011 phone shop on TV Street

[carrie]

Went and bought a phone from this shop the other day when I got it home it had no battery, so off I went to the shop and thery found this old battery in a drawer and said I had to go home and charge it, I told them that I wanted a new battery one that went with the phone. The guy there opened about four boxes, sealed, before he found a phone with a battery. OK everything fine, off I go home again. When I got home I found that the phone had numerous messages on it and was obviously not a new one. Back I went again today to ask for my money back. I was told that they don't speak English, had no problem when I was purchasing it and this despite the fact that I had gone with a letter written in Arabic explaining the situation. I insisted that I wanted a refund or I would go to the police. Fine go to the police there are none. That's also fine so if I pick up this computor of yours and drop it what can you do send for the police. There are none. I left with a full refund. But when I was buying the phone it's Oh madam this is your shop, the same old guff, these people are cheats and don't deserve business.

[DJKeefy]

I think that's the way to do it out here carrie, I bought a packet of cigarettes from a shop near my flat once, when i got outside in the daylight it was so obvious that they was chinese fakes, so I went back in the shop and told him I that I was not accepting these fakes, I asked him to give me real Marlboro or give me back my money, he had the cheek to tell me that they was not the ones I purchased from him so he would not swap them or give me my money back, after many more words, I put the cigarettes down on his counter and opened the fridge and took 3 bars of chocolate (3.50le each the cigarettes were 10le at the time) and walked out, he came after me and called me a thief and that he will call the police, which I said "GO ON THEN" I will wait for them here.. he just went back in his shop and did nothing.

[Grandad]

You have both highlighted typical scams and the way to deal with them.....well done both of you

[LovelyLadyLux]

I agree with Grandad - Well done to both of you.

Sad that you had to make so many trips and go to such extremes but by doing so you indicated a bottom line, drew the line in the sand. Hopefully others will adhere to that same line cause then it will get easier for everybody.

Do you really think an Egyptian shop owner would perpetrate the same kind of scam on another Egyptian? Highly doubt it. It would start a bloodly (and many figuratively) feud that would make the Hatfields and McCoys look like a Sunday party.

I do believe Egyptians see westerners as "marks" and people to be scammed. They do not scam other Egyptians the same way as to scam a fellow Egyptian means all his family is going to come back and rain hellfire missles on your family. I don't think it has to do with language and one being able to understand each other language-wise. I think it goes much deeper than that.

If we are scammed we'll snort and scuff and talk and maybe make a scene and the average Egyptian isn't in the least intimidated by our outcry of being done wrong AND they can 'out scene' us most any day of the week at the drop of a hat. They know, for the most part, we are not going to come back and do them any serious harm BUT can they say the same for a fellow Egyptian?

[DJKeefy]

I think you are wrong there LovelyLadyLux.

The Egyptians scam one another big time, and most of the time the Egyptians would not do anything about it, like complain.

For example (and I know its a small example) if a packet of marlboro cigarettes cost 14LE and the guy in the shop said they were 15LE, most Egyptians would just pay it, Europeans would most likely question the extra pound.

I've seen them buy from food that might be off right down to stuff like dud memory cards and have not gone back to the shop to complain or to exchange the goods, mind you many shops would not exchange many goods bought cause they think you're scamming them and trying to exchange the new goods you bought for something that you already had that did not work, most times you have to threaten them with the police. it's really that bad, even the man in the electrical shop tests a normal house bulb to show it works so you cant con him by taking back an old blown bulb to swap.

I'm sure they would complain if it was something expensive, yet not in a way that Europeans would complain and kick up a fuss.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Keefy - interesting. Will mull your comments.........

[Chocolate Eclair]

Yes!! its not just Europeans they will cheat, they will cheat on their own as well if they can get away with it, it a way of life here, seems the only way of not getting cheated is to learn how to do it yourself or just accept it. there is a piece of land near to me, had Nile views when sold for 200,000le, once he had got his money he just built in front of it and blocked all views. So the answer to this if you want Nile Views, build on the Banks so no one can build in front of you.

[Dusak]

Unfortunately LLL as the others have posted, they will twist the last drop of sweat from anyone's arm, irrespective of their nationality. They just try a bit harder when it concerns us. At the moment I am building my new home for when this is sold but having experienced the past six years scams I was determined to get the better of 'the system'. The land was bought via my Egyptian friend, (female of Rottweiler temperament concerning my money) and she is in control of all building work under my 'secret tutelage'. I visit the site after they have left or on a Friday to check and make a list of corrections. They try all well known methods and scams to get extra money for agreed prices but fail miserably. I think that I can safely say that at the moment I have got everything at least half price from that of a white faced quote. She has sacked workers for bad workmanship, made them sweat it out concerning inflated prices. They don't like dealing with a woman, but this one is highly educated and soon makes it clear if you want my money you will give good honest work in return. I'm actually starting to feel sorry for them. Not.

[carrie]

The Dad of a friend of mine bought land here, he is Egyptian, he is a very careful man, he made sure that the land was free before purchasing, and proceded to build two flats for his sons when they marry. One of them did so and moved in with his wife, shortly there after the wife received visits from two men who said they owned the land and wanted compensation. A meetiing was arranged between the two men and Dad plus his son. They explained that the land had been bought and all investigations had been made, that the two men did not have any claim on the land, to go away and to stop upsetting the sons wife. Well the situation continued and they told the wife that for 20,000 Egyptian pounds they would solve the problem. Another meeting was arranged and this time Dad's cousin (General in the police and in uniform) attended the meeting together with an armed member of the secret police.
Needless to say nothing further has been heard about the matter.
Scams are not only perpetrated on Europeans and this happened long before the revolution.

[Miss scarlett]

On one holiday our caleche driver stopped to get cigarettes for himself, (neither myself or husband smoke). When he gave the cigarettes to him, he was asked if they were for himself or us. He said they were for him, opened the pack, and lit one up, then said do you believe me now. He still charged him more for the cigarettes, and he paid it!

[LovelyLadyLux]

Ooops

I'm aware there is lots of scamming going on and white or non-Egyptian faces probably get the brunt of it. Now - How did I arrive at the statements I made? I arrived at what I said based on conversations I've had with Egyptians I am friends with who rank very high militarily, have influence. They have often commented nobody cheats (them) and I guess I generalized this to all Egyptians.

[Dusak]

Quite correct as I think that if I entered a shop with a holstered side arm and asked for a packet of cigs I would get them at the correct selling price. This has now got me thinking...

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Dusak - you're not thinking HIGH enough

[carrie]

I might call in a certain shop on Station Street.