UK tourists have been warned about a cheese scam in Brazil that could cost them hundreds of pounds while abroad. A beach scam targeting visitors has sparked warnings for UK travellers.
Debit Card Cons on Brazilian Beaches
Travellers are being advised to beware of debit card cons after one victim was charged £1,500 for a kebab and another £3,000 for corn on the cob. One British tourist used her debit card to pay for two slices of barbecued cheese from a beach vendor in Rio de Janeiro.
After being told she would pay £5.90, she discovered she had been charged 4,000 reais (£590). "He showed me the right number on the contactless terminal, but then turned it round to face him and, unbeknownst to me, added two zeros just as I was about to tap with my phone," she said. "He then gestured that there was no paper for a receipt and walked away."
A Monzo spokesperson commented: "We understand this was a very frustrating experience for the customer. While our reasons for rejecting the claim were correct, we recognise that our communication fell short of our usual high standards."
Recent Incidents and Police Response
In recent months, criminals have tried to charge two Argentinian tourists 7,000 reais (about £1,000) for two cups of açaí, while a Colombian visitor was tricked into paying 2,500 reais (about £400) for a caipirinha. Reports indicate that a woman from Argentina ended up paying 20,000 reais (nearly £3,000) for a margarine-coated corn on the cob that should have cost 20 reais (about £3).
"I don't understand numbers in Portuguese. I don't speak Portuguese," the Spanish-speaking visitor reportedly said after falling into the trap.
Patricia Alemany, head of Rio's tourist police, told the newspaper O Globo that her team has been working hard to capture those behind the recent wave of crimes on Copacabana and the neighbouring Ipanema beach. She blamed a lack of government oversight for creating a "disorderly" atmosphere on Rio's beaches that helps scammers operate.
