10 San Francisco Tourist Scams to Avoid

San Francisco is one of the safest large cities in the U.S., but like any major tourist destination, it has its share of scams aimed at visitors.

The good news: once you know what they look like, every one of them is easy to avoid.

I live here in the heart of San Francisco, and these are the 10 I see or hear about all the time. My guide tells you not only what to expect but also how to avoid getting scammed.

You can either watch this in the video below or scroll down for the full written version.

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Scam #1: Fake or Overpriced Alcatraz Tickets

There are two Alcatraz ticket scams going around right now:

• Fake tickets. You buy from a website. They email you a fake ticket, or they simply ghost you, and you're out the money.
• Hidden surcharges. You buy an Alcatraz-only tour ticket, and they tack on a $20 to $30 surcharge. The ticket is real, but you've overpaid for it.

So where do you buy legitimate Alcatraz-only tours? Two official sources: Alcatraz City Cruises (for all the day, night, and behind-the-scenes tours) and its parent company, City Experiences.

In addition, certain companies are allowed to resell Alcatraz tickets. They are only allowed to do this if they bundle them with another tour or activity. They are called combo tickets.

So, an Alcatraz + Muir Woods ticket or an Alcatraz + Hop-on-Hop-off bus ticket is legitimate. These combo tickets are also a great backup if your dates are sold out. Resellers like GetYourGuide and Viator often still have combo tickets for sold-out dates. 

One last thing: if someone tries to sell you their Alcatraz-only tickets directly, it's a scam. Those tickets aren't transferable. For more on choosing a tour, see my Alcatraz tours guide.

Scam #2: Illegal Vacation Rentals

San Francisco has very strict short-term rental laws, which keep rentals in short supply.

This also makes a scam easy to spot. 

I won't bore you with the fine print, but the key thing to know is that everyone doing short-term rentals here is required to register with the city and get a short-term rental certificate. That certificate is tied to their address.

So whether you're booking through an official site like Airbnb or Vrbo, or you're tempted to book directly, once you have the address, you can check it.

Just look it up on the San Francisco Planning website's short-term rental section and see whether a certificate is attached to that address.

If there's no certificate, it's not a legitimate rental. 

Because rentals are so limited here, many first-time visitors find hotels and boutique inns are the more reliable choice.

Use my guide to find the best place to stay in San Francisco based on what you want for your stay. 

Scam #3: Fake or Overpriced Event Tickets

This one is similar to the Alcatraz ticket scam, but it's worth calling out on its own because it happens a lot here.

San Francisco has a number of very popular, very large concerts and festivals every year that sell out immediately. And that's a scammer's dream.

If you're buying tickets to an event or festival, be careful with anyone who isn't an official reseller.

I recommend sticking with StubHub or Ticketmaster, which handle legitimate resales for these events.

Just be extra careful, because this is exactly where visitors lose real money.

Scam #4: Parking QR Codes

The first thing to know is that the city of San Francisco does not allow you to pay by QR code at any city meter or city parking lot. So if you see a QR code sticker on a city meter, it's a scam. Just ignore it.

You can pay for city parking with cash, a credit or debit card, or one of two official apps (each charges a $0.35 fee per use).

A couple of variations to watch for:

• Private lots. Some private lots do allow QR payment, but scammers place their own sticker right over the official one, so the money goes to them. Before you scan, wipe your hand across the QR code to make sure there isn't a sticker layered on top.
• Fake parking tickets. Mostly in touristy areas, you may find a "parking ticket" on your car, asking you to pay via QR code. Remember: the city doesn't take QR payments for parking or tickets. If a parking ticket has a QR code on it, it's fake.

Scam #5: Taxi and Rideshare Scams

This is really several scams in one, so here's what to watch for.

Taxis:

• The "payment didn't go through" double-charge. You book a taxi through an app, then in the car they claim the payment failed and ask for cash. So you've paid twice.
• Fake airport taxis. At SFO, someone approaches you, claiming to be an official taxi driver, takes your luggage, and gets you into a car with no meter. They then overcharge you.
• The "broken meter." This is a classic one. You get in, they say the meter's broken, and you get overcharged.

At SFO, always go to the official taxi stand to ensure it's legitimate. And anywhere, SFO or in the city, if a driver says the meter is broken or wants a flat rate, that's not legitimate. Get out.

Rideshares:

• The imposter. While you're waiting, a car pulls up, and the driver asks, "Are you waiting for your rideshare?" You get in, and at the end they demand money because it was never your ride. Always check the license plate and the car's make and model against the app before getting in.
• The "cancel in the app" trick. A driver asks you to cancel the ride in the app once you're in the car. Don't do it. Keep everything in the app.

Scam #6: The Cable Car Hustle

The lines at the cable car turnarounds can get really long, so scammers walk up to people in line and offer, for a small fee, to walk you to the next stop where the wait is shorter.

But, here's the thing. The cable car stops are easy to find yourself.

Just follow the tracks, look for the brown-and-white signs, and the cable cars stop there every time they come through.

You may not get as good a spot as you would at the turnaround, but you won't wait nearly as long and you won't pay anyone for it.

Scam #7: Costumed Character Photos

This one is specific to Fisherman's Wharf. You'll see costumed characters who wave you over for a "free" picture.

Then, right as you take it, they try to charge you $20, $30, sometimes $40.

Not all of them are running a scam, but some are.

So either stay away, or agree on a price before you take any pictures.

Scam #8: Distraction Theft

This one is also mostly in Fisherman's Wharf. Someone walks up and asks you to take a group photo of them.

While you're distracted framing the shot, they (or a partner) try to lift something from you. They are hoping your phone's in your back pocket, your purse is unzipped, or you've set a bag down.

Sometimes someone bumps into you mid-photo to grab it.

The safest move is to not take the photo, but the problem is plenty of people asking are legitimate.

So if you do help, hand your own belongings to someone you're with and have them keep an eye on the whole group, not just on you.

There's a two-part version, too. As you hand the phone back, they drop it, claim you broke it, and demand money.

If you do take someone's photo, be careful.

Scam #9: Free Handouts

I'm seeing this one in a few forms around the city:

• The CD scam. People walk around handing out "free" CDs. I see this almost every time I'm in Fisherman's Wharf. Once you take one, they offer to personalize it, and the moment they do, they say it can't be reused, and you have to pay. They can get aggressive, bringing over friends until you pay. If someone hands you a CD, just don't take it.
• The bracelet donation. Usually, in the cable car turnaround lines, someone slips a bracelet onto your wrist and then aggressively asks for a donation. Just take it off and hand it back.
• The "monk" bracelet. I haven't seen this one myself, but it's still reported. Someone dressed as a monk hands you a free bracelet, then aggressively asks for money "for peace." It's a scam.

The overall rule is if someone hands you something or tries to slip a bracelet on your wrist, hand it back or just walk away.

You don't owe them anything.

Scam #10: "Reconfirm Your Booking" Phishing

This one isn't specific to San Francisco, but it's important.

Hackers break into some hotel booking sites and grab your confirmation number, email, phone number, and stay details.

Then they text or email you a link saying you need to "reconfirm" your booking.

The link goes to a fake site, and if you enter your information there, you end up paying for your room a second time.

So if you get any text or email saying there's an issue with your booking, don't click the link.

Contact the site where you booked, or the hotel directly to confirm.

Never re-enter your payment through a link someone sends you. 

See my hotel mistakes page for more tips on booking the right hotel for your stay.

The Bottom Line

None of this should scare you off. 

San Francisco is a safe, welcoming city, and every scam here is easy to avoid once you know it exists.

Buy tickets from official sources, keep rides and payments in the app, don't scan a QR code without checking it, and don't take anything handed to you on the street.

Do that, and you can relax and enjoy your trip. Have a wonderful visit to one of the best cities in the world.

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