Bolivia : Engaños frecuentes

1. Fake Tourist Police. This is the most common and dangerious scam. A real police uniform costs less than $20 in the used clothing marketplace and badges are very easy to acquire or fake.  In Bolivia real police will NEVER approach you and ask for your documents. Real police will NEVER ask you to get into a taxi with them.  Real Police often travel and work in large groups when they are investigating crime so always be suspicious if approach by one or two ¨officers¨. Real police will never demand your credit cards or request a bribe for no reason. La Paz, specifically near to the bus station and calle Sagarnaga are the most dangerous places for fake police in Bolivia.

2. The Fellow Traveler.  A very common trick is for someone, perhaps a nice young women or man, to pretend to also be a foreign traveler and befriend you at the bus station or in a micro.  You both then get in a taxi (that has been pre-arranged) to go somewhere when suddenly a ¨policeman¨stops you and begins demanding your documents and valuables in connection with some ¨robbery¨or ¨drug¨ issue. GET OUT, YOU ARE BEING ROBBED.  The ¨friend ¨ that is with you will immediately collaborate with the ¨police¨and ask you to do the same, thus you will think that this is OK and feel pressure to hand over your documents and valuables.

3. Cuento del Tio.  This is a scam that has many forms but the basic idea is to take advantage of your greed.  Someone may run by in the street and accidentally ¨drop¨an envelope with tons of money in it. Someone near you may invite you into a private location to share this seemingly free money.  This is when you get mugged. Never trust free money, and never follow strangers promising you any kind of reward.

4. Taxis.  Never ever get in a taxi if there´s another person already inside it, this is a common setup.  It´s best to lock the taxi doors once inside, especially at night.  It´s best to always use radio taxis (identified by logos on their sides) but these logos can and have been faked to set up muggings and rapes. Ideally call a radio taxi to come pick you up.   When the taxi stops at intersections beware of anyone else trying to get in, this can lead to muggins and rape.  Be extremely aware of where your taxi takes you, if you´re going by a strange route begin asking questions. It´s often good to talk to your driver and get to know them, some taxi drivers drive drunk or in states of extreme exhuastion and this will be evident if you talk with them. Always agree on the price *before* getting in the taxi.

5. The Uyuni train often tries to convince foreigners that there is only room in the most expensive class, this is usually a lie when the actual seating chart is revealed. It´s best to buy these train tickets in advance in Cochabamba or La Paz.