Key Takeaways
- The #1 reported scam is the The Friendship Bracelet Pickpocket
- Most scams in Bologna are low-to-medium risk
- Use app-based ride services (Uber, Bolt) or official metered taxis instead of unmarked vehicles
- Never accept unsolicited offers from strangers near tourist sites in Bologna
⚡ Quick Safety Tips
- Keep phones and valuables in secure pockets when in crowded areas
- Use only licensed taxis or app-based ride services
- Book tours and tickets through verified operators with online reviews
- Keep a copy of your passport separate from the original
Jump to a Scam
The 4 Scams
A man approaches you near the Two Towers and ties a friendship bracelet on your wrist while chatting enthusiastically.
While you're distracted, an accomplice lifts your wallet or phone. The bracelet is a distraction technique used by professional pickpocket teams operating across northern Italian cities.
Red Flags
- Someone approaches to tie something on your wrist
- Overly friendly physical contact from a stranger
- A second person hovers nearby
- Happens near major landmarks and bottleneck walkways
How to Avoid
- Keep your hands at your sides — don't let anyone tie anything on you
- Step back and say 'No grazie' firmly
- Keep valuables in front pockets or a money belt
- This scam operates in Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan, and Venice
Two men in plain clothes approach you near Piazza Maggiore and flash what looks like a police badge.
They say there have been reports of counterfeit euros in the area and need to check your wallet. If you hand it over, they remove bills claiming they are fake, or they note your card details. Italian police do not conduct wallet checks on the street. The BeforeYouGo travel safety guide for Italy documents this scam as active in Bologna, Florence, and Rome, noting that real police will always take you to a station rather than examining your money on the sidewalk.
Red Flags
- Two people in plain clothes approach you and flash a badge quickly without letting you examine it
- They ask to see your wallet, cash, or credit cards on the street rather than at a police station
- They claim to be investigating counterfeit money and need to check your bills
- They are not in uniform and do not have a marked police vehicle nearby
- They become insistent or threatening when you decline to show your wallet
How to Avoid
- Never hand your wallet or documents to anyone on the street, even if they claim to be police
- Real Italian police (Carabinieri or Polizia di Stato) will identify themselves formally and take you to a station for any document check
- Ask to see the person's ID card up close and note the badge number; if they refuse, walk into the nearest shop
- Call 112 (Italian emergency number) if you believe someone is impersonating police
- Keep a photocopy of your passport in your hotel safe and carry only the copy when exploring the city
You are buying a ticket at the Bologna Centrale self-service machine when someone taps your ...
You are buying a ticket at the Bologna Centrale self-service machine when someone taps your shoulder and points at something on the ground. You look down for half a second. That is all the time their partner needs to lift your phone from the counter or your wallet from your coat pocket. Train stations across Italy are pickpocket hotspots, and Bologna Centrale is no exception. The Godigit 2026 Italy scam guide and WikiForTravel both flag Bologna's station as a location where distraction-and-steal teams operate, particularly targeting travellers with luggage.
Red Flags
- Someone taps your shoulder, points at something, or asks a question while you are at a ticket machine or ATM
- A group of people cluster around you at the ticket counter or platform barrier
- You feel a bump or brush against your pocket while passing through a busy corridor or turnstile
- Someone offers unsolicited help with the ticket machine and stands unusually close to you
- A person drops coins near your feet, causing you to look down while their partner reaches for your belongings
How to Avoid
- Keep your bags between your feet and your hand on your wallet when using ticket machines at the station
- Buy train tickets online via Trenitalia or Italo apps to avoid queuing at station machines
- Wear a cross-body bag with the zipper facing your body when walking through the station
- Do not engage with strangers who approach you at ticket machines; politely decline help and maintain distance
- Keep your phone in your hand or a zipped pocket rather than placing it on the ticket machine counter
You sit at a trattoria on Via Rizzoli and order tagliatelle al ragu and a glass of Lambrusco.
The waiter brings a bread basket and a plate of mortadella you did not request. When the bill arrives, the bread is 4 euros, the mortadella 8 euros, and there is a coperto charge of 3 euros per person that was not mentioned. Your 15-euro meal costs 35 euros. In Bologna, many restaurants in the tourist zone add cover charges and charge for unrequested appetizers. While the coperto is a legal Italian practice, not disclosing it and adding unrequested items are considered scammy by visitors. TripAdvisor's Bologna restaurant threads frequently warn about this pattern near Piazza Maggiore.
Red Flags
- The waiter brings bread, olives, or appetizers you did not order
- No menu is presented or prices are not clearly visible on the menu
- A coperto or service charge is added to the bill without being mentioned when you sat down
- The restaurant is directly on Piazza Maggiore or Via Rizzoli with a tourist-facing terrace
- The bill total is significantly higher than the sum of what you ordered
How to Avoid
- Ask about the coperto and any cover charges before ordering; a reputable restaurant will disclose them upfront
- If unrequested food arrives at your table, ask whether it is complimentary or charged before touching it
- Walk one or two streets away from Piazza Maggiore and Via Rizzoli to find trattorias at local prices with the same quality
- Check Google Maps reviews for the restaurant before sitting down; search for comments about hidden charges
- Ask for an itemized bill and question any items you did not order; you are not legally required to pay for food you did not request
🆘 What to Do If You Get Scammed
📋 File a Police Report
Go to the nearest Carabinieri / Polizia di Stato station. Call 112 (Carabinieri) or 113 (Polizia). Get an official crime report — you'll need this for insurance claims. You can also report online at poliziadistato.it.
💳 Cancel Your Cards
Call your bank immediately. Most have 24/7 numbers on the back of the card (keep a photo saved separately). Block any suspicious transactions before the thieves use your details.
🛂 Lost Passport?
Contact your nearest embassy or consulate. The US Embassy in Rome is at Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Rome. For emergencies: +39 06-4674-1.
📱 Track Your Device
If your phone was stolen, use Find My (iPhone) or Find My Device (Android) from another device. Don't confront thieves yourself — share the location with police instead.
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