Pay in smaller bills or count out the money as you are paying!
When paying for a taxi cab-- be especially careful. I am fairly well traveled and thought I was smart enough as I had never been a victim of crime in Europe.
I was with a large group of people including kids. We had to split up and had to take three cabs. The cab ride was something like 43 euros. I handed the cab driver a 50 and started picking up my bags. He had his had open and said that I only had given him a 10. Sure enough, there was only 10 euros in his hand He had dropped us off at a busy intersection with virtually no sidewalk so everything was very hectic. I looked at my wallet (I had just gone to the ATM machine at the airport) and saw several larger bills so I didn't think much of it.
A friend I was travelling with that had taken another cab told me his cab driver pulled the same thing on him. When we got to our room-- we counted our money and realized we both had been taken. I was out 90 euros-- the 50 I had originally given him then the 40 I gave him when I 'thought' I might have given him the wrong bill. The group in the third cab paid in denominations of 10 euros so they were fine.
** Don't let the cab driver drop you off at a busy intersection where someone can grab your bags. We were told that sometimes, they 'help' you with your bags to the sidewalk only to have someone in a bike or motorbike waiting to pluck it. Always COUNT OUT THE EURO DENOMINATION AS YOU'RE PAYING! We found out they target people traveling with children-- heavy intersection, excited kids, different currency all make it too easy!
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on Jun 27, 2006
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