A new survey found that a significant number of Americans lie about being from the United States when they’re abroad.
Send My Bag, an international shipping and relocation company, found that a whopping 44% of Americans lie about their nationality while abroad. The company, which conducted the study, pulled data from 1,000 Americans between 18 and 45.
What Else Did The Study Share About Americans Abroad?
The study was first reported on by USA TODAY. The publication didn’t disclose whether the survey provided any information on how or if Americans mask their accents and telltale habits. However, Send My Bag’s founder and CEO, Adam Ewart, did provide insight as to why nearly half of the survey participants start telling stories once they’re out of the U.S.
The reason why travelers are fibbing about where they’re from isn’t a shock. Whether it’s to avoid being stereotyped or facing biases from locals in their destinations, many Americans think lying is the best way to avoid drama.
“It’s not uncommon to tell small lies to avoid awkward conversations, and what we’re seeing here is young Americans choosing to blend in while traveling, opting to focus on their experience rather than being asked for their opinion on the administration’s policies,” Ewart wrote in an email to USA TODAY. “Europe is a top destination for Americans. They go for the food, culture, and history, not to have a conversation about whether Greenland is about to be annexed.”
“To reduce tension and deflect any potential confrontations, Americans may make the choice to pass for another nationality,” Ewart noted.
Lying about their nationality isn’t the only alleged bad habit of American travelers. In 2024, one study claimed that 41.3% of tourists admitted to cheating on their significant other while on vacation. Additionally, 56.5% of participants in that study reported experiencing “tourist syndrome,” a phenomenon in which people have a “greater inclination to misbehave or be rude on vacation.”
