Train boarding scam in Rome Termini

I don't get it: why did you tip 'em if you didn't want to?

Just FYI, if you're traveling on Trenitalia, don't ever expect their employees to offer you help, if they do, they're scammers. They won't lift a finger if they don't have to. On the other hand, Italo employees are very polite and offer help

Good question about the tip. I finally decided that they had carried our luggage and put it in the luggage rack which was a service even if dishonest. They were also very intimidaring. Two other families in our train car fell for the same scam.

Nothing has changed. This "assistance" has been around for years. It is not a scam. If a hotel porter helps you in the US, a tip is expected. If you don't want the help, say no! Why was the service dishonest?

You know, even if the help offered had been an "official" employee, with all the necessary credentials, I'm betting you would have tipped him. So where's the scam?

At least we can now defend Naples, where the Bogus Porters are generally elderly pensioners, not likely to beat you up if you don't tip them. So Naples is neither unique, nor as "bad" as some posters say. Does anyone remember bogus taxi aides at Port Authority Bus Terminal, NYC?

Whoa guys, I don't remember the OP saying they asked for help finding their seat or carrying their bags, they just asked someone the destination of the train (which I have done many times just to make sure I was getting on the right train). If the 'helpers' just took their bags and found their car and seat for them without being asked - sorry no tip required. I have seen 'help' like this offered by someone just grabbing your bag out of your hand and you're helpless but to follow them. If, on the other hand, the OP did ask for help finding their seat and accepted an 'offer' to carry their bags, then yes they should tip them just as we would tip a hotel or train porter in the US.

Regardless of whether this should be characterized as a "scam", it's still a good reminder to people of what to expect esp. at the major train stations in Italy. Forewarned is forearmed. You can always say, "Grazie. No." and don't let them take your bags. If they start to take your bags anyway (not very likely), stop them and keep saying "No." Look very determined and they'll leave you alone.

(FWIW, "No" in Italian sounds much more like the English word "gnaw" than the word "know".)

The only way they could be led to the correct seat in the correct car is if the person had the tickets, yes?

Don't be so hard on yourself Barb. I was at Firenze SMN Sunday morning when signs warned of an hour delay due to system failure. But upon checking the departure board I saw that the only cancellations were Regionale. That's the clue to upgrade to a Fast train immediately. Go get your number and stand in line at the ticket office right away to exchange tickets. Always have enough cash on you to avoid the vortex of cancellations. Otherwise, like you said, you endured two cancellations, wasted time and got tired.

If you don't want to stand in line for an Agent, use the ticket machines and buy a new ticket. There's a loss on the Regionale ticket, but you keep yourself together, you own your time, and your confidence is intact and you keep your Mojo.

Keep both tickets and later see if you can obtain a refund on the canceled train ticket, if you have the time to wait in line.

2nd class reserve between Firenze and Roma is 42 Euro, First class 63 Euro. There were some seats available in First class. Nice plush seats, roomy, quiet spacious cars, you can save the time, get the rest you need, and be at your destination in 1 and 1/2 hours. The diner car, which is # 5, serves caffe', pastries, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. I got 2 glasses of that OJ Sunday morning and felt really good.

Edit: i was using the ticket machines at Termini this morning and noticed an option allowing for ticket exchange. It took me to a screen where you can either type in the PNR # of the original ticket or place the face of that ticket right on the screen. Amazing. You don't have to stand in line and wait for an Agent.

Doesn't really sound like a "scam" to me, just somebody trying to make a living off the grid in an era of high unemployment, although I will reserve final judgement until you might describe "thug-like" in more detail. It's fortunate that this fellow just carried your luggage off to your own train and seat, rather than some other undisclosed location.

As a rule of thumb I don't accept unsolicited help. You can ask where to go to find your train car and when they offer to carry your luggage say no Grazie! Keep in mind that the cars are numbered by class, then car, then cabin, then seat, and it is always possible to find it on your own! If the person get pushy when you say no, use your disappointed parent face and say "I said no and I meant it". Believe me anger translates! I got into such a habit of nicely saying no to everything in Europe; because it was often something I did not want, could do myself or was a scam. There are always exceptions to this rule so use your best judgment. Usually the only free help you will get is with the little things...you could not figure out how to insert your metro ticket in the machine. You get off your at your stop and can't find the hostel (people will point out the direction of the hostel to obviously lost students wearing backpacks.) You have been standing in the same spot for a while looking lost and desperate. If you are doing something that is unsafe locals will tell you "don't do that"! Always listen if a local tells you not to go there. If in doubt ask at your hotel or Tourism Information office. Help offered in concentrated tourist places I always consider more suspiciously / carefully (ex: airports, train stations, sights). These types of places usually have an information or customer service desk with staff that is paid to help tourists. So why is someone just standing there offering help?! They want something from you or they would have a job somewhere else and not be just standing on a train platform pressuring tourists into tips for luggage carries.

However, when I traveled in Turkey I was suspicious of the help offered there and should not have been. If you are going to Turkey (traveling outside of Istanbul) and someone offers to carry your luggage to your bus, then they are working for tips; if you say yes have a small tip ready (it is not a scam is it culturally acceptable)! If you don't want help say "hayır teşekkür ederim" and they will bug you no more. If someone in a suit asks you if they can help you find the correct bus, then they likely work for one of the bus companies. Ask who they work for and when the next bus leaves. Make sure to let them know if you need to leave later or have certain times you are looking for and they will even help you book with a different company if their bus company times are not convenient. I usually give a small tip if they helped us purchase from a company that they did not work for, because they went out of their way to help.

I too am familiar with this ploy. Heard about it a number of times, experienced it once. Usually there is some pressure, not a polite "May I help you?" but rather seemingly official dress, hint that you are missing your train or heading the wrong way, etc. Tipping?, bit of a play on "tourist" sympathies, not many positions working in a train station in Europe (maybe if there are any toilet ladies left) would expect or solicit tips, certainly not be insistent, certainly not demand (as a number of people have said in earlier posts) 5 to 10 euro.

To compare to other instances that people have compared to scams:
People offering flowers, candy, bracelets, etc (think Sacre Coeur String Bracelet Guys) as a "gift" then demanding an oversized fee
People soliciting "petition" signatures then a "donation"
Street performers demanding large sums for taking pictures (posed or not) (Think Gladiators)

That all said, I do agree with those that indicate you should take any offer of help with suspicion, payment expected, negotiate payment up front, etc...don't expect something for nothing...but then that is the root of all scams.

In your case Barb, tossing the guy a euro coin or two is worth much more than aggravating yourself by arguing, threatening, or yelling, take it as a lesson learned, thanks for helping others be more informed.

Jusr an edit....of the "scams" listed here... http://www.quora.com/What-is-a-scam-that-everyone-needs-to-be-warned-about about a quarter of the ones listed fall into this category.

Termini is notorious for having people hanging around and offering to "help" you with the ticket machines or your bags. Generally it seems they are not scammers or thieves, just down-on-their-luck people looking to make some tip money with an effort above that of just begging. If you say "NO!" they should go away though you might have to be firm with some. If you allow them to help you - and they often proceed as if you allowed them until they hear a sharp "no" - then it is expected that you would tip them something.

Don't fret that you "fell for it," it wasn't a scam per-se. As others have noted, any official employee helping the same way would have expected an tip too.

@Sara, I traveled in Turkey for seven weeks and only carried my bag once; no one expected or asked for a tip. The dolmus driver in Istanbul made sure another passenger got off at my stop and walked me toward the museum.

Turkey is by far the most hospitable country I've ever visited - hospitality to strangers is seen as an obligation, not a scam.

Particular thanks to Sara and all the positive people here for all of their helpful replies. My purpose in writing the post was to warn other gullible people like me, not to paint a negative picture of a whole city as some have implied. The thug-like behavior consisted of demanding 10 Euros each (which they did not get) and acting threatening when I offered them a few Euros.

The thug-like behavior consisted of demanding 10 Euros each (which they did not get) and acting threatening when I offered them a few Euros.

That is certainly above and beyond appropriate behavior and you were right in feeling that it was more scam-like. A euro or two would seem appropriate for their "help."

@ Douglas: I don't know, I saw a self-employed porter hauling four 28" and four 22" suitcases; I think that was worth at least 10E.

This is, hopefully, going to be my last comment on this subject. However, I just wanted to let you know that our luggage consisted of small suitcase each (size that could be taken on an airplane) and one very small carry on each.

Posing as a train worker and then harassing someone for money constitutes a scam, in my opinion. Yes, a lot of people are aware of this arrangement and either say no or decide to accept the help and prepare themselves to pay. But it is still a scam.

Honest workers do not misrepresent themselves, take your bags without really asking and just act like it is the norm, or demand a certain amount for a tip. An actual porter at hotel/airport/train station will ask you if you need help, expect a 1-2 euro per bag tip, but leave you alone if you choose not to tip. And while I always tip, a new traveler may not realize this is what is expected. Therefore he/she wouldn't say no when offered help.

I think this is what that post about the forums being a nice place was taking about. A new poster has come to the forums and tried to post something helpful. And people are telling her she is wrong. Well, her opinion is valid. And I agree with her. Since it is difficult to search the previous posts, she wouldn't know this has already been discussed (several times, actually). Although a lot of seasoned travelers are aware of this situation, it doesn't make it "old news" or unworthy of a word of caution.

where are the legit train workers? I would think its pretty easy to spot the thugs

I was taking a train a couple of years ago from Termini
to Civitavecchia and had been dreading boarding the
train with a 24 or 26 inch bag. Suddenly a young lady
came along and help me with the bag and I was so
relieved. I had some coins to tip her and in my opinion
it was worth it. If there were train porters I would have
tipped them for their service. I didn't feel harassed in
the least. It's funny how some expected problems have
an unexpected solution.