Menu swaps are brutal in Kaleiçi's labyrinth streets and old harbor restaurants - though gems exist if you spot the red flags. Classic move: sidewalk board shows döner 35TL, you sit down near Hadrian's Gate area and inside menu charges 120TL for same dish. Always photograph that outside menu. Non-negotiable.

Watch for "ikram" (complimentary) traps. Bread basket hits your table uninvited in those Kaleiçi marina spots, suddenly 75TL appears on bill. Mystery meze sampler? Another 120TL. Question everything that arrives without asking. Legit places say "ikram" and mean it.

Currency scam during payment is savage around Tekeli Mehmet Paşa Mosque area. Agree price in Turkish Lira, they swipe your card in EUR at highway-robbery exchange rates - stealing 15-20%. Always specify "Türk Lirası" and watch that payment terminal before PIN entry. EUR insistence? Walk.

Fake tour guides swarm Hadrian's Gate triumphal arch and Archaeological Museum entrance offering "VIP Perge-Aspendos tours" for 300-600TL. Zero credentials, wrong Roman history, aggressive tip demands. Ministry of Tourism licensed guides carry photo ID. Demand to see it.