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Francechecked Jul 2026A catch or twoCommon money scams in France, and what they cost you
Paris has a small, well-rehearsed repertoire of money tricks, and most of them are performed on the same handful of streets. They rely on your politeness rather than any threat, and each one has a tell you can learn in a sentence.
At a glance
Biggest cost trap
The unofficial driver at arrivals
Airport taxis
Official flat fares, posted at the rank
Watch for
The gold ring, the bracelet, the clipboard
Rule of thumb
Only the queue outside is real
The most expensive one happens before you leave the airport: a driver who approaches you inside the terminal offering a taxi, at several times the official price. Paris sets official flat fares from Charles de Gaulle and Orly to the Right and Left Banks, posted at the rank, so only join the marked queue outside. In the city, the recurring plays are the gold ring found at your feet, a friendship bracelet tied on at Montmartre, a petition or clipboard at your chest, and the three-card game near the big sights. On card terminals, choose euros, not dollars. And remember that service is already included in a French bill, so a tip line is optional, not owed.
Arriving: the only taxi queue that counts
Paris sets official flat fares between Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Orly (ORY) and the city, priced differently for the Right Bank and the Left Bank, covering the whole car regardless of passengers or luggage. The figures are posted at the official taxi rank and are the ones to work from, since they are adjusted periodically and any number you read months in advance may be stale. Ask for the flat fare by name, and expect to pay by card.
The costly mistake is accepting a ride from someone who approaches you inside the terminal or at baggage claim. Licensed taxis do not tout for business indoors, and the rides sold that way routinely run several times the official fare, sometimes with a payment terminal that produces a surprise total. Walk out to the marked rank, or pre-book a licensed car and match the plate. The RER B train and the Roissybus are far cheaper again if you are travelling light.
The Paris street repertoire
Three setups account for most of what visitors experience. The gold ring: someone picks up a ring near you, insists it must be yours, and once you engage tries to sell it to you as gold. The friendship bracelet on the steps below Sacre-Coeur in Montmartre: a man begins weaving a thread onto your wrist while chatting, then asks for payment, and the pressure is social rather than physical. The petition or clipboard, usually presented by a group of young people: while your hands and eyes are on the paper, your pockets are not. There is also the three-card or shell game near the tourist bridges, which is not a game you can win, and the occasional bracelet or trinket seller who does not take no for an answer until you keep walking.
The response to all of them is the same and it feels slightly rude, which is exactly why they work: do not take the object, do not stop walking, and do not engage. Keep your wallet and phone somewhere a bump cannot reach, and treat the busy approaches to the Eiffel Tower, Sacre-Coeur, the Louvre and the Gare du Nord as the places to be most deliberate. None of this is dangerous; it is all designed to cost you a wallet or a payment you did not intend to make.
Ticket machines, terminals, and the tip line
At Metro and rail ticket machines, be wary of a stranger who offers to help you buy a ticket, or who sells you one directly: paper tickets are being phased out in favour of contactless and the Navigo system, and a ticket bought from a person on the concourse can be used, invalid, or simply overpriced. Buy from the machine, a staffed window or the official app. At the machine, cover your PIN.
On card terminals, choose euros rather than dollars: the dollar option is dynamic currency conversion and it costs a few percent at the machine's own rate. And a specifically French point worth knowing, because it saves real money over a trip: service is already included in restaurant and cafe prices by law, so a tip is a small optional gesture rather than the 15 to 20 percent you would add at home. If a terminal suggests a percentage, that is a prompt, not a bill. See tipping in France. This guide is written for US travelers departing the US. For more, see cash or card in France, taxis and apps in France, and the France money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
How much is a taxi from Charles de Gaulle into Paris?
Paris sets official flat fares from CDG and Orly, priced differently for the Right Bank and the Left Bank and covering the whole car. The current figures are posted at the official rank, which is where to check them, since they are adjusted periodically. Never take a ride from someone approaching you inside the terminal.
What is the gold ring scam in Paris?
Someone picks up a ring near your feet, insists it must be yours, and once you engage tries to sell it to you as gold. The answer is not to take it and not to stop walking.
Do I need to tip in France?
Service is already included in restaurant and cafe prices by law, so a tip is a small optional gesture rather than an obligation. A suggested percentage on a card terminal is a prompt, not a debt.
Is it safe to buy a Metro ticket from someone at the station?
No. Buy from a machine, a staffed window or the official app. Tickets sold by people on the concourse can be already used, invalid or simply overpriced, and the offer of help at a machine is often the setup for something else.
More on France
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Tipping in FranceFrance is not a US-style tipping country. Service is included in the price by law, staff earn a full wage, and no one expects 15 to 20%. A small pourboire for good service is a kindness, not an obligation. Here is what you actually owe.
- Paris taxis and Uber, and the CDG fixed fareParis gives you real choice, a hailable licensed taxi or a proper Uber, but the airport is where money is won or lost. Here is how the two compare, the fixed fare that protects you, and the tout trick to skip.
- Bringing your dog or cat to France.France is one of the most common EU destinations for US pet owners, and the good news is there is nothing France-specific to fear at the border. It runs on the single EU pet-entry process: microchip, rabies in the right order, and an EU health certificate on a 10-day clock. No quarantine, no rabies titer. Here is what that means for France, and the local parts worth knowing.
- France's tourist tax, and the Paris surcharges.France adds a small per-adult, per-night tax to your stay, set by each town. In most places it is a euro or two. In Paris it is now much more, because the region stacks extra charges on top. Here is what to expect in 2026.
- Do I need cash in France, or can I use cards?Short answer: card for almost everything, a little cash for bakeries and market stalls. France is firmly card-first, and contactless runs the day. The things to get right are a chip-and-PIN backup, the fee-heavy kiosk ATMs, and the dollar prompt.
- France's VAT refund (detaxe), and what you get back.France charges 20% VAT, and non-EU visitors can claim some of it back on shopping through the detaxe scheme. It is fully digital via the PABLO kiosks, but operator fees mean the real refund is well under the headline. Here is how it works.
- Staying connected in France.France is well covered where you will be, from Paris to the villages, so the real decision is how you pay for data. For most US travelers an eSIM is far cheaper than the carrier day pass. Here is the math, and the few places signal drops.
- What does renting a car in France really cost?France is a joy to drive, with quiet back roads and superb motorways, and the motorways are where the meter runs. The costs to plan for are per-kilometer tolls, the low-emission sticker some cities require, and getting the insurance right before the counter.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- US State DepartmentFrance country information, including crime and the scams reported around Paris landmarks
- Paris je t'aimethe official Paris tourist office's visitor information
Our own readWe have deliberately not printed the airport flat fares, because Paris adjusts them and the posted figure at the rank is the only one that is current on the day you land. The street repertoire is our own read from recent reports and it changes location more often than it changes method. Checked July 2026.
How we checkHow every guide is researched, checked and dated