Scam in MoldovaAirport and border
Border guard demands a bribe in Moldova
How it works
A corrupt border guard may try to extort money. No specific pretext or payment amount is described.
Warning signs
- An official pressures you for a payment without clearly explaining it.
- A payment demand comes without written details or a receipt.
How to avoid it
- Keep your passport and travel documents accessible.
- Ask what any requested payment is for.
- Request written details and an official receipt.
If it happens to you
Stay calm. Ask for clarification through the official process and contact your embassy if the situation cannot be resolved safely.
- Move somewhere safe. Avoid chasing or confronting the person.
- Stop further payments. If a card or account is affected, contact your bank or payment provider immediately.
- Save messages, receipts, booking details and transaction records. Write down what happened while it is fresh.
- Report the scam or theft to police. Ask for a report reference or a copy for your insurer.
- Contact your embassy if your passport is missing or you need help dealing with officials.
- Tell your insurer and any booking or payment platform involved. Keep copies of all reports.
What travellers report
Posts about this scam on other sites, summarised in our words. Open one to read the original.
- Travel blog2016Transnistria: How To Travel To A Country That Doesn’t ExistTravellers reported a Moldovan border guard requesting €20 over a missing entry stamp when leaving for Romania and releasing them after they refused.Read on Travel blog
- Travel blogTraveling to Transnistria, a Day in Soviet DisneylandA visitor travelling from Moldova into Transnistria reported that a border guard sought a €5 bribe from her driver.Read on Travel blog
- Travel blog2012Adventures in Bessarabia: 2012A traveller described border guards attempting to collect supposed fines for missing Moldovan entry stamps after entry through Transnistria.Read on Travel blog
Questions
What is the border guard demands a bribe scam in Moldova?
A corrupt border guard may try to extort money. No specific pretext or payment amount is described.
How can I spot it early?
An official pressures you for a payment without clearly explaining it. A payment demand comes without written details or a receipt.
How do I avoid border guard demands a bribe in Moldova?
Keep your passport and travel documents accessible. Ask what any requested payment is for. Request written details and an official receipt.
What should I do if it happens to me?
Stay calm. Ask for clarification through the official process and contact your embassy if the situation cannot be resolved safely.
Where in Moldova does this happen?
Border checks; no specific crossing is named
How common is this scam in Moldova?
Occasional. Crime rates in Moldova are relatively low, and most visitors face little trouble. The main risks described are online romance and business scams, taxi drivers leaving meters off, and occasional demands for bribes from officials. Police corruption aimed at foreigners is described as rare in Chișinău.
Who can I report it to?
Police: report scams, theft or extortion and provide any evidence you have. Ask for a written report or reference. Your embassy: use the embassy contact number you saved before travelling. Seek help with a missing passport or problems involving officials. Your bank, card issuer or payment provider: use its official app or verified contact number. Report the transaction promptly, freeze affected cards and ask whether recovery is possible. The platform used for contact or payment: report the account through the platform's reporting tools. Save the conversation before blocking the account. Your travel insurer: contact its claims service and keep receipts, transaction records and any police report.
Reviewed by @snuck