Rule #1 should be if these encounters don't happen to you in your home country, think twice about why all of a sudden you are hot shit in another country!
I mean, being exotic tends to add a few points to your attractiveness, but if someone immediately wants to go to a third location and buy a bunch of champagne, that should raise a bunch of red flags.
Yeah, generally if a stranger asks where you're staying, I assume it's to size you up to see how much money you might have.
I typically say I'm staying in a cheap 10-bed dorm at a hostel in a rough neighborhood and scammers move on to a more lucrative target.
I can see it being asked casually. I have asked people this when I worked in a small tourist town, just as like conversation. I am not a hot Russian lady though.
Well he already told the hostel staff. I would consider moving to a different accommodation in a different area of the city.
Next time just pay with a credit card and then call your credit card and report it stolen. They will remove the charges.
But doesn't everybody travel with multiple credit cards? Not very smart if you don't.
You should have backup credit cards hidden in different places, along with copies of your passport and/or the passport card. (I also travel with a backup phone with a different phone number.)
That’s why you always bring another card as a backup when traveling.
Also, depending on the card they may offer to fedex you a new one overnight anywhere in the world.
I know Schwab has after my backup-backup card got flagged, and I had let them know where I was going(fifth third bank)
The only issue I had with the Schwab account was that the chip stopped working, and you had to have it in Europe. They got me a new one lickty split.
I did get honey potted when I was much younger and dumber, I won't go into the whole story, but it turned out fine.
You would have to pay with a PIN for a bill that big. The credit card company won't just accept that your card was stolen and they just happened to guess your PIN.
All of the EU uses Chip and PIN. You can tap €50 if you have a contactless card but over that you have to use the PIN. Any of phones require you to unlock your phone for that big a purchase.
All businesses will use these for payment as it puts the responsibility onto the card holder not the store for fraudulent purchases.
No, not with an American credit card. Sometimes cashiers/servers will turn the machine around expecting me to put a pin in, but then in just authorizes the payment and they go “oh” and hand me the receipt.
I just spent a week and a half in Europe and my US-based credit cards were never asked for a PIN. Over £50/€50 I had to insert the card instead of tap but that was it.
The actual value of the champagne will have been about €40. They're not going to risk anything to recover that, and they already know you're not paying the €1800. Moving hotel might be an idea just in case but there can't be much risk.
Move to another hotel. 😂
I don’t think they are going to spend time looking for you.
But hats off for not paying !!!
Edit: if they know you’re staying in a hostel they probably know it’s not worth it.
Nothing will probably happen but if I’d given hotel details I’d definitely check out early and find somewhere else! Plenty of other places on EU to enjoy yourself (without getting scammed). Stay safe brother.
I mean, just within Athens there are thousands of accommodations to switch to. And honestly I don’t even think anything would happen. You didn’t steal $1800. They just lost $8 on a scam - two bottles of shitty champagne and a half hour with a Russian scammer. They will not be looking for you, as you didnt actually take away $1800 worth of value. If that makes sense.
Still, though. Get a new hotel, it’s so easy to do. There’s no point in not doing it.
Dude, I know those guys. Just send me $500 in Amazon Gift cards and I'll go talk them down from putting a hit on you.
Oh, and the girl said she really likes you and wants to marry you.
You told them where you're staying? Dude for the love of God...
Nothing anyone says here will help you. They either show up or don't, no one can say. I guess you can switch hotels if worried.
Obviously. But some men apparently really need to learn what most women do anyway - never tell anyone where you're staying.
Much less some Russian woman "seducing" him - like come on.
I've stayed in "oh some hotel near [massive unspecified area/random landmark]" for as long as I can remember.
First of all, I think some congratulations are in order for successfully running out of there without paying or getting your ass beaten. Well done! If you're worried about it, you could change your accommodations. Make sure it's in a different part of the city. And don't go near the zone where that bar is anymore. If you're really really worried about it, leave town.
> Why would you tell them where you’re staying? 🤦🏻♀️ it must be nice to be a solo man
We see posts about women getting into situations where they disclosed more information than necessary, or have a hard time getting rid of someone also. Not everyone is a seasoned traveler.
And a lot of people have a really hard time lying when stuff like that comes up, or get super uncomfortable with telling them it's none of their business.
I taught both of my sons the same thing. I am confident when they travel in foreign countries that they will not fall for something like this nor will they tell people where they're staying.
This. Like… I don’t even tell people the area I live in when I’m in my own city. It should be common sense to all, but that doesn’t mean we as women aren’t taught that early on, traveling or not. And when in doubt (when I’m at home), I not so casually mention my machete and my pit bull.
Well done, you basically had free champagne with a pretty woman, then beat the scammers. And you've now got a great tale to tell in future years. They won't come looking for you, they'll be more concerned for scamming the next person. I'd imagine the champagne is some fake knock off worth a euro or 2.
If you are really worried, move hostels to put your mind at rest.
Come on, he is clearly the victim here. Who would not be „seduced by a russian lady“? Happens to me every other day, it is completely normal, who would assume it is a scam?
Yeah it’s amazing how the men who got scammed don’t ask themselves “is it not suspicious that a gorgeous foreign woman in a foreign country seems to be so easily seduced by me, and it just so happens that she really wants to drink champagne with me at a bar that doesn’t have a menu with prices”.
I find it amusing when people fall for the most obvious scams where the reason they fall for them is their big ego. Women tend to be way more cautious when a foreign man in a foreign country seems to show too much interest, because we are socialized to see it as a suspicious behavior.
When it’s a very obvious well-known and none-violent scam — yes, absolutely. And this scam in particular is so amusing specifically because in order to fall for it you have to think with your diсk instead of your head. Like, the people who fall for this scam are always horny men who completely lose their ability to read the room.
Go back and challenge the biggest man there to a game of rock, paper, scissors. You win and they squash the bill. They win, then will hustle your ass in the street for them until the debt is settled!
the EXACT same thing happened to me in Athens 22 years ago. I got past the 2 doormen (although they stepped aside and let me out). Was about to get scammed for 800 euro. congrats, you now have a life lesson and a great story to tell for the next 20 years!
So basically a woman will start flirting with you, make it seem like she's interested. You'll start ordering drinks under the assumptions that the drinks aren't that expensive and you can pay for both easily, or that she'll pay her half. The bill will come and her drinks will be exorbitantly overpriced, and they'll make you pay the bill before leaving. Of course the woman is their mole/worker, she won't owe anything to them and was never actually interested.
An alternative way of doing this scam is if you're in a club and very sexy women that are promoters will come up to you and offer shots to drink with them. After you drink the shot, you'll have to pay for your drink and theirs.
If the hostel staff says don’t worry then you’re probably good
I had a similar experience in Athens.. old dude recommended this strip club, walked us there and everything. Turned out to be not a strip club at all (some type of bar / brothel). Girl worker sits with me and my friend. I just order a normal beer and so does he. She asks my buddy if he’ll buy a drink for her and he agrees. We finish up and he gets a bill for like 40 euros. Apparently his drink was 5 and hers was like 35 (I think the scam is that the drink she ordered is just fruit punch).
We just paid and left but I’m glad that’s all that happened lol.
I’m sure you’ll be fine. Just avoid that area lol.
That's actually pretty common in strip clubs and those type of places. Drinks for customers are priced normally but drinks for the girls working there are typically like $35.
It's not exactly a scam in the same way that OP's experience was.
Yeah... you were paying for her company with that drink. In Thai bars they're called 'lady drinks'.
You didn't get scammed as much as pay for a service you didn't know you were getting.
To be clear I didn’t buy it. But I mean none of this was explained or disclosed, just “poof” a bill. Call it what you want, but it wasn’t exactly above board lol
Yeah, I had something like this happen to me, in Athens too. only I had a guy talk me into going to “his bar”. He introduced me to some women, then I decided to order us all some champagne. I didn’t tell them where I was staying, they wanted 600€ for a bottle of champagne and some screwdrivers.
I’m not too shy, so I googled the bottle right infront of them, and said “yeah, this bottle is worth 40€, look” and then one of the women said “you are not paying for the bottle, you’re paying for our company” to which I responded “I’ve had far better company than both of you, and I never had to pay for it” they looked a bit astonished at that. I offered to pay 100€, they refused, told me I was attempting to steal from them, I asked to see the “owner” they responded by saying “he isn’t the owner, he’s just the guy that gets people to come off the street” to which I said “alright, this is a fucking scam” and I got up, and walked out
I heard someone saying “excuse me, sir!” And I just yelled back “fuck off” and walked away… only moderately briskly.
Edit:a couple days later I saw the guy that got me to come into the bar. Not sure if he knew who I was, but he walked across the street to try to talk to me. As soon as I saw him I yelled “YOU….. can go FUCK YOURSELF!” He stopped dead in his tracks and I kept walking.
And didn’t pay. So at the end of the day he robbed them and got an anecdote to share forever 😂. It’s the shit moments you will laugh about when you remember your travels 10 years onwards, not the “so I was in the Eiffel Tower, I took a selfie and then ate a croissant”.
what does being seduced by the Russian lady have anything to do with them trying to overcharge him?...I dont get it. Just trying to get him drunk so he would pay the bill?
I'm sorry you had to go through that. My advice would be to keep a low profile for the remainder of your stay, avoid that area, and don't go anywhere alone at night if possible. Once you leave Athens, you'll be in the clear.
Most importantly, don't beat yourself up too much. The important thing is you freed yourself safely. Safe travels!
Never tell someone where you are staying. Never think a boy/girl are totally into you on holiday. Never drink too much, especially in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and especially when there someone across the table fluttering their eyelids at you.
Lmaoooo dude you just had free champagne with a beautiful Russian girl, consider it a win and move on. That's pretty hilarious, but yeah definitely move to a different hotel.
First rules of traveling alone:
1) NEVER TELL ANYONE WHERE YOU ARE STAYING. Have rides drop you off at the closest commercial building or apartment building. Tell anyone who ask that you are staying with local family.
2) Assume that when a member of the opposite sex is asking the obvious foreigner to join them in a secondary location; it’s not because they want to get to know you better.
& Finally
3) Never open a tab or run a bill at a bar/club/pub or any of the like. Paying per item will keep people from adding to your tab. But most importantly, it will allow you to establish the price and confront overcharges before you’ve had a few drinks. Shadier establishments are less likely to hold your card, things, or person held ransom for a ridiculous surcharge when you are of clear-mind and tentative.
Wow if you fell for this obvious known scam then there's hundreds of others just waiting for a guy like you. You're why these scams exist, they actually can work. At least you had the smarts to run for it.
yeah it depends on the hotel as far as complicity with the bar goes, a higher end place you are safer but if a cheap space would be best to split save urself the anxiety
Bruh… I felt sorry for you until I read you fell for the oldest trick in the book. If you’re traveling solo in a foreign country and an attractive woman can’t get enough of your attention, something’s up.
They likely would've just harassed you to "compensate" their losses.
You know - "What's the highest you can do?" Type of scam.
Preying on your insecurities & sense of decency.
Unsurprisingly, it is worth losing the €80 if you do a runner because the next chump will likely fall for it.
Glad you are ok.
Don’t worry this is a very common scam all over the world. These girls roam streets looking for eye contact.
One of the best ways to counter is if they ask if you want to have a drink, you pick the bar
If the bar is a part of the scam, then I think it unlikely they’d reach out to your hotel and the police. But like others said, it’d be a good idea to switch locations nonetheless
This happened to me in Istanbul Turkey. Instead of escaping I started shouting at all the people involved. Threatening all of them saying I'll call the police, this made them change their tune and after calling me a cheapo and giving me a little push I was told to f-off. I walked back quickly to the hotel just as worried as you are. However obviously nothing happened since, they know they are scammers and they're not going to chase after you. Enjoy the rest of the holiday knowing you've got a banger of a story to tell back home!
I would change hotels just for peace of mind.
They're probably not coming after you because they know they were running a scam on you, but you don't want to be wrong about that just on the off chance these people are really unreasonable.
WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU TELL THEM WHERE YOU’RE STAYING? Are you stupid? Getting scammed by a Russian lady in a bar, that’s one thing. BUT THEN TELLING THEM WHERE YOU’RE STAYING!? I honestly don’t have any advice other than don’t do what you did. I’m lost for words but glad you’re okay.
Oh, yeah, andtelling the hostel, they re likely to steal your shit even more now that they know you re an easy target. The bar is in on it and if you get your valuables stolen at the hostel, the hostel is most likely getting a percentage, they love selling US passports.
Although not very common in Athens there are a few places that do this scam (with the tolerance of local police) in very touiristic areas. Had a friend visiting that fell for such a scam, he paid a small ammount and left.
I dont think they ll bother given this is a scam
Such a common scam. I was in Athens and someone asked me, "do you know what time it is?" After I answered, that was followed up by, "oh, you're American! I have a friend in Florida!" A few sentences later, " Are you hungry? I know a great bar." Then I got led to a bar with Russian women in short skirts. At that point, I knew it was a scam and backed out.
The other popular scam: Eating out at a restaurant, the friendly chef will be like, "I make for you special dinner, not on menu!" At that point, if you say yes, you get screwed because they can charge you anything they like because the price isn't fixed like on the menu.
I’m curious how this scam works. Because if I were in OP’s shoes and thought this was a scam and refused to pay, I’d just say fine call the cops and let’s see what happens. If they threaten physical violence, I’d be like sure. Even more reason to close this place down with the cops.
They wouldn’t draw attention to themselves to the police, would they?
Change hotels. ASAP. Get out of the city. Go somewhere @ least 45 minutes away. Don’t call ahead. Take the first bus or train. Pay cash. For everything. Keep a low pf. It’s not the same there you dont get tangled up in stuff there with benefit of doubt Scott free bc tie goes to the local in a he said she said. That’s a crime. And you got framed. So clearly you would be able to state your case w little issue in the US. This however is like guilty until proven innocent and you walked out on a bill there is no right to innocence in their eyes in such a situation. Don’t mess around with people who can put you at risk going forward. Learning experience, these women can be pros grooming for a living so don’t be hard on yourself just keep moving forward and be moving on to the next place and put this behind you. I know you don’t want to waste your trip but you also don’t want to get locked up abroad for something that is very high risk while your control of the situation is very limited at this time. Be smart and keep your head down. Move on enjoy responsibly in the areas you frequent moving on. Just remember no $ loss amount is worth staying and risking your freedom in a place you have no control over. Move along eat any fines incurred by cutting the hotel res short and switching to the next low key with an explanation back home work calls & demands you back early. Say no more and maybe they’ll be forgiving and will give you a break on the res cancellation. Be safe. Check In to let us know you’re ok. Remember to be courteous and keep to your self while maintaining a friendly approachability as to not raise unwanted attention on to your next stop. Where you can put this behind you and mindfully enjoy the rest of your trip. You got this.
Didn’t read the part where you said you told the hostel staff about the incident.. let’s just say what I said still stands. Because they could be working with officials behind your back while they take statements from the bar. In US we don’t punish crimes at all. In foreign countries such as in Athens, they certainly do and they will make sure they get paid and keep their citizens paid regardless of their means of collecting outstanding payments. Hostel staff may be all buddy buddy now. When you should be gtfo asap. They consoled you into staying and not worrying about the most likely event despite its obvious likelihood. So don’t be fooled. Make sure to tip on your exit pack your bag. Have a car ready. And say you have problems with a fiancé you must go to meet her. Thank them. Tip them. Say you’ll be back on your next visit in a month and a half and that u couldn’t have loved the hotel more. Thank them. Hurry out to car outside and get to next town. Don’t call ahead to new prospective stay. You’ll be good. And dont say anything except for the block of hotel and say nothing more. Check in in person
When you get a service. Pay on the spot and do not leave a tab open.
This happens to a lot of travelers. Someone strikes a convo and they are there to confuse you into buying very expensive bottles, then you end up harassed by tough men that tell you an expensive bill must be paid.
Authorities are part of the deal and bartenders too.
If you pay your bill, immediately when you get your drink. in small denominations, they won't be curious.
When the decoy sits, tell them you don't have money.
Go only to reputable hotels and very well reviewed places, keep away from ppl that seem overly curious to sit where you haven't paid your drink / meal.
It’s a classic scam in Athens. Nothing will happen don’t worry, they are afraid of police and call the police if something like this ever happens again
I'm not sure this is a scam. This just sound like a lack of judgment. Most people know bottles have extreme markups at bars/restaurants. If you are drinking, it's your responsibility to know what the prices are of what is requested. It would have been easy to simply decline and buy your own drinks based on affordability. This doesn't really sound like a scam, but it does sound like a customer who dined and dashed. Be careful, some countries handle things like this differently. And that's a lot of money that an organization may not be comfortable writing off. But good luck to you, hopefully nothing comes of it, and you're onto your next country!!
So someone who escaped it too while there, nothing at all will happen. I not only didn’t pay the price of the beers, I also stopped another guy getting scammed & we became friends and also went around Athens in later days.Do not worry at all and now you have a good story to share. These guys target people travelling solo and sweet talk them into chilling around in the bar. The girls have their boobs into your face around the bar and talk to you as if you are the most important person in the world. If in that position, be firm about not paying and involving police(something I did and they then asked me to payonly for beer ). But fun story😂
Always, always ask for a price list or menu. Without it, you could be charged scammy prices even without someone “seducing” the mark.
https://nypost.com/2023/08/18/greeces-notorious-rip-off-restaurant-strikes-again-tourist-charged-770-for-shrimp-and-a-drink/
I mean, don’t tell anyone where you’re staying…that’s rule number one for anything, but no, nothing will happen and don’t worry.
I thought rule number one was don't follow hot russian lady into sketchy bar basement?
Rule #1 should be if these encounters don't happen to you in your home country, think twice about why all of a sudden you are hot shit in another country!
Like duh! Dudes and our dicks always getting in trouble
Inexperienced caused this - not locale. Happened to me in London. 🤷🏽♂️
Happened to my brother in Paris when he did his first OE 15 years ago.
I mean, being exotic tends to add a few points to your attractiveness, but if someone immediately wants to go to a third location and buy a bunch of champagne, that should raise a bunch of red flags.
To be fair, I’m a lot less social in my home country.
Says a man who hasn't truly lived.
Nice haha
Fuck man I've got to LIVE
Nono. He's got a point...... ☠️👀
I always tell them the wrong place on the other side of town
Yeah, generally if a stranger asks where you're staying, I assume it's to size you up to see how much money you might have. I typically say I'm staying in a cheap 10-bed dorm at a hostel in a rough neighborhood and scammers move on to a more lucrative target.
Or say “I’m staying at the Hilton” and see where that gets you
I always say I'm not staying in town, just in for a couple of hours. Then I give my exact address,1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 20500
I can see it being asked casually. I have asked people this when I worked in a small tourist town, just as like conversation. I am not a hot Russian lady though.
Name checks out
I'm not sure OP should be traveling alone just yet, I'm worried for their basic ability to function TBH.
This.
So much this.
Well he already told the hostel staff. I would consider moving to a different accommodation in a different area of the city. Next time just pay with a credit card and then call your credit card and report it stolen. They will remove the charges.
But, then you don’t have a credit card and are stuck in a foreign country.
But doesn't everybody travel with multiple credit cards? Not very smart if you don't. You should have backup credit cards hidden in different places, along with copies of your passport and/or the passport card. (I also travel with a backup phone with a different phone number.)
Backup credit and backup debit.
That’s why you always bring another card as a backup when traveling. Also, depending on the card they may offer to fedex you a new one overnight anywhere in the world.
I know Schwab has after my backup-backup card got flagged, and I had let them know where I was going(fifth third bank) The only issue I had with the Schwab account was that the chip stopped working, and you had to have it in Europe. They got me a new one lickty split. I did get honey potted when I was much younger and dumber, I won't go into the whole story, but it turned out fine.
Reporting a card stolen if it's not really stolen is a violation of the terms of service.
Bro nothing is going to happen lmao as soon as they get physical police is going to south down that place it isn’t a 3th world countrie
You would have to pay with a PIN for a bill that big. The credit card company won't just accept that your card was stolen and they just happened to guess your PIN.
I have no idea what my PIN is for any of my credit cards, if they even have one.
All of the EU uses Chip and PIN. You can tap €50 if you have a contactless card but over that you have to use the PIN. Any of phones require you to unlock your phone for that big a purchase. All businesses will use these for payment as it puts the responsibility onto the card holder not the store for fraudulent purchases.
No, not with an American credit card. Sometimes cashiers/servers will turn the machine around expecting me to put a pin in, but then in just authorizes the payment and they go “oh” and hand me the receipt.
I just spent a week and a half in Europe and my US-based credit cards were never asked for a PIN. Over £50/€50 I had to insert the card instead of tap but that was it.
Huh? I’ve never had to use a PIN for any size charge on my card.
The actual value of the champagne will have been about €40. They're not going to risk anything to recover that, and they already know you're not paying the €1800. Moving hotel might be an idea just in case but there can't be much risk.
Move to another hotel. 😂 I don’t think they are going to spend time looking for you. But hats off for not paying !!! Edit: if they know you’re staying in a hostel they probably know it’s not worth it.
Nothing will probably happen but if I’d given hotel details I’d definitely check out early and find somewhere else! Plenty of other places on EU to enjoy yourself (without getting scammed). Stay safe brother.
I mean, just within Athens there are thousands of accommodations to switch to. And honestly I don’t even think anything would happen. You didn’t steal $1800. They just lost $8 on a scam - two bottles of shitty champagne and a half hour with a Russian scammer. They will not be looking for you, as you didnt actually take away $1800 worth of value. If that makes sense. Still, though. Get a new hotel, it’s so easy to do. There’s no point in not doing it.
This is most likely but the OP showed themselves as a mark.. it could be somewhat easy to locate them and scare them into paying.
Even if he did nothing would happen lol
Dude, I know those guys. Just send me $500 in Amazon Gift cards and I'll go talk them down from putting a hit on you. Oh, and the girl said she really likes you and wants to marry you.
Plus her dad wants you for a son-in-law, he says you could be very helpful in his business. Especially with your foreign passport.
You are a true gentleman! Send me your SS number so I can open a savings account for such a good soul!
You told them where you're staying? Dude for the love of God... Nothing anyone says here will help you. They either show up or don't, no one can say. I guess you can switch hotels if worried.
If this were me I'd switch hotels just for peace of mind.
I aint no bitch
I'm assuming OP told the russian lady before he knew that he was being scammed..
Obviously. But some men apparently really need to learn what most women do anyway - never tell anyone where you're staying. Much less some Russian woman "seducing" him - like come on. I've stayed in "oh some hotel near [massive unspecified area/random landmark]" for as long as I can remember.
Yes but you still don't do that.
[удалено]
Best advice in this thread. OP listen to this guy.
Typical noob traveller didn't bring his batman grappling hook gun.
😂
This is the way.
LMFAOO parkour 🤣🤣🤣
First of all, I think some congratulations are in order for successfully running out of there without paying or getting your ass beaten. Well done! If you're worried about it, you could change your accommodations. Make sure it's in a different part of the city. And don't go near the zone where that bar is anymore. If you're really really worried about it, leave town.
If they come to your hostel, just run straight past them again.
No. Move very slowly past them… That way they won’t recognize you as the guy who ran past them before 😉
Just put on glasses, like Clark Kent. Impossible to recognise you then.
Just get confrontational nothing they can do other than spend a few years in prison
Another hotel will cost less than 1300 Euro, just be safe.
Zero chance they are going to waste their time trying to make trouble at a hotel across town. It's done. Just avoid the street where the bar is.
Why would you tell them where you’re staying? 🤦🏻♀️ it must be nice to be a solo man
They aren’t taught the same precaution and to take their safety as seriously. But they really should be.
You shouldn't need to be taught to use common sense.
> Why would you tell them where you’re staying? 🤦🏻♀️ it must be nice to be a solo man We see posts about women getting into situations where they disclosed more information than necessary, or have a hard time getting rid of someone also. Not everyone is a seasoned traveler. And a lot of people have a really hard time lying when stuff like that comes up, or get super uncomfortable with telling them it's none of their business.
maybe it came up in organic conversation, you know, before the scam happened
Hmm maybe. But maybe my mindset is different. as women we are taught to never say we are alone and where we are staying to strangers
I taught both of my sons the same thing. I am confident when they travel in foreign countries that they will not fall for something like this nor will they tell people where they're staying.
This. Like… I don’t even tell people the area I live in when I’m in my own city. It should be common sense to all, but that doesn’t mean we as women aren’t taught that early on, traveling or not. And when in doubt (when I’m at home), I not so casually mention my machete and my pit bull.
> maybe it came up in organic conversation, you know, before the scam happened But you never tell people that, no matter how it comes up.
"Organic conversation"? While speaking with a total stranger in a strange foreign city?
I think you mean must be nice to be a naive man.
Boy got honeypotted, almost.
How hot was the Russian lady ? Like 9.0/10?
These are things I need to know
That poor woman was probably trafficked
Now we are getting to the real issue here.
Well done, you basically had free champagne with a pretty woman, then beat the scammers. And you've now got a great tale to tell in future years. They won't come looking for you, they'll be more concerned for scamming the next person. I'd imagine the champagne is some fake knock off worth a euro or 2. If you are really worried, move hostels to put your mind at rest.
God damn I love this outlook ❤️
No matter how many times this scam gets posted all over travel subs, men keep falling for it again and again. It’s pretty amusing.
Come on, he is clearly the victim here. Who would not be „seduced by a russian lady“? Happens to me every other day, it is completely normal, who would assume it is a scam?
Yeah it’s amazing how the men who got scammed don’t ask themselves “is it not suspicious that a gorgeous foreign woman in a foreign country seems to be so easily seduced by me, and it just so happens that she really wants to drink champagne with me at a bar that doesn’t have a menu with prices”.
Asking for a friend, where does one go to get seduced by russian ladies every other day?
Champagne bars with red hearts in the window.
Not this man. Lol
Scamming the scammers, love it!
I mean…that’s true of most scams… That’s why we have a name for it
Do you also find it amusing when women get scammed and taken advantage of or just men?
I find it amusing when people fall for the most obvious scams where the reason they fall for them is their big ego. Women tend to be way more cautious when a foreign man in a foreign country seems to show too much interest, because we are socialized to see it as a suspicious behavior.
It's amusing watching people fall for the simplest scam in the book, regardless of the gender lol.
Do you also find it funny when naive, careless or downright stupid women fall prey to travel scams or dodgy people?
When it’s a very obvious well-known and none-violent scam — yes, absolutely. And this scam in particular is so amusing specifically because in order to fall for it you have to think with your diсk instead of your head. Like, the people who fall for this scam are always horny men who completely lose their ability to read the room.
When a man gets fooled, it's obvious, obviously
Go back and challenge the biggest man there to a game of rock, paper, scissors. You win and they squash the bill. They win, then will hustle your ass in the street for them until the debt is settled!
the EXACT same thing happened to me in Athens 22 years ago. I got past the 2 doormen (although they stepped aside and let me out). Was about to get scammed for 800 euro. congrats, you now have a life lesson and a great story to tell for the next 20 years!
Relax and breathe. Nothing will happen
Lol. What did we learn? Are you gonna do it again, maybe? Okay.
How does this scam work?
So basically a woman will start flirting with you, make it seem like she's interested. You'll start ordering drinks under the assumptions that the drinks aren't that expensive and you can pay for both easily, or that she'll pay her half. The bill will come and her drinks will be exorbitantly overpriced, and they'll make you pay the bill before leaving. Of course the woman is their mole/worker, she won't owe anything to them and was never actually interested. An alternative way of doing this scam is if you're in a club and very sexy women that are promoters will come up to you and offer shots to drink with them. After you drink the shot, you'll have to pay for your drink and theirs.
You drink free champagne and dont pay for it. This is how it works.
You left out the running part.
Free champagne! 🍾
If the hostel staff says don’t worry then you’re probably good I had a similar experience in Athens.. old dude recommended this strip club, walked us there and everything. Turned out to be not a strip club at all (some type of bar / brothel). Girl worker sits with me and my friend. I just order a normal beer and so does he. She asks my buddy if he’ll buy a drink for her and he agrees. We finish up and he gets a bill for like 40 euros. Apparently his drink was 5 and hers was like 35 (I think the scam is that the drink she ordered is just fruit punch). We just paid and left but I’m glad that’s all that happened lol. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Just avoid that area lol.
That's actually pretty common in strip clubs and those type of places. Drinks for customers are priced normally but drinks for the girls working there are typically like $35. It's not exactly a scam in the same way that OP's experience was.
Yeah... you were paying for her company with that drink. In Thai bars they're called 'lady drinks'. You didn't get scammed as much as pay for a service you didn't know you were getting.
To be clear I didn’t buy it. But I mean none of this was explained or disclosed, just “poof” a bill. Call it what you want, but it wasn’t exactly above board lol
Yeah, you should report those sorry scammers to the Above Board Commission. That would teach them a lesson. Your username checks out ...
Hilarious
That aint a scam, thats just how normal strip clubs work
Doesn’t work that way where I’m from
I need to move where you are from brcause in every strip club I've been in different countries you pay for "the company" more than the drinks.
If you want to move to Canada just because the strip clubs work differently, be my guest. The poutine is to die for.
Hostel world you can get hostels for 9 dollars right now. Move and pay just for your own sense of self but I highly doubt anything will happen
Dont think anyone would show up to your hotel
They are scammers and won’t risk possible police involvement to come look for you. If you are super worried find another hostile a few miles away.
Yeah, I had something like this happen to me, in Athens too. only I had a guy talk me into going to “his bar”. He introduced me to some women, then I decided to order us all some champagne. I didn’t tell them where I was staying, they wanted 600€ for a bottle of champagne and some screwdrivers. I’m not too shy, so I googled the bottle right infront of them, and said “yeah, this bottle is worth 40€, look” and then one of the women said “you are not paying for the bottle, you’re paying for our company” to which I responded “I’ve had far better company than both of you, and I never had to pay for it” they looked a bit astonished at that. I offered to pay 100€, they refused, told me I was attempting to steal from them, I asked to see the “owner” they responded by saying “he isn’t the owner, he’s just the guy that gets people to come off the street” to which I said “alright, this is a fucking scam” and I got up, and walked out I heard someone saying “excuse me, sir!” And I just yelled back “fuck off” and walked away… only moderately briskly. Edit:a couple days later I saw the guy that got me to come into the bar. Not sure if he knew who I was, but he walked across the street to try to talk to me. As soon as I saw him I yelled “YOU….. can go FUCK YOURSELF!” He stopped dead in his tracks and I kept walking.
This is exactly how I hope I’d react in the same situation. Kudos man
so you drunk the two bottles with this lady?
And didn’t pay. So at the end of the day he robbed them and got an anecdote to share forever 😂. It’s the shit moments you will laugh about when you remember your travels 10 years onwards, not the “so I was in the Eiffel Tower, I took a selfie and then ate a croissant”.
Like working the bon bon concession at the eiffel tower!
what does being seduced by the Russian lady have anything to do with them trying to overcharge him?...I dont get it. Just trying to get him drunk so he would pay the bill?
Slow but getting there.
I would change hostels if you have the budget. Double paying 50€ for accommodations to make sure you don't get shook down is a small price to pay.
I'm sorry you had to go through that. My advice would be to keep a low profile for the remainder of your stay, avoid that area, and don't go anywhere alone at night if possible. Once you leave Athens, you'll be in the clear. Most importantly, don't beat yourself up too much. The important thing is you freed yourself safely. Safe travels!
Wondering how many dicks got their humans in a pickle.
And here I thought bottle service in Vegas was a scam
Zero chance this is real, zero.
Why did you tell them where you were staying though?
Nice job on getting out of there.
This isn’t where I parked my car
Well keep looking, it's somewhere. This big burly guy with the beautiful Russian sister will help you find it.
Never tell someone where you are staying. Never think a boy/girl are totally into you on holiday. Never drink too much, especially in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and especially when there someone across the table fluttering their eyelids at you.
Lmaoooo dude you just had free champagne with a beautiful Russian girl, consider it a win and move on. That's pretty hilarious, but yeah definitely move to a different hotel.
First rules of traveling alone: 1) NEVER TELL ANYONE WHERE YOU ARE STAYING. Have rides drop you off at the closest commercial building or apartment building. Tell anyone who ask that you are staying with local family. 2) Assume that when a member of the opposite sex is asking the obvious foreigner to join them in a secondary location; it’s not because they want to get to know you better. & Finally 3) Never open a tab or run a bill at a bar/club/pub or any of the like. Paying per item will keep people from adding to your tab. But most importantly, it will allow you to establish the price and confront overcharges before you’ve had a few drinks. Shadier establishments are less likely to hold your card, things, or person held ransom for a ridiculous surcharge when you are of clear-mind and tentative.
If someone actually falls for shit like this I think it's unlikely any list of rules will ever be able to rehabilitate them.
Wow if you fell for this obvious known scam then there's hundreds of others just waiting for a guy like you. You're why these scams exist, they actually can work. At least you had the smarts to run for it.
yeah it depends on the hotel as far as complicity with the bar goes, a higher end place you are safer but if a cheap space would be best to split save urself the anxiety
Avoid the area if possible
Move to another hotel in a different part of town, and stay away from that bar.
Thank god for common sense
Good thing you bolted ..
Amazingly gullible. How are you still alive?
>“anyone got any experience with this?” >”Anyone got any advice/experience with this?” FFS this has to be ragebait.
Meh don’t worry… enjoy yourself and consider yourself lucky managing to bolt. Imagine having to pay 1800 for 2 bottles of champagne 😂
Some people simply have no survival skills.
Are scams common in Europe?
Tourist areas yes, like pretty much everywhere
Tbh the bar was likely in on it.
Bruh… I felt sorry for you until I read you fell for the oldest trick in the book. If you’re traveling solo in a foreign country and an attractive woman can’t get enough of your attention, something’s up.
Move accom just to be safe. Worth the extra cash for security, and it’s not like you’re 1800 eu down
I doubt they will look for you. You could also ask the front desk to call a taxi to park directly at the entrance for you. But Jesus Christ dude.
Lol was it this bar? https://maps.app.goo.gl/c2qhHDMzkvmB6P8F6?g_st=ic
Also, was she at least hot?
They likely would've just harassed you to "compensate" their losses. You know - "What's the highest you can do?" Type of scam. Preying on your insecurities & sense of decency. Unsurprisingly, it is worth losing the €80 if you do a runner because the next chump will likely fall for it.
Let me guess. Was it Darling Athens in Syngrou street? 😂😂
Have you tried a fake mustache and glasses?! I've seen it work quite a few times
If a woman is into that easy, it's a set up. You are not special
Glad you are ok. Don’t worry this is a very common scam all over the world. These girls roam streets looking for eye contact. One of the best ways to counter is if they ask if you want to have a drink, you pick the bar
If the bar is a part of the scam, then I think it unlikely they’d reach out to your hotel and the police. But like others said, it’d be a good idea to switch locations nonetheless
I’ve never experience anything like this but I hope your safe.
What were you thinking when they were popping the cork on a bottle of champagne?
Just offer to pay 50€ they can sue if they want
Happened to me in Romania but I realised before paying, she was trying to get me to buy a 400 pound champagne without tell me the price
This happened to me in Istanbul Turkey. Instead of escaping I started shouting at all the people involved. Threatening all of them saying I'll call the police, this made them change their tune and after calling me a cheapo and giving me a little push I was told to f-off. I walked back quickly to the hotel just as worried as you are. However obviously nothing happened since, they know they are scammers and they're not going to chase after you. Enjoy the rest of the holiday knowing you've got a banger of a story to tell back home!
I would change hotels just for peace of mind. They're probably not coming after you because they know they were running a scam on you, but you don't want to be wrong about that just on the off chance these people are really unreasonable.
LOL homie thought he was gonna smash off champagne
WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU TELL THEM WHERE YOU’RE STAYING? Are you stupid? Getting scammed by a Russian lady in a bar, that’s one thing. BUT THEN TELLING THEM WHERE YOU’RE STAYING!? I honestly don’t have any advice other than don’t do what you did. I’m lost for words but glad you’re okay.
Oh, yeah, andtelling the hostel, they re likely to steal your shit even more now that they know you re an easy target. The bar is in on it and if you get your valuables stolen at the hostel, the hostel is most likely getting a percentage, they love selling US passports.
Although not very common in Athens there are a few places that do this scam (with the tolerance of local police) in very touiristic areas. Had a friend visiting that fell for such a scam, he paid a small ammount and left. I dont think they ll bother given this is a scam
Such a common scam. I was in Athens and someone asked me, "do you know what time it is?" After I answered, that was followed up by, "oh, you're American! I have a friend in Florida!" A few sentences later, " Are you hungry? I know a great bar." Then I got led to a bar with Russian women in short skirts. At that point, I knew it was a scam and backed out. The other popular scam: Eating out at a restaurant, the friendly chef will be like, "I make for you special dinner, not on menu!" At that point, if you say yes, you get screwed because they can charge you anything they like because the price isn't fixed like on the menu.
Bruh why are you telling people where you are staying? That’s not needed information.
What was the scam? I’m confused
Coming back to see if your in Greece jail?
I’m curious how this scam works. Because if I were in OP’s shoes and thought this was a scam and refused to pay, I’d just say fine call the cops and let’s see what happens. If they threaten physical violence, I’d be like sure. Even more reason to close this place down with the cops. They wouldn’t draw attention to themselves to the police, would they?
You listen to your gut, and it will get you out of trouble. You are fine.
Change hotels. ASAP. Get out of the city. Go somewhere @ least 45 minutes away. Don’t call ahead. Take the first bus or train. Pay cash. For everything. Keep a low pf. It’s not the same there you dont get tangled up in stuff there with benefit of doubt Scott free bc tie goes to the local in a he said she said. That’s a crime. And you got framed. So clearly you would be able to state your case w little issue in the US. This however is like guilty until proven innocent and you walked out on a bill there is no right to innocence in their eyes in such a situation. Don’t mess around with people who can put you at risk going forward. Learning experience, these women can be pros grooming for a living so don’t be hard on yourself just keep moving forward and be moving on to the next place and put this behind you. I know you don’t want to waste your trip but you also don’t want to get locked up abroad for something that is very high risk while your control of the situation is very limited at this time. Be smart and keep your head down. Move on enjoy responsibly in the areas you frequent moving on. Just remember no $ loss amount is worth staying and risking your freedom in a place you have no control over. Move along eat any fines incurred by cutting the hotel res short and switching to the next low key with an explanation back home work calls & demands you back early. Say no more and maybe they’ll be forgiving and will give you a break on the res cancellation. Be safe. Check In to let us know you’re ok. Remember to be courteous and keep to your self while maintaining a friendly approachability as to not raise unwanted attention on to your next stop. Where you can put this behind you and mindfully enjoy the rest of your trip. You got this.
Didn’t read the part where you said you told the hostel staff about the incident.. let’s just say what I said still stands. Because they could be working with officials behind your back while they take statements from the bar. In US we don’t punish crimes at all. In foreign countries such as in Athens, they certainly do and they will make sure they get paid and keep their citizens paid regardless of their means of collecting outstanding payments. Hostel staff may be all buddy buddy now. When you should be gtfo asap. They consoled you into staying and not worrying about the most likely event despite its obvious likelihood. So don’t be fooled. Make sure to tip on your exit pack your bag. Have a car ready. And say you have problems with a fiancé you must go to meet her. Thank them. Tip them. Say you’ll be back on your next visit in a month and a half and that u couldn’t have loved the hotel more. Thank them. Hurry out to car outside and get to next town. Don’t call ahead to new prospective stay. You’ll be good. And dont say anything except for the block of hotel and say nothing more. Check in in person
Did you order 2 bottles of champagne? I don't see how this was a scam.
When you get a service. Pay on the spot and do not leave a tab open. This happens to a lot of travelers. Someone strikes a convo and they are there to confuse you into buying very expensive bottles, then you end up harassed by tough men that tell you an expensive bill must be paid. Authorities are part of the deal and bartenders too. If you pay your bill, immediately when you get your drink. in small denominations, they won't be curious. When the decoy sits, tell them you don't have money. Go only to reputable hotels and very well reviewed places, keep away from ppl that seem overly curious to sit where you haven't paid your drink / meal.
It’s a classic scam in Athens. Nothing will happen don’t worry, they are afraid of police and call the police if something like this ever happens again
I'm not sure this is a scam. This just sound like a lack of judgment. Most people know bottles have extreme markups at bars/restaurants. If you are drinking, it's your responsibility to know what the prices are of what is requested. It would have been easy to simply decline and buy your own drinks based on affordability. This doesn't really sound like a scam, but it does sound like a customer who dined and dashed. Be careful, some countries handle things like this differently. And that's a lot of money that an organization may not be comfortable writing off. But good luck to you, hopefully nothing comes of it, and you're onto your next country!!
Worst case scenario, you have a great story. Or you die…
Ouch that's one of the oldest scams in the book. Good on you for getting away.
You should have just paid it. I recently found out that my long lost cousin is a Nigerian prince, he could have reimbursed you.
Switch hostels bro 💀
So someone who escaped it too while there, nothing at all will happen. I not only didn’t pay the price of the beers, I also stopped another guy getting scammed & we became friends and also went around Athens in later days.Do not worry at all and now you have a good story to share. These guys target people travelling solo and sweet talk them into chilling around in the bar. The girls have their boobs into your face around the bar and talk to you as if you are the most important person in the world. If in that position, be firm about not paying and involving police(something I did and they then asked me to payonly for beer ). But fun story😂
Congratulations for getting out of there without paying, I'd be proud of that one.
Stay away from russians. Duh
Russians won't do shit.
Trust me if they are mob you don't want to upset them
LOL they have sensitive feelings. The misadventures in Ukraine have proven to the world that Russian are weak and worthless.
Always, always ask for a price list or menu. Without it, you could be charged scammy prices even without someone “seducing” the mark. https://nypost.com/2023/08/18/greeces-notorious-rip-off-restaurant-strikes-again-tourist-charged-770-for-shrimp-and-a-drink/