Travel scamsFake officials

Fake police scams

64 reported in 54 countries. How each works and how to avoid it.

SpainCommonFake police and staged directions requestsThieves pose as police and ask to see your passport, ID or wallet. They steal when you reveal your belongings. In one version, an accomplice first asks for directions, then fake police arrive to demand identification. This also occurs elsewhere in Spain.Barcelona
United StatesOccasionalMisleading police statements during an arrestPolice may give untrue information about your rights, the reason for your arrest, or evidence against you. This is a warning about official conduct rather than a typical tourist money scam.
MexicoOccasionalPolice demands for bribesSome officers seek bribes to make extra money. The demand comes from an officer rather than through a clear official payment process.Mexico City
GreeceOccasionalFake police wallet checkSomeone stops you to ask directions. Other men arrive, show fake police badges and accuse you of getting drugs from that person. They ask for your passport and wallet. While you focus on explaining yourself, one takes money from the wallet.Athens
AustriaOccasionalFake police wallet inspectionSomeone asks you for directions. Accomplices then show a fake police badge, suggest that you were buying drugs, and ask for your passport and wallet. While you explain yourself, they remove cash. Another version claims that your money may be counterfeit and needs inspection.Vienna
United Arab EmiratesOccasionalFake legal-trouble callA message or automated call says you have broken a law or are in legal trouble. The claim is used to frighten you into responding.Abu Dhabi
PortugalOccasionalDrug offer followed by a fake police fineTwo people work together. One offers drugs. The second pretends to be a police officer and demands a fine, threatening jail if you refuse.Lisbon
MalaysiaOccasionalBogus plain-clothes police checkSomeone claiming to be a plain-clothes police officer stops you to check travel documents. They lead you to a secluded place and demand your wallet.Kuala Lumpur
ChinaOccasionalBribe demandsA law enforcement officer asks for a bribe. The text warns against offering a bribe to any type of law enforcement officer.
MoroccoOccasionalFake tourist authority badgesFalse guides show printed photo badges or documents claiming a link to the Ministry of Tourism. They use this appearance of authority to redirect you to expensive businesses.Marrakech
AustraliaOccasionalFake tax-debt demands for gift cardsSomeone claiming to represent the ATO demands payment of a supposed tax debt using Spotify or iTunes gift cards. The ATO does not request debt payments this way.
RomaniaOccasionalMaradonist fake-police conA street money changer keeps you talking until partners arrive pretending to be police. They try to make you hand over your wallet and identity papers.
RomaniaOccasionalPolice bribe demandsAn officer may threaten a fine or arrest over minor behaviour and ask for a bribe. A legitimate fine should come with official written documentation.Iași
PhilippinesOccasionalCorrupt officialsSome officials may misuse their position for personal gain. Airport conditions have improved, but corruption has been reported. No specific payment trick is described.
UzbekistanOccasionalPossible bribe pressure during a document checkA document check can create an opportunity for an improper payment request. Checks themselves can be legitimate, and pressure on foreign visitors is described as unusual.
KazakhstanOccasionalPolice cash demands and false finesCorrupt police may demand money from foreigners. Late at night, officers have falsely accused foreign-language speakers of minor crimes, arrested them and sought a cash payment described as a fine.
KazakhstanOccasionalDrugs planted by corrupt policeCorrupt police have been reported to plant drugs on local and foreign visitors. This can expose a traveller to a serious criminal accusation.
AzerbaijanOccasionalFake police officers stealing valuablesCriminals posing as police officers stop foreigners and steal their documents or money. A uniform alone does not establish that someone is a real officer.
BrazilOccasionalPolice involvement in scams or robberySome police officers work with criminals in scams, muggings or other crimes. The details vary, and an officer's involvement does not guarantee that a situation is safe.
ArgentinaCommonTraffic-stop bribe requestsA police officer asks for a bribe during a traffic stop. The guide describes these requests as often occurring, though officers are reportedly not very pushy.
PeruOccasionalFake plain-clothes police stealing passportsPeople posing as plain-clothes police offer a fake form and try to steal passports. This has happened even with real police and customs staff nearby.
ColombiaOccasionalDrug offer followed by fake police and ATM demandsA gang lures a visitor into buying illegal drugs. Other gang members then appear as police. They force the visitor to an ATM to pay a supposed fine. The incident may also lead to kidnapping.Cartagena
TanzaniaOccasionalPolice demands for informal paymentsPolice may stop drivers over alleged road offences and seek an informal payment. The account says stops can happen even when a driver has followed the rules.Dar es Salaam
LaosCommonDrug offers followed by a police shakedownA tuk-tuk driver offers drugs, then works with police or police impersonators to demand money from the tourist. Drug penalties can also be severe.Vientiane
LaosOccasionalCash demands for alleged scooter offencesTraffic police stop tourists on scooters and demand cash for road rules they say were broken. A stop alone does not prove a scam, but an unexplained cash demand deserves care.
TaiwanOccasionalPhone fraud and callers posing as policeA caller tries to get you to send money. They may claim to be law enforcement.
FinlandOccasionalFake police demanding immediate paymentSomeone posing as a police officer asks for money on the spot. Genuine police do not collect fine payments on the spot and do not take bribes.
Bosnia and HerzegovinaOccasionalPressure for a police bribeDuring a police check, an officer may look for illegal items and use the prospect of taking a traveller to the station to seek a bribe. Random checks are described as common in these areas, especially for people who look like tourists or carry foreign passports. A check alone does not mean a bribe is being sought.
JamaicaOccasionalPolice corruptionPolice corruption can be an issue in Kingston. No particular demand, payment trick or fake-officer method is specified.Kingston
BoliviaOccasionalPlain-clothed police impersonationA person in ordinary clothes poses as a police officer. The exact demands and sequence of the scam are not described.La Paz, Cochabamba
ZimbabweOccasionalDemands for bribes at checkpoints or border controlAn official may seek an unofficial payment. Most police officers are described as professional and polite, but incidents of corruption and bribery can occur.
PakistanOccasionalPolice corruption and unofficial paymentsSome officers may be corrupt or unhelpful. Traffic-rule encounters can involve bribery. There is no specific fake-officer trick described.Karachi
GuineaVery commonPolice and soldier bribe demandsCorrupt police and soldiers target foreigners for money. Police may take an item and use it to pressure you into paying a bribe.
AngolaCommonPolice fines and passport withholdingPolice may demand an on-the-spot payment if you cannot show identification. They may also keep an original passport until you pay a claimed fine.Luanda
DR CongoCommonFake police asking you to enter a carPeople claim to be police to take your money or valuables. A group of men may show a fake police identity card and tell you to get into their car to go to a police station.Kinshasa
Central African RepublicCommonCheckpoint bribe demandsPolice at checkpoints demand money. Repeated demands can add up to hundreds of US dollars or euros on the journey from the Cameroon border to Bangui.

Reviewed by @snuck