Tourists in all countries can fall for a scammer, alas, Sri Lanka is no exception. Lankans are mostly friendly, affable and good-natured, they are also called smiling people. But still, unfortunately, there are other characters. Therefore, I think it is important to familiarize you with the list of the main potential fraudulent schemes that you can theoretically encounter in Lanka.
Types of scammers in Sri Lanka and how to protect yourself from them
- Overpay for transportation (cab or tuk-tuk). Always negotiate the price before traveling, haggle but in moderation. In the case of a car or minibus, the cheapest is not always the best, rather the opposite. Often had to listen to complaints of tourists who, wanting to save money, took that cheaper and went 100 km and more in old “buckets with nuts” without air conditioning.
- Pay for services that you did not order. If a stranger rushes to help you, for example, with luggage at the airport, it is better to refuse, as it will probably be a beggar. If he keeps up, you can say “Epa” – don’t need / don’t want or “Sally nee” – no money. The same set of phrases will work for pushy vendors on the beach.
- Participate in charity. You are offered to buy, for example, a bag of rice and solemnly hand it to a poor family. You go with the proposer, buy a bag of rice, hand it to the poor, they are happy and grateful, and you are proud of your generosity, it is understandable. BUT, the bag of rice will be returned to the one from whom you “bought” it, by the way, you probably bought it for a lot of money, the money will be divided between the owner of the shop and the one who offered you to help the “poor family”, well, and the “poor people” will also get some pennies. If you want to participate in charity, ask in official institutions, where it can be done, well, and donations in the temples also no one canceled.
- Go to visit the locals to drink tea. There are two options here, either they will be really normal people who are interested in talking to you, or they will ask you for something “for poverty”. Finding yourself on someone else’s territory, most likely, you will have to adjust to the situation, so we advise you to avoid such tea parties or go to a very large company. If you still want to see how the locals live, without the risk of being tipped by beggars, go to visit someone from the hotel staff (as an option) or at least let him escort you to these new acquaintances for tea.
- Pay for “free” services. This can be a person who introduces himself as, say, a cook from an expensive hotel, who has a day off today and is ready to show you the neighborhood and interesting temples for free. In the end it will turn out that you have to pay for the entrance. Yes, there are temples in Sri Lanka where you have to buy tickets, but most temples are free. Or the “liquor store owner” who happens to be passing by on the beach. He will bring you to the usual alcoholic store (not his own, of course), but will sell you alcohol, !more expensive than you would have bought it yourself without an escort. However, this kind of swindlers are not so dangerous and they are unlikely to deceive you much.
- Buy a fake. It is good if it will be a wooden elephant, which after some time will crack and will not be made of ebony, but glued from different species. It’s a shame, but not critical. And if you decide to buy a ring with the famous Lankan stones in a shop on the beach, then, even if you will assure about licenses and certificates, the risk of getting a fake instead of a real sapphire, ruby or topaz increases many times. It is better to just buy costume jewelry as a souvenir. And jewelry – only in certified places. And yes, you can bargain there too!
- There are also such scammers as beachboys. They usually walk along the beach or hide in the shade near hotels. The conversation begins with a question, whether long ago came to Sri Lanka, where are you from, do you like it here, etc.? They often speak Russian. They offer excursions at throwaway prices. If they find out that you are already traveling with others, offer cheaper, allegedly the same. In fact it will turn out, or go on a wreck or route shorter or more stores than interesting places, and most likely, it’s all at the same time. Especially they get angry if they find out that you have already gone on excursions. Realizing that you will not go with them, they will say that your guide you overpaid at least 2 times. Why do they do this? (1) out of envy, the competition in tourism is big, and the tourist season is short, (2) out of anger, because most of the time, in front of you a representative of the criminal world. In the off-season (and in the season too) beachboys trade in pot and theft. On their questions it is better not to answer at all, they are not interested in you, but only your wallet.
- Rounding out our list are “hotel managers.” The same beachboys who have risen up the career ladder. They are also interested in where you came from, how long ago, but they will definitely ask you where you stayed. They try to lure you allegedly to their hotel, offering either cheaper or better conditions for the same money. Show the hotel, introduce you to the owner, who will colorfully describe all the advantages of moving to him and take a prepayment for the reservation. Beachboys that their percentage from you from the hotel will get, but you have a risk, coming with things in this praised hotel to hear “Sorry, your room has already taken literally just now, but we will put you in a hotel no worse. This very worse can be further and not even describe…, and the prepayment is unlikely to be returned to you.
