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The “Long-Haul” Scam: How to Spot Taxis Taking You the Long Way

Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/the-long-haul-scam-how-to-spot-taxis-taking-you-the-long-way/

You just landed in an unfamiliar city, your bags are heavy, and all you want is a straightforward ride to your hotel. You hop in a cab, stare out the window at streets you don’t recognize, and arrive feeling oddly unsettled about the fare. Sound familiar? That feeling might not be jet lag.

The “long-haul” scam is the practice in which taxi drivers literally and figuratively take tourists for a ride, intentionally going the long route to a destination to boost the fare. It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book, and it’s still happening in cities across the world in 2026. Knowing how it works is the first and most important step toward protecting yourself.

The Scale of the Problem Is Bigger Than You’d Think

The Scale of the Problem Is Bigger Than You'd Think (Image Credits: Unsplash)
The Scale of the Problem Is Bigger Than You’d Think (Image Credits: Unsplash)

This isn’t a niche concern affecting a handful of unlucky travelers. Recent research highlights that taxi fraud remains widespread in several countries, with findings based on an analysis of more than 450 Reddit posts and around 30,000 comments detailing real-life passenger experiences. The data paints a picture of a genuinely global problem.

According to the Mastercard Economics Institute’s Travel Trend Report 2025, fraud in popular tourist destinations spikes by up to 28% during peak seasons. The travel industry is one of the sectors most susceptible to fraud, with scams rising 18% during the summer peak season and 28% in winter peak season in 2024. Those are not small…

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Author : Matthias Binder

Publish date : 2026-04-14 19:43:00

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