This was the first time I'd heard this one and I wanted to share it with anyone headed this way.

A customer got away from me the other day at the Giza Pyramids. He went off with a tout to buy a head scarf. The tout put it on his head - the customer said "how much?" - the tout said "anything you want to pay" (they will do this because the average tourist will pay easily twice what they are worth if the tout doesn't say a number, and of course the tourist feels good about the price he offered) - so the customer gave him LE20 for the head scarf (twice what the price should have been - but that's another story I'll finish with later) - so the tout looks at the LE20 note and tells the customer that the bank won't take that LE20 from him and the customer should give him a bigger note and he'll give him change back for it. AT this point I arrive and threaten to call the police in on the transaction if the tout doesn't give my customer his LE10 change NOW. I had to say that twice before we got the change, but we did get it on the second threat, but not before he tried to give him another head scarf as change instead, or a package of postcards as change. I am certain the tout would have only found things to give to the customer as "change" for the larger bill instead of cash if I hadn't arrived on the scene. I assume some customers accept this or get frustrated enough and walk away, but be sure that you can get the tourist police involved but it will probably only take a serious threat to do it to make things come around your way pretty quickly.

Yes, these boys are not rich that are doing this, but they are not poor either, and by conducting business in this manner makes them theives in my mind, so try not to get sucked into their methods.

Good luck to all.

Heck, I've had the same thing tried on me in San Francisco. A pedicab driver "couldn't make change" and wanted the balance as a tip. It wasn't THAT large a bill, something like $20 for a $10 ride. We pooled our resources for the correct bills... with no tip!

It never ceases to amaze me how creative people can be trying to get money from someone else's pocket into theirs. Thanks for making us aware of this potential for upset.

tC

Regarding this same subject - I read this somewhere on the Internet years ago and I believe it 100% - when the touts ask you where are you from, it sounds very engaging and friendly and they do a good job of sucking you into talking to them, but when they ask that question, they want to know 2 things only -

1- what kind of money do you have in your pocket - USD, Euros, or what?

2- what's it going to take to separate you from that money, and belive me they are better at knowing this little tidbit from what nationality you are than the highest PhD in Sociology you can find. They know what it will take to make an American let go of his $$ and so on and so forth.

Be wise and be careful out there.

Debbie -

Sometimes the visitor doesn't even have to tell the tout where you're from... the tout knows the minute the tourist opens their mouth. The tout is then into their routine and has the numbers and conversions done in their heads. Yes, better than a PhD in Advanced Mathematics!

Very often, guides/clerks/taxi drivers tell me that I can pay what I want. Once I offered a pittance and they went ballistic, and I laughed a paid a little more. I haven't agreed to any such arrangement in many years, and now force them to make the first offer. You'd have to be foolish to bid against yourself by offering the first price.

A couple of years ago (almost 15) a friend of ours went for a camel ride in Egypt. The fare was 1US$. When they finished the guide told him - while he was still "in the air" - it's 5US$. Friend refused. Guide did not tell the camel to kneel down until friend agreed on the 5$.
Guide's fault: he asked the animal to get down and friend handed out 1$ and left accompanied by rude comments from the guide ;-)

SV

hi, CC

Whenever they ask where I'm from i always say "cornwall".

that throws them!

it works well with the touts in italy too who say they want you to sign a petition against terrorism, or animal cruelty, or whatever. they ask what language I speak, I say "cornish".

works every time.

regards, ann

spassvogel - There is a story similar to that one that goes around about an American CIA guy (packing a gun) that went on a camel ride. The tout tried something like that on the guy, unknowing that the guy was carrying a gun or that he was anyone of that importance with the American gov't. The guy pulled out his gun, put it to the camels head and told the tout, "you put this camel down now, OR I WILL."
Supposedly the guy got the picture, got the camel down and didn't try anything else after that.

Don't know if that story is true, or just a good story.... but at least it is a good story.

Whenever I leave the country and go across the Atlantic, I always tell touts I am from Honduras. They have no idea where that is and it works everytime.

If you are travelling to Egypt you must be prepared to lose a little money here and there. You simply cannot avoid every scam. What you lose is usually not more a dollar or so. Don't be angry at yourself and let it be a part of travelling experience in Egypt. It is a kind of sport - sometimes the tout wins and sometimes, with increasing skill, you win. Then, you will be admired.

Dear Traveler,

Just trying to arm the unsuspecting tourist with information. Information will give them a head start in this game. The touts are generally miles ahead of the average tourist, and I figure trying to even the playing court a little, is fair.

Talking about "reading" the tourists:
Carpet sellers in turkey can give courses in marketing at Harvard