Aussie tourist shares urgent warning after falling for common 'scam' in Europe
- Aussie tourist warned of scam
- She noticed woman hobbling in Greece
- READ MORE: How scammers stole more than $150,000 from Aussie man
An Australian tourist has tipped off others travelling to Europe that beggars can be faking their injuries to invoke sympathy.
The woman filmed a beggar on the Greek island of Paros who was asking for money while hobbling on a walking crutch.
The next morning she spotted the same woman walking unaided along the street while carrying the crutch.
Sharing the footage to social media, the tourist revealed she felt scammed by the beggar, having handed over money.
The post caught the attention of other tourists who had encountered the beggar or others who used the same tactic.
'Literally just saw her 15 minutes ago and felt so bad, thank you for this,' one commented on TikTok.
'She did that to my boyfriend and I in Paros last year then hopped on the same ferry as us the next day,' a second wrote.
A third said they saw a supposedly injured male beggar in Europe 'climbing a hill three minutes later'.
An Aussie woman on holiday in Europe has warned others after giving money to a 'beggar' needing a crutch to walk (pictured) before she appeared to be walking fine the following day
'Once I saw a lady sitting hiding her other leg next to a wall for money,' another wrote.
'The wall was glass and when you went inside the shop you could see her other leg.'
Others however were sympathetic toward the woman, claiming she may have a more complex injury or has been forced to beg by gang masters.
'I have a spinal injury, when my back plays up I have to use a cane or sometimes a wheelchair,' one wrote.
'But sometimes I don't (have to use disability support), don't judge too quick.'
'The way I see it, their government not helping so why should you from another country when your place probably has its own problems,' another said.
Tourists have warned of beggars using the same trick across Europe's tourist hot spots for years.
'Once I saw a beggar guy without legs, as soon as police came his legs come out of nowhere and [he] started running away,' one Redditor said of his time in Prague.
Other scams across the continent tourists should be aware of include pickpocketing and taxi drivers purposefully taking longer routes or charging exorbitant amounts.
According to other tourists, the woman is commonly seen on the picturesque Greek island of Paros (pictured) during the Summer
Personal finance expert at Finder, Sarah Megginson, said the fake injury scam has 'been around for decades' but is also 'relatively harmless'.
'But some of these scams have the potential to ruin your holiday if they get away with a decent chunk of your cash,' Ms Megginson told Yahoo.
'If something feels off, it probably is – don't be afraid to speak up, ask for time to make a decision if you feel pressured, and walk away from a situation if you feel uncomfortable.'
She added that tourists need to be particularly wary of pickpockets, urging them to carry cash in a money belt or an anti-theft bag and to be mindful of belongings when travelling through crowds.
