot scams.
Often, individuals will pretend to work as an attendant for a parking area. They may direct you into an open spot and help you adjust your vehicle. Then they expect some sort of payment when you get out of the car.
Personally, when this happens, my husband and I comply and give the scammer 10 lei or so (about $2). This helps get them off our back and hopefully prevents them from keying our car or causing other damage.
For this reason, I recommend keeping a small amount of cash on hand during your visit.
I personally think it’s worth giving the scammer a couple bucks rather than angering them and risking damage to your vehicle while away.
ATM Skimming
Romanian criminals are known worldwide for placing skimmers on cash machines to steal debit card information.
Be vigilant when getting cash out and use only machines located inside banks. You can swipe your card even after-hours to gain access inside.
Visually inspect the card slot. If it looks odd, don’t use it.
Even the most careful travelers can fall victim to skimming, so it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on your bank statements after visiting Romania.
Mysterious Guests at Your Hotel or Apartment
If anyone knocks on your door unexpectedly, it’s best not to answer.
We learned this the hard way when we opened our apartment door to carolers one night last Christmas and awoke the next morning to discover an attempted break in.
It seems as though the carolers were a ruse to peek inside apartments and learn who was foreign. Foreigners are often perceived as rich in Romania and therefore better targets.
Another English-speaking gentleman in our building was also targeted, while Romanians were left alone.
I’ll say it again: If someone knocks and you don’t know who it is—do not answer.
Pickpockets – Scams in Bucharest and at Train Stations
Pickpocketing happens all over, but especially at busy tourist sites in Romania’s capital.
Often pickpockets work in teams. One person will get your attention to distract you, while their accomplice slips their hand into your bag.
To avoid this, keep all valuables carefully tucked away in a front-facing crossbody bag with secure zippers and anti-theft technology like this one or similar.
When speaking with strangers, always keep one hand securely on your bag to ensure its safety.
Standard backpacks are often out of sight, out of mind, and don’t offer as much security and protection as a cross body, front-facing sling bag.
Linking Your Account with In-Store Purchases
This scam is what prompted me to write this article.
While checking out at a popular skincare store in Bucharest recently, the clerk instructed me to physically write down my email address so she could “look up my account.”
I’d never been asked to write down my email at checkout before, and thought it was a bit strange. Nevertheless, I complied.
When she couldn’t find my profile, she asked me repeatedly (like ten times) for other personal information to try to connect my account to the purchase.
Each time, I politely declined and said I didn’t need to link my account. I asked her to please complete the purchase separately. I remember thinking in the moment her persistence was odd.
The next day, I awoke to find someone overseas had attempted to login to my social media accounts linked with that same email address I’d given at checkout.
While this might be a coincidence, I don’t think it was.
Just a valuable lesson to be careful about giving away personal details, even in seemingly mundane circumstances. You never know what someone may try to do with that information.
Follow me on Instagram for more tips for exploring Romania like a local!
Common Scams in Romania Summary
You may be wondering, “Is Romania safe right now?” I can wholeheartedly say yes, Romania is one of the safest and least violent countries in Europe, according to EuroStat.
But as always while traveling and visiting busy tourist sites, it’s important to stay vigilant.
Save and share these eight common scams to help yourself and others travel smarter!
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