The Daily Telegraph recently highlighted some common scams being played on international travelers.

Wrong Currency. One common scam is to give the international traveler change in the wrong currency. Often the wrong currency is hidden within bills of the correct currency, so look carefully at what you get.

Parisian Travelcard Bait and Switch. Another scam du jour reported to be popular in the Parisian Gare du Nord happens when locals insist on helping you buy a valuable Metro travelcard from a machine; they buy a card, take your cash reimbursement, and then hand you a card worth much less.

Valuables Disappearing at Security Checkpoint. Although today’s increased airport security makes this scam less likely in certain airports, there’s always the risk of your laptop or other valuables disappearing off the security scanner’s conveyor belt.  This usually happens when you sail on through the metal detector ahead of your valuables in the conveyor belt’s queue. Make sure that your possessions are screened before you are.

For more on this topic, read Keep your Wits or Lose your Wallet.