As the holiday season approaches, many are itching to jet off in search of some sunshine. However, travellers with their sights set on Turkey should heed a serious warning. Josh Daly, an influencer with a penchant for travel, recently divulged to his followers how he fell prey to what he describes as a "scam" while on holiday. Sharing his ordeal in a frank TikTok clip, he cautioned others planning a visit to the sun-soaked destination. He explained that, although he's been to Turkey previously without any issues, he was taken aback when the scam caught him on the very first day of his latest stay.
He maintains his love for Turkey, calling it a "beautiful" country, but stresses the importance of remaining vigilant about this troubling activity. Despite not suffering a significant financial loss himself, he worries that others might not be so lucky. The alleged scam involves pre-booked airport transfers - Josh's encounter with it began with sheer chaos upon arrival. Recounting his experience, he said: "We eventually got put into a taxi and he offered us a complimentary drink - a complimentary drink, which I confirmed with him after several conversations, that it was going to be a free drink.
"Obviously, I'm quite a nice guy, I thought 'you know what, it won't be a free drink, because I'm going to tip him 200 Lira anyway', which is around £4/£5 for two cans of very, very cheap beer, so still he would have been turning a profit. "I then get to the end of where I've got to get to, get to the hotel, go to give him the 200 and he goes 'No, no, no. 800'. He was trying to charge me 800 Lira, which is like £16 I believe, for two cans of incredibly cheap beer, and he was becoming very aggressive.
"This is where you don't fold. You stick to your guns and say 'I'm not paying'. Then he'll threaten to take you into the hotel and sort it out, and don't be threatened - let them go into the hotel. "He come into the hotel I stayed with, and they had a great conversation, and were actually able to translate back to me in English. Eventually, he just took the 200 and did move on.". The video detailing this event subsequently went viral, prompting viewers to share their own experiences.
One viewer chimed in with : "Private taxi company did this to us. We agreed the price of £50. Got to the airport and the driver was demanding £80, and wouldn't give us our suitcases. I showed him messages from the company's owner.". Another shared a contrasting sentiment, adding: "Been going to Turkey for 20 years, and never had this." Similarly, a third commented: "Been to Turkey and never had issues like this. I use private transfer every time. No issues and free drinks too.".
