Bangkok Ranked Among Top Cities for Tourist Scams, Mastercard Report Warns
BANGKOK — Tourists visiting Thailand’s bustling capital are being urged to remain vigilant, as Bangkok has been named one of the world’s top cities for travel-related scams, according to a new report by the Mastercard Economics Institute.
The study, highlighted by CNBC, reveals that nearly half of all reported tourist fraud cases in Bangkok stem from taxi and car rental scams, making them the most prevalent forms of deceit targeting visitors to the city.
The report identifies the travel industry as one of the sectors most vulnerable to fraudulent activity, particularly during peak tourism seasons. Fraud involving travel agencies and tour bookings occurs at rates over four times higher than the average seen in other industries, the institute found.
Scam activity spikes significantly depending on the season—by more than 18% at popular summer destinations and up to 28% in winter travel hotspots.
In Bangkok, 48% of reported scams involve deceptive taxi services or bogus car rental operations. Victims often pay upfront for tours or rentals that either never take place or fail to match their advertised descriptions.
“Once payment is made, the tour may never materialise or may differ entirely from what was advertised,” the report notes.
Phuket, another major Thai destination, showed a different pattern, with a higher frequency of scams related to fraudulent hotel bookings.
With Thailand continuing to draw millions of international visitors each year, officials and industry leaders are now under increasing pressure to tackle the growing problem and protect the country’s tourism reputation.
