Destinations › Switzerland › Zürich › Scams
Zürich, Switzerland
10 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Zürich, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Counterfeit watches sold as genuine Swiss-made, including by street sellers and pop-up shops, with the buyer bearing the customs consequence.
Dynamic currency conversion offered aggressively at card terminals and independent cash machines, and exchange kiosks with commissions disclosed only after the transaction.
Unlicensed 'watch dealers' offering to buy or trade watches at rates that collapse once an item is handed over.
Short-let listings taking large deposits for properties unavailable or materially different on arrival.
Fake charity collectors with clipboards working the main shopping boulevard and station concourse.
Drivers taking extended routes from the airport where the train is direct and far cheaper.
Pickpocketing at the main station and on trams serving the old town, and at the summer lakeside events.
Restaurants and bars applying undisclosed cover charges and service on top of prices that already include it.
Unofficial luggage-storage services near the station charging well above locker rates.
Resold event and transport tickets that are invalid or non-transferable.
