Touts in Sri Lanka

HI,

Currently in SL and have been approached by SL man that has been wining, dining and insisting on paying for everything. He has taken me to the Elephant Temple in Columbo and followed on with a jewellry shop visit where I purchased a ruby stone to mark the occassion.

Next day he accompanied me to the Dutch Reformed Church that I had been trying to locate and again he paid for all the transport. We then visited the Gem Museum where I had 4 pieces of jewellry made up for my family back home. He is now suggesting that we take a tour with a driver that he can organise to see the ';real culture'; of the island.

He%26#39;s an incredibly romantic type and is professing undying love after two days.

Does this fit a description of a tout? Any other women that have travelled alone in Sri Lanka experience this?

Touts in Sri Lanka

Hi

Definitely a tout (or other kind of scam) - thread with care.

Hans

Touts in Sri Lanka

Thanks Hans, just wanted to confirm what I%26#39;d suspected. Big learning curve for me, he%26#39;s made off with my ring.

Don%26#39;t spose there%26#39;s anything legal I can do about it? Any suggestions at all?

More embarassed at my naivete than anything else.

Hi,

Sorry to say it, but I agree completely with Hans. There%26#39;s a definite scam in there somewhere, maybe just the ring, or/and commission but he%26#39;s not doing it for free, thats for sure.

Rod.

Probably after a one way ticket to England and or commisions.

As has been posted ad nauseam on Asian threads, western travellers are regarded as mobile ATM%26#39;s.

Male or female.

However, in SL the touts are not aggressive or angry, there is a benign grace about their mode of extraction.

Bugger me, I get accosted by touts at my local mall here in NZ too, so they are everywhere.

Hi, as others have said please do be very very careful. I have known plenty of other euorpean women who have been conned by very smooth talking Sri Lankan beach boys with a variety of scams.

Unfortunately these women have lost varying sums of money some quite large. others have been asked to marry after incredibly short periods of time and for some reason these women act differently in Sri Lanka than they would back at home - maybe something to do with the sun and wonderful beaches.

Some of these beach boys are no different to any that you may have heard of in Jamaica or other hot/tropical destinations, come from very poor families and their ability to con women is their way of feeding their families. So please do be careful about very quick - sometimes days - speeches of being in love - you could be one of many - I have known many guys sat with one girl whilst talking to his friends about the next one arriving. Competititon to see who can have the most offers of trips to europe is strong and comparing how much money they have managed to obtain - and the eventual possession of a British passport is the jackpot.

To balance - I have known some very successful relationships of Sr Lankan men with euorpean women. Guess the answer is to take time and proceed with caution.

Hope you experience has not spoiled your holiday/time in Sri Lanka.

Cheers

Runnning Around

Thanks everyone for your advice and caution, really appreciate it.

I%26#39;ll make 1 attempt to retrieve my ring from him and will then cut things off. Fortunate in one way as I have distant family here in SL and a little embarrassed to make them aware at this stage. If I need to, I%26#39;ll go down that road as they have some measure of influence here.

Thanks again and no this experience hasn%26#39;t spoilt it at all...its just one of those things that can happen whereever in the world.

SL is filled with warm and friendly people and I am adoring my stay here.

Thanks everyone for your advice and caution, really appreciate it.

I%26#39;ll make 1 attempt to retrieve my ring from him and will then cut things off. Fortunate in one way as I have distant family here in SL and a little embarrassed to make them aware at this stage. If I need to, I%26#39;ll go down that road as they have some measure of influence here.

Thanks again and no this experience hasn%26#39;t spoilt it at all...its just one of those things that can happen whereever in the world.

SL is filled with warm and friendly people and I am adoring my stay here.

HI sinhala,

depends on where you ae but it might be worth involving the tourist police, thats exactly the sort of thing which they are set up to deal with,

Rod.

If you desperately need to get the ring back, best to approach with a male relative.

You can place an entry with the Dehiwala police(@ Karagampitiya junction) but not sure how effective that would be.

Be careful with whom you trust...avoid travelling with such people, best to use a reputed Cab company when travelling...they have good deals just tell them the location and ask for a ';day package';