Prague has always been a magnet for Brit stag parties offering cheap booze and bustling nightlife – but it has dark side for unsuspecting lads.
But the Czech capital is also earning a darker reputation as a hotbed of scams and ripoffs – with unscrupulous cub owners and taxi triggers thing advantage of tipsy tourists to earn a quick buck.
Investigator Conor Woodman travelled to “Europe’s Golden City,” where he says some of the most dangerous scam artists prey on unsuspecting visitors.
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It starts with a cab ride, Conor says: “Not all taxi cabs in Prague are playing by the same rules if you get the wrong one you could end up paying three times the going rate”.
But taking the taxi driver’s recommendations for a great night out can leave you even poorer.
“I've been in a bar or two before,” says Connor, “and something's not quite right about the way this beautiful young woman has just come over to me – I'm usually not this lucky!”
The very friendly young woman – who gave her name as Michelle – was keen to engage Conor in conversation, and led him into a dingy back room for a more private chat. It was at that point that things took a terrifying turn.
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Conor was violently attacked by a burly minder: “If you want something from her,” the thug told him, “then you give me €500”.
As the Irish journalist tried to defuse the situation, the club minder continued: “This is my b**ch. Five hundred Euros”.
Conor was told “No sex. Only speak. Pay money”.
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“I'm afraid this guy will hit me again unless I pay 500 euros for talking to his girl,” Conor said. “Maybe I’m getting out of my depth here. This is gangsterism and extortion”.
The confusion was heightened by a lightning police raid in which officers demanded Conor’s name before disappearing as quickly as they arrived.
It took him a while – and a hefty cash payment – before he managed to extricate himself from the club bouncers’ clutches.
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And the torment still wasn’t quite over, with the same taxi driver that had delivered Conor to the “clip joint” demanding six times as much to take him back to his hotel.
The city is renowned for its architecture and rich culture.
But to the unwary, a visit to Prague can turn into a dangerous and very expensive night out.
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