Destinations › Cambodia › Siem Reap › Scams
Siem Reap, Cambodia
13 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Siem Reap, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Fake or exploitative "orphanage volunteering" placements charge tourists a fee to volunteer at facilities kept in poor conditions specifically to attract paying volunteers and donations — a pattern NGOs actively warn travelers against.
Counterfeit or stolen Angkor Wat tickets sold around town are invalid at the gate — official tickets (with the visitor's photo printed on) are sold only at Angkor Enterprise ticket centres.
Sunrise tour price hiking: a price is agreed for an Angkor Wat sunrise tour, then suddenly raised once the visitor is already inside the park.
Unofficial "guides" at Angkor Wat and nearby temples pressuring tourists into large, undisclosed tour fees not covered by the official park ticket, sometimes following persistently after being declined.
Organized pickpocket teams (lookout, distractor, grabber) work crowded areas including Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, and Pub Street.
Tuk-tuk drivers quoting one price for a day of temple-hopping, then demanding significantly more at the end or adding "waiting fees."
A woman with a baby or small children asks for money for milk or medicine, then steers the tourist to a shop to "buy" overpriced goods that get returned for a cash split with the shopkeeper.
A "Cambodian English student" offers to practice English while showing a tourist around, then leads them somewhere with only one exit and demands payment for the "tour."
A tuk-tuk driver who "befriends" a tourist at the airport claims their booked guesthouse is closed or moved, redirecting to one paying a commission.
Vendors shortchanging cash transactions, particularly when mixing US dollars and Cambodian riel.
Market vendors selling mass-produced souvenirs marked up as authentic local handicrafts.
Restaurants near Pub Street adding unlisted charges or rounding bills up without itemization.
Individuals impersonating monks offer blessings or request temple donations, keeping the money themselves.
