Beware - Taxi Drivers Prey On Tourists

Beware - Taxi Drivers Prey On Tourists

A growing number of unscrupulous taxi drivers are taking advantage of New Zealand travellers warns Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI).

Craig Morrison, SCTI CEO, says the practice of having luggage stolen as part of a taxi ride is one customers should be on the lookout for.

“The stories we hear include:
·       Where the taxi takes off the moment the customer gets out of the car, leaving them stranded without their luggage.
·       Where the driver unloads the luggage from the car and puts the bags on the ground, only for an accomplice to run by and swipe a bag before the customer can do anything.
·       Where the driver offers to load the luggage and insists the passenger takes a seat in the cab while this is done.  Upon arriving at their destination the passenger finds some bags are missing, the driver is ‘shocked’, of course, his buddy has them and there’s no possible way they will ever be retrieved.” 

Morrison says these are very opportunistic thefts and are a mixture of suitcases and carry-on luggage. So it’s not just the camera and laptop bags being stolen, but larger suitcases which – at the end of a trip – are likely to be full of new purchases.”

Until now taxi scams have been most common in Asian countries however Morrison says in the last year  there has been a noticeable increase in incidents in Europe as well as Central and South American countries.

According to research carried out last year by Colmar Brunton, Australia is the most popular destination for Kiwi travellers (54%), followed by the Pacific Islands (15%) and countries in Asia (13%) come a very close third.

“These incidents do to tend occur mainly in Asian countries  - India, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Malaysia – but we’ve started to receive claims of this nature from Europe and South America.”

Over the last 12 months SCTI assessors have noticed more claims of this nature being submitted and Morrison urges travellers to stay alert at all stages of their journey.

As with many aspects of travelling you need to be aware of those looking to take advantage of tourists and protect yourself from scams. When travelling via taxi, I strongly recommend:
·       Keeping your most valuable luggage with you in the taxi; don’t put it in the boot.
·       Personally watching your bags being loaded into the boot.
·       Not putting your luggage in the boot while the driver is behind the wheel, unless a passenger door is open.
·       Making sure you exit the taxi after the driver and via the door furthest away from the driver.  When doing this, leave your door open, which prevents the driver from taking off before you unload all of your bags.

ENDS

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