E-hailing scam alert: Tourists targeted at Cape Town International Airport

The Cape Town Community Policing Forum (CPF) has issued a warning about a sophisticated e-hailing scam targeting international tourists arriving at Cape Town International Airport.

Marc Truss, the CPF chair, stated that they had received several complaints from visitors who were excessively overcharged for their airport transfers.

The modus operandi involves individuals reportedly approaching tourists at the airport while brandishing fake ID cards and posing as official, appointed airport drivers.

"They look official to a foreigner, thus duping them into believing that they are acting on behalf of the airport as officially appointed drivers," Truss explained.

After the trip, the scammers use card machines to charge the unsuspecting tourists exorbitant amounts in foreign currencies like US dollars, euros, or British pounds.

"Amounts of 500 to 1,000 euros per trip have been mentioned. Unfortunately, it is too late, and the driver is left, leaving our visitors totally ripped off and annoyed," he added.

The Western Cape E-hailing Association's Siyabonga Hlabisa expressed doubts that the individuals involved in the scam were registered with an official e-hailing service. He noted that registered e-hailing drivers typically did not carry card machines.

"There's two options to pay. One is to pay straight, direct to the app, which is the card payment. So, I don't think e-hailing drivers, they got card machines to receive payments. Usually, most of the time, clients will request cash, and they will have cash in their hands. So, I don't really believe this was an e-hailing driver," Hlabisa commented.