A Brit living in Benidorm has issued an urgent sunbed warning for visitors heading to the Spanish resort this year, urging them to stay alert.
Benidorm remains hugely popular with British tourists thanks to its affordability and lively atmosphere, making it ideal for stag and hen dos. In certain spots, you can grab a pint for under a quid, while the seafront heaves with holidaymakers — predominantly from the UK — even during May before peak season properly kicks off.
But while it might seem like pure fun and frolics, Harry Poulton, who’s now based in Benidorm, has cautioned that scammers are everywhere, eager to swindle unsuspecting tourists out of their cash.
Harry, who shares updates on TikTok @harrytokky, urged people to “listen up,” as he exposed a “new scam in Benidorm”.
He said: “Oh no, there’s a new scam in Benidorm, let’s talk about it! This is a warning for anyone coming out to Benidorm: make sure to listen up”.
Harry described it as a “very silly scam,” saying people should make sure they don’t “fall victim” to it, while acknowledging it’s “easily done” if you’re unaware.
“I would probably fall for it,” he confessed, before revealing what the scam actually involves. Harry continued: “Behind me is a huge range of sunbeds here in Benidorm.
“And, to get one, you have to pay €6 (£5.22). Now, if anyone comes up to you and says, ‘You wanna pay for a sunbed?’ then you’ve got to make sure that they are the real sunbed inspectors.
“Now, when you’re paying, they will give you a ticket. If they don’t give you a ticket, you are being scammed”.
Harry explained that it’s “very important that you get a ticket, because without a ticket, when the real sunbed inspector comes around, you could technically get a fine, or you could just end up having to pay again,” which nobody wants since “you don’t wanna be caught out”.
He acknowledged it’s “only a small amount of money,” but stressed that when “you’re on holiday, it all adds up”.
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Harry warned: “You don’t want to be paying twice for sunbeds to some random stranger on the Benidorm beach, who is taking advantage of your hard-earned cash”.
One viewer noted that “that scam was on an episode of Benidorm in season one or two,” though another countered that “not everybody has seen that show”.
This isn’t the only insight Harry has recently shared about Benidorm. In another recent video, he was left stunned by just how packed Benidorm had become, claiming there was “nowhere to go” due to the sheer number of holidaymakers flocking to the beachfront.