Serbia Scams: Tourist, Online & Investment Fraud Guide
A guide to scams in Serbia covering tourist fraud, online phishing and investment schemes, with guidance on reporting to Serbian authorities.
Emergency number: 192 (police), 112 (emergency) — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Serbia is a growing destination for digital nomads and tourists, with Belgrade and Novi Sad attracting increasing numbers of visitors — and a street-level scam scene that concentrates on arrival points. Unlicensed taxis at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla airport quoting several times the regulated fare are the most complained-about pattern, followed by rigged 'currency exchange' approaches near tourist zones, nightlife venues with undisclosed cover charges and inflated drink bills, and pickpocketing around Skadarlija and the markets. Use the airport's official taxi-voucher desk or a ride-hailing app and licensed exchange offices, and most of it disappears.
Online fraud has risen sharply: phishing impersonates Banca Intesa, Raiffeisen and other Serbian banks alongside Post of Serbia parcel-fee smishing, and the country's dominant classifieds platform KupujemProdajem is worked by fake 'buyers' sending counterfeit courier payment links and fake 'sellers' taking transfers for goods that never ship. Investment fraud advertised through cloned news portals and deepfaked public figures funnels victims to fake trading platforms, task scams recruited over Telegram and Viber escalate into deposits, and fake work-abroad agencies charge young Serbians for jobs in Germany or Austria that never materialise.
The Prosecutor for Hi-Tech Crime and the Ministry of Interior (MUP) are responsible for cybercrime, with cybercrime.rs providing a reporting platform — and because cybercrime is prosecuted ex officio, prosecutors can act without a victim's formal charges. Call your bank first when money has moved; the report follows.
Common scams
- Online investment and crypto fraud promoted through social media
- Phishing impersonating Serbian banks and payment services
- Romance scams targeting foreign visitors and online users
- Fake e-commerce and marketplace fraud
Tourist-specific scams
- Taxi overcharging particularly at Belgrade airport (Nikola Tesla)
- Fake currency exchange booths near tourist areas in Belgrade
- Overpriced drinks in nightlife venues with hidden cover charges
- Pickpocketing in Skadarlija and busy outdoor markets
Online shopping scams
- Phishing impersonating Banca Intesa, Raiffeisen and other Serbian banks
- Fake online classifieds and marketplace listings taking payment without delivering
- Parcel delivery smishing impersonating Post of Serbia
Job scams
- Fake overseas job ads targeting young Serbians seeking work abroad
- Task scams paying small amounts then demanding deposits to continue earning
- Bogus work-abroad agencies charging for German and Austrian placements that never come
Romance scams
- Long-running online relationships culminating in money transfer requests
- Pig-butchering investment scams initiated through dating apps or social media
- Hijacked messaging accounts asking the victim's contacts for urgent loans
Investment scams
- Fraudulent Forex and crypto platforms targeting Serbian investors
- Pyramid schemes exploiting social networks and community trust
- Cloned news portals and deepfaked public figures fronting fake trading sites
How to report a scam here
- Report cybercrime online at cybercrime.rs or to any police station — cases are forwarded to the Prosecutor for Hi-Tech Crime
- Call 192 or visit the nearest Ministry of Interior (MUP) station for urgent cases
- Contact your bank immediately to freeze accounts and dispute transactions
- Preserve all digital evidence — screenshots, transaction IDs and contact details
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Contact your bank immediately, using the number on your card or its official app. Explain that you were deceived into authorising the payment, ask for the account to be frozen, the transfer disputed and the receiving account reported, and make a note of the reference. IPS instant payments settle in seconds, so the first minutes matter most. Serbian banks are subject to National Bank of Serbia oversight and must investigate fraud complaints, so file a police case reference, either at cybercrime.rs or any station, and provide it to your bank. Mention any codes you passed on or remote-access sessions you allowed; card details entered on a fake courier page mean the card must be reissued and the charges disputed as chargebacks. Foreign visitors overcharged by card in venues can dispute those charges with their home issuer alongside a police report.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
How does Serbia handle cybercrime reporting?
Serbia prosecutes cybercrime ex officio — meaning the Prosecutor for Hi-Tech Crime can act without a formal victim complaint. You can report via cybercrime.rs or to any police station. The police are obliged to receive your report and forward it to the competent authority.
How do I avoid taxi scams at Belgrade airport?
Use the official taxi-voucher desk in the arrivals hall, which fixes the fare by zone before you get in, or book through a ride-hailing app. Drivers soliciting inside the terminal or at the kerb are the ones associated with fares several times the regulated rate.
What are the common KupujemProdajem scams?
Sellers receive links from fake 'buyers' claiming a courier service needs card details to deliver the payment — the page charges the card instead. Buyers get pushed to pay by direct transfer for items that never ship. Keep communication and payment inside the platform, and treat any external payment link as fraud.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance