O.A.E.

How scammers can scam in Dubai

O horror! For once, I decided not to save money and bought the most expensive ticket to a five-star hotel. The whole by no means long flight to Dubai in UAE, I dreamed of rainbow pictures of a serene rest. But I dreamed in vain, among other things, I had a meeting with a swindler.

Arrival in the capital city of Dubai

At the airport, I could not find a representative of the meeting company who had my updated hotel voucher and transfer information. But then I did not know that ahead of me was a meeting with a Dubai-Russian swindler - a scammer.

For some reason, it's nice to remember this trip already. Thousands of arrived Indians, Pakistanis, Russians, Ukrainians, Egyptians are clamoring around, pushing, rushing about in all directions. Sweaty cops tear their throats, lining up a disorderly crowd almost in ranks.

I liked the airport itself. It is located five kilometers from Dubai. Its construction began back in 1959 by decision of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. A year later, the first planes took off from the runway of the land of the emirates.

Airport in Dubai
Airport in Dubai in gold tones

Dozens of greeters shout out the names of "their" tourists. However, I don’t see any signs with the name of the company I need. What to do? Fly back?

Finally, someone points out to me an Indian talking lazily to someone at a post. A piece of paper with the name of the company is folded into a tube and sticks out from under his arm. Almost in a rage, I fly up to him and "stomp my feet."

The representative of the travel agency calmly looks at me and sings through his teeth:

“What are you making noise about? I'm here. Don't get lost, okay. Now I'll explain everything to you, just wait a bit."

I helplessly fall silent, and in order not to cause an inappropriate conflict, I modestly step aside, repeating my personal “mantra”. Soon my greeter "freed himself" and gave me the necessary ts.u. And now I'm already outside the airport.

Here, too, you need to try very hard to find the bus of your hotel. Finally, all the hard things are behind, but the mood on this day is hopelessly spoiled. Now I nod sympathetically, listening to the emotional monologue of Nikolai, who arrived in the Emirates from Bryansk. He has his own story.

I'm luckier. I "almost immediately" found a sign of the required company at the airport, and the representative of the company "almost in detail" explained what to do. In fact, we had to stand in line for about an hour.

Dubai shimmers with reflections of skyscraper windows, endless shops and shops. I walk along the embankment of the city canal that divides Dubai into two parts - Bur Dubai and Deira. In the latter, all the main shopping centers and the most popular markets for tourists (in Arabic - souk) are concentrated. It is no coincidence that our people prefer to stay in Deira hotels.

An unexpected meeting with a scammer: scammers in Dubai

From Bur Dubai to Deira and back, abra water taxis go in a continuous stream. They are mostly driven by poor Indians working as loaders. If you want to merge with the working masses and drive through the canal in a crowded abra - then you paid 1.5 Dh for it. Order an individual boat -10 Dh.

scammers in dubai
Indians on taxi boat for 1.5 Dh

While I am watching the human anthill near the crossing, someone lightly pushes me from behind. Out of the corner of my eye I notice a young guy picking up a large bill from the ground. He looks around and suddenly addresses me in Russian:

"Shall we divide like a man?"...

I silently look at the guy, look around and understand that I don’t understand anything. The situation has changed too drastically. The beauty of the city, local color, Indians, thoughts and suddenly this guy.

“You saw and I saw. Shall we divide in half and disperse? repeated the stranger ingratiatingly.

And then it dawns on me that they are trying to simply “throw” me. The calculation is made on the eternal tendency of ours to "freebies". Under the feet of a thoughtful passerby, a large bill is thrown, which is raised by the “thrower”.

He invites the victim to share the find equally. But since he allegedly does not have small money, a passer-burdock must exchange a large bill. This is followed by a clever manipulation with the substitution of banknotes, and as a result, the "scammer" dissolves in the crowd along with the "find" and the money of the dupes.

I heard about similar stories at home, but the scammers in Dubai came as a surprise to me. Actually, I happened to see this type of person in action there and then.

"Thank you buddy. But since you raised the money, then it is yours,” I told the guy.

He looked at me in surprise and silently walked away. And I thought that, although the emirates are considered one of the safest places in the world, while there are “Russo tourists” around, you should not relax at all. Vigilance must not be lost, because scammers in Dubai are on the alert!

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