Destinations › United States › Miami › Scams
Miami, United States
10 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Miami, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Short-let listings taking deposits for properties that are unlicensed for holiday letting and unavailable on arrival.
Drivers refusing meters and quoting inflated flat fares from the airport and port, and refusing app-quoted rates.
Theft from beach belongings and vehicle break-ins at beach car parks, frequently in daylight.
Restaurant touts on the main beach strip promoting drink deals that carry undisclosed minimum spends and per-person charges.
Beachfront restaurants applying an automatic 18–20% service charge and then presenting a tip line on top, with menus that do not show the charge clearly.
Resold event and boat-party tickets that are counterfeit or already used.
Jet-ski and watersport operators alleging damage on return and demanding large cash settlements.
Dynamic currency conversion at card terminals and independent cash machines at poor rates.
Counterfeit branded goods sold at beachfront stalls and in the shopping districts as genuine.
Nightclub promoters selling 'VIP entry' and table packages that do not exist at the venue on arrival.
