Destinations › Zimbabwe › Victoria Falls › Scams
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
12 reported scam patterns travellers run into in Victoria Falls, what they look like, and how to sidestep them.
Men presenting as police or park officials asking to inspect documents and currency near the falls entrance and the border, and levying an immediate cash fine.
Unofficial 'guides' at the falls entrance charging for access or commentary that the park ticket already covers.
Activity operators — rafting, bungee, helicopter — taking deposits without current safety certification or insurance.
Fares and prices agreed in US dollars, with change returned in local currency at an invented rate; and unlicensed street changers offering rates that are illegal to accept.
Drivers and street guides steering visitors to curio markets and craft outlets that pay them per head, offered as a stop on the way.
Bills in the town's bars and lodges carrying rounds and covers that were not ordered, settled in dollars with change returned in a weaker form.
Border-crossing 'facilitators' at the bridge charging for help with a visa process that is straightforward and posted.
Mass-produced carvings and 'antique' Zimbabwe dollar notes sold as collectible.
No metered fleet or ride-hailing in town, so airport and border fares are quoted well above the going rate to arrivals.
Curio sellers using extended personal hardship narratives as a pressure technique before naming a price.
Sunset cruise and activity vouchers sold on the street at a discount that turn out to be for a different, cheaper operator.
Collectors with laminated documentation and a donation book working the lodge and restaurant approaches, often citing a school or wildlife project that cannot be traced.
