Destinations › Saudi Arabia › Medina › Scams
Medina, Saudi Arabia
10 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Medina, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Pickpocketing and bag theft in the dense crowds around the mosque at prayer times.
Drivers demanding fixed fares far above normal rates during pilgrimage peaks, particularly between the mosque, station and airport.
Hotels near the Prophet's Mosque reassigning prepaid bookings to distant properties during peak season while charging the original rate.
Unlicensed pilgrimage packages sold abroad where the Medina leg — accommodation, transport, permits — is not as described or does not exist.
Coach operators selling seats between the holy cities for services that are overbooked or cancelled without refund.
Fraudulent charity collectors working the mosque approaches with unverifiable paperwork.
Shortchanging at exchange counters serving pilgrims unfamiliar with the currency.
Unlicensed guides offering historical site tours with access claims they cannot deliver and fees well above licensed rates.
Counterfeit dates, prayer goods and perfumes sold as locally produced or officially sourced at inflated prices.
Advance-fee seasonal work offers charging for permits that are never issued.
