Assuming you were going to buy the ticket with your credit card he might have tried to grab it and run (I assume that's why he wanted a high value ticket).

Oh yes. I saw that scam in September when we were in Paris. Someone offered us help with the machine but my husband declined. I stood next to the machine with the luggage for about 20 minutes while my husband walked back to the long line to purchase tickets from a booth. And this is what was happening:

The "helper" (and there was several who wore an official-looking badge) took the victim's credit card and "swiped". Then he told the victim that their CC would not work because it was not a French CC but that he would use HIS CC and the victim could repay in cash. That happened several times as I watched. The next day I happened to see a couple at the Lourve who I watched using the "helper's" assistance and asked them how things worked out for them.
The scam is that their 3-day ticket was actually a 1-way ticket to their intended destination.

I tried to post on Fodor's when we got home but was having a problem with the site so just gave up.

Yesterday saw on the BBC a scam at Stansted (probably other places too). 'Welcome to the airport - let me check your bags in, and I'll give you as a special deal, entrance to the First Class Lounge.' Arriving at the check in desk, you discover there is no remote check in, someone has just made off with your bags. I don’t know that there would ever be much in my bags to attract thieves, but there it is.

Good to remember that no one is hanging around train stations just to be helpful (sad, but true). I don't care how lost or confused I am....I never accept help from anyone who approaches me in a subway or train station or in an airport. There is usually an ulterior motive that doesn't lead to a happy ending for you. Glad you walked away!

What denis said. Unsolicited "help" at train stations is almost always a scam. I don't even want to get into the mess a friend of ours experienced in Naples.

There are signs next to the ticket machines in the big train stations in multiple languages warning people not to accept "assistance" from strangers.

I never accept help from anyone who approaches me in a subway or train station or in an airport. There is usually an ulterior motive that doesn't lead to a happy ending for you>>

it's not just european stations and airports where people are out to trick you. at colombo airport they had trolleys wheeled by official baggage helpers wearing bibs stating Rs 200 per bag. [£1]. we didn't mind this as it was a way of helping the local economy and getting rid of our remaining rupees, but when he tried to charge us Rs 800 for our 2 bags, and we objected to that, he looked most affronted when we pointed to his bib with the charges on it!

we were also offered "help" at Termini station; we told them to "vai via" which worked very well. all the ticket machines have english information, just like ATMs.

We were "helped" many years ago in the train station in France so it is not a new scam, not a good way to begin a vacation.

Well, just to offer a good experience, several years ago a person helped us buy bus tickets from a machine at Heathrow. Of course, this person came out from behind the counter so seemed quite official. And no scam occurred.

Once i saw an italian couple, studying the metro map on the wall of the Omonoia metro station in Athens,
They seemed to be lost, and since i speak italian, i offered my self to help them.....
I was totally surprised from their reaction, i got treated as a scammer......

Agree never to accept help from a random stranger in any tourist venue. Why would they be standing around - if it's not a way to make money.

Accept help only from official staff that YOU approach. Or - if it's obvious the person has noting to gain.

In Germany we were offered parking places a couple of times by people pulling their own cars out - I guess because we had a car with French license plate and decal. But it was obvious they were locals who were leaving themselves.

Once in Istanbul we walked from our hotel to the Grand Bazaar. Shopped for hours and got completely lost, that is one HUGE, CROWDED place! A kind gentleman noted our delimma, approched and asked if we spoke French, we said no just English, he said sorry and left. But at least he tried. We then saw and hailed a taxi and asked to be taken to our hotel....a thief if ever there was one, his fare was a complete rip off! Not a good representative of his country.

I help people all the time when I see them struggling with bags or buying tickets, or looking at a map. How sad to think everyone believes I am a scammer. I make sure never to touch their money and I always ask if it is ok if I help them.

Have been surprised at how rude some people are when they decline. You can decline in a friendly manner if you don't want help, especially since some cities are known for scams and others aren't, and Frankfurt isn't a big scam city.

Hi den,

>Good to remember that no one is hanging around train stations just to be helpful ...<

Exception to the rule.

We were trying to figure out how to buy tickets on the finicular in Haifa when a young man wearing a bright yellow vest offered to help us.

It turned out that he worked with (or for) the tourist office.

We purchased our tickets.

He refused a tip.

Recently, in Paris, a nice young lady helped us with the ticket machine in a metro station -- no scam, no theft, just kindness. Some years ago, in New York City, a man helped us at a station then rode with us to our stop, got off with us (not where he was originally going) and gave us a mini walking tour of the area. No scam, no theft, just kindness. I'm very aware that scams occur -- we had a near-incident in Barcelona -- and that we should be ever alert, but isn't it sad that acts of kindness are often mistaken for ulterior motives?

In Munich a man showed me how to use the ticket machine to get from the airport to town. In London the tube stop where I'd noted my hotel was no longer operable and i was staring at the map and a kindly older man helped me. I am pretty NOT trusting but as i was pretty out of it, my guard was down, Luckily the two episodes were fine. Not everyone is a scammer but you do need to be alert.

It's dumb to talk to strangers in train stations who are trying to "help" you, anywhere.

Ira, although very generous of you, please don't try to give tips to tourist office employees! If I start seeing the dreaded "tip jar" all over Europe, I will blame it on you

Hi N,

> If I start seeing the dreaded "tip jar" all over Europe, I will blame it on you. <

Mea culpa

How sad for you Christina, to walk around scared all of the time. What an awful attitude.

I am sure the people I helped never felt "dumb".

That's funny, Manhattengirl, I just commented about Christina's attitude on the other threat about scams in Paris. I felt like maybe I was being naive to take issue with her "never talk to strangers, ever" approach, so I'm glad I'm not alone.

I do help strangers myself, but never when they are trying to understand a ticket machine. I know that they can get everything in English (or whatever language they are most comfortable with, most likely) on the machine, and it is best for them to work such things out for themselves.

However, today, I was spontaneously asked by no fewer than 4 people for directions -- Paris is overflowing with tourists right now for the New Year celebrations.

"thread" not "threat"

I have helped several tourists trying to find their way around in Cornwall, and so far they have accepted my offers in the spirit in which they were made.

I'll let you work out for yourselves what that was.

I found myself helping fellow tourists who were looking lost while trying to spin their maps and work out where they were in Oxford and Rome - something that I do at home, and which I appreciate if I am truly "lost" somewhere.

I also butted into a couple of "golden ring" conversations in Paris, where it looked like the victim was about to claim the ring, and tried to tell a few of the tourists in the hour-long queue at the Colosseum that they could get tickets at the Palatino office (less than 5 minutes walk away) with no wait at all.

Perhaps some of them thought I was a scammer - perhaps not. But unless non-scammers get involved or offer to help sometimes, our trust in mankind continues to diminish.

(My overwhelming impression is that wherever you go, most people are good and most people appreciate assistance or are prepared to help without seeking reward; even mangled attempts at their language are appreciated as long as they are genuine attempts at communicating rather than issuing orders, and; "please" and "thank you" can open a lot of doors in any language, but far too many can't even manage these words in English anymore).

My first trip to Paris alone was to connect by TGV to Provence
I got on a train that I thought was where I should be. I was standing by the door and a man engaged me in conversation. I told him I was going to Provence, oo-la-la. he said you are on the wrong train. He grabbed one of my bags, my hand in his other and dashed us to my trian, which was about to leave.
I thanked this kind stranger with a kiss on his cheek as he blushed.

But lest you think I am naive - on our recent trip to Europe we never accepted a gold ring; worked out train tix myself, without the help of the kids offering assistance; didn't sign an anti-drugs petition or any other kind of petition; I hope all the beggars on streets and in metro stations manage to survive without my donations; the well-dressed beggars on trains in Paris and Italy seem to have a story with a credibility gap; the promises of discounts and free drinks at sidewalk cafes were rigorously insisted on even when they were not always accurate on the early draft of the bill presented for payment - on the other hand, the cafe at Campo di Fiori that kept the limoncello coming even after the bill was finalised was one of our best and most cheerful meals out on our trip!