Do Not Watch Stranger’s Bag at Airport

A stranger at the airport asks you to watch their bag for a few minutes while they go to the bathroom...

DO NOT DO IT.

It could be a scam.

According to the United States Department of State:

Airport/”Bag Watching” Scam:

A friendly stranger asks someone to watch his/her bag or purse. The stranger leaves and returns with a police officer or someone posing as one. The bag may contain drugs or other illegal items. The perpetrators then extort money or other valuables to avoid hassles with the police.

Check out these other scams that target American travelers, according to the U.S. Department of State.

The bottom line is, do not accept ANYTHING from strangers when traveling - especially traveling abroad. If an offer from a stranger sounds too good to be true, it might be a scam to extort money from you or worse.