Lauren Quacquarelli, a travel expert who has written several guidebooks on the country and it’s surrounding islands, has issued a warning to holidaymakers
Should you be going on holiday to Italy soon then you will need to follow the advice of travel specialist Lauren Quacquarelli. Serving as an authority on Italian tourism, she’s warned about a prevalent scam that’s been duping tourists.
With a history of authoring numerous guidebooks about Italy and its neighbouring isles, Lauren uses her expertise to shed light on a cunning tactics targeting unsuspecting travellers. Initiating her warning with “This is one of the biggest tourist traps in Italy,” Lauren took to TikTok to post footage under her @italianlife account demonstrating the deceit in action.
The video depicts two tourists gearing up to pay a street vendor for a seemingly innocuous bracelet. Lauren, who boasts both English and Italian heritage, warned: “There will be people around main tourist attractions that will put some kind of bracelet on your wrist – they’ll say it’s a gift.”
Yet, according to her statement, these con artists quickly turn, insisting on payment for the supposedly complimentary bracelet. She warns: “Do not let people put these on your wrist,” unless someone genuinely wants the accessory.
Lauren continues by telling viewers to maintain their distance from such individuals and avoid any unsolicited attempts at donning the bracelet. Concluding her advice, she characterised the fraud as “dangerous” and potentially “aggressive”, reports the Express.
One TikTok user echoed Lauren’s sentiments based on recent incidents: “Just got back from Rome and this was commonplace, especially around Colosseum. Be firm but respectful when saying no.”
Another person shared: “This happened to me but I knew what was about to happen, when I called him out and told him to ‘F off’, he became aggressive.”
A third added: “This and the ones doing the cup trick game! They have their friends act like their random people and make you bet money and then lose money! Don’t fall for it!”
Meanwhile, another individual recounted a peculiar incident: “We got given an elephant in Venice. I can’t remember if my mum paid him but she definitely tried to argue with him. When they came near us after that we ignored or said no.”
For one traveller, the experience turned out to be unexpectedly positive: “We had this, and the chap genuinely just gave us a load of bracelets and demanded nothing,” they recalled. “We were chatting to him about London and then his home country.
“Maybe we charmed him. I was suspicious though!”
Lauren, who seems to have a wealth of knowledge on Italy, shares on her website: “I spent my whole life travelling back and forth from the UK to Italy. A dual existence that fuelled a deep connection to both cultures.
“Eventually I made the life-altering decision to permanently relocate to Italy. The journey, however, was not without its challenges, especially post-Brexit when the ease of relocation became a complex puzzle.
“From navigating the bureaucratic rollercoaster to soaking in the culture shocks, I know the ropes. Oh, and let’s not forget, I’ve clocked in some serious mileage travelling across Italy over the past 26 years. Now, I’m here to help you navigate the ropes.”
