Beware of fake artwork scams: Traveler warns tourists about a popular street bustle in Florence – and what to do if you fall prey to it
Every year Florence attracts millions of tourists eager to admire its beautiful architecture and monuments.Beware of fake artwork scams
But amid the Instagramming crowds of visitors lurk scammers who are desperate to get rid of their euros.
To help tourists hold on to their currency, travel vlogger Sam Mayfair has revealed a popular scam to look out for.
The 39-year-old from Surrey shared the helpful advice about him TikTok account, in which he warns his followers about fake artists operating in the city center.
Surrey travel vlogger Sam Mayfair revealed a popular scam to look out for when visiting Florence, Italy (above)
In the TikTok video, as Sam explores the busy Piazza del Duomo outside Florence Cathedral, he reveals a common scam called the ‘Italian Street Art Hustle’.
He says: ‘One of the things you have to be aware of in Italy is street traders, especially the guys selling the art.
“Now they’re not really interested in selling what they have. They’d rather let you walk over their art.’
Sam reveals the scam to his followers, showing a man standing in the busy square with pictures of ‘works of art’ on the ground.
The scammer cleverly positions himself next to street vendors, including artists and caricaturists.
Sam made a video of a scammer selling paintings outside Florence Cathedral (pictured left). According to Sam, they are going to put their paintings on the ground in the hope that tourists will stand on them. They then make a scene and demand money
In the video, Sam shows that the scammers have been cleverly placed near real artists selling paintings and caricaturists
Sam explains: ‘They’ll stand in a busy location and on a busy path and put up maybe five or six pictures hoping you won’t pay attention and step on them.
“And as soon as you step on them, they start making a scene and demanding money from you.”
He adds: ‘Believe it or not, it’s very easy to do, especially in busy locations like here in the center of Florence – so be careful.’
Sam told MailOnline Travel: ‘Florence is an amazingly beautiful city and I highly recommend a visit for its culture and beauty. But like most tourist attractions in Italy, you have to keep your wits about you because pickpockets and street scams are everywhere.”
To further help identify these scammers, he says that “real artists” tend to be set up far away from the crowds and put prices on their work.
He adds: ‘Unfortunately these scammers have lookouts and work very hard to avoid detection by police.’
Sam says Florence isn’t the only Italian city that attracts scammers. He experienced them outside Vatican City (photo left) and at the Trevi Fountain in Rome (photo right)
The travel vlogger claims that the best thing to do if you accidentally step in these photos is to “run away or call the police if they threaten you.”
Unfortunately, Florence is not the only Italian city that attracts scammers. Sam says: ‘I came across scammers in Rome and outside Vatican City.’
What most tourists fall for, he claims, is the ‘free bracelet fraud’, where scammers try to tie bracelets that are difficult to remove to the wrists of tourists and demand money from them.
But he says: ‘The Trevi Fountain is the place where you are most likely to get pickpockets, so keep an eye out and stay alert. They are very good at what they do!’
For more information from Sam, visit him YouTube And TikTok.