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Travelers Beware: Fake Louvre Tickets Being Sold

Posted November 26, 2013 by


The Louvre Museum is reporting that it is seeing better, and higher quality forged Louvre entry tickets in circulation. In August, one of the Louvre's busiest months, the staff noticed that dozens of Chinese tourists were using forged entry tickets, with obvious discrepancies such as the different ink and a lower paper quality.

Then later that month, markedly improved entry tickets showed up that were much more exact copies of the entry tickets, complete with the Louvre's own serial numbers incorporated. The counterfeiting trail even spread to Belgium, where officials seized over 4,000 forged tickets smuggled in a package which also happened to be from China.

The Louvre has also been troubled by a rash of ganged pickpockets that circulate and target the tremendous crowds of tourists, and even the museum staff. Parisian police report that the Louvre filed an official report demanding police action to help support the museum's security team, already understaffed to do budget cuts.

While these issues might seem worrisome to our valued guests that plan to visit the museum during a visit to Paris, one needn't be overly concerned. Instead, just follow these the below tips and you'll be well on your way to enjoying the world's most visited museum.

Tips to Stay Safe at the Louvre

1) Travel light. Don't bring your entire wallet with you to the Louvre - just take one or two bank cards, and a few euros to pay your entry fee and tip your guide (16 euro to visit the Louvre's massive collection). Also, keep your valuables in your front pocket, not your back pocket.

2) Don't purchase your entry tickets ahead of time unless you can verify their originality. When in doubt, simply purchase your ticket on the morning of your visit. In fact, you can purchase your official entry tickets at countless shops in Paris. FNAC and Ticketweb both sell valid tickets online although Ticketweb only mails to US and Canadian addresses.

3) Be aware. Remember, the Louvre is crowded. However, that doesn't mean you will be a victim of a pickpocket. Just be aware of people standing too close to you, or brushing up against you.

Remember, over 10 million people visit the Louvre each year! With the simplest of precautions, you can minimize your risk and make the most of your visit.


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