Havana is a beautiful city and on the whole, it is very safe. However, the Cuban people are living in a struggling economy. A report by the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) concluded that more than 72% of Cuban people are actually living below the poverty line. If you decide to visit you may notice there are plenty of scams in Havana.

Fake cigars, fake cash and fake taxi drivers are just a few of the things you need to look out for when you visit Havana.

Here are some of the common scams you may encounter while you visit this city…

Fake Cigars

This is a huge issue in Havana! 

Everyone knows the Cubans love their cigars, but unfortunately, there’s a fair share of fake ones in circulation.

There are a couple of common stories that should act as red flags for you:

• If anyone mentions a cigar festival and tells you to buy today for half-price boxes, run!
• If people tell you about a ‘cooperativo’ of local families who pool their cigars together to sell in boxes – this is also a scam.

Real cigars are only sold in dedicated cigar shops. No one should be trying to sell you them on the street. If you want cigars, head to ‘La Casa del Habano’.

Fake Money scams Havana

The currency in Cuba is an ongoing issue that continues to confuse even the Cubans!

At the time of writing, the Cuban Peso and the USD are the two main currencies. Most cafes, restaurants and shops will accept both. Though, the price may be slightly different depending on which currency you choose to pay in.

Before we left the UK we bought both USD and Cuban Peso, however, we quickly regretted converting any pounds into pesos! The exchange rate we got at home was much much lower than what we would have got if we took pounds to Cuba!

As the USD/EUR/GBP is so valuable to Cubans, you will usually get a much better exchange rate if you change your home currency to Pesos in Havana. 

However, a note on exchanging money after you get there…

It is generally better to exchange money in restaurants/hotels/cafes, just to be sure you aren’t getting any counterfeit currency. You might find people asking you to change money in the street, but we don’t advise this. 

Also, if you are going to exchange USD/EUR/GBP it is worth asking around a few places to find the best rate. As of October 2023, 210-230 Pesos to 1 USD was considered a good rate. 

Few places accept card, and the ATMs in Havana are notorious for running out of money/offering terrible exchange rates, so it’s a good idea to take enough cash with you to last your trip. And, it’s also a good idea to spend any Pesos before you leave! If you try to exchange these back to your home currency, you will most likely lose out on a lot of money.

Fake Friendliness

Don’t get us wrong, there are some nice people in Havana who genuinely want to help you. However, we found that many people acted friendly but in the long run, they were looking for something else! 

People will stop you in the street to make small talk, but this small talk will eventually result in them asking for money or clothes or for you to buy them things.

They might also offer to take you to a specific restaurant/bar/cafe, telling you how great it is and that it’s a ‘must visit’, however, chances are they get a commission if you make a booking/buy something there!

If someone tries to stop you in the street, politely tell them no thank you and move on.

Fake Taxi scams Havana

This one isn’t a huge issue in Havana, but it is always something you should look out for. Before you get in a taxi, always agree on a price upfront. The taxis in Havana don’t use the meter, so it’s best to ask before you get in. When we visited (October 2023) the price for a taxi from the airport to the Havana city centre was between $20 – $25 USD.

So…

Havana is a beautiful city at its heart, but it is definitely surrounded by some areas that are a little more rough around the edges. Just keep your street smarts in mind and politely decline anyone who offers you things on the street, whether that’s cigars, money, or services!

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