Street fraud: The tourist trap

"Free bracelet scam"

The approach

You’re on a city break, pottering around a tourist hot spot, let’s say New York, Prague or Covent Garden sinking into the local vibe, absorbing the architecture and watching the street entertainment whilst considering what wine will go best with lunch...

The "free" gift

When a bracelet, peace card or gold medallion is thrust into your hand or put on your wrist. This is seemingly a present from a gentle monk dressed in orange.

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The demand for money

He then gently, calmly requests a donation for the accepted item pushing for £20 to £50 and shows you his donation card where other tourists have given large sums of money. You take out a £20 hoping to get some change and quick as a flash the monk snatches your cash and is light on his feet, off for his next victim.

This con is happening in all major cities across the world. New York has even put up signs asking tourists not to give money.

How to con a fake monk?

Savvy tourists are getting their own back, ready for the approaching monks.

According to Youtube’s “The Honest Guide”, created by Prague based journalists Janek & Honza, they refused to give money, while others were thanking the monks for their kind gift and again giving nothing to them.

Two fake monks in Prague were filmed in their response to not getting their "donation". The orange fraudsters began shouting, trying to remove a journalists glasses and threatening him with going to the police – to which the journalist followed the monks, eager to point out where the police stations were located.

Back to official advice...

Whilst we would not recommend this level of engagement due to the risk of escalation, we do appreciate the light hearted nature of turning the scam on the con artist and the tongue in cheek attitude of the filming.

If you are approached by fake monks, do not engage, walk away and do not accept their free gift.

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