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South Africa
21 scams
With wild natural beauty, legendary safaris and colorful cultural fabric, South Africa is the perfect destination for an adventure of a lifetime!
Unfortunately however, despite being one of the most beautiful countries in the world, it also has one of the higher rates of violent crime. Thus, one has to be careful here.
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 number
- Police: 10111
- Ambulance: 10177
- Cell phone emergency (note: you will face an automated menu first): 112
Trusted travel resources
Drink spiking in South Africa
8 3How it works: South Africa has one of the highest reported cases of rape, and much of it is due to spiked drinks, with Rohypnol commonly used. Besides sexually assaults,…
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Taxi scams in South Africa
7 3How it works: Version 1: official taxis have meters but some may refuse to use it and charge you an inflated flat fare. Version 2: if the meter is used,…
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Snatch thefts in South Africa
6 2How it works: Two versions: strike and run; distract and grab. Possible scenarios: Street, mall, shop, park, transportation hub: distracting and snatching from you, then escaping via a getaway car or…
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Unofficial guides robbery in South Africa
5 0How it works: Unofficial guides at tourist attractions are a dime a dozen around the world. However, in South Africa, some of these you find at national parks are actually…
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Currency switcheroo in South Africa
3 1How it works: When you pay, the cashier drops the cash received and then switch it with a smaller value note while picking them up. They then claim that you…
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Car window washer scam in South Africa
2 0How it works: Situation: in 2015, 550 such scammers were caught in 6 months! Opening: at a junction/car park, a local springs out of nowhere and starts wiping your car’s…
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Corrupt traffic police in South Africa
2 1How it works: Corrupt traffic police officers will accuse you of a crime and demand you pay a bribe. One such hotspot is near Kruger on the Panorama route, as…
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Price quote scams in South Africa
2 0How it works: Version 1: at street markets where goods do not have price tags, inflated prices are quoted based on how rich a vendor thinks you are. Version 2:…
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Pickpockets in South Africa
2 0How it works: Version 1: they work in a gang – one onlooker, one blocks, pushes, distracts, or engages you, one grabs and the final hides the loot under a…
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ATM skimming in South Africa
2 1How it works: Version 1: Card skimmer installed to capture your card details. Pinhole camera/keypad overlay installed to capture your PIN. Version 2: Card slot is rigged with a device…
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Fake police in South Africa
1 0How it works: Version 1: scammers posing as fake police stop you on the streets and ask for your visa and passport. They then hold them hostage while accusing you…
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Fake beggars, sob story scammers in South Africa
1 1How it works: Version 1: a local holding a bike helmet looking very upset approaches you and claims that his bike has ran out of gas and he does not…
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Vacation apartment scams in South Africa
1 0How it works: There have been both fake listings on legitimate sites as well as fake sites. Red flags: cheap prices, copy-pasted description, dodgy sounding reviews, difference in photos and…
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Unlicensed taxis in South Africa
1 0How it works: You may encounter these smartly dressed unlicensed taxi touts at the airport who offer to drive you into town for a cheap price. If you are lucky,…
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Timeshare scam in South Africa
1 0How it works: An agent approaches and offers a free prize such as a resort stay. To redeem it however, you have to attend a 90 minutes timeshare presentation which…
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