What tourist scams and areas should visitors avoid in Istanbul?

When buying an Istanbulkart from a machine, select Russian or English yourself and do not hand the card to strangers offering “help.” For getting around, use the metro, tram, and ferries where possible; if taking a taxi, book it through an app rather than flagging one down on the street.

Avoid accepting unsolicited street offers such as flowers, perfume sold informally, or helping a shoe shiner who appears to have dropped a brush. These encounters can lead to pressure selling or demands for payment from tourists.

Around Taksim and İstiklal, do not follow a stranger or promoter into an unnamed bar or club. Such venues may present tourists with hugely inflated drink bills; choose established places in advance and check menu prices before ordering.