What scams should I watch out for in Berlin?

Berlin is relatively low-risk compared to other major European capitals, but a few cons run consistently. The friendship bracelet trick operates around tourist-heavy spots like the Brandenburg Gate and Alexanderplatz: someone ties a bracelet on your wrist uninvited, then demands payment, sometimes aggressively. Walk away before they touch you. Taxi drivers occasionally take arriving passengers on long routes from Tegel (now closed) or from train stations; use the BVG app or order a ride through Uber or FreeNow to keep fares honest. Fake plainclothes police officers will occasionally approach tourists, flash a badge, and ask to inspect your wallet for counterfeit bills -- real German police do not do this; never hand over your wallet. Pickpockets work the U-Bahn lines, particularly U2 and U8, and crowds around Checkpoint Charlie. The shell game runs near major tourist sites with lookout spotters nearby. Street currency exchange offers near Kurfürstendamm consistently shortchange; use a bank ATM instead.

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