Miami isn't known to have more tourist scams than other U.S. cities of its size, but it does have a few traps to avoid, especially in the South Beach area, according to YouTube's Wolters World (see video below).
Travel vlogger Mark lists what he sees as Miami-specific scams travelers should avoid, including:
• "The bait and switch at restaurants and bars," a too-common trick that lures tourists in with the promise of "three drinks for $20" or something similar, only to entice you with a gimmick drink — such as a comically oversized cocktail that ends up costing $40.
• Padding the bill, in which a restaurant slips an extra item or three onto the check that wasn't ever ordered (an unserved appetizer, beer…). "It's easy to kind of slip something in — you want to check that."
• Over-priced food in South Beach. "Even if you're going a few blocks away you can save yourself a lot of cash … Honestly, all these restaurants over here," Mark says, pointing to establishments on the touristy Ocean Drive, "you're going to pay a lot more for maybe not as good of food as other places … you can get better Cuban food other places in the city."
• Promoters in front of clubs who make false promises, such as handing out wrist bands to get you "free drinks" or "in for free" — in many cases the useless bands only woo a tourist into the club. "If you want to go to a club, go to the club, but don't think the promoter is going to get you any extra help or extra discounts."
• Flying into Fort Lauderdale instead of Miami to save a few buck on air travel. Unless you're renting a car, what you save in airfare will likely be a wash once you pay the taxi or Uber fare.
For the most part these traps aren't going to ruin a vacation in the Sunshine State, but no one want to be a sucker. Here's the 4-1/2 minute video in case you're headed that way:
