Avoid These Tourist Traps and Scams in Las Vegas
Las Vegas attracts more than 40 million visitors a year, but not all of them leave with the experience they expected.
Alongside world-class casinos and entertainment, the city is home to scams and hidden fees that drain wallets and frustrate tourists. From pushy showgirls demanding cash for photos to ATM fees that rival the price of dinner, these traps are part of the fine print of a Vegas vacation.
Knowing what to look out for can save both money and stress.
To help plan a stress-free trip to Las Vegas, here’s a list of tourist traps and scams you need to be aware of:
- Photos with Street Characters & Showgirls
- Overpriced In-Room Mini Bars with Sensors
- Hotel Gift Shop Price Gouging
- Pickpockets on the Strip and Fremont Street
- Exorbitant ATM Fees
- Taxi and Rideshare Long-Hauling
- “Girls Direct to Your Room” & Escort Scams
- Fake Restaurant & Pizza Flyers
- Buying Casino Chips from Strangers
- Fake Marijuana Dispensaries and Products
- The “Free Gift” or Bracelet/CD Scam
- Nightclub Promoter Scams
- Parking Fees & QR Code Scams
- Aggressive Tipping & Point-of-Sale Tip Traps
Now you’ve seen the list, below you’ll find more information about each scam or tourist trap, along with alternatives to try instead.
Tourist Traps & Scams to Look Out for In Las Vegas
Photos with Street Characters & Showgirls
One of the most talked-about scams is something you’ll see right on the Strip.
You’ll find people dressed as superheroes, Elvis impersonators, or feathered showgirls offering photo ops.
What they don’t tell you is the cost. After you pose, they’ll demand $20–$50 or more, sometimes per person in the picture. If you resist, they may become aggressive or guilt you into paying. For example, a Reddit user claims that the girls pictured below wanted $30 to $50 each.
Many tourists feel pressured because the photo is already taken, making this one of the most persistent hustles in Vegas.
The alternative: Always ask the price before taking a picture, or take free photos with Vegas’ themed hotels and attractions.
Overpriced In-Room Mini Bars with Sensors
That bottle of water in your room’s minibar might cost $12—and you could be charged even if you don’t drink it.
Many hotels now use sensor-equipped minibars that automatically bill your account the moment an item is moved. This means a curious child or even just checking the label can trigger a hefty charge. The convenience comes with inflated pricing and little room for error, leaving many guests with surprise bills at checkout.
The alternative: Ask for an empty fridge at check-in or pick up snacks and drinks at a nearby store.
Hotel Gift Shop Price Gouging
Hotel lobby convenience stores look harmless, but they’re one of the most consistent money drains in Las Vegas.
Many don’t display prices on shelves, so you only find out the cost when the cashier rings up your purchase. Sure they’re convenient, especially when you need a bottle of water, sunscreen, or a late-night snack.
However, you’ll probably be shocked to see that it can sometimes be up to ten times higher than normal.
A single bottle of water can cost $7–$10, while small bags of chips or basic toiletries are priced as if they were luxury goods. A Reddit user by the name of Simonsun was even charged $22 for a bottle of water.
The alternative: Shop at CVS, Walgreens, or ABC Stores located right on the Strip, where you’ll find the same items at normal retail prices.
Pickpockets on the Strip and Fremont Street
Crowds are a pickpocket’s playground, and Las Vegas has plenty of them.
On Fremont Street and the Strip, thieves blend in with tourists, waiting for distractions like street performers, fountains, or light shows. They’ll bump into you, spill a drink, or create some kind of diversion while an accomplice slips a hand into your pocket or bag.
Casinos can also be hotspots, players focused on the tables or slot machines make easy targets.
Most victims don’t notice until much later, when wallets, phones, or IDs are long gone.
The alternative: Keep your wallet in a front pocket, carry crossbody bags, keep them zipped, and stay alert when crowds press in close.
Exorbitant ATM Fees
Convenience comes at a cost in Las Vegas, especially when it comes to withdrawing cash. ATMs inside casinos, clubs, and Strip locations routinely charge $6–$12 per transaction. Visitors making multiple small withdrawals quickly see fees pile up, sometimes costing more than a meal. These high surcharges are designed to profit from tourists who don’t plan ahead.
The alternative: Withdraw larger amounts less often, bring cash with you, or seek out bank-affiliated ATMs off the Strip where fees are much lower. If you find yourself needing to exchange money, then you’ll want to read our guide to the best places to exchange currency in Vegas. You can even use our spending money calculator to see how much money you need to bring to Las Vegas.
Taxi and Rideshare Long-Hauling
One of the oldest Las Vegas scams is the “long haul,” where cab drivers take tourists on unnecessarily long routes to inflate fares.
The airport-to-Strip ride is the most common target: instead of taking the short route via Paradise Road or Swenson Street, some drivers will head onto the highway and circle around, turning a $20–$25 trip into $40 or more, going against the guidelines of the Nevada taxi association.
Rideshare drivers sometimes pull similar tricks, or they recommend restaurants, clubs, or strip clubs where they get kickbacks for dropping off passengers. Visitors end up paying more in both fares and inflated cover charges.
The alternative: Use rideshare apps for transparent pricing, or insist on the flat-rate fare offered at the airport taxi stand. You can read our article for more tips on how to get around Vegas without a car.
“Girls Direct to Your Room” & Escort Scams
Those glossy flyers handed out on the Strip and the trucks with giant billboards advertising “Girls Direct to You” make it seem like escort services are a normal part of Vegas nightlife. What many tourists don’t realize is that solicitation is illegal in Las Vegas.
Calling the numbers often connects you to scam operations. The best case is that you’re charged an absurd “service fee” with no follow-through. On the other end of the scale, the worst case is that you’re set up for theft or assault.
It’s a dangerous trap that preys on visitors who assume the ads are legitimate.
The alternative: Skip the shady flyers and enjoy legal adult entertainment, such as burlesque shows.
Fake Restaurant & Pizza Flyers
It looks harmless: a takeout menu slipped under your hotel room door. But many of these flyers are from non-existent restaurants. Call the number, and you risk handing over your credit card info to a scammer, or, if food does arrive, it’s often low-quality and unsafe. Tourists assume anything distributed in hotels must be legitimate, but in reality, these operations aren’t authorized and prey on visitors hungry for late-night delivery.
The alternative: Order through reputable apps like Uber Eats or DoorDash, or call restaurants directly using official websites. Even better, enjoy the food scene Vegas has to offer.
Read our guides to Italian, Indian, Asian, celebrity-chef restaurants, and even the best restaurants in general.
Buying Casino Chips from Strangers
In busy casinos, hustlers sometimes approach tourists with what looks like a great deal: casino chips they “don’t have time” to cash in, offered at a discount.
In reality, these chips are often counterfeit or worthless, sometimes even old designs the casino no longer honors. Tourists eager for a bargain hand over cash and only find out at the cashier’s cage that the chips have no value. By then, the scammer is long gone.
The alternative: Only get chips directly from a casino’s cashier or dealer. Never buy them from anyone walking the floor. If you’re looking for some tips before you head to the Casino, check out our guide to playing blackjack, slots and even craps.
Fake Marijuana Dispensaries and Products
Walking down the Strip or Fremont Street, you’ll see plenty of storefronts with green crosses, neon “dispensary” signs, and displays that mimic real cannabis shops. However, Nevada law mandates that real dispensaries be at least 1,500 feet away from a casino.
These fake dispensaries are designed to trick tourists into thinking they’re buying legal marijuana, but none of them are licensed dispensaries. Instead, what’s sold inside are novelty items, like “pre-rolls” stuffed with herbs, hemp products with no THC, and gummies that are more candy than cannabis.
For example, there’s a reason the establishment pictured below holds a 1.2-star Google rating.
Visitors often pay premium prices for something that has no psychoactive effect, leaving them disappointed and out of pocket.
The alternative: Visit licensed dispensaries like Planet 13 or Reef, which are fully regulated and sell real cannabis products. Oh, and remember NOT to travel with cannabis.
The “Free Gift” or Bracelet/CD Scam
Walking the Strip, you may find someone pushing a “free” bracelet onto your wrist, handing you a beaded necklace, or sliding a CD into your hand.
The catch comes seconds later when they demand a tip or payment, often becoming confrontational if you try to walk away.
It’s a classic bait-and-pressure tactic that leaves tourists paying for something they never wanted in the first place.
The alternative: Politely refuse anything handed to you, and keep your hands in your pockets when passing street vendors.
Nightclub Promoter Scams
On the Strip, you’ll often be approached by promoters promising “VIP” access, free drinks, or discounted entry to the hottest clubs.
The catch is that many of these so-called promoters are not officially connected to the venues.
Tourists hand over cash or Venmo payments, only to arrive at the club and find their names aren’t on any guest list, or worse, they’re asked to pay again at the door.
Some scams involve inflated “service fees” that cost more than regular entry. It’s a frustrating way to start what should have been a fun night out.
The alternative: Book directly through a club’s website, your hotel concierge, or verified promotional partners.
Parking Fees & QR Code Scams
Not long ago, free parking was a standard perk at most Las Vegas resorts.
Today, nearly every property on the Strip charges for parking, with daily rates often $20 or more.
To make matters worse, scammers sometimes place fake QR code stickers on payment kiosks.
Unsuspecting visitors scan them and enter credit card details, only to have their information stolen. What looks like a simple parking transaction can quickly turn into credit card fraud.
The alternative: Verify QR codes before scanning, and check if your hotel offers loyalty perks or validation that reduces or waives parking fees. You’ll also want to read our parking fee guide for 2025.
Aggressive Tipping & Point-of-Sale Tip Traps
In Las Vegas, tipping is customary, but some businesses take advantage of visitors by programming point-of-sale systems to prompt for tips on even the simplest purchases like bottled water.
The screens often default to high percentages, making tourists feel pressured into paying gratuities that aren’t expected in similar situations elsewhere.
For international visitors unfamiliar with U.S. tipping norms, this can be especially confusing and costly.
The alternative: Review the payment screen carefully and adjust tips based on the service received; don’t feel obligated to tip for counter service or basic retail. You can also use our chart below for guidance.
Make Your Trip Memorable for the Right Reasons
At the end of the day, Vegas is still one of the most exciting cities in the world, you just need to know where not to spend your money.
By steering clear of these common traps, you’ll have more room in your budget for things that actually make the trip worthwhile: amazing meals, bucket-list shows, and maybe even a little luck at the tables.
To help you get started, why don’t you explore our website for the best hotel deals, cheap tickets to the hottest shows, and discounts to all of Las Vegas’s favorite attractions?
