Taxi overcharging is one of the common travel scams that can ruin your travel plan. For example, the cab driver refuses to use the meter or claims it is broken before charging you ten times the standard fare for a several-block ride back to your hotel; or after turning on the meter, the driver takes you in circles just to keep it running, thus lengthening your trip without you noticing. There are a number of ways to avoid this kind of taxi overcharging scams. These are:

• Call your hotel or restaurant employees and ask them to speak to your driver in his or her native language if it seems like you are being taken for a long ride.
• Study up on taxi rates by checking in with locals, and negotiate your fare BEFORE you get in the cab, so the driver cannot jack up the price when you arrive at your destination. If the car has a meter, make sure that it is turned on on as soon as you get in. If possible, know the way to your final destination to avoid taking the unnecessary long route.
• Do not forget to note the medallion or license number and report the driver to the authorities if you suspect fraud.
• Do not pay with large bills, because cab drivers sometimes will claim that they don’t have change so that you have to fork over the bigger bill. Better to carry smaller denomination bills or coins in local currency specifically for cab rides.
• Insist handling your own bags, if the cab driver offers to help haul them to his/her cab from the airport terminal, since he/she often asks for a fat tip later.
• Use the government authorized taxi (e.g., black cab in Seoul, Korea) which is driven by the uniformed, certified driver who can speak English and courteous, even though the cab fare is usually higher.