Travel Scams in Mumbai

1. Airport taxi meter rigging and flat-rate overcharging

Drivers working the ranks outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport quote a flat 'tourist price' instead of using the meter, or run tampered meters, for journeys into the city. In a widely reported case, Mumbai police arrested a driver who charged an American woman roughly Rs 18,000 (about $200) for a ride of only a few hundred metres to her hotel; earlier cases included an NRI charged about Rs 2,800 for a 10-minute trip and a student charged Rs 3,500 for a ride that metered at Rs 106. Victims are often approached before they reach the official prepaid counter or ride-hailing pickup zone.

Warning signs

• Driver approaches you inside or just outside arrivals offering a ride
• Flat fare quoted instead of a meter, or claims the meter is 'broken'
• A second man joins to 'handle payment' mid-ride
• Fare is far above the price shown in Uber or Ola for the same route

How to avoid it

• Book Uber or Ola from the designated airport pickup zone and verify the plate against the app
• If using a taxi, pay at the official prepaid counter inside the terminal, not to a driver who solicits you
• Check the approximate fare on Google Maps or a ride-hailing app before leaving the terminal
• Report overcharging to police (112) or the tourist helpline 1363 — Mumbai police do act on complaints

2. Cheap-ride touts leading to overpriced hotels and tours

Touts at airports, train stations, and tourist sites offer cheap transport to a hotel, then steer the traveller to a specific guesthouse, tour, or shop that pays them commission. The US State Department warns these offers can lead to overpriced rooms, unwanted tours and purchases, long cab rides with high fees, and even threats if the traveller refuses to pay. The pattern usually starts with a friendly offer of help from someone claiming to be a driver, porter, or guide.

Warning signs

• Unsolicited offers of cheap transport or help with luggage at stations and arrivals areas
• Claims that your booked hotel is closed, full, or 'in a bad area'
• Pressure to visit a particular travel agent, hotel, or shop 'on the way'
• Aggressive behaviour when you decline

How to avoid it

• Ignore anyone offering transport or accommodation who approaches you first
• Book only through well-known travel agents, your hotel, or ride-hailing apps
• Have your hotel address saved offline and insist on being taken there
• Never hand over money or your card until you are sure of the purchase

3. Fake Bollywood casting agents

Approachers in tourist areas of Colaba and Bandra tell foreign visitors they look right for film work and offer to make them a Bollywood extra or star. The 'agent' then charges registration, portfolio, or studio fees before any work exists — and the promised casting never materialises. The scheme is well enough established in Mumbai that it was featured in the Mumbai episode of the television documentary series Scam City.

Warning signs

• A stranger says you could be in films and knows a casting director
• Any request for upfront registration, portfolio, or 'studio' fees
• Meetings arranged in cafes or hotel rooms rather than a production office
• Flattery combined with urgency about a shoot 'this week'

How to avoid it

• Never pay any fee to be considered for film work — legitimate productions pay extras, not the reverse
• Walk away from anyone who approaches you on the street with casting offers
• If genuinely interested, contact established Mumbai casting agencies through their official offices

4. Fake guides and touts at the Gateway of India and tourist sites

Around the Gateway of India, Colaba Causeway, and major stations, individuals pose as official guides or ticket agents and offer tours, 'skip-the-line' tickets, or help with train bookings. Some claim a train or attraction is unavailable and redirect tourists to an expensive private car or a commission-paying agent. Unofficial guides typically deliver a poor tour and then demand inflated fees.

Warning signs

• A 'guide' approaches you first at a monument or station
• No government-issued guide ID or licence card
• Claims that trains are cancelled or that you need a special 'tourist permit'
• Insistence on cash payment before any service begins

How to avoid it

• Ask to see a Ministry of Tourism guide licence before hiring anyone
• Book train tickets only through IRCTC or the official station counters
• Arrange guides through your hotel or a licensed operator, not on the street
• Verify attraction and train status on official apps before believing 'closed' claims

5. Unofficial currency exchange and airport 'helpers'

Unofficial money changers around the airport and tourist districts offer attractive rates, then short-change, pass counterfeit notes, or add hidden commissions. At the airport, strangers also offer help with luggage or 'special services' that end with demands for inflated fees. Travelers are advised to stick to authorized currency exchange counters and to refuse unsolicited help in arrival areas.

Warning signs

• Street exchangers offering rates noticeably better than banks
• No printed receipt for the exchange
• Strangers grabbing your luggage before you agree to anything
• Counting done quickly, with large notes swapped for small ones

How to avoid it

• Exchange money only at banks or authorized airport counters and keep the receipt
• Know the rough market rate before you arrive
• Count your notes yourself before walking away
• Politely refuse all unsolicited offers of help with bags or 'services'

Practical safety briefing

• Airport arrival: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has official prepaid taxi counters inside the terminals and designated Uber/Ola pickup zones; drivers who solicit before you reach either are the main overcharging risk, and several have been arrested for charging foreigners many times the metered fare.
• Trusted transport: Uber and Ola are widely used and show the fare upfront; the black-and-yellow kaali-peeli taxis are metered by law for street hires, and suburban locals are the everyday transit backbone (keep valuables secure in peak crowds).
• Money & payments: Use ATMs inside bank branches rather than standalone street machines, and exchange currency only at banks or authorized airport counters with a receipt; unofficial exchangers around tourist areas are a documented short-change risk.

Official travel advisories

• US State Dept — Warns that scams are common at major airports, train stations, restaurants and tourist sites, and that cheap-transport offers can lead to overpriced hotels, unwanted tours, long high-fee rides and threats if you refuse to pay.
• UK FCDO — Notes that scammers, pickpockets and ticket touts target foreign nationals in tourist areas, recommends app-based taxis (Uber/Ola) or prepaid services, and warns against people at railway stations offering tickets and tours.

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