Common scams in Mumbai

Street-level scams reported by travelers in Mumbai, each with the counter-move that defuses it.

Not a complete list — new scams appear all the time. Stay alert.

Common scams — meter-refusal taxis, 'your hotel is closed', note-swap change
Insist on the meter; ignore 'your hotel is closed'
Auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers who say the meter is 'broken' will quote an inflated flat fare — insist on the meter, or from the airport use the official prepaid-taxi counter or an Uber/Ola booked in-app. A classic late-arrival trick: the driver claims your hotel has 'closed down' or is 'full' and takes you to another that pays him commission — phone your hotel to confirm and refuse the diversion. When paying, watch the change: a known trick swaps your ₹500 note for a smaller one and claims you underpaid, so hand notes over one at a time and count aloud.
Checked July 2026

Every Farovia trip carries intel like this — dated, sourced, and ready offline at the border.

Common scams — meter-refusal taxis, 'your hotel is closed', note-swap change