A recent incident in Athens has highlighted the issue of taxi scams targeting tourists, with five Dutch nationals allegedly charged 292 euros for a short four-kilometer ride.
According to local news reports this past week, the tourists used a mobile app to hail a cab from Ermou Street in the city center to the nearby Pangrati district, presumably their accommodation.
Beyond the exorbitant fare, standard taxis in the Athens-Piraeus area typically accommodate a maximum of four passengers, making a ride with five potentially illegal.
The alleged scam came to light a few hours later when the tourists took a second taxi from Pangrati to the Acropolis, near their initial pickup point.
This time, the fare was only 10 euros.
Upon hearing about the previous charge, the second taxi driver notified the taxi union about the incident.
It is unclear whether a criminal investigation has been launched.