Hey Reader!

​

Have you ever been scammed while on your travels before? Or worse, scammed by the local mafia?

​

I have, and it was an experience I’ll never forget. This was during my first solo trip around the world - to say I was super naive would be quite an understatement.

​

I was travelling around Phnom Penh, Cambodia when it happened. One day I was approached by a local and after a pleasant conversation he invited me to his family home the next day.

​

And like an idiot, I agreed 🤦‍♂️. The next day I met up with the local and I enjoyed a nice meal at his home.

​

So far, so good.

​

Then I met a family member who told me how he used to work as a croupier and how he was a poker expert. Before I knew it he was showing me his secret system for winning at poker in his bedroom.

​

By this point I was obviously suspicious of what the hell was going on. I know how insane it all sounds but trying to leave the home never crossed my mind - I was absolutely bamboozled!

​

Before I knew it a man in an expensive business suit entered the room, claiming he was from the Kingdom of Brunei. He demanded a game of poker with me and produced a wad of cash the size of a house brick.

​

I was roped into playing five games of poker, which I somehow won four out of the five. I later found out that I wasn’t supposed to win the games of poker and this was a spanner in the works of their scam.

​

The man from Brunei stormed out furiously at the end of the last game and took his cash with him. I was convinced that I was due a big windfall, which I was told was in the region of £25k!

​

I was reassured by the croupier that I’d get my share, I would just have to deposit some of my own money first, around three hundred dollars.

​

Long story short, I handed over three hundred dollars and the £25k never materialised. I looked up online later and found out the family were likely local mafia, and other tourists who had played poker and lost had to stump up thousands of dollars just to escape the scenario.

​

I felt so ashamed and such a fool after the incident - I was a typically naïve tourist and I learnt my lesson, but it could have been a lot worse!

​

Moral of the story: be very careful when meeting total strangers abroad, especially if you’re trusting and naive like me!

​

My advice: always book travel insurance to make sure you’re covered for the most unexpected travel scenarios. My go-to travel insurance carrier when travelling abroad is VisitorsCoverage, which has comprehensive straightforward plans at a budget-friendly price.

​

Have you ever been scammed while travelling abroad? I would love to hear your experiences!

​

Thanks for reading and have a great day,

​

Mark

​

PS. Check out my latest blog posts for more travel tips:

​

​Best Things To Do On A Day Trip To Liechtenstein From Zurich​

​What To Expect On A One Day Walking Tour In London​

​How Many Days Should You Spend In The Lake District?​

​
​