most scams rely on either ego/greed, or breaking social conventions. When you start to get that gut feeling that something is wrong, do NOT go with the flow. Alarm bells should ring and by default you should remove yourself from the situation... examples: someone you just met tells you to follow them somewhere, go for a drink, take/hold something or give them something, etc it looks like a great deal... if it's too good to be true, it probably is. You're not a special exception. never assume anything, always ask the price in advance (food, drinks, cabs, etc). Do NOT be afraid to SAY something, hell yell something if you have to. It's the people who are uncomfortable, realize something may be off, by try to wait it out because they're 'tolerant of cultures and open minded' or 'don't want to make a fuss' that get screwed. When in doubt, get the hell out of the situation so you can avoid whatever someone is putting you through. Just turn and walk away. better to be paranoid and safe then a pushover and get taken advantage of. touristy areas rely on being able to screw different people over with teh same tricks again and again. also youtube a show called the real hustle. Even if you don't encounter the same scams, just knowing how they work and why will make you much more alert to when something similar is happening to you.