7 Tourist Scams in Dakar

You emerge from customs at Blaise Diagne International Airport, tired and disoriented. A man wearing what appears to be an airport ID badge approaches, saying he works for the airport information service. He offers to help you find transportation and leads you through the terminal. Outside, he jumps into your taxi uninvited. At your hotel, he demands 1,500 CFA (€2.50) for his 'help,' aggressively repeating 'I helped you, you give me 1,500 CFA!' If you refuse, he escalates the confrontation. The travel blog MeWithMySuitcase.com documented this exact scenario at Blaise Diagne Airport, describing a man with 'a fake airport information guide ID card' who approached at arrivals, offered help, then jumped into the taxi and demanded 1,500 CFA using 'an aggressive repetition tactic.' The Atlas Guide's Senegal scam guide confirms that 'fake guides may approach you claiming to be official guides' at airports and tourist areas. The blog PolosBastards' detailed account 'The Scams of Dakar' describes multiple encounters with fake guides starting from the airport. A taxi from the airport to Dakar should cost no more than 12,000 CFA, but scammers at the airport may quote 40,000 CFA or more to disoriented new arrivals.

You hail a taxi in central Dakar and ask the driver to use the meter. He waves dismissively and says the meter does not work, then quotes 5,000 CFA for a ride that should cost 1,000-2,000 CFA on the meter. At the airport, the markup is even worse: the standard fare to central Dakar is about 12,000 CFA, but arriving tourists are routinely quoted 40,000 CFA or more, especially if they appear tired, confused, or are traveling alone. The Atlas Guide's Senegal scam resource documents that 'taxi drivers in Dakar often refuse to use the official meter and demand inflated fares, with a standard 10-kilometer ride costing 1,000-2,000 CFA on the meter but drivers demanding 5,000 CFA or more, especially from tourists at the airport.' MeWithMySuitcase.com's airport guide warns that the airport-to-Dakar fare should not exceed 12,000 CFA but scammers quote 40,000 CFA or more. The WikiForTravel Dakar scam guide and CuriousExpeditions.org both confirm that meter refusal is the norm rather than the exception in Dakar taxis. The app Yango now offers an alternative with fixed rates calculated by algorithm.

A friendly local strikes up a conversation and offers to show you 'the real Dakar' including a fabric shop he says has 'UNESCO funding.' At the shop, staff begin setting items aside as you browse — fabrics, bags, scarves. Before you realize it, they present a pile of goods and demand 50,000 CFA. You never agreed to buy anything. Through extended, exhausting negotiation, you manage to get a small pocket bag down from 15,000 CFA to 5,000 CFA (€8.30), and the shop owner storms away in visible disappointment. PolosBastards.com documented this exact scenario in their detailed account 'The Scams of Dakar,' describing how a local led them to a fabric shop claiming UNESCO funding. Staff set items aside during browsing, then demanded 50,000 CFA. Through negotiation, a small bag was reduced from 15,000 to 5,000 CFA. The Atlas Guide's Senegal scam resource confirms that at 'Dakar's Marché Sandaga, vendors sell fake African masks or jewelry as authentic Senegalese crafts, pricing them at 10,000 CFA when genuine ones cost 2,000-4,000 CFA.' WikiForTravel's Dakar guide warns about being led to commission shops by friendly locals. The tactic relies on social pressure — once items are set aside, tourists feel obligated to buy.

You are sitting at a bar in Dakar when a man approaches, beaming with joy. He says he has just had his first child and, as part of an Islamic custom, wants to give you a gift of gold as a blessing. The ring or chain he presents looks real. Two other men appear and congratulate the new father, building social pressure. Then the celebration turns transactional: the man explains he needs money for rice and food for the celebration and suggests '30 or 50 thousand CFAs.' Feeling grateful for the 'gold' gift and swept up in the celebration, you hand over 20,000 CFA (€34). The gold is, of course, worthless. PolosBastards.com documented this specific scam in Dakar in detail, describing how a stranger at a bar 'claimed to have had his first child and presented what appeared to be real gold as an Islamic custom gift. Two accomplices encouraged the author to help with celebration costs.' The victim gave 20,000 CFA and was later left 'questioning the gold's authenticity.' The scam exploits religious and cultural hospitality norms that travelers may not be familiar with — there is no Islamic custom of gifting gold to strangers in bars. The 'gold' is typically brass or copper alloy worth a few cents.

You are walking through a market area when two men approach and flash official-looking badges, claiming to be customs or police officers. They say you are carrying 'too much cash' or that your documents are not in order, and demand a fine of 5,000-10,000 CFA payable immediately. They speak in authoritative French or Wolof to intimidate you. In a more elaborate version, scammers claiming you paid with fake money bring you to what appears to be a police station. Your wallet and phone are stolen, and an older man appears threatening jail time unless you pay more. The Atlas Guide's Senegal scam resource describes 'scammers posing as police or customs officials demanding bribes for alleged infractions, asking for 5,000-10,000 CFA by showing fake badges and speaking in authoritative French or Wolof.' MeWithMySuitcase.com documented a complex variant where tourists 'had their wallet and phone stolen' during a fake police encounter. WikiForTravel's Dakar guide warns about fake police approaches, particularly in market areas. A TripAdvisor review of Ile de Ngor titled 'Watch out for scams!' describes similar police impersonation tactics. Real Senegalese police wear official uniforms with national insignia and carry photo identification — they will not demand cash fines on the street.

You need to exchange euros for CFA francs and a man outside your hotel offers a rate better than the banks. The transaction seems smooth — he counts out the CFA bills quickly and hands them over. At the market the next day, a vendor refuses several of your bills, telling you they are counterfeit. The money changer had mixed fake bills into the stack, and his fast counting technique prevented you from checking each one. The Atlas Guide's Senegal resource warns that 'you could be given counterfeit bills or short-changed when exchanging money on the street or at unofficial exchange points.' MeWithMySuitcase.com's airport guide specifically advises not to exchange money at the airport, and PolosBastards.com's Dakar scam account describes a related scam where people 'claiming money was fake, find out where the traveller stores money and steal them.' The UK GOV.UK travel advice for Senegal warns about the 'risk of being scammed with fake money' when using unofficial changers. The CFA franc West Africa zone uses bills that are relatively easy to counterfeit, and tourists unfamiliar with the currency are particularly vulnerable.

You board the ferry to Gorée Island and a friendly local sits next to you. He starts telling you about the island's history and his family's connection to it. By the end of the 20-minute ferry ride, he has seamlessly positioned himself as your guide and quotes 8,000 CFA per person for a tour. On the island, he leads you to specific shops where he receives commissions, and the 'tour' is more about shopping than history. If you mentioned visiting his shop on the ferry and do not show up, he tracks you down and confronts you. SpiritedPursuit.com's Gorée Island guide warns that 'island residents acting as cultural guides approach tourists on the ferry and start conversations that casually segue to highlight their stalls.' The guide notes a common fee of '8,000 CFA per person for a tour of the island.' MeWithMySuitcase.com's Gorée guide advises to 'not make false promises to vendors about visiting their store, especially on the ferry ride over from Dakar, as they will expect you to keep your word and hold you to it.' ReadingTheBookTravel.com's Gorée guide suggests being friendly but not giving ferry vendors 'too much confidence' and importantly, 'do not promise to visit their store.' While not a malicious scam, the pressure can make the Gorée Island experience feel commercial rather than historical.