Bangkok named world’s worst city for pickpocketing and scams

The Thai capital scored 83.45 on the website’s ranking of pickpocketing and scams hotspots worldwide, released on Wednesday.

The Grand Palace, one of Bangkok’s most iconic landmarks, was marked as the worst site in the world for tourism crime, receiving more mentions of scams and theft in visitor reviews than any other destination.

Two other popular spots, Wat Pho and the Chatuchak Weekend Market, also stood out for the number of pickpocketing and scam reports.

Compare the Market’s study assessed over 75 cities worldwide based on perceived risks of these activities, using the number of scams and pickpocketing mentions per 1,000 visitor reviews.

It also evaluated how often visitors expressed concerns about being robbed or mugged at specific locations.

Paris and Prague, two renowned cultural destinations, followed in second and third places, respectively.

Paris scored 68.81 with 4.54 pickpocketing mentions per 1,000 reviews, as against 2.27 for scams. The French capital also scored 60.04 for concern over robbery, placing it sixth globally on this measure.

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, scored 52.16 largely due to a high rate of pickpocketing and the total number of crime mentions in reviews.

Travel insurance experts advise visitors to Prague’s major attractions to keep their hands on their pockets to protect their phones from theft.

Shanghai ranked fourth with a score of 51.83. It has the second highest rate of scam mentions globally, at 6.28 per 1,000 reviews.

Similar to Bangkok, visitors to this city are less concerned about robbery but need to keep a close eye on their belongings.

Overall, 27 European and 24 Asian cities were named, together accounting for more than half of the ranking.

By contrast, only six American cities made the list, all of which placed near the bottom. In Australia, only Sydney and Melbourne were mentioned.

To minimize the risk of pickpocketing and scams, travelers should take simple precautions, such as keeping valuables in secure places, avoiding unlicensed taxis, and exercising caution when approached by strangers.
Visitors should also familiarize themselves with common scams at each destination to better recognize suspicious behavior and avoid becoming victim.

The study’s findings serve as a reminder that, while travel can be a rich and rewarding experience, it also carries certain risks.

Cities like Bangkok, Paris, and Prague offer incredible attractions, but tourists must remain vigilant to avoid falling for tourism theft.

Below is the full list of the 10 worst cities for pickpocketing and scams in 2025.