Safety & Scams
in Budapest
Budapest is a safe city by European standards — but like any popular tourist destination, it has its share of scams targeting visitors. Knowing what to watch for is half the battle.
The Short Version
Taxis
Always use Bolt, Uber, or FREE NOW. Never accept a ride from someone who approaches you.
Bars & Clubs
If a stranger invites you to a "great bar", walk the other way. Bill scams are common.
Currency & ATMs
Use bank ATMs only. Decline "helpful" exchange rates — they are never helpful.
Bar & Nightclub Scams
The most common and most costly scam in Budapest
How it works: a friendly local (usually an attractive person of the opposite sex) approaches you in the street and suggests going to a "great bar nearby." You have a few drinks, the bill arrives and it's 50,000–200,000+ HUF (€130–€520). Bouncers block the exit until you pay.
The Friendly Stranger
Someone approaches you near tourist areas (Váci utca, the Chain Bridge, Andrássy út) and is unusually eager to take you to a specific bar. These are paid touts earning commission on inflated bills.
Avoid: Always choose the bar yourself. If you didn't find it on Google, don't go.
The Inflated Drinks Bill
The bar has no visible price list. Individual drinks are charged at 4–10× normal Budapest prices (e.g., €30 for a beer). The total only appears when you ask for the bill.
Avoid: Before ordering anything, ask to see the drinks menu with prices. No menu = leave immediately.
The Hostess Scam
Women at the bar are paid hostesses. Any drink you buy them is billed to you at premium prices, sometimes listed separately on your bill at the end.
Avoid: Assume any woman who sits with you in a tourist-area bar is earning commission on your bill.
Intimidation at the Door
When you refuse to pay or question the bill, large bouncers block your exit. Some venues have been known to escalate this into a physical confrontation.
Avoid: If trapped: pay what you must to leave, immediately call 107 (police), and report the venue name and address.
Restaurant Overcharging
Particularly common in the tourist centre
Cover charges
Some restaurants silently add a "cover charge" (terítési díj) of 200–500 HUF per person. This is legal if listed on the menu — but some add it without disclosure.
Avoid: Check the menu for a service or cover charge section before ordering.
Bread you didn't ask for
A basket of bread arrives at your table uninvited. It's not free — it will appear on your bill at 400–1,000 HUF per person.
Avoid: Send it back immediately if you didn't order it, or confirm the price first.
Wrong change
Particularly common at busy restaurants. The waiter returns with slightly less change than you're owed.
Avoid: Always count your change at the table before the waiter leaves.
Wrong bill items
Dishes or drinks you didn't order appear on the bill. Less common but worth checking.
Avoid: Ask for an itemised receipt (részletes számla) and compare it to what you ordered.
Tourist menus vs real menus
Near major attractions, some restaurants show tourists a "simplified" menu with higher prices than the menu locals receive.
Avoid: Ask to see the full local menu (can help to browse on TripAdvisor first for typical prices at a venue).
ATMs & Currency Exchange
Easy money for scammers if you're not paying attention
Independent ATMs with terrible rates
Private ATM companies (Euronet is the most notorious) offer to convert the amount to your home currency for you. The rate they offer is often 15–25% worse than the interbank rate.
Avoid: Always choose "charge in local currency" (HUF) and let your own bank do the conversion. Decline dynamic currency conversion every time.
Street exchange offices
Kiosks advertising "No Commission" or "Best Rate" with large display boards are almost always showing a buy rate, not the sell rate you'll actually receive. Some have been known to count out fewer notes than agreed.
Avoid: Use your bank card or withdraw HUF from a bank-branded ATM. If you must exchange cash, use a bank or the official Magyar Váltó network.
The helpful stranger approach
Someone offers to exchange currency for you informally, "to help." This is always a scam — either counterfeit notes or short-counting.
Avoid: Only ever exchange at licensed offices or banks. Never with a stranger on the street.
Counterfeit notes
Rare but not unknown. Large HUF notes (20,000 HUF) can be counterfeited.
Avoid: Check watermarks on large notes. When receiving change, don't feel rushed — take a moment to check.
Fake Police Officers
Uncommon but intimidating
Two or three men approach you, show fake police badges, and say they are conducting a drug or counterfeit money investigation. They ask to see your wallet and passport — then pocket some of your cash and hand it back.
What to do
Real Hungarian police (rendőrség) have official blue and white uniforms with a badge number on the chest. They do not approach tourists randomly in the street. If someone flashes a badge and asks for your wallet, refuse politely but firmly.
Avoid: Say: "I'd like to walk with you to the nearest police station to verify your credentials." Real officers will comply. Fake ones will disappear.
Never hand over your wallet
You are not legally required to hand over your wallet or show the contents of it to anyone. You may be required to show a passport or ID.
Avoid: Keep your passport separately — ideally a photocopy in your wallet, original secured at your accommodation.
Report it
If you were approached or defrauded, call 107 or go to the nearest police station (Rendőrség). Note the location, time, and descriptions of the people involved.
Avoid: File a report even if you recovered your money — it creates a record and may prevent others being targeted.
Pickpockets
The most prevalent petty crime in Budapest
High-risk locations
- Metro lines M1, M2, M3 (especially during rush hour)
- Crowded markets (Szimpla kert, Great Market Hall)
- Váci utca and tourist shopping streets
- Castle Hill and popular viewpoints
- Ruin bars during peak evening hours
How it happens
- The bump-and-distract: someone bumps into you while an accomplice works your pockets
- The "map technique": someone opens a map over your bag while asking directions
- Crowded escalators: standing behind you on metro escalators
- Queue scenarios at ticket machines
- Mass distraction (argument, dropped item nearby)
Prevention
Front pockets only
Never keep your wallet in a back trouser pocket or the outer pocket of a rucksack.
Split your cash
Keep small amounts in an accessible wallet; store the bulk of your cash separately.
Bag security
On busy transport, wear your bag on your front or keep your hand on the zip.
Street Games & Hustles
Illegal but persistent around tourist areas
Three-card monte / shell game
A small table, three cups (or cards), and a ball. You watch which cup hides the ball — it looks easy. The operator's confederates in the crowd make winning bets so you'll be tempted. The game is physically rigged and you will lose every time.
Avoid: It is illegal to operate and illegal to participate. Walk past without engaging.
"Lucky" rose sellers
Someone hands you a flower or a small gift uninvited, wishes you luck, then aggressively demands payment. This also sometimes targets couples specifically.
Avoid: Don't accept anything from strangers on the street. Return it firmly and keep walking.
Petition signers
Someone thrusts a clipboard at you asking for a signature for a charity. This is often a distraction for pickpocketing, and occasionally followed by a demand for a "donation."
Avoid: Decline and move on. Legitimate charities in Hungary operate very differently.
Friendship bracelet
Common near the Chain Bridge and in Castle Hill. Someone ties a "friendship bracelet" on your wrist and then demands money — sometimes becoming aggressive when you refuse.
Avoid: Keep your hands out of reach. A polite "no thank you" while walking past is sufficient.
Accommodation & Online Scams
Particularly relevant for newcomers and long-term visitors
Phantom apartment rentals
You find a Budapest apartment on a classified site at a suspiciously good price. The "landlord" is abroad and asks for a deposit transfer before you can view it. The apartment doesn't exist.
Avoid: Never pay a deposit without viewing a property in person. Use reputable agencies or platforms with verified hosts.
Facebook Marketplace housing
Fake listings in Budapest expat Facebook groups are common. Scammers copy real photos from Airbnb or real estate sites and ask for payment via bank transfer.
Avoid: Reverse-image-search any photos of a rental that seems too good to be true. Meet in person before any money changes hands.
Free Wi-Fi phishing
Unsecured "free" Wi-Fi in tourist areas (sometimes named after a nearby hotel or café) can be set up to intercept login credentials.
Avoid: Use your mobile data or a VPN when accessing banking or email on public Wi-Fi.
If Something Goes Wrong
107
Police (Rendőrség)
For theft, fraud, assault, or any crime
104
Ambulance (Mentők)
Medical emergencies
112
EU Emergency
Works for all emergency services
For a full list of embassy contacts and additional emergency numbers, see our Emergency Contacts page →
Keep Perspective
The vast majority of visitors to Budapest have a wonderful, trouble-free experience. Violent crime targeting tourists is genuinely rare. These scams are annoying and can ruin a day, but awareness is your best protection. Most Budapestians are warm, helpful, and proud of their city — don't let a minority of bad actors spoil the experience.