What scams should I watch out for in Barcelona?
Pickpocketing is the dominant threat, concentrated on La Rambla, the Metro (lines 3 and 5 near tourist stops), Barceloneta beach, and the area around Sagrada Família. The method is almost always distraction: someone bumps you, spills something on you, or asks you to sign a petition while an accomplice takes your phone or wallet. Keep your phone face-down on restaurant tables and never in your back pocket. The "friendship bracelet" hustle runs along La Rambla where men aggressively tie a bracelet on your wrist and then demand payment; walk past without slowing down or making eye contact. Taxi scams are rarer since the city cleaned up the airport ranks, but always confirm the driver starts the meter. Unlicensed tour operators around major monuments sometimes sell fake skip-the-line tickets; buy directly from the official site. ATMs near tourist corridors occasionally have skimming devices, so use machines inside bank branches. None of this should alter your itinerary; it just requires the same baseline awareness you'd apply in any major European city.
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