Swindle in Budapest

[Alexander]

I come from Paris and with a friend we decided to spend few days in Budapest. The fist day, as we were walking down the main pedestrian street near the Café Anna, two girls talked to us asking if we knew an irish pub.

They said that there were students on holidays and they come from the south of Hungary. They were good looking, well weared but not sexy. One of the two girls was even pretty class. We talked with her ten minutes and we went to have a drink. The girls brought us to a place call Galaxia restaurant located very near. It look like a smart bar...in any cases not to a ladies bar. We drunk all together two beers, one cappuccino, one red bull and one little glass of cherry liquor

After one hour the waitress gave us the bill. We had to pay 44000 forints (180 euros). We said that it was much to expensive aund we asked for the price list without any result. We had an argument with the waitress and an other employee. After a while, we finally decided to pay and we said bye to the girls short time after getting out from the restaurant

The morning after, we came to the police to complain. The office is located in the tourism information center. The officer who took it knew the system and told us they were other bars in this kind in Budapest. The next day, we saw two italians who spent in the bar 240 euro for two bottles of wine. We all came back to the bar to have explanations. One of the italians was very angry. Police arrived but finally the result was zero.

We spent four days in Budapest and many times we saw two girls walking down the street trying to make the same swindle

Budapest is à nice city. Prefer Pest for the housing and to go out and Buda for the visit. Girls are prettier than in France or in England but thre is not much difference

[Northern lad]

The same thing happened to us in May 07. We were approached in the evening by two girls just by the Gerbaud restaurant. The girls originally asked us if we could tell them the time, then got chatting to us and asked if they could join us for dinner and said they knew a good place. They took us to the Galaxia, the girls led us straight in (we didn't even think about looking at the menu). We had food, drinks and then asked for the bill. The bill came to 220,000HUF (approx £600) for 4 meals and some drinks (not even wine!). The girls then said they had no money to pay. I spoke to who seemed to be the manageress and advised that the girls had brought us there and they had no money to pay. We said that we were not going to pay for them and didn't. In the end we asked the manageress to call the police. The girls at this point became quite uncomfortable and one of them even offered to pay for our meal. We ended up paying a small amount, which we felt was reasonable and left. It was quite clear that the girls worked for Galaxia. One of the girls was younger and seemed very genuine and very polite and pleasant, the other is older and although sociable, quite rude and mouthy. Watch out for this scam - the prices are extortionate and the girls are very convincing.

p.s although the manageress had said the police had been called, I don't believe they ever were!

[eddy]

Ha ha ha....

So funny to read it....men leading by his own dick !!!

[waffleking]

Exactly the same happened to me this may, I think it was on the 18th. That was also in the Galaxia Restaurant, in which I had to pay 34000HUF for half a litre of wine and two cappucino.

It seams to me this restaurant -which is actually not a really restaurant, but a ground floor with a scenery to make you believe, and a first floor were the the "real" action takes place, with you as the only guest- is becoming world famous. At least this

http://www.johnnyjet.com/Budapest-Bar-Scam.ht...

is what I found of an american tourist. Wouldn't it be a brilliant idea of including this place into a big TV show? ;-)

[Mike]

Yes, it has happened to me as well. A year or two ago, a tall girl (maybe 6'3), with long dark hair and her friend (shorter, with blonde hair) started talking to me as I left a shop. They were quite flirty and said they were from out of town. They said they wanted to go for a drink with me.

We went up some elevator in some side street and then into some reddish cheesy club. There was a hungarian woman singing, and the music was quite good and relaxing. We drank about 5 or six drinks each -some wine and just kept on drinking. I got them both quite drunk, even got to dance with the blonde and got a bit of a grab in there on the dancefloor. They seemed pretty much into me. We drank and drank and drank. I felt like a king. They were quite intelligent, and the blonde and the other one had some argument in Hungarian.. not sure, but it seemed something about me. THe one was going, "Awwwwwww".

Then I got bored with the place and suggested we go somewhere more lively. The bill came.. It was for 137 000 HUF.. I checked my wallet and pulled out some notes - maybe about 35 000 HUF.. I then did some conversions and realized that I was quite short of about $400.. opps. Still not sure its a con... Then we go back to the hotel (the one girl stayed behind, and the other went with me and the manageress), and I convert the rest of my holiday cash... and pay the bill. I could have easily bailed when I got to the hotel, but didn't.. dumb fool I am..

Like the foolish fool that I am, we went back and had some more expensive drinks after I paid the bill.. I figured it was expensive, but then the girls were hot and I wasn't thinking right.. Then we went to another place which was cheaper and I got them totalled with alcohol and played around with them a bit.. but not as much as I wanted..

Then I left.. got back to the hotel at about 7am, and slept the whole morning. When I woke in the afternoon, it all came together and it was then that I realized I had been conned...

Oh well, I hope those gals had a hell of a hangover... hahahaha

Just be wary - if its too good to be true, it probably is... and you wont get lucky - may come close...

Those girls are hard, and have no mercy.. Like Vampires...

[DBS]

I wish I had read this blog some days earlier.

Two friends of mine and myself just spent 4 days in Budapest.
We just wanted to have an ice cream on the main boulevard, when 2 girls asked us, if we have fire to light her cigarettes.
We started a short talk and they suggested to try a better ice cream instead and guided us to the GALAXIA.

The rest is pretty much the same story as above , we lost 600 Euro there for just some drinks and a dessert.

It is the first time ever that I was fooled like this.

Everything was arranged perfect for the swindle, the restaurant looked just usual,
everybody was friendly, there was no hint at all that it could be a swindle.

The two girls did a very professional job, so they appeared natural,intelligent and educated.
One of them claimed to be student to become an veterinarian, and she had some background of it when asking questions.

Here is a picture of them :
http://www.16-v.de/swindle_girls.jpg

It is hard to believe that they were talking so friendly, cute and funny ...and exactly knew that with every drink they ordered they caused us extreme costs.

Hope that helps to prevent other tourists to get ripped off.

Aside of that Budapest is a very nice city.

Greets
DBS

[nathan]

DBS wrote:

I wish I had read this blog some days earlier.
Two friends of mine and myself just spent 4 days in Budapest.
We just wanted to have an ice cream on the main boulevard, when 2 girls asked us, if we have fire to light her cigarettes.
We started a short talk and they suggested to try a better ice cream instead and guided us to the GALAXIA.
The rest is pretty much the same story as above , we lost 600 Euro there for just some drinks and a dessert.
It is the first time ever that I was fooled like this.
Everything was arranged perfect for the swindle, the restaurant looked just usual,
everybody was friendly, there was no hint at all that it could be a swindle.
The two girls did a very professional job, so they appeared natural,intelligent and educated.
One of them claimed to be student to become an veterinarian, and she had some background of it when asking questions.
Here is a picture of them :
http://www.16-v.de/swindle_girls.jpg
It is hard to believe that they were talking so friendly, cute and funny ...and exactly knew that with every drink they ordered they caused us extreme costs.
Hope that helps to prevent other tourists to get ripped off.
Aside of that Budapest is a very nice city.
Greets
DBS

I was in budapest last week and was approached by 2 girls who asked to borrow my map to locate a bar they heard about with live music. They told me they were from moscow but living in Enger in north Hungary and in town for a 3 day holiday. They invited me along and we ended up at Galaxia. After a total of 6 shots of polenka, 4 red bulls, 1 beer, 2 small bottles of sparkling wine and 2 cocktails they brought the bill and it was 101,000 forint. i was taken by the waitress and one of the girls to a cash machine. the whole thing happened so fast i didn't have time to think of what to do. I should have told them I'm not paying and to call the police on me. I don't know why I didn't demand the girls pitch in some money. It didn't really hit me that the girls were in on it till later. Why is this allowed to happen? Is this the Russian Mafia who runs this bar?

[puf]

I am really sorry about these cases as a Hungarian. The best you can do to scan the bills if you got any and after having scanned to post them to daily newspapers and Net portals like:
www.nol.hu
www.mno.hu
www.magyarhirlap.hu
www.hvg.hu
www.nepszava.hu
www.origo.hu
www.index.hu
www.kuruc.info
www.inforadio.hu

As I know there are some socalled "black-lists" in the UK and USA concerning to these kind of bars in the heart of Budapest.
However, the best way is always to ask for the menuecard and to keep it until leaving the place.

[A Fool]

I have the same thing happened to me. Check out the link below

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g274887-...

[jbs]

I have had exactly the same experience in Sept 2006. I was approached in the street by 2 girls claiming to be lost and asked for directions to find a bar. They were polite and after concluding they could not find the place they were looking for decided to go to the nearby bar for a drink and invited me along. The bar was of course Galaxia. When I went in they were very quick to serve us and I just ordered a beer and the two girls a red bull and a local shot. After the drinks arrived I started to feel a bit uneasy as the girls had been so quick to order and the drinks arrived so fast. I noticed the menu laid flat on the far side of the table so I took a look and saw the huge prices and semlt a rat. I think the beer worked out to be circa £15. I placed the menu back down on the table and contineud with my drink and tried to look unphazed. At this point, under the table, I slid my bank cards out thier holder in my wallet and into one of the concealed areas of my wallet. I then drank my drink, and requested the bill. The bill came to over £100 and obviously the girls only had a hand full of change each. I put down the correct amount of money for my drink and then started a polite argument that I was not prepred to pay the rest. The waitress kept leaving the table 'to allow use to discuss how to pay the bill'. when she came back I opened my wallet in full view and pulled out all the money I had and emtied the change in my pocket onto the table, which equated to just over £20. They started to question where my credit cards where and so I showed them an empty wallet. They then suggested that they must be in my hotel and were prepared to pay a taxi for me back to the hotel to collect them. I said I didn't travel with them and I had no more money until the following day when my 18 mates were arriving for a stag do. I think they started to give up on me as a bad job and when the waitress left the table for our next round of 'think about how you will pay the bill' I decided to make a swift exit. In the upstairs there was only the waitress, two other woman and then one at the bottom of the stairs. As the scam evolved I was waiting for a massive guy to come and 'persuade' me to pay the bill, but such a person was not on the scene. I managed to get out no problem and on reflection counted myself very lucky. Some of my mates were staying in a hostel directly opposite this bar and they said they saw several guys running out of the place.
Sadly this really tarnished my view of such a stunning city and I now always tell people not to go to Hungary. Its a shame these guys spoil it for those who are trying to make an honest living from tourism in the city.

[pesky]

you had better be careful on your hungarian trips, or you will go home in a box.

[GALAXIA]

WE STAY WITH A FRIEND IN BUDAPEST, A GIRL SAY HELLO WALKING IN THE STREET, AND WE INVITE HER TO HAVE SOMENTHING TO DINNER, SHE SAID THE HER NAME WERE VANESA, SHE WER BLOND AND TELL US SHE WAS BORN IN BRATISLAVA. SHE SAID US THAT SHE KNOW A RESTAURANT CALLED GALAXIA VERY CHEAPEST, WE GO THERE, WE ORDERED 2 SALADS, SALAMI PLATE, 4 VODKA WITH FANTA, AND 2 JACK DANIELDS WITH COCKE, WHEN WE ASK FOR THE BILL,,,, 100.000 FT (400 EUR), I CAN´T BELEIEVE, ONE COKE FOR EXAMPLE COST 4000 FT (16 EUR) AND THE JACK DANIELDS SHOT 4000 FT (16 EUR),,,WE SEE THAT THE GIRL WHO COME WITH US, WORKS IN THIS RESTAURANT CALL GALAXIA, WE WOULDN´T PAY THE BILL AND SUDENLY A WOMAN, I SUPOSED THE BOSS, PHONE TWO HUGE MEN, THEY KICK US AND PUSHING UP TO THE INTERIOR OF THE RESTAURANT WITHOUT SPEAKING, OF COURSE, WE PAY THE BILL,,,
BE CAREFULL IF YOU VISIT BUDAPEST AND GALAXAI RESTAURANT,,,,SEE THE MENU, AND BE CAREFULL WITH THE DRINKS, THEY KNOW THAT USUALLY THE PEOPLE DON´T THINK THAT A FANTA WILL COST 16 EUR,

[Piglet]

as a hungarian i am really sorry to read these above, it seems you all were lead to the same restaurant, so i ask you all, please do not judge the whole country just by this one place

[Thomas312]

pesky wrote:

there are people around that make living out of enticement of an easy prey.., but one should be aware of those prices before entering a dubiuos outfit !
to blame all goulash makers...?

There are stories of this in every country.

[Mark]

Same thing happened to me last week (Apr 08). I was on my way back to my hotel on foot when 2 girls (Claudia and Victoria) asked me if I knew Budapest as they were looking for a bar. I suggested the pub I had just passed but they insisted they were looking for a particular Hungarian place with live music. I said I didn't know the town but that I had a map. They looked for the road Becs Utca, found it and said they were going for a drink, would I like to join them for a beer. I said no at first, but they said just one so I went along with them.
We arrived at the bar and they asked the lady downstairs where the music was and up we went to sit at a table at the back in the corner.
First round was palinka and a bottle of red wine. Then they ordered red bull, whisky and coke each and I had a beer. Then they said they were hungry and ordered a massive plate of cold cuts, cheese etc. The small blonde one pigged herself on it while the other picked at it; they both tried to convince me to have some too but I had just eaten. They seemed very eager for me to try some. I guess they realised I had had enough and made a signal to the waitress who then placed the bill in front of me. That was the first thing that seemed strange - why had she made such a point of giving me the bill and not asked who was paying what. I soon realised I didn't have the money (80,000 ft) and wanted to pay with a card but they accept cash only. I was accompanied to the ATM to withdraw the cash and then went back to the bar to pay. The three of us left the bar together; me to go back to my hotel and them to catch the bus home. We said good-bye normally as the fact that they were involved in the scam had not yet hit me. I just thought they had been as unaware of the prices as I had been. Their crocodile tears on parting mad sure of that.
It wasn't until the morning that things fell into place and I realised how easy to swindle I had been. The signs are there, you just need to seem them.

[duen]

Guys, these stories are unfortunately true, I can say not only in Hungary, but generaly in Middle Europe.
Mark is rigth signs are there, just be carefull.
You would do better to ask the drink menu where you can see the prices.

Just for Pesky, the same happened with me in Slovakia, almost 2 times. But second times I asked the drink menu and found out, that a Tequila coctail cost 2000SKK.
It was not on the list but was added by handwriting.

And of course those swindle girls find the most expensive drinks.

[Dave]

Mark wrote:

Same thing happened to me last week (Apr 08). I was on my way back to my hotel on foot when 2 girls (Claudia and Victoria) asked me if I knew Budapest as they were looking for a bar. I suggested the pub I had just passed but they insisted they were looking for a particular Hungarian place with live music. I said I didn't know the town but that I had a map. They looked for the road Becs Utca, found it and said they were going for a drink, would I like to join them for a beer. I said no at first, but they said just one so I went along with them.
We arrived at the bar and they asked the lady downstairs where the music was and up we went to sit at a table at the back in the corner.
First round was palinka and a bottle of red wine. Then they ordered red bull, whisky and coke each and I had a beer. Then they said they were hungry and ordered a massive plate of cold cuts, cheese etc. The small blonde one pigged herself on it while the other picked at it; they both tried to convince me to have some too but I had just eaten. They seemed very eager for me to try some. I guess they realised I had had enough and made a signal to the waitress who then placed the bill in front of me. That was the first thing that seemed strange - why had she made such a point of giving me the bill and not asked who was paying what. I soon realised I didn't have the money (80,000 ft) and wanted to pay with a card but they accept cash only. I was accompanied to the ATM to withdraw the cash and then went back to the bar to pay. The three of us left the bar together; me to go back to my hotel and them to catch the bus home. We said good-bye normally as the fact that they were involved in the scam had not yet hit me. I just thought they had been as unaware of the prices as I had been. Their crocodile tears on parting mad sure of that.
It wasn't until the morning that things fell into place and I realised how easy to swindle I had been. The signs are there, you just need to seem them.

I have read so many of these stories since getting back from Budapest 6 weeks ago. Virtually identical in every detail happened to me, except, in my case I did a runner when we went outside to get money from the ATM. My bill was 45,000HUF for a bottle of wine, 3 red bull and a shooter each among 3 of us (two rip off girls). Glad to say I had my drinks and escaped with all my cash and camera and didn't give them a cent

[Dave]

I have read so many of these stories since getting back from Budapest 6 weeks ago (June 08). Virtually identical in every detail happened to me, except, in my case I did a runner when we went outside to get money from the ATM. My bill was 45,000HUF for a bottle of wine, 3 red bull and a shooter each among 3 of us (two rip off girls). Glad to say I had my drinks and escaped with all my cash and camera and didn't give them a cent

[messalina]

Same thing happened to a friend of mine in Romania,in Cluj a few years ago,so my advise to all you guys is to stay away from this tipe of girls and please do look at the prises before you order.Also have a calculater with you to figure out exactly how much is everything in dollars or euros.Lots of places the tip is also already included.

[pesky]

if i may, next time stay away from brothels, but visit reputable establishments instead !