What is the most common scam on the Las Vegas Strip?

Street handouts are the most reported: someone puts a CD, bracelet, or flyer in your hand, calls it a gift, then demands payment once you're holding it. Refusing to take anything handed to you avoids nearly all of them.

Are the costumed characters outside casinos safe?

They aren't employed by the resorts and they work strictly for tips. Photos are not free, and groups sometimes surround tourists until money changes hands. Settle a price first or skip the photo.

Where can I safely buy Las Vegas show tickets?

Buy from the venue's own box office or official website, or from a licensed Tix4Tonight booth. Sidewalk resellers and club promoters offering VIP packages are behind most of the ticket losses filed with us.

How do I avoid being long-hauled by a Vegas taxi?

Ask the driver to take surface streets instead of the airport tunnel, confirm the meter is running before you move, and pay by card so the trip is documented. Long-hauling is illegal in Nevada and refundable when reported.

Is it safe to use ATMs on the Strip?

Use bank-branded ATMs inside casino cages. Off-brand machines in gift shops and small bars carry the highest skimming risk and the steepest fees. Check your statements for several days after your trip.

What should I do if I already got scammed in Las Vegas?

Call your bank the same day, file a report with Las Vegas Metro PD, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and file a report here so the next visitor recognizes the pattern.

Visitor guide

How not to get scammed on the Las Vegas Strip

Most money lost on the Strip isn't lost at a table. It's lost on the sidewalk, in a cab, at an off-brand ATM, or on a ticket bought from someone who doesn't work for the venue. These are the patterns that show up again and again in the reports filed with us, and the simple habits that stop each one.

The five-second version

—Nothing handed to you on the Strip is free.
—Never pay a stranger by Zelle, Venmo, wire, or gift card.
—Buy tickets from the venue, not the sidewalk.
—Use bank ATMs inside casinos, not gift-shop machines.
—Walk away mid-sentence — politeness is the leverage.

The CD and mixtape hustle

Someone hands you a CD, tells you it's free, then asks for your name and signs it — the moment it's personalized, the price appears, and a second person joins to pressure you. Never accept anything placed in your hands on the Strip. Keep walking and say nothing; engaging is what starts the transaction.

Costumed characters and photo fees

Cartoon characters, showgirls, and superhero lookalikes outside casinos work for tips, not for the resorts. A photo is not free, and groups often surround tourists until a tip is paid. Agree on a price before the photo, keep small bills separate from your wallet, and step back into a casino lobby if a group closes in.

Fake show and club tickets

Discount ticket booths that aren't Tix4Tonight, sidewalk resellers, and 'VIP club packages' sold by promoters are the most common Vegas ticket losses we see reported. Buy directly from the venue's own site or box office. If a promoter offers free entry, the cost usually appears later as a mandatory bottle minimum.

Taxi long-hauling and rideshare bait

The airport tunnel route to the Strip can nearly triple a fare. Ask for surface streets, confirm the meter is running, and pay by card so you have a record. Unmarked cars offering rides outside clubs are not rideshare — always match the plate in the app.

Street games and 'found' jewelry

Three-card monte, shell games, and dice games on cardboard boxes are run by teams with built-in winners. So is the man who 'finds' a gold ring near your feet and offers it cheap. There is no version of these where a tourist wins.

ATM skimmers and cash-out fees

Off-brand ATMs inside gift shops and small bars are the highest-risk machines in the city. Use bank-branded ATMs inside casino cages, cover the keypad, and check statements for the days after your trip.

Timeshare and 'free show tickets' pitches

A free buffet, show, or helicopter tour in exchange for a 90-minute presentation is rarely 90 minutes and rarely free of pressure. Never sign anything on the day of the presentation, and know that Nevada allows a five-day rescission period on timeshare contracts.

Rental and event scams before you arrive

Fake short-term rentals, resale festival passes, and 'private' pool party invites are booked and paid for weeks before the trip. Pay only through the platform, never by Zelle, Venmo, or wire, and reverse-image-search listing photos.

Las Vegas Strip scam FAQ

The questions visitors ask us most, answered with what shows up in the community report feed.

What is the most common scam on the Las Vegas Strip?: Street handouts are the most reported: someone puts a CD, bracelet, or flyer in your hand, calls it a gift, then demands payment once you're holding it. Refusing to take anything handed to you avoids nearly all of them.See reported street scams.
Are the costumed characters outside casinos safe?: They aren't employed by the resorts and they work strictly for tips. Photos are not free, and groups sometimes surround tourists until money changes hands. Settle a price first or skip the photo.Browse tourist-area reports.
Where can I safely buy Las Vegas show tickets?: Buy from the venue's own box office or official website, or from a licensed Tix4Tonight booth. Sidewalk resellers and club promoters offering VIP packages are behind most of the ticket losses filed with us.Read ticket scam reports.
How do I avoid being long-hauled by a Vegas taxi?: Ask the driver to take surface streets instead of the airport tunnel, confirm the meter is running before you move, and pay by card so the trip is documented. Long-hauling is illegal in Nevada and refundable when reported.See transportation reports.
Is it safe to use ATMs on the Strip?: Use bank-branded ATMs inside casino cages. Off-brand machines in gift shops and small bars carry the highest skimming risk and the steepest fees. Check your statements for several days after your trip.See card and ATM reports.
What should I do if I already got scammed in Las Vegas?: Call your bank the same day, file a report with Las Vegas Metro PD, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and file a report here so the next visitor recognizes the pattern.File a report.

If it already happened

Report card fraud to your bank the same day — Nevada businesses often can't reverse a charge after the settlement window. File with Las Vegas Metro PD and with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, then file a report with us so the next visitor recognizes the pattern before they hand over money.

Browse or file a report