Avoid Travel Scams2026–2027 Guide
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Destination · Northern Europe

Travel Scams in Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a low-crime capital with comparatively few documented scam types; the pattern that does exist is professional, mostly foreign pickpocket and trick-thief teams who arrive for the summer and Christmas tourist seasons. They work the Central Station, Nørreport, Strøget and the airport train, and dip into café, restaurant and hotel-lobby bags. Unlicensed 'pirate' taxis are the other standing warning.

1. Pickpocket and bag-snatch teams at stations and on Strøget

Organised pickpockets use distraction methods — jostling, blocking, staged questions — on crowded public transport and in tourist zones. The UK government names Copenhagen Central Station, Nørreport Station, Strøget, Christiania, Nyhavn and Kongens Nytorv as common hunting grounds, and even warns about luggage in overhead racks on trains to and from Kastrup Airport. Copenhagen's local visitor portal notes that trick-thief teams cross into Denmark especially in the May–September high season and around Christmas, when cruise passengers and shoppers pack the centre.

Warning signs

  • Strangers creating delays or pressing close at station doors and escalators
  • Distractions — dropped items, questions, loud arguments — in crowded spots
  • Unattended-looking people lingering near luggage racks on airport trains
  • Anyone brushing against your bag on Strøget or in station concourses

How to avoid it

  • Keep wallets and phones in front pockets or a zipped cross-body bag
  • Carry backpacks on your front in crowds, as Danish visitor guidance suggests
  • Keep luggage in sight, not in overhead racks, on airport trains
  • Report attempts to police immediately (emergency 112)
Sources

2. Trick thieves in cafés, restaurants and hotel lobbies

Thieves work indoor tourist spaces: the UK travel advisory notes pickpockets operating in hotel lobbies, cafés and restaurants, and Copenhagen's visitor portal specifically warns about bags left at the table during hotel and restaurant buffet runs and hung over chair backs. The method is low-effort — wait until a diner heads to the buffet or the bathroom, then lift the bag or phone.

Warning signs

  • People lingering near tables without ordering
  • Bags hung on chair backs facing the walkway
  • Phones or wallets left on café tables outdoors
  • Lobby seating near entrances where strangers drift in and out

How to avoid it

  • Take your bag with you to the buffet — every time
  • Loop bag straps around a leg or chair, or keep the bag on your lap
  • Keep phones off outdoor café tables
  • Use hotel safes for passports and spare cash
Sources

3. Pirate (unlicensed) taxis

Unlicensed drivers tout rides in Copenhagen and other Danish cities, quoting whatever they like and operating without proper insurance or legal protection for passengers. Copenhagen's visitor portal explicitly warns tourists off these 'pirate taxis', and traveller forums document visitors being hit with inflated or surcharged fares by dodgy operators, particularly around peak nights and holidays.

Warning signs

  • No illuminated 'Taxa' roof sign or company name and logo on the doors
  • Drivers approaching you instead of waiting at the rank
  • Reluctance to quote a price or run the meter
  • Cash-only demands

How to avoid it

  • Use only licensed taxis — Danish law requires a 'Taxa' roof sign plus the company name and logo on the vehicle
  • Order cabs through your hotel, restaurant or a known dispatch app
  • Take the Metro or S-tog instead — both run from the airport and cover the centre
  • Contact police (112) if harassed or robbed by a driver
Sources

Practical safety briefing

  • Airport arrival: Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) connects by Metro (M2) and regional train to the centre in about 15 minutes; the UK advisory specifically warns about bags in overhead racks on these airport trains, so keep luggage at your feet.
  • Trusted transport: The Metro, S-tog and harbour buses planned via the DOT or Rejseplanen apps; licensed taxis identified by the mandatory 'Taxa' roof sign and company logo, ordered by phone, app or at ranks.
  • Money & payments: Denmark is close to cashless — cards and mobile pay work almost everywhere. Local guidance is to carry only a small amount of kroner, use bank ATMs (which are everywhere), and shield your PIN against skimmers and shoulder-surfers.

Official travel advisories

  • UK FCDO — Pickpockets and bag-snatchers operate in crowded Copenhagen areas including the central station, Nørreport, Strøget, Nyhavn, Christiania and inside Kastrup Airport; thieves also work hotel lobbies, cafés and airport trains.

Compiled from documented reports and government advisories. How we verify scams. Last verified July 2026.