RIYADH, 12 May 2004 — People who try to save money by using unlicensed taxis may find themselves taken for a ride.
Arab News has learned that victims of a scam by African expatriates are reluctant to report it because they too have violated regulations by using the unofficial cabs.
When Muhammad Riaz, a Keralite, was waiting for a taxi to take him to Batha, a brand-new Hyundai stopped next to him. It was already carrying two passengers.
“SR2 to Batha,” the driver said, an offer Riaz felt he could not refuse.
One of the passengers got out soon after and complained he had lost his money. The driver told him he could check everyone’s wallets for the lost money.
After the other passenger and the driver, it was Riaz’s turn to show his wallet. His bag and his wallet were checked and returned. But when Riaz checked his bag after he had been dropped off he found his mobile phone gone.
Tariq Aziz, a Pakistani software engineer, was another victim of the scam.
“I was waiting on Al-Kharj Road for a taxi to go to Batha,” he writes. “A car stopped and offered me to take to Batha for SR2. The driver was a young Sudanese, by his looks, and the other person in the front seat of the car was dressed like a Saudi.”
Instead of going to Batha the driver changed course and said he would first drop the Saudi off somewhere else. “The car stopped at a deserted place for the Saudi to get off, and when I was about to get into the front seat I saw a bundle of currency on the seat.
“Immediately, I told the Saudi,” Aziz said. “I did not touch the money. But the man claimed there was more money and insisted on checking my wallet. The driver showed his, but I refused to show mine since I had SR3,000.
“He threatened to go to the police but I took my mobile out and started calling my friends. That scared the crooks off,” he added.
Variations on the scam have been reported by a number of expatriates, often involving men of Sudanese appearance.
