Introduction:
Some Gambians sometimes turn to less than honest means to take
advantage of toubabs using various devious
tricks. Be on the look out for those attempting to usurp
your money by pleading a false case.
Here are three examples, commonly
used scams among Gambian con artists. Note that these cases are presented
very straightforwardly, which are by all means not the case on the
street. Plots are often not uncovered until the very moment you are
asked for money—do not be guilted into giving them any, no matter how
thick they lay it on. No matter how far fetched getting scammed may
seem, it will probably happen to you if you are staying
for a long time in the country. “Do you
remember me?,” and one got the “rice for the family.” These three
common scams are explained below:
Guestbook:
A Gambian approaches you and tells you all about how he was just
married or how his son was just born. He was sad that you could not
make the ceremony, but invites you to sign the guestbook/visitor’s
book. He seems genuinely excited to meet a tubaab like yourself, so
you good-naturedly agree. The “guestbook” contains a list of names
(likely to be made up) as well as a list of sizable donations. He
tells you it is customary to give a gift on the occasion, and thus
will pressure you into doing so with a guilt trip.
“Don’t you remember me?”: An unfamiliar person approaches and says,
“Hello, how are you? It’s Kebba, the repair man! Do you remember me?”
You will feel guilty enough to say yes because you see hundreds of
people a day and it is difficult to keep all of your acquaintances
straight. He will then ask you to loan him some money to buy
something, either a bite to eat or something for your hotel, which you
will be reimbursed for later. One “Kebba” in Bakau has tried to assert
that he owns an orphanage, and has even gone as far as taking toubabs
to “his” compound and training neighbourhood children to hug the
strangers to keep up the act. He then asks for money to buy bags of
rice for the children.
Rice for the family: A man approaches you and, after the customary
greetings, tells you about how he does not have enough cash to buy
food for his family’s next meal. As he begs you to help him out in the
money department, he leads you to a local shop where they sell bags of
rice. After he wheedles a few hundred dalasi notes out of you and
enters the shop to pick out his bag, he leaves you standing on the
corner while he escapes out the back door with the cash.
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Conmen:
Be careful about those who wish to sell your land that is not
theirs. This is a common confidence trick where the 'seller'
shows you a (doctored) photocopy of his title to the land and
attempts to sell it to you. You later find out he does not even
own the property.
Common Tourist Scams:
There are numerous scams and tricks perpetrated on the unwary tourist.
There are too many to list here but here are some of the more common
hard-luck sop stories:
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"My father (or mother) has just been admitted
to hospital & he / she needs urgent treatment". |
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"I am unable to pay my younger brother's
outstanding school fees & as a result he is currently out of school". |
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"I have not eaten for a couple of days as I have
no work and I am hungry". |
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You are given a 'free' gift like a cheap bead
necklace which is used as an avenue to lure you into deeper
conversation & 'friendship'. This trickster may be a patient
kind of guy & will
elicit your cash another day. |
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"I have to go to a 'naming ceremony' because they
named the child after me and tradition says I have to donate
some money to the father". |
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"I have malaria and need to get some medications
urgently". |
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The more sophisticated tricksters will work in
collaboration with someone else who will inform you that your
'friend' is in some sort or 'terrible demise' and your cash is
required to solve the 'problem'. |
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And so on and so on... |
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If you feel you want to help Gambians then
donate your money to charity. |
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