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The Sun
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
The holiday car hire firm ‘stealing £1,000s from Brits with bullying tactics' as horrified tourists ‘assaulted' by staff
CUT-PRICE car rentals might be hard to resist but some bargain bucket deals are allegedly taking tourists for a ride. Angry British holidaymakers reeled in by prices as low as £7 accuse Croatian-based Carwiz of bullying sales tactics, fabricating damage, verbal abuse and even assault. 8 Online reviews of the firm's franchises seen by The Sun allege staff have forged documents, up-sold unnecessary insurance, and taken unauthorised payments from credit cards. Meanwhile 36-year-old Londoner Simone Baron caught a Carwiz rep on camera as he appeared to manhandle her from the counter, before telling her sister Nicole: 'F*** off.' Simone, who works for a tech firm, told The Sun: 'I know there are reputable companies out there, but clearly I went for one that isn't. 'The stress I felt in that Carwiz office and for days afterwards was off the scale. 'I won't be renting a car from them or anyone else ever again.' Carwiz operates in 450 locations worldwide, with franchises across Europe, Asia and as far away as Miami. The firm's latest franchise opened last month at London Heathrow, and the company claims to offer a "premium service, affordability, and a little bit of magic". But customers we spoke to branded Carwiz's franchises a racket. Simone claimed she was stunned when Nicole found a £7.68 deal on travel site with a hire firm operating a Carwiz franchise in Bucharest. The sisters jetted to the Romanian capital for a four-day spa break in late May with Nicole's daughters, aged two and three. Avoid being ripped off by car hire companies with these four top tips Simone said: 'A guy wearing the purple Carwiz top picked us up at the airport and took us to their office nearby. 'For the next two hours he tried to sell me damage waiver insurance at a cost of €200 (£173). I didn't need it as I was already covered, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. 'We'd been up since 2am, the kids were tired and hungry, and I was on the verge of just walking away and getting a taxi when he finally gave in and let us take our car. 'But before we drove to our hotel, I spent 15 minutes taking videos of all the existing damage. "I was obsessed with documenting every scratch and blemish I could find. I covered everything.' 'Joke' 8 8 Simone explained they drove for just 15 minutes a day from their accommodation to a luxury thermal spa complex on the outskirts of Bucharest. Their car was parked in the hotel's gated compound at night. 'I felt smug when we dropped it back because I knew I was returning it in the exact same condition,' Simone added. 'The guy started pointing out blemishes, but I had video proof for them all. 'Then he went straight to the front left bumper and said he'd found a scratch underneath the car. 'I burst out laughing because I honestly thought it was a joke, but then he said it was going to cost €400 (£350) to repair, and we'd have to sign some paperwork if we wanted our deposit back. 'He wouldn't give us the damage report to read, so I refused to sign and told him I wasn't responsible. 'When I reached over the counter to take my credit card back, he barged me out of the way and grabbed my arms. 'Nicole told him it was disgusting that he'd put his hands on me, but he just snapped back, 'F*** off'. "I was so angry, it was unlike anything I've ever encountered in all my years travelling. 'Even the kids were upset. For days afterwards, my two-year-old niece kept asking, 'What happened to you, Aunty? What did the naughty man do?' 'As far as I'm concerned, it was assault." Simone's deposit was returned in the following days, but on Friday June 6 the rental firm - trading as Premium Drax - took a payment of £359.71 from her Tesco credit card. 8 The cash was eventually refunded after she complained to Tesco Bank. 'I didn't admit to the damage and certainly didn't authorise the payment,' she said. 'I did get my money back, but I'll never know if it was taken from the rental firm or covered by my bank. 'I can't stand to think of this company profiting. They'll just keep doing it.' 'Scamming operation' Byron Hayes, 46, who works in finance, claimed he had a similar experience at a Carwiz franchise in Warsaw, Poland, after booking through Ryanair's website. The office was unmanned when he dropped off the car - and he said he woke the next morning to a €626.87 (£541) repair bill sent by email. 'It was for a tiny dent on the bonnet,' said Byron, from Dublin. 'I know for certain it wasn't there when I returned the car. 'They sent me a photo of the damage, but it didn't include the registration of the car, so there was no way I could validate that it was even the vehicle I'd rented. 'After several back and forth emails they eventually sent me a picture of the car with the registration I had rented - but it had no damage on it. 'They said this was a picture taken before we'd rented the car and that they had already sent us pictures showing the damage. 'I told them I wasn't happy with what they were providing and again asked for the correct documents. Then they went quiet on me and unblocked the deposit they'd taken on my credit card. I rent cars several times a year and I'm not the kind of person to duck out of responsibility. I have no problem with paying for damage I've caused, and have done so in the past. In this case I was completely blameless Byron Hayes 'I assumed the matter was closed, but three weeks later on the final 30-business day time limit for a merchant to charge your card, at five minutes to midnight, I had an email saying my card had been charged €626.87, plus a €10 (£8.64) currency exchange fee." Byron was able to recover the lost cash by claiming on insurance. He is now collecting customers' experiences of Carwiz to submit a joint complaint to the European Consumer Commission. He added: 'I rent cars several times a year and I'm not the kind of person to duck out of responsibility. I have no problem with paying for damage I've caused, and have done so in the past. 'In this case I was completely blameless. I thought perhaps it was just an issue with this one office and I'd been unlucky, but when I looked at the reviews for Carwiz it seemed to be happening all over Europe. "'They should be investigated." 'We didn't even use the car' 8 Council enforcement officer Tim Hunt, 51, and fiance Rachel Sim, 44, from Barry, South Wales, also picked up a rental from an office operating Carwiz's Bucharest franchise on April 14 this year. They ended up leaving the white Mercedes in their hotel car park for the entirety of their four-day trip - but were still charged over £1,100 for marks on the paintwork Tim says were already there. 'Taxis were so cheap in Romania, we didn't even use the car!' Tim said. When Rachel challenged the rep, he twice barked at her to "Get the the f*** out" of the office, which she recorded on camera. Tim alleged Rachel was also kicked in the shin. His card was charged £1,109 on April 22 after his return to the UK, and he was forced to claim on damage waiver insurance to recover the cash. 'It's almost like admitting you've done something wrong,' Tim said. 'And they're still getting the money. I was fuming!' He left angry reviews of Carwiz on LinkedIn and was subsequently messaged by the company's CEO, Krešimir Dobrilović, who threatened to sue him. Tim said: 'I told him to crack on. In the meantime, I've been in touch with to request they stop using Carwiz.' Tripadvisor reviews reveal other holidaymakers claiming to have almost identical experiences at Carwiz franchises in numerous locations, including Athens, Sicily, and Gdansk. 8 8 It's the same story on Trustpilot, where Carwiz has racked up almost 200 1-star reviews. Tourists complain of being stung in Croatia, Katowice and Crete. A recent survey by consumer advice experts Which revealed a shocking 42 per cent of car renters have been hit by bogus damage claims. They said the issue is 'well known' in the industry and advised taking full damage waiver insurance, inspecting the car inside and out and taking photos. Any damage report should also be photographed, they say. They also suggest demanding evidence of the damage and how repairs are calculated before escalating your complaint. The European Car Rental Conciliation Service can help resolve cross-border disputes. However, only participating companies are bound by the scheme and they tend to be bigger players such as Avis, Enterprise and Hertz. IT'S easy for rip-off car hire merchants to try to ruin your holiday. They can charge you a fortune to repair scratches and bumps, extortionate re-fuelling costs and ridiculous fees for insurance with their bullying tactics. But there are four easy ways to avoid being duped and your dream getaway becoming a holiday from hell. The Sun's Travel Editor Lisa Minot, reporting from Camp du Domaine, in Southern France, shares her top tips that will save you a fortune. Reputable hire companies If the price seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true. When you look at these rip-off merchants that we're seeing increasingly, people have used them because the price was so cheap. Look for reliable, established brands. Go for one of the big brands; it may cost you a little bit more, but in the long run it will work out much better. Insurance rip-off Next, look at exactly what you get included in the price. I never take the excess car insurance from the car hire provider. I always book my own. I've got an annual policy. It's much cheaper. You can buy excess car hire polices in the UK; they are effectively like travel insurance but they protect your car. Should you have an accident, it protects the no claims bonus, and they are very good value. They are accepted by every reputable car hire company; if they try to convince you that you can't use it and you have to buy theirs, that is wrong. There are some very high pressure selling techniques around at the moment, trying to up-sell you various different things. You have to be strong. You don't need to take a policy out, you've taken an excess care hire policy out in the UK. You could also get yourself an annual, or even a two-week excess waiver policy from a specific company in the UK, too. Document dents The one thing you must do when they hand over the keys to the car is make sure that you take as much video and photographic evidence as possible before you leave. Very often they will give you a form where you're meant to mark little crosses where you see dents, scratches and other problems. But do take photos and videos yourself; it's much more important because it's timestamped and means you have incontrovertible evidence to counter any claims, should they come about. It's really important, if you do see any damage on the car when you pick it up, to make sure you have alerted the hire company. You could say to them: "Look, I've noted this damage. Here's my photo of it. I'm going to be returning it with the same damage on the car, because this was here before I hired the car.' Fill up yourself The fuelling policy that your car hire comes with is really important, too. Make sure you choose to refuel yourself and a 'full to full' option. Don't leave it up to the car company to refuel your car at the end of your trip, because that means they are deciding what the price is. It gives you the opportunity to find a cheaper petrol station. Make sure you fill the car up - if you're having to drive five or 10 miles to get back to the care hire company, that's acceptable. We're seeing exactly the same with electric cars now. It's really important that you're in control of where you are recharging because the prices can vary drastically. Book smart Another top tip is make sure you book your hire car with a credit card, because it will give you much more protection than a debit card. But also it means the company will take your deposit, which they hold, from your credit card rather than out your spending money. A spokesperson for Carwiz told The Sun: "At CARWIZ, we categorically distance ourselves from any suggestion that unethical or aggressive practices are in any way part of our business model. "These are isolated incidents that in no way reflect the values, standards, or expectations that we support as a global brand. "We sincerely regret that the potentially injured client did not contact us immediately after the unfortunate event, in order to immediately determine all the circumstances, because it is our goal to prevent all such and possible future unpleasant situations. "Our franchise partner in Bucharest is operating another rental brand alongside CARWIZ from the same physical location. In several cases, vehicles and services appear to have been issued under a different brand identity, while still being processed within a CARWIZ-branded environment, including signage, uniforms, and physical premises. We fully understand how, from the customer's point of view, this leads to the perception that the service is being provided directly by CARWIZ. When staff in CARWIZ uniforms hand over a vehicle from a CARWIZ-branded office, the distinction between brands is understandably blurred, even if the booking, payment, and contract technically fall under a separate company or brand entity. "We are currently conducting a formal internal review and will take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of dual-branding at CARWIZ locations in the future. "At CARWIZ International, we continuously monitor, audit, and improve our global network to uphold the standards our brand represents. We are committed to ensuring that every customer feels respected, safe, and well-served."
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: The sneaky tactics used by pushy restaurant staff on Greek holiday island to rip off Brits
British tourists are being ripped off on the Greek island of Rhodes by a series of covert tactics used by pushy restaurant and bar staff, a MailOnline investigation has revealed. Our reporter travelled to the holiday hotspot this week and visited some of its most popular venues in the heart of its bustling old town. The town's historic cobbled streets and famous squares are lined with an endless number of restaurants and bars, but holidaymakers blasted 'scammer' establishments for taking their hard-earned cash. Speaking to MailOnline outside these restaurants, Brits warned of how sneaky 'tricks' used by a number of venues left them paying more than €40 for a cocktail and more than €20 for a beer. TripAdvisor and Google to find out what methods were being used to rip off customers. MailOnline found the following 'tricks' were being used to fleece tourists: Restaurants and bars with bad TripAdvisor scores simply changes their names to confuse tourists Staff would lie about the cheapest and smallest drinks options, claiming the smallest sizes were a 1L glass or a 'fishbowl' Diners are told a restaurant's card machines don't work and are frogmarched to the ATM to get cash out Rip-off waiters use secret signals to communicate with each other while serving Brits drinks Tourists were not given bills and receipts were rarely itemised, in many cases written entirely in Greek Pushy staff bring out alcohol despite customers saying they did not want anything to drink George Bar, located opposite the clock tower in the Old Town, has a low Google review rating of 1.6 stars - not exactly an good advert for holidaymakers looking for a nice drink. But to avoid any bad press from its less than impressive online presence, owners seemingly have thought on their feet and changed the name completely. Signs are obscured by parasols and the few that can be seen have the words 'Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar' emblazoned on them. According to scathing Google reviews, the venue is constantly changing its name. When our reporter visited, she was greeted with a warm invite, eager to sit her down in the otherwise empty pub. And when she requested to see a menu, she was handed one filled with images of 'boots of beer' but with no prices displayed. But while there were options listed including a 500ml Guinness and a 300ml local Mythos, she was told the 'smallest' beer available on draught was a whopping 1L boot. To give venues the benefit of the doubt, we asked to clarify prices prior to placing orders. Justifying the €10 price for a 1L boot, the server said 'that is a normal price, it's just because of the size'. When later asking to pay, our reporter was told the card machine does not work and was asked to pay by cash. When the reporter said she does not have cash, she was made to wait nearly 20 minutes to finally be signalled over to pay. While one could assume this was a genuine one-off issue, online reviews indicate that it is a running ruse to get tourists to pay in cash. And it seems the tactic isn't reserved to just one spot. Further in the main square sits rooftop restaurant and bar Polloniatissa. Several of its workers stand around in the square persuading customers to come in, some even attracting unassuming couples by offering to take a picture of them, before then guilt-tripping them into dining at their venue. When our reporter visited, she was taken up to the rooftop, and provided with a drinks and food menu upon request. Here, the menu did for a change, have prices displayed. A small cocktail would cost €10, a medium €20, and a large €46. And when asked for clarification on sizes, the waiter, in a refreshing wave of honestly answered 'small is like a glass, medium is like three cocktails and large is massive'. This sounded promising. But Brit tourists just outside had told us of how cocktail prices and sizes were kept secret before a huge fishbowl was slapped on the table with a €46 bill following after. While they had stuck to the agreed small €10 cocktail when our reporter's bill came, the waiter had charged an extra €8 for tzatiki and bread which was not disclosed as an additional cost, when offered with the order of a chicken souvlaki. The waiter insisted the bread and dip had been served 'as a starter'. And in a similar instance to Velvet, or George Bar, whichever you could say their official name is, the reporter was again told the card machine was 'giving problems'. The waiter then turned away and began serving other customers without any explanation of what to do next. After 10 minutes of waiting, when the reporter again asked to pay, she was told the machine was still not working and was instructed to go down to the square and go to an ATM if 'that is easier'. Down in the small square, there are four ATMS, one on each corner - a sign that would suggest it is a trick utilised by a number of the restaurants. Google and Tripadvisor reviews would support this assertion. When our reporter refused and said she would wait to pay by card, another 15 minutes went by at which point she complained to another staff member. He immediately began ranting about his colleague, saying 'I honestly cannot tell you, I cannot tell you why he has not done it'. When she explained she was told the card machine did not work, he replied 'yes it does not, can you go to an ATM?' The worker then told a colleague: 'Why don't you take her to the ATM?' A few seconds later the disgruntled employee told us the machine did now miraculously work and takes the payment. Just a two-minute walk down from Hippocrates Square, where Polloniatissa sits, a man is using a flock of exotic birds to entice people to the 'Old Town Restaurant'. Or is it now called the 'Eat Lovers Taverna'? Or the 'Small Boat'? The restaurant, after a low 1.2 star review, is seemingly embarking on a never-ending rebrand project. Whichever it is, there is not a single clear sign on the building, which is complete with a rooftop terrace and striking pink and blue lights. It is done, it seems, so customers have no idea where they are dining, and so cannot search up its poor reviews. When our reporter visited and asked to sit on the rooftop for drinks, she was told it was 'not possible' and could only be seated upstairs if dining. Instead, she was offered an outdoor seat. The waiter came over to take her order but she requested to see a drinks menu first. The menu listed a Mythos 500ml for €7 and a 1L for €12. The waiter convinced the reporter a 1L 'will be nice' as it 'comes in a boot'. At the end when the reporter was ready to go, she was called to the till and billed the correct €12 amount. No faulty card machine tricks, no overcharging. However, the following day when the reporter returned to test out what happens when you do not request to see prices, the results were very different. Waiters were excited to see a returning customer - something which seemed to indicate it was a rare instance - and led her up to the rooftop. She was asked what she would like without being offered a menu, and the reporter asked for a 'standard' strawberry daiquiri and a chicken gyros. After a few minutes of waiting, she was incorrectly brought to the table an Aperol spritz. When she clarified this is not what she had ordered, it was taken away and replaced with the correct drink. A minor inconvenience. However, after around half an hour of waiting, a dish was brought to her table. It had originally been taken to the neighbouring table, who had confirmed it was not what they ordered. They then brought the dish to the reporter and offered she ate it. She said she ordered a chicken gyros and the waiter responded by suggesting she took it anyway, adding it was a 'beef and chicken' gyros. She said she does not eat beef and the plate was taken away. After another long wait the correct dish finally arrived. After finally being ready for the bill after a meal that took a lot longer than anticipated, the waiter said 'I will bring you a limoncello or a vodka'. When the reporter refused and asked instead for the bill, the pushy waiter continued to try and convince her. After another 'no thank you', the waiter disappeared and returned with, instead of a bill, two shots of prosecco in hand and placed them in front of the reporter. The reporter had to continually stated she had not ordered this and did not want it, with the waiter asking 'why?' and adding that it was not vodka but just some prosecco. Finally admitting defeat, the waiter turned around and left. After walking off he was seen using a secret signal to staff downstairs to kill the extra drinks - they had clearly been planning to put it on the bill. Still waiting for the bill, she asked another waiter, who requested she headed downstairs to pay. Approaching the till, she was asked to pay €35, with no explanation of costs. Asking for a breakdown, she was told the 'medium' cocktail was €15, apparently 'a discount' from the actual €20 cost, and the 'chicken souvlaki' was €20. After explaining the dish was a gyros and not a souvlaki, the cost was brought down by €5. Opposite 'Eat Lovers Taverna' in what is known as the Jewish Martyrs Square, sits 'Rendez-Vous'. Here, MailOnline sat down for a 'seafood souvlaki' and requested a Coke with it to drink. The menu had prices listed but did not have a specific listing for 'Coca-Cola' or soft drinks. Though, there was one line which listed 'refreshments, small 330ml €5 and large 1 liter €10'. Having not seen this by the time the waiter came by, the reporter asked how large a 'large Coke' was. She was told it was the size of two cans, and assumed that would come to around a pint. ADVERTISEMENT What arrived was a colossal 1L glass filled with heavily diluted Coke which was too flat to drink. During her time at the bar, a couple came in and asked the waiter about the disposable vapes displayed near the counter. The waiter told them that the vapes were priced at €15 each, to which the man was taken aback and asked 'for one?' The waiter then asked them whether they were from the UK and said it is 'cheaper there', to which the couple responded that the same vape would cost €5 in the UK. Back over by the Old Town's clocktower, next door to Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar, sits Lithos Bar. Again, there is very little signage to show the name of the bar. You could think it has something to do with the 1.5 star TripAdvisor reviews. As you walk in, there is a tiny sign reading 'Lithos Bar' that you may be able to spot if lucky. Our reporter was welcomed and again provided with menus upon request. And in a recurring trend among a number of the restaurants, while the food menu had prices stuck on, the drinks menus consisted of just pictures of large fishbowls. There is absolutely no indication of size or price. When ordering, the man asked about what flavours the reporter liked to recommend the correct cocktail, but again left out any mention of price or size. When our reporter asked how big the cocktails were he signalled that they were large like in the pictures. ADVERTISEMENT We then asked if there were any smaller options and he confirmed he could 'sort something', and when asked about the price was told it would be €10. We ordered a tzatiki to go with our drink and asked if the bread was included, which the waiter agreed there would be. It was then a surprise when the cocktail arrived in a large fishbowl not different to those in the images. When exclaiming 'I'd asked for a small cocktail', the reporter was told 'that is the smallest we have', with the waiter laughing at our reaction. In a sigh of relief however, the bar did stick to the original price agreed upon and only charged €10 for the fishbowl. This was somewhat confusing as other British tourists told of having paid more than €20 for the same sized cocktail at the same bar. As MailOnline attempted to locate 'The Gate', yet another apparent 'rip-off' restaurant with on average one and two star reviews, there seemed to have been a mistake. Only a restaurant named Castello stood in its place. Again, it is only through old reviews that holidaymakers are able to figure out that the restaurant and building is the same, and has just been rebranded in an attempt to confuse tourists. Here, in yet another case, the drinks menu had nothing but colourful pictures of fruits and descriptions of the fancy cocktails and 'slush puppies' on offer, but no indication of the prices or sizing. When our reporter ordered a Greek salad and some sparkling water, a small bottle of sparking water was brought out promptly. ADVERTISEMENT The rather reasonable portion of salad came to only €8.50, which was clearly stated on the menu. But the €5 charged for a sparkling water came as a shock. When the reporter questioned the price she was told 'that is the price' and then asked if she would like to provide a tip. 'They're scammers. Scammers.' Speaking to British tourists in the cobblestoned streets of Rhodes Old Town, many expressed their shared frustration over the 'rip-offs' and 'scams'. One couple told MailOnline: 'There's a lot of rip-offs around here let me tell you. 'We just got this one beer and a water from the shop, €12. How is that €12? 'And they always try to say "oh it's cheaper, it's cheaper if you give me cash". 'There's so many like that. I was trying to buy a bag and the woman said €20 but if you give it in cash I'll give it for €10. 'They're scammers. 'And bar this one place on the right, everywhere the gyros sound like its coming out of microwaves. 'The one back there, we literally heard it come out the microwave, it went "PING". 'And they do that boot thing. You can get a 1L one, or 2L ones. 'You know actually, we got two daiquiris around there right, it cost us like €60. '€60 for two daiquiris. It came out in the massive bowls. 'And some of the bars they charged like €8 for a 1L boot, some of them charge like €16. 'Actually one of them charged €16 for half a litre, an even smaller one.' ADVERTISEMENT Another couple told of a similar incident, pointing towards Polloniatissa. Katherine Lombard and Kyle Watson, both of the Isle of Man said: 'We had two drinks there that cost us €60. 'It was a cocktail and a boot of beer. It was like €66 euros or something. 'The boot was €20 and the cocktail was €46. I'd only seen it the day after. 'They bring out the big fishbowl which isn't what we asked for, we just thought it's a cocktail and a large beer. 'Other than that we have kind of managed to avoid it. As soon as someone asks us to come in we sort of think to ourselves "no". And the 'tourist traps' and pushy tactics seem to be no secret, with one couple telling us they were aware of it 'before' they arrived and had been careful not to get caught out. Charlotte and Ryan Squibb, from Colchester said: 'We haven't been caught out by any of them because I knew about it before we came. 'They apparently say it's cheap food but then they get you in and end up giving you huge drinks which are like ten euros a go. 'So we haven't gone near them, we know all about it.' Meanwhile, Mark and Ethan Williams, 38 and 18, from Exeter, had just arrived on a big family holiday and had already been subject to the extortionate prices. Mark said: 'We just got charged €150 for one round of drinks for nine people. 'They said it was €6 a pint before we went in but obviously when you go to pay you can't really argue. ADVERTISEMENT 'They get you with the boots, they brought out big 1L ones. 'And the cocktails were like €25 each and they're massive. 'We probably should have known. We're here for two weeks and only got here two days ago. 'It just means we'll be more wary going forward.' Another couple, who did not wish to be named, told of their frustrations with the prices. They said: 'There was a place just down there we went the other night was really expensive but not good food. 'The prices were on the menu but it was €40 for one gyros between two, a glass of wine - which was €12, a water and some pitta. 'For that price as well you expect it to be somewhere high-end. But it wasn't.'
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: The sneaky tactics used by pushy bar and restaurant staff on Greek holiday island to rip off Brit holidaymakers
British tourists are being ripped off on the Greek island of Rhodes by a series of covert tactics used by pushy restaurant and bar staff, a MailOnline investigation has revealed. Our reporter travelled to the holiday hotspot this week and visited some of its most popular venues in the heart of its bustling old town. The town's historic cobbled streets and famous squares are lined with an endless number of restaurants and bars, but holidaymakers blasted 'scammer' establishments for taking their hard-earned cash. Speaking to MailOnline outside these restaurants, Brits warned of how sneaky 'tricks' used by a number of venues left them paying more than €40 for a cocktail and more than €20 for a beer. To investigate, MailOnline visited six of the worst-rated restaurants and bars on TripAdvisor and Google to find out what methods were being used to rip off customers. MailOnline found the following 'tricks' were being used to fleece tourists: Restaurants had menus WITHOUT prices or sizes displayed Restaurants and bars with bad TripAdvisor scores simply changes their names to confuse tourists Staff would lie about the cheapest and smallest drinks options, claiming the smallest sizes were a 1L glass or a 'fishbowl' Diners are told a restaurant's card machines don't work and are frogmarched to the ATM to get cash out Rip-off waiters use secret signals to communicate with each other while serving Brits drinks Tourists were not given bills and receipts were rarely itemised, in many cases written entirely in Greek Pushy staff bring out alcohol despite customers saying they did not want anything to drink George Bar, located opposite the clock tower in the Old Town, has a low Google review rating of 1.6 stars - not exactly an good advert for holidaymakers looking for a nice drink. But to avoid any bad press from its less than impressive online presence, owners seemingly have thought on their feet and changed the name completely. Signs are obscured by parasols and the few that can be seen have the words 'Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar' emblazoned on them. According to scathing Google reviews, the venue is constantly changing its name. When our reporter visited, she was greeted with a warm invite, eager to sit her down in the otherwise empty pub. And when she requested to see a menu, she was handed one filled with images of 'boots of beer' but with no prices displayed. But while there were options listed including a 500ml Guinness and a 300ml local Mythos, she was told the 'smallest' beer available on draught was a whopping 1L boot. To give venues the benefit of the doubt, we asked to clarify prices prior to placing orders. Justifying the €10 price for a 1L boot, the server said 'that is a normal price, it's just because of the size'. When later asking to pay, our reporter was told the card machine does not work and was asked to pay by cash. When the reporter said she does not have cash, she was made to wait nearly 20 minutes to finally be signalled over to pay. While one could assume this was a genuine one-off issue, online reviews indicate that it is a running ruse to get tourists to pay in cash. And it seems the tactic isn't reserved to just one spot. Further in the main square sits rooftop restaurant and bar Polloniatissa. Several of its workers stand around in the square persuading customers to come in, some even attracting unassuming couples by offering to take a picture of them, before then guilt-tripping them into dining at their venue. When our reporter visited, she was taken up to the rooftop, and provided with a drinks and food menu upon request. A worker at Polloniatissa who, when the reporter tells him she has waited half an hour to pay, asks if she can 'go to an ATM?' Here, the menu did for a change, have prices displayed. A small cocktail would cost €10, a medium €20, and a large €46. And when asked for clarification on sizes, the waiter, in a refreshing wave of honestly answered 'small is like a glass, medium is like three cocktails and large is massive'. This sounded promising. But Brit tourists just outside had told us of how cocktail prices and sizes were kept secret before a huge fishbowl was slapped on the table with a €46 bill following after. While they had stuck to the agreed small €10 cocktail when our reporter's bill came, the waiter had charged an extra €8 for tzatiki and bread which was not disclosed as an additional cost, when offered with the order of a chicken souvlaki. The waiter insisted the bread and dip had been served 'as a starter'. And in a similar instance to Velvet, or George Bar, whichever you could say their official name is, the reporter was again told the card machine was 'giving problems'. The waiter then turned away and began serving other customers without any explanation of what to do next. After 10 minutes of waiting, when the reporter again asked to pay, she was told the machine was still not working and was instructed to go down to the square and go to an ATM if 'that is easier'. Down in the small square, there are four ATMS, one on each corner - a sign that would suggest it is a trick utilised by a number of the restaurants. Google and Tripadvisor reviews would support this assertion. When our reporter refused and said she would wait to pay by card, another 15 minutes went by at which point she complained to another staff member. He immediately began ranting about his colleague, saying 'I honestly cannot tell you, I cannot tell you why he has not done it'. When she explained she was told the card machine did not work, he replied 'yes it does not, can you go to an ATM?' The worker then told a colleague: 'Why don't you take her to the ATM?' A few seconds later the disgruntled employee told us the machine did now miraculously work and takes the payment. Just a two-minute walk down from Hippocrates Square, where Polloniatissa sits, a man is using a flock of exotic birds to entice people to the 'Old Town Restaurant'. Or is it now called the 'Eat Lovers Taverna'? Or the 'Small Boat'? The restaurant, after a low 1.2 star review, is seemingly embarking on a never-ending rebrand project. Whichever it is, there is not a single clear sign on the building, which is complete with a rooftop terrace and striking pink and blue lights. It is done, it seems, so customers have no idea where they are dining, and so cannot search up its poor reviews. When our reporter visited and asked to sit on the rooftop for drinks, she was told it was 'not possible' and could only be seated upstairs if dining. Instead, she was offered an outdoor seat. The waiter came over to take her order but she requested to see a drinks menu first. The menu listed a Mythos 500ml for €7 and a 1L for €12. The waiter convinced the reporter a 1L 'will be nice' as it 'comes in a boot'. At the end when the reporter was ready to go, she was called to the till and billed the correct €12 amount. No faulty card machine tricks, no overcharging. However, the following day when the reporter returned to test out what happens when you do not request to see prices, the results were very different. Waiters were excited to see a returning customer - something which seemed to indicate it was a rare instance - and led her up to the rooftop. She was asked what she would like without being offered a menu, and the reporter asked for a 'standard' strawberry daiquiri and a chicken gyros. After a few minutes of waiting, she was incorrectly brought to the table an Aperol spritz. When she clarified this is not what she had ordered, it was taken away and replaced with the correct drink. A minor inconvenience. However, after around half an hour of waiting, a dish was brought to her table. It had originally been taken to the neighbouring table, who had confirmed it was not what they ordered. They then brought the dish to the reporter and offered she ate it. She said she ordered a chicken gyros and the waiter responded by suggesting she took it anyway, adding it was a 'beef and chicken' gyros. She said she does not eat beef and the plate was taken away. After another long wait the correct dish finally arrived. After finally being ready for the bill after a meal that took a lot longer than anticipated, the waiter said 'I will bring you a limoncello or a vodka'. When the reporter refused and asked instead for the bill, the pushy waiter continued to try and convince her. After another 'no thank you', the waiter disappeared and returned with, instead of a bill, two shots of prosecco in hand and placed them in front of the reporter. The reporter had to continually stated she had not ordered this and did not want it, with the waiter asking 'why?' and adding that it was not vodka but just some prosecco. Finally admitting defeat, the waiter turned around and left. After walking off he was seen using a secret signal to staff downstairs to kill the extra drinks - they had clearly been planning to put it on the bill. Still waiting for the bill, she asked another waiter, who requested she headed downstairs to pay. Approaching the till, she was asked to pay €35, with no explanation of costs. Asking for a breakdown, she was told the 'medium' cocktail was €15, apparently 'a discount' from the actual €20 cost, and the 'chicken souvlaki' was €20. After explaining the dish was a gyros and not a souvlaki, the cost was brought down by €5. Opposite 'Eat Lovers Taverna' in what is known as the Jewish Martyrs Square, sits 'Rendez-Vous'. Here, MailOnline sat down for a 'seafood souvlaki' and requested a Coke with it to drink. The menu had prices listed but did not have a specific listing for 'Coca-Cola' or soft drinks. Though, there was one line which listed 'refreshments, small 330ml €5 and large 1 liter €10'. Having not seen this by the time the waiter came by, the reporter asked how large a 'large Coke' was. She was told it was the size of two cans, and assumed that would come to around a pint. What arrived was a colossal 1L glass filled with heavily diluted Coke which was too flat to drink. During her time at the bar, a couple came in and asked the waiter about the disposable vapes displayed near the counter. The waiter told them that the vapes were priced at €15 each, to which the man was taken aback and asked 'for one?' The waiter then asked them whether they were from the UK and said it is 'cheaper there', to which the couple responded that the same vape would cost €5 in the UK. Back over by the Old Town's clocktower, next door to Velvet Sports and Cocktail Bar, sits Lithos Bar. Again, there is very little signage to show the name of the bar. You could think it has something to do with the 1.5 star TripAdvisor reviews. As you walk in, there is a tiny sign reading 'Lithos Bar' that you may be able to spot if lucky. Our reporter was welcomed and again provided with menus upon request. And in a recurring trend among a number of the restaurants, while the food menu had prices stuck on, the drinks menus consisted of just pictures of large fishbowls. There is absolutely no indication of size or price. When ordering, the man asked about what flavours the reporter liked to recommend the correct cocktail, but again left out any mention of price or size. When our reporter asked how big the cocktails were he signalled that they were large like in the pictures. We then asked if there were any smaller options and he confirmed he could 'sort something', and when asked about the price was told it would be €10. We ordered a tzatiki to go with our drink and asked if the bread was included, which the waiter agreed there would be. It was then a surprise when the cocktail arrived in a large fishbowl not different to those in the images. When exclaiming 'I'd asked for a small cocktail', the reporter was told 'that is the smallest we have', with the waiter laughing at our reaction. In a sigh of relief however, the bar did stick to the original price agreed upon and only charged €10 for the fishbowl. This was somewhat confusing as other British tourists told of having paid more than €20 for the same sized cocktail at the same bar. As MailOnline attempted to locate 'The Gate', yet another apparent 'rip-off' restaurant with on average one and two star reviews, there seemed to have been a mistake. Only a restaurant named Castello stood in its place. Again, it is only through old reviews that holidaymakers are able to figure out that the restaurant and building is the same, and has just been rebranded in an attempt to confuse tourists. Here, in yet another case, the drinks menu had nothing but colourful pictures of fruits and descriptions of the fancy cocktails and 'slush puppies' on offer, but no indication of the prices or sizing. When our reporter ordered a Greek salad and some sparkling water, a small bottle of sparking water was brought out promptly. The rather reasonable portion of salad came to only €8.50, which was clearly stated on the menu. But the €5 charged for a sparkling water came as a shock. When the reporter questioned the price she was told 'that is the price' and then asked if she would like to provide a tip. 'They're scammers. Scammers.' Speaking to British tourists in the cobblestoned streets of Rhodes Old Town, many expressed their shared frustration over the 'rip-offs' and 'scams'. One couple told MailOnline: 'There's a lot of rip-offs around here let me tell you. 'We just got this one beer and a water from the shop, €12. How is that €12? 'And they always try to say "oh it's cheaper, it's cheaper if you give me cash". 'There's so many like that. I was trying to buy a bag and the woman said €20 but if you give it in cash I'll give it for €10. 'They're scammers. 'And bar this one place on the right, everywhere the gyros sound like its coming out of microwaves. 'The one back there, we literally heard it come out the microwave, it went "PING". 'And they do that boot thing. You can get a 1L one, or 2L ones. 'You know actually, we got two daiquiris around there right, it cost us like €60. '€60 for two daiquiris. It came out in the massive bowls. 'And some of the bars they charged like €8 for a 1L boot, some of them charge like €16. 'Actually one of them charged €16 for half a litre, an even smaller one.' Another couple told of a similar incident, pointing towards Polloniatissa. Katherine Lombard and Kyle Watson, both of the Isle of Man said: 'We had two drinks there that cost us €60. 'It was a cocktail and a boot of beer. It was like €66 euros or something. 'The boot was €20 and the cocktail was €46. I'd only seen it the day after. 'They bring out the big fishbowl which isn't what we asked for, we just thought it's a cocktail and a large beer. 'Other than that we have kind of managed to avoid it. As soon as someone asks us to come in we sort of think to ourselves "no". And the 'tourist traps' and pushy tactics seem to be no secret, with one couple telling us they were aware of it 'before' they arrived and had been careful not to get caught out. Charlotte and Ryan Squibb, from Colchester said: 'We haven't been caught out by any of them because I knew about it before we came. 'They apparently say it's cheap food but then they get you in and end up giving you huge drinks which are like ten euros a go. 'So we haven't gone near them, we know all about it.' Meanwhile, Mark and Ethan Williams, 38 and 18, from Exeter, had just arrived on a big family holiday and had already been subject to the extortionate prices. Mark said: 'We just got charged €150 for one round of drinks for nine people. 'They said it was €6 a pint before we went in but obviously when you go to pay you can't really argue. 'They get you with the boots, they brought out big 1L ones. 'And the cocktails were like €25 each and they're massive. 'We probably should have known. We're here for two weeks and only got here two days ago. 'It just means we'll be more wary going forward.' Another couple, who did not wish to be named, told of their frustrations with the prices. They said: 'There was a place just down there we went the other night was really expensive but not good food. 'The prices were on the menu but it was €40 for one gyros between two, a glass of wine - which was €12, a water and some pitta.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Telegraph
Europe's tourist cons and how to avoid them
Last month, Paris cafes were caught cheating unsuspecting tourists out of good-quality wine. The scam is simple: bistro visitors order, say, a glass of Chablis, costing around €9 (£7.65). The wine arrives, and all seems well. But sommeliers working for Le Parisien, a French newspaper, discovered that the wine being served was actually the cheapest on the menu – a €5 (£4.25) sauvignon. It's an amusing undercover mission, but reveals how cunning rip-offs target tourists in Montmartre and beyond. It pays to have your wits about you – t hese are some of the worst tourist cons, scams and rip-offs in Europe (and how to avoid them). Ice cream in Rome Similar trickery occurs in Rome 's many, many ice cream shops. No one can blame the tired tourist for wanting a treat after wandering from the Pantheon to the Spanish Steps, or exploring the vast squares of the Vatican. Gelato-sellers know this, too. And, according to locals, those tempting tubs full of fluffed-up, mountainous swirls of ice cream are not the real deal. An authentic gelato should be dense and flat – it's made of churned milk, not cream, and should not be overly aerated. It also should not be brightly coloured – if the banana option is exceedingly yellow, or the mint positively luminous, it's likely that the vendor is using artificial colouring. If you're a purist about desserts, research the best places to eat before visiting to avoid being sold an inferior snack. Pedicabs in London Since the pandemic, a certain kind of transport has become prevalent in London. Blaring loud pop hits and fringed with pink fur, the pedicab – bicycle in the front, covered bench in the back – is now unavoidable. Riders congregate around busy Soho pavements, or try to lure passengers around Green Park. While the cynical Londoner is most likely to give them a wide berth, tourists, it seems, are getting hoodwinked. Perhaps it's understandable – their ridiculousness gives them a sense of novelty, and the city centre can be hard to navigate. Most, however, probably don't anticipate the price. This is something that one Belgian tourist found to her detriment. After riding in a pedicab for all of seven minutes, she was promptly charged £450 for the pleasure. It's as a result of these sorts of incidents that Transport for London has, finally, moved to regulate the group – requiring them to be licenced as taxis are. Whether the measures will stop tourists being ripped off in the meantime remains to be seen. Flamenco outside of Andalusia It's not a scam, exactly, but whether flamenco outside of Andalusia is 'authentic' has long been a bone of contention. The origins of the popular, much-marketed dance form are fraught: most are sure that it began in the south of the country and has, in the centuries since its inception, spread northwards. It's so vital to Spain 's identity that it has been listed as an example of 'intangible cultural heritage' by Unesco. For many years, however, it was seen as a 'vulgar' form of dance, practised by ostracised members of society and far too passionate for more conservative Spaniards. Conversely, many modern iterations – particularly those outside of flamenco's Andalusian strongholds – are decried as a sanitised, tourist-friendly version of something much more vibrant. The idea of a 'true' art form is a complicated one, but Seville and Granada are the places to head to if you want to discover a scene alive for its own sake, not just for tourists. Real fans should visit Seville during the Flamenco Biennial, when a series of performances, talks and courses take over the city. Bad buskers in Athens Athens 's 'bad buskers' are almost humorous (unless you're the one getting caught out by them). The would-be musicians place clear plastic cups, full of petty cash, far in front of them. They then begin to play their instruments – often badly, as the aim of their endeavour is not to secure a record deal. In fact, there's some speculation that the musicianship is poor on purpose, to lure unsuspecting tourists into looking at them. The point is, those not-in-the-know are distracted and knock into that tiny cup. Tourists bend down, attempt to steady the flow of coins, and are told the amount is much reduced by their actions – they must pay the busker more as a sort of compensation. To avoid it, make sure you keep your wits about you (and watch where you're walking). And if you do knock over the collection, don't feel compelled to give away any cash. Cup and ball games, across Europe As old as tourism itself, the cup and ball game – or versions thereof – is a classic trap. Again, the aim is distraction. On a side street, or in a main square, a table will be set up, and visitors will be beckoned over. The particulars of the game might vary, but usually the promise is that the tourist can win money if they correctly predict which cup the ball is under. There may, or may not, be a ball. It doesn't really matter. What does matter is that accomplices of the one playing the game are often planning to pickpocket the distracted tourists, taking phones, cash or other valuables without anyone noticing. It's found across the continent (and indeed the globe). The remedy? Don't get drawn in, no matter how good the odds seem – it's not really about the game at all.
