Beware Boca Chica Beach Scam

[JonBravo]

Love DR and will continue to go back stayed at the Sofitel Frances most beautiful intimate hotel in the Zona Colonial.

Just got back from Dominican Republic overall a great trip however the best spanish phrase to know is:

"Cuanto es" LOL

Translated that means "How Much" at most local shops everything is negotiable. All your conversations when purchasing food or service and a there isn't a menu or price tag around should include those words.

All Tourists/Locals (yep they ran the scam on the locals also) should be WARNED about the following scam I've seen run at the beach in BOCA CHICA CONSISTENTLY.

As soon as you drive/walk up to the beach assuming you will be hit by greeted by men whistling and yelling to come over to there area of the beach where they will rent you a table with chairs and a lounge chair to sunbathe if you like... Warning if you drive and park you must pay 20 pesos to the "Administration" that's it only 20 pesos to that person with a badge do not I repeat do not pay any to watch your car if you drove the car is very safe.

The local scamartists oops businessmen lol will rent you a table and chairs for approximately 500 pesos and a lounge chair for approximately 200 pesos. Negotiate 350 for the Table including chairs and 200/150 for the lounge chair a fair price that leaves them a nice profit.

Once you've started to relax at your area:

Do NOT, Do NOT, Do NOT (get the point) purchase anything from the person(s) that sold you the table or lounge chair (Why you might say remember the top "Cuanto es"):

A) You aren't presented with a menu set in stone Prices as if at a reputable place of business. Thus buyer beware .

The scam is if you order anything from the scamartists they give you a final bill totaling at a minimum 4000 pesos to which they try to negotiate something lower but you have still overpaid by almost 60 to 80 dollars american for food/drinks directly from the stand vendors.


For example if you walk over to any of the food stands and order your meal the person who manages the stand will bring the food over to your table at the beach "DELIVERY FREE OF CHARGE." You have the option of paying the person that manages the food stand directly before the meal or after the meal I would pay before hand the average price of a large fish and side dishes range about 290 Pesos per person.

The above prices leave a nice profit for the seller bear this in mind as I'm not trying to get the cheapest price just a fair one .


If you follow the above you should have a nice time at Boca Chica if any issues arise beyond what was agreed upon immediately locate the Tourist Police don't negotiate go to the Tourist Police and explain your situation all will be worked out amicably. As the Tourist Police are aware of the scam on the beach.

[hansbert]

Go to a beach bar called "Fuente del mar" run by a Swiss. They will not ribb you off the way you were talking about. Some of the bars run by Italians do not do that either. Beware of Dominican thieves: There are plenty of them around ! The best thing to do is not to give them any chance.

[Malibook]

Originally Posted by JonBravo

A) You aren't presented with a menu set in stone Prices as if at a reputable place of business. Thus buyer beware .

other than buying a drink in a bar, who in their right mind would ever order something without knowing the price?

Not that you deserve to be taken advantage of but this is idiotic to say the least.

[ricktoronto]

If you go to Playa Vista (Peter and Flemming post in their blog here) and several other places where the chairs are under control of the restaurant and their employees wait on you then this type of thing won't happen. Anyone who pays RD$350 and RD4150 after "negotiating" for a beach chair and a little table is off their rocker (or off their beach chair).

[Snuffy]

Originally Posted by Malibook

other than buying a drink in a bar, who in their right mind would ever order something without knowing the price?

Not that you deserve to be taken advantage of but this is idiotic to say the least.

That is a standard way of taking a vacation around the world. I have traveled to many countries and ordered a drink on the beach without having to think about the price. I assume it is a fair price and it usually is. Why is it in this country that you find scams like this? The original message is right. In this country you NEVER NEVER order anything without asking 'Cuanto Es'. Now my question is...why in this country do you have to be so paranoid?

By the way, you don't have to pay those crazy prices on the beach. If it is not correct...don't be afraid to call over a policeman. If he/she does not resolve the issue to your satisfaction, request another policeman. If they don't help...ask to be taken to the police station to resolve the matter. You will eventually get a sane officer that will resolve the issue. Don't be afraid of these people here. Their bark is much louder than their bite. If you have to call over a few other tourist and ask them to stand by you as the matter is resolved. Or get a few numbers from people on this board who are in the local area...they will help you. I know I will if you are in the Santiago area. I will get the matter resolved.

This kind of scam is really what gets me angry.

[tomgallo]

Originally Posted by Snuffy

That is a standard way of taking a vacation around the world. I have traveled to many countries and ordered a drink on the beach without having to think about the price. I assume it is a fair price and it usually is. Why is it in this country that you find scams like this? The original message is right. In this country you NEVER NEVER order anything without asking 'Cuanto Es'. Now my question is...why in this country do you have to be so paranoid?

By the way, you don't have to pay those crazy prices on the beach. If it is not correct...don't be afraid to call over a policeman. If he/she does not resolve the issue to your satisfaction, request another policeman. If they don't help...ask to be taken to the police station to resolve the matter. You will eventually get a sane officer that will resolve the issue. Don't be afraid of these people here. Their bark is much louder than their bite. If you have to call over a few other tourist and ask them to stand by you as the matter is resolved. Or get a few numbers from people on this board who are in the local area...they will help you. I know I will if you are in the Santiago area. I will get the matter resolved.

This kind of scam is really what gets me angry.

I am not surprised!!!

There is an open season for tourists all over the world. CNN had a story of a Danish tourist that was billed usd$4000 at a Budapest restaurant for a two person meal not including wine. If you are a tourist you ought to have money (true) To qualify as a tourist you need to have spending money otherwise you're entering the country illegally (any country). You're an easy target and they just want to help you unload your vacation money not assigned to pay your rent or groceries back home.

You're not a world traveller at all. This is not a Dominican situation it is a world situation. You have to upgrade yourself from tourist = moron to a traveller = educated and informed wise traveller. Sometimes greed or trying to save usd$1.99 get you in this kind of trouble. Just pay 70% of what you would paid back home and go to a reputable place and stop thinking that because you're in a poor country you only need to bring peanuts as legal tender.

When I travel I do quite a bit of research including the countrie's customs and more important the history and the name of it's president/primer minister.

I do suggest you know the name of your president/primer minister before you go.

Tell me who is Mississauga's mayor?

[mikeyone]

Tomgallo, is it still Hazel...................... been a while.

[tomgallo]

Originally Posted by mikeyone

Tomgallo, is it still Hazel...................... been a while.

Yes.. still Hurricane Hazel at the steering wheel!!

[Ricardo900]

[QUOTE=JonBravo]Do NOT, Do NOT, Do NOT (get the point) purchase anything from the person(s) that sold you the table or lounge chair (Why you might say remember the top "Cuanto es"):

If you rent a table the chair comes with it
The only people who rent tables are generally the dominicans from the capital on their weekly sunday beach outing and they bring their own food and drink.
If you are buying from them, then the table and both chairs are included.

Mi dos centavos

[Spirit7]

In the end, you may spend as much or more with the scam artists than if you went to the Hotel Hamaca and paid the daily rate to enjoy all the facilities. Head straight for a hotel and forget those 'entrepeneurs'.