Scams abound in Prague, but you’ll be happy to know there’s a way to fight back. If you’ve encountered waiters who added phantom meals to your bill, restaurants who voluntarily determine the tip by adding it to the bill, taxi drivers who overcharge or hotels that treat you badly, call the Czech Retail Inspection Office (COI).

The COI may not be able to help in your individual case (though showing this text box to the hustler in question might have an effect), but they can send out inspectors and can prevent it happening to others. Be sure to keep the receipt or note the details of the company involved when lodging a complaint.

Some basic consumer rules:
- all goods have to be clearly labelled, also at markets.
- all vendors must be able to give you a proper receipt.
- taxis must display their rates and are obliged to use their metres, and must be able to print out a receipt for you.
- all restaurants must publish all costs, must acquaint you beforehand of any cover charge and may not include tips.
- different prices for foreigners are illegal.

Czech Retail Inspection Office (Ceska Obchodne Inspektce), Štěpánská 15, tel. 296 36 62 19, info@coi.cz, www.coi.cz.