Tips on Benidorm Warnings and Dangers

Benidorm Warnings and Dangers

Benidorm is a very popular beach area, which gets so crowded that it is impossible to walk on the beach. Benidorm is also a very popular area for scammers, rip-off artists, and pickpockets as explained in these warnings and dangers about Benidorm.

Exchange Rates

There are many currency exchange operations that advertise very low rates using big bold signs to lure in customers. These rates are exceptionally good and if you are shopping around for the best deal, they look attractive, until you exchange your money.This is a classic “bait and switch” rip-off. The way to avoid this is to ask about the minimum needed to exchange in order to get the lower advertised rate.

Timeshare Traps

You are offered a free scratch-off card and when you scratch it, it has three stars indicating you won! The people giving you the scratch-off card get really excited as if this is exceptionally rare because you won one of the top three prizes, which is a free vacation.

In order to collect your prize, you are taken to a two-hour presentation that asks you aggressively to join a travel discount group for a large fee that supposedly gives discounts on travel. The travel discount group does not exist and the “free” vacation prize is a week’s stay in a cheap apartment with no airfare included.

If you claim the prize you will be forced to go to another sales presentation when you return and to stay in lousy accommodations.

Pick Pockets

A group of young men play with a ball and try to keep it up in the air, while their girlfriends mingle with the crowd watching and pick the tourists’ pockets. There is a man with a trained monkey who taught the money to steal things using its tail while distracting you by climbing on you.

Potato Men

This is a version of what is called the “shell game” or “three-card Monte” elsewhere. A man uses three hollowed-out potatoes and a ball. Those who bet and choose the correct potato that contains the ball win. Someone playing is winning many times and screaming with excitement. A crowd gathers to watch. The unsuspecting tourist thinks the game looks so easy. The tourist puts down a bet and loses. Meanwhile, pickpockets work the other tourists in the crowd.

The way this works is the winner of the game is a “shill,” working along with the potato man. All the potatoes have a ball in them and it depends on how the potato is lifted whether or not the ball drops to be shown. In this way, the potato man always controls whether it is a win or a loss.

Editor’s Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about warnings and dangers in Benidorm.

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