Destinations › Lithuania › Vilnius › Scams
Vilnius, Lithuania
15 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Vilnius, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Unmarked cars accepting street hails at the airport and around the old town, charging well above the app rate and disputing it on arrival.
Men presenting as plain-clothes police asking to check a wallet or currency for counterfeit notes, removing cash while counting it.
Cards copied at old-town bars and street cash machines, including visitors taken to a machine to cover a disputed bill with the PIN observed.
Rented scooters and bicycles invoiced for marks that were already present, charged against the card on file.
Touts and drivers steering visitors to amber and linen shops that pay per head, framed as a recommendation rather than a paid referral.
Day trips to the lake castle and the countryside sold from street pitches, running with a smaller vehicle and a shortened itinerary.
Bar touts leading to venues with inflated bills, particularly targeting stag groups.
Pressed amber and imported linen sold as Baltic amber and Lithuanian linen.
Pickpocketing in the old town during the Christmas market and at the bus station.
Airport and rank taxis with tariffs well above the app rate, displayed in small print.
Bill inflation in old-town bars, with unordered items and undisclosed service charges.
Collectors with donation books and laminated documentation working the cathedral square and restaurant terraces.
Unofficial guides charging for tours of sites where entry and commentary are free.
Short-let bookings cancelled at short notice during peak weekends.
Dynamic currency conversion offered as the default on card terminals.
