Last Updated on October 14, 2025 by Hannah Stephenson
Heading to Cape Town but worried about getting scammed?
I promise, you don’ t need to worry. When you know what to look out for, scams in Cape Town are pretty easy to avoid! A lot of scams work by catching you off guard so awareness is truly the best protection.
I’ve lived in Cape Town for 4 years so I’d like to think I’m pretty au fait with all of the scams by now. I’m going to explain the most common scams to you and show you how to avoid them so that your trip to Cape Town stays stress-free. Let’s go!
How Common Are Scams in Cape Town?
To be honest, I don’t find Cape Town to be a super scammy city. There certainly aren’t as many scam artists here as there are in most European capitals! It’s not like you’ll be warding off scammers 24/7, but there are a few old chestnuts that you should be aware of so that you don’t get caught out.
Where Are You Most Likely to Get Scammed in Cape Town?
In my experience, you’re most likely to get scammed in the CBD and around Bo Kaap. And, like pretty much everywhere in the world, the airport is a bit of a hotbed for taxi scams.
7 Biggest Scams in Cape Town
1. Airport Taxis
Getting from Cape Town airport to the city is easy but, as with many airports, there are a lot of dodgy taxi drivers here who are ready to scam you.
Do not get in a meter taxi from the airport because you’ll end up overpaying quite significantly. And certainly do not get in one of the minibus taxis! They’re not a safe mode of transportation at all.
I suggest that you either use Uber or pre-book a private airport transfer. In both cases, prices are set in advance so you won’t get ripped off! And if you’re hiring a car, you can always pick it up from the airport and drive yourself into the city.
Uber
Uber in Cape Town is safe and reliable, and it’s usually the cheapest way to get to your hotel from the city.
If you want to use Uber, I strongly recommend topping up an e-SIM before you go – I use AirAlo. This is because the airport WiFi isn’t very reliable and lines to purchase SIM cards at the airport can be long. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
An Uber to the city should cost around R200 but it really depends on the time of day, demand, and the size of car you need.
The ride hailing pickup area is in Parkade 1. Sometimes, you can end up waiting a while for an Uber down here and taxi touts will hassle you in the process. Once, I even had one guy telling me that he was my “offline Uber”. Of course, if this happens to you, just say “no” and walk away.
When your Uber arrives, make sure that the license plate on the vehicle matches up with the one listed on your app. Never get in the car if the numbers don’t match up!
Private Transfer
The easiest and most comfortable way to get from the airport to the city is with a private transfer. The great thing about booking airport pickup in advance is that your driver will be waiting for you at arrivals. You won’t need to worry about a SIM card or wait around for an Uber.
This is a bit pricier but it saves time and hassle, so I think it’s worth it unless you’re on a super tight budget. Plus, you can read reviews of the ride service beforehand for peace of mind!
Book your private airport transfer here and enjoy free cancellation!
2. Baby Formula and Nappies
Once you’re out of the airport, the second scam you’re most likely to encounter in Cape Town is the baby formula scam!
This usually happens in the Central Business District (CBD) or Bo Kaap, although it could happen anywhere.
It works like this: someone will come up to you and ask you to buy formula or nappies for their child. Once you’re out of the shop, the scammer hands the formula or nappies straight back to the shop owner. They split the profit, and the whole thing starts again. It’s the scam that keeps on giving!
This actually happened to a friend of mine, who bought a man some baby formula only to realise he had been conned when the same man asked him again the very next day!
The best way to avoid this scam is to politely say “no, sorry” and just continue about your business. There’s a small chance the scammer might follow you for a few steps repeating their request but if you just keep walking they’ll give up and start searching for a new target.
3. The Sob Story Guy
Let me preface this by saying that there are a lot of homeless people in Cape Town with very sad stories who are in genuine need.
However, there’s this one particular guy who has tried the same lines on me (and a lot of my friends) again and again. He’s actually quite well known around the city for doing it! I’ve heard his name is Riaan but I can’t be 100% sure.
I’ve encountered him a few times. He’s white and thin with blond-ish hair.
Typically, he has approached me and paid me a compliment to get me into conversation. Then, he asked if I’m a judgemental person and proceeded to tell me that he has been kicked out by his family for being gay and HIV positive. After that, he tried to get me to go to a shop with him to buy groceries.
I’ve also heard from friends who have encountered him that he sometimes asks for adult diapers and baby formula. He claims this is because he can’t eat much and is unable to control his bowel movements, but see the above scam!
The first time I met him, I was waiting for a friend to let me into her apartment building in the CBD. I felt sorry for him but didn’t want to walk to a shop with a strange man, so I just gave him some cash. My friend came down, saw him, and told me that he does this to people all the time.
I saw him a few months later in the Cape Quarter Mall in De Waterkant, and he approached me with the exact same shtick. I’m not against helping anyone in need but this guy is a confirmed con artist.
When I saw him for the second time, I even told him that I’d given him money before. He said that that wasn’t possible because he had literally just been kicked out by his family, but I just walked away. If he approaches you, I recommend that you do the same.
He’s been spinning this tale for YEARS.
Basically, if a skinny white guy comes up to you and spins you this tale, it’s DEFINITELY a scam so just walk away from him. Don’t get into a conversation.
4. Walking Permits
This one annoys me because it’s so audacious!
I will say, though, that it has never happened to me personally in four years.
Typically, it usually happens in the CBD but recently there have been reports of people pulling this near Green Point Park and the Sea Point Promenade.
Here’s how it works: a couple of people dressed to look like officials will stop you and claim you need a special permit to walk in the area. This is not true!
Sometimes, there will be an extra excuse on top, such as that a government official is visiting so the road is closed.
Either way, they’ll ask you to pay on the spot. In the past, they would typically try to take you to a dodgy ATM where they would steal your PIN and clone your card.
Nowadays, though, they often have credit card machines with them, which are actually cloning devices.
The easiest way to avoid this scam is to remember that there is no such thing as a walking permit in Cape Town. If anyone tries this with you, just keep walking and don’t engage. Real officials will never ask you for random payments on the street!
5. Helping you at an ATM
Ah, the oldest trick in the book.
When you’re using an ATM, a seemingly helpful individual might approach you and offer to help you. They might tell you that there’s some rule you don’t know about or a knack to using a certain machine.
Whatever their excuse, all they’re really trying to do is steal your pin number.
The best way to avoid this is to only use ATMs inside a bank or, at a pinch, one of the nicer malls around. I use the ATMs in the Cape Quarter and the Sea Point mall whenever I need to draw cash, and they’ve always been fine.
To be honest, though, you really don’t need cash in Cape Town. Just get a fee-free card and use that wherever you go, and you should be fine!
6. The Fake Friend Scam
This is more out-and-out theft than a scam, to be honest.
The distraction scam is another old chestnut that happens all over the world. Someone distracts you by striking up a conversation while someone else picks your pockets.
I have only encountered this once in four years, but here’s what happened…
I was walking down Main Road in Sea Point on my way to the gym. There was a woman standing outside a restaurant smoking, and she saw me and proclaimed “oh my gosh! It’s you! I haven’t seen you for ages!”
I sensed something was up, so I clutched my bag tightly. I told her, “I’m sorry, I don’t think I know you.”
When she completely ignored that and kept talking, I realised something was up and left her to it. If the same thing happens to you, I recommend you do the same!
Now, I know that sometimes women do pretend to know strangers when they’re in unsafe situations. In my situation, I used my judgement. This lady wasn’t attempting to come with me anywhere to get away from someone, she seemed to really want me to stay put and talk to her. I felt iffy about it, and so I left.
I now always wear a belt bag across my front that’s much harder to pickpocket than the bag I was carrying that day!
In general, it’s not a good idea to trust random people who want to strike up a conversation in the street. They always want something out of you, whether it’s to pick your pockets or segway into a sob story (see #3).
Now, Capetonians are super nice, friendly people and so if you naturally get chatting to someone at the beach or a bar, there’s no need to be paranoid! But if a stranger comes up and starts talking to you for no reason in the street, be very wary and preferably keep on walking.
7. The Old Smash and Grab
Whether you plan to rent a car in Cape Town or use Uber to get around, remember to keep your windows closed! Lock your doors, too.
Opportunistic thieves won’t hesitate to grab your phone if you’re sitting in the back of an Uber with the window down. The same goes for laptops, or any other valuables that you might have in the car.
Fortunately, this one is easy to avoid. Windows up, doors locked, and you’ll be fine.
If you’re renting a car, don’t leave valuables in the car either, even if it’s locked. You’d be surprised how quickly thieves can get into your boot!
Tips to Stay Safe and Scam-Free
Now that we’ve covered the scams to look out for in depth, I thought it would be helpful to give you a quick bullet-list round up of top safety tips.
- Book an airport transfer
- Use Uber, not meter or minibus taxis
- Don’t buy anyone baby formula or nappies
- Don’t trust random strangers trying to strike up a conversation in the street
- Remember that “walking permits” do not exist
- Use a fee-free card instead of carrying cash
- Wear a belt bag to carry your wallet and phone
- Get travel insurance
- Bring backup credit cards and leave them in the safe at your hotel
What to Do If You Get Scammed?
If you do fall victim to a scam in Cape Town (or anywhere, really), don’t beat yourself up. These people are professionals in their shady fields, and a lot of scams are perpetuated by shame! So don’t keep it to yourself – be vocal and warn others.
If you suspect that someone has tampered with your debit or credit card, go on your online banking app and freeze your card or account ASAP. Contact your bank’s fraud team and tell them what has happened.
And if you’ve been victim to a scam or theft, make sure to go to a police station and file a report. I suggest heading to the Cape Town Central Police Station. They were very quick when I needed an affidavit and they actually once helped a friend of mine get his phone back when it was stolen!
Now, there is no guarantee that the police are going to be able to do anything but you’ll need the police report to make a claim with your travel insurance company. Do it as soon as possible!
Some policies even cover fraud or even stolen cash, but you’ll almost always need an official police report to get reimbursed.