Be Aware Of Fake Taxi Scams In Paris
When you arrive in Paris, there are chances that you are gonna feel a mix of excitement, overwhelmed, and probably really tired, and you’ll have only one thing in mind: “I want to reach my hotel as soon as possible.” And that’s when you make a mistake. You may be approached by someone saying, “Do you need a taxi?” This may sound very tempting at that time, but it's a scam. If you’re gonna take it, you are going to get scammed. So, in this guide, we’re going to tell you 10 things you need to know about the taxi scams in Paris. At the end, we're going to tell you where and how to report it, and we're also going to give you a few phrases in French that may be helpful.
How to spot fake taxis?
Fake taxis are everywhere at the CDG airport, and they are really easy to spot. The only way fake taxis can operate is by offering their services before you get to the official taxi stand at Charles de Gaulle Airport. They often stand right by the official taxi stand near the railway station at CDG Airport. They will offer you services that will sound legit, but they are not.
Not insured and will ask for extra money.
These taxis are not insured to protect you in the event of an accident. The fact that they are unlicensed, AKA fake taxis, they charge an exorbitant rate. You can easily find people on Reddit who got scammed and were charged three to five times the regular taxi rate of 55 Euros. One of the comments said that they paid at least 300 Euros for a ride from CDG airport to the Paris city center. These drivers can be really persistent and a bit aggressive; in this situation, just say “thank you” and move on.
How to find a local taxi stand and rates?
It couldn't be any clearer. As soon as you step outside, there is a big signboard where you will see a dark orange part is 56 Euro and the light orange part is 65 Euro, surcharges excluded. If you are going outside of Paris, like visiting Disneyland, Versailles, or other areas, all prices will already be listed there.
Keep these rules in mind.
Here is the number rule to remember:
Number one: Don't ever ever accept a ride from inside the airport from someone that is claiming to be a taxi driver; always go to the official taxi stand.
Number two, where to find a taxi stand in Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport, just follow the signage and ignore anyone who tells you otherwise. The same applies to major train stations and Charles de Gaulle at Concourse 2E, where most of you will arrive. The exit to the official taxi stand is at door number 10, and that's just outside the baggage claim area. Look for these Square blue signs that are the official emblem of the taxi stands. Use private transfer services or the G7 app, which works just like Uber, where you can order or schedule a taxi on the app, and they'll pick you up from right where you are, and the transaction goes through the app, so you don't have to worry about payments or exchanging money. If you see a taxi driving by with a lighted taxi sign and a small green light, that means they're available, and you can hail them just the same way you do in any other part of the world.
Number three, an official taxi in Paris will always have a lighter taxi sign on top of the car, and if it doesn't, then it's a fake taxi, even if they tell you that they're a real taxi. Just walk away; the only exception to that would be a private driver. If you book yourself a private driver, they'll have a sedan, and they won't be parked at the official taxi stand. If all that is making you nervous, it is recommended to book yourself a private driver who will be waiting for you just outside baggage claim with a sign and your name on it. The rates of the private chauffeur services can be a bit more, but the level of comfort and safety you’ll get will be worth it. In these types of luxurious services, the surcharges are included, and you have to pay flat rates. May cost you around 75€ for 3 people for a CDG to Paris journey.
Number four Taxi drivers in Paris may show you a small card with rates for various locations around Paris and tell you that there's a flat rate from Gardiner to the Left Bank, not only this it's illegal for them to do that the only flat rate is to and from Paris airports the rest of all of the rides should be using a meter regardless of traffic or the time of day they may also have a surcharge for early pickup times and if you call them to pick you up immediately and these surcharges should be between four and seven euros.
Number five we get a lot of questions from people asking if a taxi can ask for a surcharge because there is a lot of traffic the straight answer is yes but they must disclose that up front the following rates are posted on the official French government website for Knight taxi ride they cannot charge you more than 50 percent of the regular rate for taxi ride that may require an empty return. No extra charges allowed for wheelchairs or for a person with disabilities.
Number six, not all taxi drivers speak English. And if you are not comfortable with that, you can kindly decline and move towards the next taxi in line. Tipping a taxi driver is recommended if the driver did a good job. 10 percent seems fair, but you can tip anything you feel comfortable with.
Number seven, in Paris, taxi drivers are required to accept credit cards, and many people have faced the issue of some taxis claiming that they don't accept credit cards and requesting cash payment only. That's illegal; they have to have an operating credit card machine in their taxis. You can also experience something like this situation, where your driver will say their machine is broken and they offer to take you to an ATM, which is a big No-No and a red flag if their machine is broken; that's on them, not you.
Number eight, if you think your taxi driver is being unethical, you should record them on your phone. The recording will set the record straight. Don't be confrontational with your phone in their face, but just record discreetly what they're saying and what's happening. Because if you must file a police report, you can always use the recording as evidence of what was said and done. Make sure to get their license number and all the details about the driver and the vehicle. Don't pay cash; insist on paying with a credit card, because cash will leave no trace of the ride, and they'll claim that they never gave you a ride. If this happens to you, please stay calm. There's no need to scream or get upset. Stay firm and call the police to resolve the issue.
Number nine, if you believe that you were the victim of a taxi scam, it's fairly easy to report it to the Paris Police Administration. They have created a form on their website in English where you can file your complaint. Note that this form is for Parisian taxis only; for any other location, you'll have to see with the local authorities. You have to know the model of the car, license plate number, a brief description of the driver, where you were picked up and dropped off, the date and time of the incident, the credit card receipt, and a recording on your phone.
Number ten: It's time to learn some French phrases that may be helpful when you're dealing with a taxi driver. The first one is “Pouvez-vous m'appeler un taxi, s'il vous plaît ?” which means “can you call me a taxi please?” That may be helpful in the hotel. Next is “Acceptez-vous les cartes de crédit?” which means “Do you accept credit cards?” Next is "Mettez le compteur, s'il vous plaît." which means “please put on the meter”. The next one is "J'aimerais aller au jardin," which means “I'd like to go to the garden.” Another great sentence is “s'il te plaît, arrête là,” which means “please stop here.” Another sentence that could be helpful is “” which means “Pourriez-vous m'emmener à la tour Eiffel, s'il vous plaît?” Please do not underestimate the power of Google Translate. In Europe, it will always be your friend in case of doubt.
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