Traveler got into a fake taxi moments after landing in Paris — one clever lie helped him escape the scam and get home safely
Landing in a new country can be stressful, especially when you are tired and trying to find your way out of an airport. For content creator Ryan, that confusion took a worrying turn shortly after he arrived in Paris. He followed the airport signs for taxis but ended up getting into a car that was not a real cab. Moments later, one quick decision helped him avoid what could have become an expensive scam. The incident was shared on June 11, 2026, under the handle @hello.ryasal on Instagram, as he recalled how quickly things went wrong.
Ryan said the airport announcements warned travelers not to accept rides from strangers and directed them toward the taxi area. He followed the path but stopped before reaching its end, where several drivers approached him. One man was persistent and convinced him that he was an official driver. The content creator eventually followed him to a dirty old car parked away from other taxis. Once the ride began, Ryan felt something was wrong and, realizing he might be getting scammed, he immediately told the driver he had only €60 (approximately $70) in cash and no cards, a claim that clearly changed the driver's attitude.
That decision gave the man a way to limit what the driver could demand, but the situation still became more uncomfortable. Around ten minutes into the journey, the driver started a fare calculator on his phone. Ryan knew airport rides to central Paris had fixed fares of about €65, while the meter already showed around €40. He realized the amount could rise far beyond the normal price during the remaining drive.
Ryan then looked up the emergency number before telling the driver he had no credit cards and could only pay €60 in cash. The driver immediately questioned him and suggested taking the content creator to an ATM, but the man repeated that his cards were with his mother, whom he was meeting. The driver then went quiet. After another silence, the driver said he would take him home. The rest of the journey was less tense as the two spoke about French and American dating cultures. Still, Ryan's experience showed travelers should be cautious and avoid being taken advantage of in an unfamiliar city.
Being alert in such situations can help people avoid falling for scams. The same applies to scam calls, where staying calm allows them to think clearly and avoid giving the caller what they want. In one such case, an elderly woman handled a fake official with a surprisingly simple response. The caller claimed she was connected to an illegal shipment and demanded a large payment. Rather than argue or answer his questions, she kept thanking him for supposedly stopping the package. At one point, she said, "Thank you for doing that!" Her repeated response eventually left the scammer confused and unable to continue his usual script.
For more interesting stories, follow @hello.ryasal on Instagram.