Top 10 Tourist Scams to Avoid in Varanasi

Varanasi, one of the holiest and most visited cities in India, is a spiritual hub revered as the epicentre of Hinduism. While its sacred allure draws millions of visitors each year, like any popular destination, it has its share of cleverly orchestrated scams targeting unsuspecting tourists.

Over the past 10 years, we’ve worked closely with travellers from around the globe, hearing countless stories and even assisting many in navigating or avoiding tricky situations. Since COVID-19, Varanasi has evolved into a bustling yet relatively safe city where scams are far less common if you remain cautious.

The purpose of this post is to educate, not alarm – empowering you with knowledge to ensure your visit is smooth and enjoyable. If you have any questions or need assistance during your trip, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Based on our extensive experience, we’ve compiled a list of the most common scams in Varanasi, ranked by their frequency and complexity, so you can stay informed and focus on soaking in the city’s rich culture and spirituality.

Rickshaw, Tuk Tuk & Taxi Scam

This is often the first scam tourists encounter upon arriving in Varanasi. The moment you step out of the airport or railway station, you’re likely to be approached by eager drivers offering rides. While their offers might sound convenient, there’s often more to the story.

What Happens: As soon as you step out of the airport or railway station, you may be approached by individuals offering rides to your hotel or other destinations. They often claim your hotel is far away or hard to find, agreeing to a seemingly reasonable fare upfront. However, they might take unnecessarily long routes to inflate the price. In some cases, drivers may claim that your hotel is full, closed, or of poor quality in order to redirect you to another hotel where they receive a kickback.

How to Avoid: To stay safe, use apps like Ola, Uber or Rapido to book taxis, tuk-tuks, or bike taxis. These apps are reliable and provide upfront pricing, making them a trustworthy option. If you prefer not to book through an app, you can still use them to check approximate fares and negotiate confidently with local drivers. Always make sure to clearly agree on the fare and your destination before starting the trip to avoid any surprises. If you’re heading to your hotel, it’s wise to call ahead and confirm that it’s open and available.

Hotel booking scam

While not a common scam, there have been instances where tourists fall victim to hotel booking fraud in Varanasi. This scam is more likely to occur during peak times, like Dev Diwali.

What Happens: A tourist books a hotel online through a legitimate platform in this scam. Later, the hotel contacts the tourist and asks them to pay the full amount directly into a bank account to confirm their booking. Once the payment is made, the tourist arrives at the location only to find there is no hotel at the given address. Although this type of scam is rare, it has been reported, particularly during busy travel seasons.

Varanasi Scam

How to Avoid: To avoid falling for this scam, always book your hotel through trusted and reputable websites. Never make payments directly to a bank account unless it’s through a secure platform clearly mentioned during the booking process. If you are asked to pay in an unconventional way, it’s a red flag. Stick to secure payment methods provided by the booking platform to ensure the legitimacy of your reservation.

Priest & Tilak scam

In Varanasi, you might encounter individuals who pose as priests or religious figures while walking along the roads. These people often approach tourists and place a tilak (a ceremonial mark) on your forehead without asking for permission. While the gesture may seem kind and welcoming, it is important to be cautious.

What Happens: These fake priests may ask for a donation in return for the tilak, which is typically a small ritual in Hinduism. However, if you don’t negotiate the price upfront, they may demand a large sum after applying the tilak. Some even go as far as threatening or cursing you if you refuse to pay an inflated amount. While the tilak itself is harmless and may even enhance your experience in Varanasi, the donation request can quickly turn into a scam.

How to Avoid: If you’re open to receiving a tilak, ensure that you set the donation amount beforehand. A reasonable donation would typically be between 10-20 rupees. If the priest becomes aggressive or demands more money, walk away politely. Always be mindful of your surroundings and avoid engaging in any unsolicited rituals to prevent being caught off guard.

Shoe Locker Scam

As you approach the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, you may notice numerous shops starting as far as 800 meters from the temple entrance, all the way to the gates. These shops often claim to provide locker facilities for your mobile phones and shoes, emphasizing that such items are not allowed inside the temple.

What Happens: These shops allow you to leave your belongings with them, but once you’ve placed your items in their lockers, they pressure you to purchase prasad (offerings) for the temple at inflated prices. If you decline, they often become irritated and ask you to take your belongings back, causing unnecessary inconvenience.

How to Avoid: There’s no need to submit your phones or footwear outside the temple. Instead, walk directly into the temple corridor, where you can find free and secure lockers provided by the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust. These lockers are reliable and eliminate the need to engage with unauthorized vendors.

Fake Guides

In Varanasi, many fake guides, often associated with hotels and cafes, approach tourists. These individuals usually speak moderate English and are unlicensed, offering distorted facts and exaggerated stories about the city’s history, often claiming things are thousands of years old or even predate humanity.

What Happens: These unqualified guides can mislead you with inaccurate information and, in some cases, take you to shops where they earn commission from sales, such as saree or craft stores. Their primary goal is to earn money from you through these commissions rather than providing an authentic experience.

How to Avoid: Always book guides through reputable providers. At Varanasi Guru, we work with trained local storytellers who are knowledgeable in history and mythology. They offer genuine insights and ensure a professional, enriching experience. You can easily book a guided tour online via our website for a trustworthy experience in Varanasi.

Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghat Scam

The burning ghats of Varanasi, particularly Manikarnika Ghat, are deeply sacred spaces where Hindu cremation rituals are performed. Unfortunately, these sites have become a target for scams, with certain individuals exploiting the sanctity of the rituals and the vulnerability of tourists.

What Happens: When you approach the ghats, you may be intercepted by men claiming it’s disrespectful to stand and watch the ceremonies. They might insist you move to a “viewpoint” that they offer to guide you to, usually in exchange for a hefty fee. Others may claim to collect donations for local hospices or wood for poor families’ cremations, but the funds often never reach their supposed causes.

These individuals often work in groups, are very persistent, and can even become confrontational if you refuse. In some cases, tourists have reported feeling threatened or followed, creating a very uncomfortable experience.

How to Avoid: To avoid these scams, it’s important to approach the ghats with prior knowledge. Observe the rituals respectfully from a distance, and do not engage with unofficial guides or individuals soliciting donations. If you’d like to learn more about the traditions, hire a licensed guide through a reputable organization.

Silk Shop Scam

Varanasi is famous for its exquisite silk sarees and handcrafted textiles, making silk shopping a must-do activity for many visitors. However, this allure has also given rise to a common scam that tourists frequently encounter.

What Happens: Drivers, unlicensed guides, or even random individuals on the streets may convince you to visit a “government-approved” or “authentic” silk shop. They often claim that the prices are fixed, the quality is unmatched, or that you’ll receive an exclusive discount. In reality, these shops are often overpriced, and the guides or drivers earn hefty commissions from your purchase.

In some cases, you might even be taken to shops selling machine-made or synthetic silk, falsely marketed as handwoven Banarasi silk. The pressure to buy can be intense, with shopkeepers and their associates using persuasive tactics to make you spend more.

How to Avoid: To ensure you’re purchasing genuine Banarasi silk, stick to well-known and reputable stores with established credibility. Do your research beforehand or ask for recommendations from trusted sources or a licensed guide. Avoid shops recommended by drivers, rickshaw pullers, or unlicensed guides, as their suggestions are often commission-driven.

Fake Sadhu or Aghori Scam

Being a hub of spirituality, Varanasi attracts countless pilgrims and tourists seeking blessings from holy men or sadhus. However, not all sadhus or spiritual figures you encounter are genuine, and some exploit the faith and curiosity of visitors for personal gain.

An aghori sadhu of Varanasi

What Happens: While walking along the ghats, you may encounter individuals dressed as sadhus or even self-proclaimed Aghoris (ascetic practitioners of intense spiritual disciplines). They may offer to perform a quick blessing or ritual for you, putting a tilak on your forehead or chanting mantras.

Initially, they may not mention any payment, making it seem like a sacred act of goodwill. However, once the ritual is done, they demand an exorbitant amount of money as a “donation” for blessings or as an offering to the gods. If you refuse to pay, they may get aggressive, curse you, or try to guilt-trip you, saying it’s bad karma to deny a sadhu.

How to Avoid: To steer clear of this scam, politely decline any unsolicited rituals or blessings. Genuine sadhus don’t aggressively seek money or offer blessings in exchange for it. If you wish to give a donation, do so only after you’ve voluntarily approached a sadhu, and keep it modest (10–100 INR is sufficient).

Boat Ride Overcharges

A boat ride on the Ganga River is one of the most iconic experiences in Varanasi, offering breathtaking views of the ghats and a glimpse into the city’s spiritual life. However, it’s also an area where scams and overcharges are common, especially for first-time visitors.

What Happens: Boatmen or agents at the ghats often approach tourists offering boat rides, promising a serene and authentic experience. They might quote an unreasonably high price, often targeting those unfamiliar with standard rates. Some may even claim the cost includes special features like a “holy priest’s blessings” or an exclusive view of a specific ghat ceremony, which turn out to be exaggerated or false.

In some cases, the boat ride duration is much shorter than promised, or they take you on a hurried trip and charge extra for any additional time. If you opt for a shared boat ride, you may be asked to pay separately for different sections of the ride, inflating the total cost.

How to Avoid: To avoid overcharges, always agree on the price, route, and duration of the ride before boarding the boat. Negotiate firmly, as prices are often quoted much higher than fair rates. For a more secure and enjoyable experience, you can book your boat rides directly from our website, where prices are transparent, and the experience is well-organized.

At Varanasi Guru, we ensure you receive a fair price and a memorable journey, whether it’s a serene sunrise ride or witnessing the Ganga Aarti from the water. Rest assured, with us, your adventure will be free of hassles and full of authentic moments.

Sympathy Scam

This scam is widespread in tourist areas across Asia, Africa, and even other parts of the world, including Varanasi. Scammers target kind-hearted tourists, asking for financial assistance under various pretexts.

What Happens: You may encounter an individual, often posing as a fellow traveller or a local, claiming that they’ve lost their wallet, been robbed, or need money for urgent medicine or travel to return home. They’ll tell you a heartbreaking story about being stranded or in a dire situation, appealing to your compassion. Some might even go so far as to show you a “document” as proof of their situation.

The scammer’s goal is to get you to give them money, promising to pay you back later or claiming that any small amount would help them in their “emergency.” Once they’ve received the money, they will quickly disappear, and you may never see them again.

How to Avoid: Always be cautious when someone approaches you with an urgent money request, especially if the story seems too rehearsed or the person seems overly persistent. It’s important not to give money to anyone without verifying their situation, as these stories are often fabricated.

If someone claims they are stranded or in need of help, instead of giving money, you can offer to help them by calling a local authority, police, or even a reputable organization that might be able to assist. Avoid engaging in a direct financial transaction with strangers, especially if the situation feels suspicious.

We hope this guide helps you navigate Varanasi with confidence and avoid unnecessary hassles. If it’s your first visit, don’t miss our article on Things You Should Not Do in Varanasi to ensure a smooth and respectful experience. For a deeper connection with the city, explore our recommendations for Offbeat Places in Varanasi – hidden gems that showcase the city’s lesser-known charm and heritage. Safe travels!

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