Tourists should avoid any offer of free bracelets in Rome.
Tourists in Rome often have the unpleasant experience of dealing with insistent street scammers who bully them into handing over cash for “free” bracelets.
“Nice shoes”, the conversation normally begins, or “Where you from – Africa?” as the seemingly charming scammers reel in tourists with their playful jokes and compliments.
The unsuspecting visitors will be offered a “free” bracelet, as a “gift”, which will be tied on to their wrist before they know it.
As the scammer parts ways with the tourists, the charm is replaced by a sudden hustling for money or a “donation”, sometimes accompanied by a sob story.
Some tourists quickly throw the bracelets back at the scammers but many others, perhaps caught off guard or intimidated, give in to the persistent demands and guilt tripping.
The scammers are also known to become aggressive, demanding more bank notes and even offering to accompany the hapless tourist to the nearest bank machine.
Tourists are advised to avoid getting caught up in the scam which is particularly prevalent around the Colosseum and other touristy areas in the capital.
Photo credit: Alesta / Shutterstock.com.
