7 Tourist Scams in Mumbai

You've just arrived at CST station or the Gateway of India, bags in hand, and a black-and-yellow kaali peeli cab pulls up. The driver smiles and quotes you a price — but when you arrive, the fare has somehow doubled. He claims the meter was 'running on night rate' or shows you a laminated rate card with confusing multipliers. Some drivers simply don't turn the meter on at all, or turn it on partway through the ride and add a 'waiting charge' for every red light. Redditors in r/mumbai describe this as one of Mumbai's oldest tricks. One commenter recounted being taken from Bandra to Colaba — a 20-minute ride — for which the driver demanded ₹800 despite the meter reading ₹180. The driver conveniently 'lost' change and insisted on rounding up heavily. Another Redditor noted that if you push back, some drivers become aggressive and claim they'll call the police. Mumbai's app-based alternatives like Ola and Uber have cut down on this scam, but kaali peelis remain common at tourist-heavy spots where apps have surge pricing. The safest bet is to download Ola or Uber before you arrive, or use the prepaid taxi counter inside Mumbai Airport's arrivals hall.

You've come to see the famous open-air laundry at Mahalaxmi — one of Mumbai's most photographed sights. As you approach the viewing bridge, a friendly local materializes beside you. He says entry is 'from this side' and leads you down a different path. After giving you a surprisingly informative tour of the washermen below, he suggests a nearby textile shop or chai stall where 'real Mumbai silk' is sold at 'wholesale prices.' The tea is free, the pressure is not. This follows the classic Indian guide-commission scam well-documented on r/india and r/travel. The guide receives 20–40% commission from every shop he steers tourists into. The 'wholesale' prices are actually marked up 3–5x from what locals pay. If you don't buy, the guide may turn cold or demand a 'tip' for the tour. Some tourists report being led past a series of shops in a circuit, spending an hour in each. The viewing of Dhobhi Ghat itself is genuinely free from the bridge on Dr. E. Moses Road — you don't need anyone to show you where to stand. Any 'guide' who approaches you unsolicited near this spot is almost certainly working on commission.

You match with someone attractive on Tinder or Bumble. After a few charming messages, they suggest meeting at a trendy bar or club in Andheri West or Bandra. The conversation flows, the drinks keep coming — and then your date suddenly gets an 'emergency call' and disappears. Minutes later, a waiter delivers a bill for ₹30,000–₹60,000. When you protest, intimidating staff appear. The items listed are things you never ordered. This scam became headline news in Mumbai in 2024 when at least 22 victims were identified at just two pubs, with one man losing ₹61,000 at The Godfather Club in Andheri. The women (or men) involved are paid accomplices who receive a cut of the inflated bill. The bars are complicit, running the scam as their actual business model. r/mumbai had a viral post in April 2024 warning: 'Be Aware of Delhi's Dating App Scams Rising in Mumbai,' with hundreds of commenters sharing their own close calls. The scam preys particularly on solo male tourists who meet locals online and don't know the area. The venues look legitimate on the outside — proper bar, professional staff — but the menu prices for 'premium bottles' are printed in tiny text, and you're billed for items you didn't order or didn't realize were ₹8,000 per glass.

You've just landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and are heading toward the taxi stand. A friendly man in a polo shirt — he looks vaguely official — approaches and asks if you're looking for transport. When you mention your hotel name, his face falls. 'Oh, that hotel is closed for renovation this week. I can take you to a better place, same area, better price.' He's already reaching for your bags. This is one of the oldest scams in the India travel playbook, reported repeatedly on r/travel and r/india. The driver takes you to a hotel that pays him ₹500–₹2,000 per referral. Your 'original' hotel was never closed — the scammer made it up. The substitute hotel is often overpriced, dirty, or in the wrong area. Getting back to your original destination after this detour wastes hours and costs extra. Some victims report that the 'helpful' person at the airport wasn't a driver at all — just a tout who handed them off to a commission-paying driver. Your hotel is almost certainly not closed. Before leaving the airport, call your accommodation directly if anyone says otherwise.

Colaba Causeway is Mumbai's most tourist-dense shopping street, and it's charming — hawkers spread out brass Ganeshas, silver jewelry, pashminas and carved wooden boxes on cloth. A seller spots you slowing down and immediately starts his pitch: this pendant is 'real silver,' that bowl is a '100-year-old antique,' and your interest has apparently given him an 'excellent feeling' about your luck. Prices start high but drop dramatically as you walk away. The items are rarely what they claim. 'Pure silver' jewelry often turns green within weeks. 'Antiques' are mass-produced the week before. 'Kashmiri pashminas' are synthetic acrylic. Redditors in r/mumbai and r/india consistently note that the opening price on Colaba Causeway is 5–10x what a local would pay, and that even hard bargaining rarely gets you to actual fair value. The scam is low-danger — no one will threaten you — but it's easy to spend ₹3,000–₹5,000 on items worth ₹300. The more concerning version involves a persuasive seller who slowly pulls you inside a shop, out of the street, where the pressure intensifies and prices for 'exclusive' items skyrocket.

You want to take the iconic ferry from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island. Before you reach the official ticket window, men in casual clothes surround you offering 'better boats,' 'VIP seats,' 'skip the queue' tickets, or a combined boat-plus-guide package. They name a price — ₹500–₹800 per person — that sounds reasonable for such a famous trip. The actual government ferry costs ₹200 round trip. Some of these touts sell genuine tickets at inflated prices. Others sell you tickets that are technically valid but for slower, less comfortable boats. The worst version involves paying for a 'guide' who then demands ₹2,000–₹3,000 for a 'complete tour' once you're on the island with no way back until the last ferry. Redditors repeatedly mention that official tickets are sold at the clearly marked MTDC counter near the Gateway, and that the queue moves quickly. Elephanta Island itself has a handful of food stalls at inflated tourist prices — bring snacks. The ferry ride is 1 hour each way, and the last boat back departs around 5:30 PM. Missing it is not fun.

You want to book a long-distance train out of Mumbai — maybe to Goa or Jaipur — and head to the CSMT booking office. A helpful stranger materializes and says the tourist quota counter 'is on the second floor' or that 'online is broken today.' He can get you a confirmed ticket right now, no queue needed. You follow him to a travel agent's office two blocks away where tickets are sold at 2–3x face value with a large 'service fee.' This scam is so pervasive at Indian railway stations that r/india and r/travel have dedicated warning threads. The Indian Railways booking system (IRCTC) has a specific tourist quota for foreign visitors at most major stations — including CSMT Mumbai — but touts redirect tourists before they find it. Some 'agents' sell real tickets at inflated prices; others sell tickets on cancellable quotas that get refunded without your knowledge. The legitimate foreign tourist quota counter at CSMT is on the first floor (ground floor in Indian terminology) of the main booking hall. You need your passport. Lines are usually short. International credit cards work.