Sign in Subscribe
Travel & Nomad

Rome Scams 2026: 8 Tourist Scams to Avoid in Rome and Across Italy (Florence, Venice, Milan)

Rome's scams are old tricks run by small teams: the crowded bus, the taxi tout at Termini, the gladiator who wants paying for your selfie. How each one works, the tell, and what to do, with the Florence, Venice and Milan versions.

Quinn Dao

· 9 min read
Share
Rome Scams 2026: 8 Tourist Scams to Avoid in Rome and Across Italy (Florence, Venice, Milan)

Quick answer: As of November 2026, the three scams visitors to Rome meet most are pickpocket teams on crowded metro and bus routes, unofficial taxi drivers who approach you at Termini or the airport, and costumed 'gladiators' or bracelet sellers who demand cash after a photo or a 'gift'. Use only white Roma Capitale taxis (fixed €55 from Fiumicino and €40 from Ciampino to the centre in 2026), say no before anything touches your wrist, and keep your phone and wallet zipped away in crowds.

Key takeaways

  • Rome ranks second for theft complaints. A Radical Storage study of Google reviews (October 2024 to November 2025, reported February 2026) put Rome behind only Paris, with crowded squares and transport hubs the hotspots.
  • Know the taxi price before you land. Rome's licensed white taxis charge a fixed €55 between Fiumicino and the centre inside the Aurelian Walls and €40 from Ciampino, all supplements included (June 2026).
  • Free is never free. A bracelet, a rose, a photo with a centurion or a hand at the ticket machine is the opening of a demand for cash.
  • Italy-wide, the pattern repeats. Bracelets and petitions in Florence, overpriced bills in Venice, the three-cups game and wrist-watch snatches in Milan.

You come up the stairs at Termini with a suitcase, low battery, no patience left and a hotel address you have not looked at since the plane. Someone says 'Taxi?' before you reach the rank. That moment, tired, offline and in a hurry, is where most Rome scams start. None of them are violent. They are small teams working on distraction and your wish to be polite.

The single best defence is boring: be able to check things in the moment. If you land with data you can see the official taxi price, open a ride-hailing app, map the route and call the hotel before you say yes to anyone. Fizen's Europe eSIM runs on Iliad 4G/5G in Italy (Fizen catalogue, 2 November 2026) and installs before you fly. Your travel eSIM gift is waiting: in a new Fizen programme, US$10 of eSIM credit comes off automatically at checkout in the Fizen app, up to 30% of each plan, paid with USDT or card. Prefer the web? fizen.io/esim works too.

What are the most common scams in Rome right now?

1. Pickpocket teams on metro line A, bus 64 and around Termini

How it works: two or three people crowd you at the doors, one blocks, one lifts. Metro line A (Termini to the Vatican stops) and the 64 bus to St Peter's are the routes travellers and guides name most. The tell: a sudden squeeze in a half-empty carriage, or someone who stops dead in front of you as the doors open. What to do: bag in front and zipped, phone in a front pocket, step back from the doors, and wait for the next train if a group boxes you in. GOV.UK's Italy advice (2026) warns about distraction techniques on public transport, at airports and at tourist sites.

2. Taxi touts at Termini and the airports

How it works: a driver approaches you on foot, outside the official rank, and quotes a 'special' price or runs a meter that climbs fast. Forum posters describe paying €38 for a Termini hop their hotel said should cost €10 to €13. The tell: anyone who comes to you. Real Rome taxis are white, have TAXI on the roof, the Roma Capitale crest on the front doors and a licence number inside the rear door. What to do: walk to the rank, or book through the city's ChiamaTaxi 060609 app. From Fiumicino the fixed fare to the centre is €55, from Ciampino €40, for the car, not per person (Sicurauto, 22 June 2026).

3. The gladiator selfie

How it works: men dressed as centurions invite you into a photo at the Colosseum, then demand cash. In 2022 Rome's Polizia di Stato acted against three of them after complaints that foreign tourists had paid up to €500, including one walked to a cash machine (Open, 26 November 2022). The tell: the offer comes from them. What to do: decline before the photo. If you already posed and they turn aggressive, walk toward the police and the Colosseum staff, and call 112.

4. Bracelets, roses and the petition

How it works: a string is tied on your wrist, or a rose put in your hand, then money is demanded. The petition version asks for a signature 'for the deaf', then a donation, while a partner works your pockets. The tell: physical contact or a clipboard pushed at your chest. What to do: hands in pockets, a firm 'no grazie', keep walking.

5. The helper at the ticket machine

How it works: at Termini or Milano Centrale someone 'helps' you buy a train ticket, then wants paying, or watches your PIN. The tell: a stranger without a staff badge reaching for the screen. What to do: wave them off, cover the keypad, or buy in the Trenitalia or Italo app.

What about Florence, Venice and Milan?

6. Florence: bracelets, petitions and station pickpockets

The bracelet and petition teams work the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio, and Santa Maria Novella station is the pickpocket hotspot travellers flag most. Same rules: no contact, bag in front, and buy train tickets yourself.

7. Venice: the bill and the 'entry ticket'

In 2018 Venice authorities fined a restaurant near St Mark's after four students were charged €1,143 for lunch; they could only prove it with a card slip (The Local, 25 January 2018). What to do: ask for a menu with prices, check for the cover charge (coperto) in writing, and always ask for the receipt. On access fees: in 2026 the day-tripper fee applied on 60 peak days from 3 April to 26 July, €5 booked early or €10 late (The Local, 9 December 2025). Book only on the city's official portal and treat anyone selling a 'Venice entry pass' on the street as a scam.

8. Milan: the three cups and the watch snatch

On 19 August 2025 Libero reported a three-cups game near Castello Sforzesco: a tourist was allowed to win €50, then lost €150 while an accomplice blocked her exit; local police caught a second group within half an hour. In July 2026 a couple chatting near the Duomo had a watch worth about €500 ripped from a wrist, filmed by the Carabinieri's own cameras (Open, 7 July 2026). What to do: never bet on a street game, and keep expensive watches out of sight in crowds.

What do people who have been there say?

  • Ignore anyone who approaches you on foot about a taxi at Termini; walk to the marked rank by platform 24 and check for the city crest.
  • Ask the hotel what a ride should cost before you leave, so a fare three times higher is obvious.
  • Robberies are usually two people: one distracts, one grabs. A cross-body bag worn in front beats any gadget.
  • Decline the photo before it happens. Once you have posed, the negotiation is theirs.

How does staying online help you avoid scams in Italy?

An eSIM does not stop a pickpocket. What it does is remove the moments when you are forced to trust a stranger. With data from the moment you land you can:

  • Book through ChiamaTaxi 060609 or another taxi app and see what to expect before the car arrives, instead of taking the man who found you.
  • Map the route live, so a 'shortcut' on the ring road shows up at once.
  • Check whether the museum is really 'closed today' or the train really 'cancelled' before you follow a helpful stranger.
  • Call or message the hotel, and translate a menu or a bill line you do not understand.
  • Skip open station Wi-Fi and QR codes stuck on poles for payments; use your own data for banking.

Fizen eSIM covers 150+ countries. For Italy, the 33-country Europe plan connects to Iliad on 4G and 5G (catalogue checked 2 November 2026), so one install covers Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan and the rest of the trip. If a Fizen eSIM fails because of a fault on Fizen's side, the 1:1 Trip Guarantee gives a free replacement for the whole trip, handled by a real person in chat. It is data only: keep your home SIM on for bank codes.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rome safe for tourists?

Yes for violent crime, which is rare against visitors. The problem is petty theft and scams in crowds: metro line A, the 64 bus, Termini and the big sights. GOV.UK describes crime in Italy as generally low with petty theft concentrated in city centres and tourist sites.

What is the most common scam in Rome?

Distraction pickpocketing by small teams on public transport, followed by unofficial taxi drivers and street 'gifts' such as bracelets or roses that end in a demand for cash.

How much should a taxi from Fiumicino to central Rome cost in 2026?

€55 fixed in a white Roma Capitale taxi to anywhere inside the Aurelian Walls, all supplements included, for the whole car. From Ciampino it is €40. Use the official rank, never a driver who approaches you.

Do I have to pay the gladiators at the Colosseum?

Not if you never agreed a price, and you should not pose without one. In 2022 Rome police acted against costumed men accused of extorting up to €500 from tourists. Decline, walk toward staff or police, and call 112 if threatened.

What are the common scams in Florence and Venice?

Florence: bracelet and petition teams near the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio, and pickpockets at Santa Maria Novella. Venice: inflated restaurant bills (ask for a priced menu and a receipt) and fake 'entry pass' sellers; the official access fee is booked only on the city's portal.

Your travel eSIM gift is waiting: US$10 of eSIM credit

Land in Rome already online: check the official taxi fare, map the route and call the hotel before you trust anyone. Fizen eSIM covers 150+ countries, with Iliad 4G/5G in Italy on the Europe plan. New Fizen programme: US$10 of eSIM credit comes off automatically at checkout in the Fizen app (up to 30% of each plan), pay with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain or by card via Stripe. Prefer the web? fizen.io/esim works too.

Get the app

Terms and conditions

  • Information only. Fizen publishes this article to inform, not to sell. Nothing here is an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, legal or security advice for your situation.
  • For readers in the United States. This is information only, not an offer or sale, and not advice. Fizen products and services are not offered to US Persons.
  • Not affiliated. Fizen is not affiliated with or endorsed by any police force, city, transport operator, taxi service, app or publication named here.
  • Patterns, not accusations. Scams are described as patterns reported by police, press and travellers. No business is accused of wrongdoing unless an authority found it. Fares, fees and rules are as published on the dates given and can change.
  • No method is complete protection. These tips reduce risk, they do not remove it. In an emergency in Italy call 112. Report theft to the police to get a report for insurance.
  • Data only. A travel eSIM provides mobile data, not a local phone number, calls or SMS. Your phone must support eSIM and must not be carrier-locked.
  • eSIM welcome credit. New users get US$10 of eSIM credit in the eSIM tab of the Fizen app. It is a promotional discount, not money, applied at checkout up to 30% of each plan, valid 12 months, one per person; terms at docs.fizen.io/help-center/fizen-esim/welcome-credit.

Sources

Checked 2 November 2026.

Read more