Destinations › Egypt › Cairo › Scams
Cairo, Egypt
13 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Cairo, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Airport taxis quote prices several times the standard fare and refuse the meter; some take longer routes to inflate the cost further.
Mid-tour hostage pricing: a price is agreed for a "full" camel or boat tour, then the guide stops halfway and demands more money to continue or return.
Camel/horse ride "one dollar" scam: a handler at Giza quotes a token price to mount the animal, then refuses to let the rider down until a much larger sum is paid.
Unofficial money changers offer an inflated exchange rate, then shortchange tourists with fake or outdated notes.
Perfume and papyrus shops use high-pressure sales tactics after a "free" tea invitation.
Airport "helpers" offer to carry luggage or guide arriving tourists through customs unprompted, then demand a large tip.
Someone claims a museum or site is "closed today" to redirect tourists to a commission shop.
Sphinx "backdoor" scam: a tout offers to lead tourists to a "less crowded" viewpoint or "secret" area that requires a separate unofficial payment.
Unofficial "guides" at the Pyramids of Giza attach themselves to tourists uninvited and demand payment after "guiding."
"Ancient" worthless coins sold as pyramid treasures, and mass-produced souvenirs marked up as authentic handicrafts.
Vendors near tourist sites shortchanging cash transactions, especially with large notes.
Touts outside transport hubs offer a "complete city tour" at a discounted fare that turns out substandard or nonexistent once paid.
Unsolicited "help" — a friendly local offers directions or guidance to a nearby attraction, then demands a large tip once the "help" is complete.
