Vlog 13- Scam in Pushkar– How to avoid being scammed 💰💵

PUSHKAR Priest Scams – How to avoid being scammed Sadly the downside to Pushkar are the many fake priests who prey on tourists. If you would like to take part in a puja blessing ceremony our advice would be to only use someone who has been recommended. Fake priests lure tourists down to the lake for a blessing in return for huge sums of money. They do this in three main ways: They will approach you with a simple invitation to the lake to be blessed, but after the ‘blessing’ will demand a large donation and a tip. Another tactic is they will insist you need to wear a red string or ribbon on your wrist to enter the ghats to get to the lake – it’s not true they are all free to enter. Or they will try the flower scam – offering or forcing a flower in your hand as a welcome gift to be blessed by the water. Don’t accept any petals or flowers – it’s a scam! We got hassled by a few people which wasn’t great. Including one guy who tried to put a flower in our hands, we said no with clenched fists and he aggressively said back to us “it’s not a bomb!” we knew what he was up to. The main way to stop getting hassled is to wear a wristband made of yellow and red string. It shows people you have already been blessed and the fake priests should leave you alone. If you don’t want to have a blessing, it’s still worth wearing a wristband – ask at your hotel. Some places will offer bands to their guests to avoid the pushy Pushkar so-called priests.