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Kenya
24 scams
Located in the stunning East African Rift Valley, Kenya is one of the best places globally to explore gorgeous wildlife such as at world class game reserves like the Maasai Mara.
However, there are quite a number of tourist targeted scams to watch out for.
Note: vast majority of trips are trouble free and there is no need to be paranoid. That said, it always pays to be aware, careful, and prepared.
Emergency numbers
- Police, ambulance, fire: 112/999
- Tourist helpline: 02-604767
Travel resources
Cheap safari tours in Kenya
8 0How it works: Opening: you may encounter street touts or “beach boys” going by the title “Captain” offering you cheap safari tours. Scam 1: they play on the late entry…
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Hell’s Gate National Park scams in Kenya
6 0How it works: Scam 1: you can rent bikes from the park, but your driver claims that you can’t and so brings you to another overpriced bike shop where he…
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Fake tour operators in Kenya
6 0How it works: There have been cases of fraudulent online tour companies or street touts offering safari tours in Kenya. After you pay, transport arrangements are made but on the…
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Invalid train ticket scam in Kenya
6 0How it works: Situation: there have been many cases of invalid train tickets sold, especially for connecting trains. Set-up: when tickets are handed to you, a valid ticket is usually…
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Maasai Market middlemen scam in Kenya
4 0How it works: The Maasai Market is flooded with aggressive thugs posing as sellers or working as middlemen. Once you reach, they will latch on to you. They will charge…
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Fake online visa application site in Kenya
3 0How it works: There are fake websites used to con those seeking visas to Kenya. Not only do they charge almost 3 times the normal visa fee of $50 and…
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Beach boys in Kenya
2 1How it works: Along the coast in Mombasa, you will almost definitely encounter beach boys. Some are friendly and will do a great job helping you, some are on drugs,…
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Carjacking in Kenya
2 2How it works: Situation: in Nairobi alone, there are about 10 vehicle hijackings a day (stolen to commit armed robbery). Version 1: criminals set up a fake road block. Version…
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Overcharging boda-bodas in Kenya
2 1How it works: Boda bodas are motorcycle taxis that are common in East Africa. Most are fine, but there may be some who operate the standard transportation scam and charge…
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Fake gold scam in Kenya
2 1How it works: Situation: this is a scam targeted at foreigners, but not necessarily at tourists. It has cme into fore in mid-2019 where large amounts were swindled off foreigners,…
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M-PESA scam in Kenya
2 2How it works: Someone calls you about having sent you some money by mistake through the Safaricom mobile transfer system M-PESA. They then ask you to check your messages where…
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Credit card skimming in Kenya
2 0How it works: Situation: the vast majority of tourists would probably not fall for this but on the off-chance that you do, you need to know how to spot the…
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Fake beggars in Kenya
2 5How it works: These are usually middle class kids or adults out to earn a quick buck, or people from other countries (e.g. Tanzania, India) smuggled by criminal groups into…
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Snatch thefts in Kenya
2 1How it works: Street, mall, shop, park: distracting and snatching from you, then escaping via a getaway car or down a street corner. Boda-boda/bike: riding past with a pillion rider doing the…
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Corrupt police in Kenya
1 0How it works: Traffic police: a corrupt officer accuses you of speeding (note that speed limits are not shown here). If you refuse to pay a bribe, your car keys…
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