Do Not Send UBERS in Santo Domingo

[Half-vaccinated]

Ubers in the Dominican Republic are different than the U.S.  Scammers are working with Uber drivers to Defraud you out of your money.

I Dont send ubers.  Even if I know you, I wont ever send a Uber in the D.R.  The way I see it: You want money.  I have money.  This is a J-O-B. Take a guagua or ride a moto to your Fair Exchange.

Fact is: they most likely not going to make money like this in one day. And they KNOW it.  If they Refuse to show up because you wont send them a uber, they were most-likely scammers.  

[Half-vaccinated]

They Damage (or say they damaged) the Uber.  YOU PAY

They take the Uber in a different Direction.  YOU PAY

Uber driver's phones in the D.R. run out of power all the time. 

They want you to send them $$$ via Western Union. Or they will not release the Uber.

Remember, you American. You Rich.

Stay safe. Ignore this practise.

[Guest]

I had two online garotos ask me to send Ubers in SP last week.  Refused them both, although I didn’t know the precise scam.  One arrived on his own dime.  The other flaked.  Agreed - never send Ubers 

[snwbrdr015]

I always send for an Uber! Never thought of these scams as described by you @Half-vaccinated. I use my credit card connected to the app. So no cash. Does that make a different? And the ride from A to B is registered, so any deviations (eg. going to another city) can be contested in the Uber app.

But I definitely see your point: a boy can take an Uber from bloody Santo Doming to Punta Cana! But can he....

I did send Ubers frequently. This ensures me the boy shows up, I can see his ETA and I can monitor the progression of the ride. I recon that, -if you would send an Uber- you fill out the pick-up point and your address as destination right? As I do. All registered in the app. I have never had any problems sending an Uber in Sto. Domingo, your points however make me reconsider!! Staying in the Zona Colonial I've never experiences bad Ubers: they showed up, were friendly and did the job as you expect. Even when driving me out or into the Zona Colonial. Shitty drivers, sure, but Uber as Uber should be.

Were you scammed as described? I am in  doubt now....

 

[Guest]

there are scammers lurking everywhere & are infiltrating places and things we regard as safe.  I wouldn’t send anything connected to a form of payment where I’m responsible for the use of unknown people.  hard stop - anything could happen.  

Re; Uber - the guy you hire assaults the driver & steals the car - then what happens to the “rich” foreigner that paid by credit card ??   I’d rather not be part of that scenario.  Red flag 

[snwbrdr015]

Hmm. Point taken. 

[SolaceSoul]

I stopped sending for Ubers to guys I do not already know (not just Santo Domingo, but any city or country). Not because of any scam — but because too often, the guys would not abide by Uber’s policy of mandatory mask-wearing in the car. The driver would report the passenger to Uber as violating the mask policy, and the account holder (me) would get a ban — first one, 24 hours, the next one, 48 hours, the next one, 72 hours and possible lifetime expulsion from using the app. 

I like keeping my Uber account, so I limit who can use it (or ride with me). 

[Half-vaccinated]

15 hours ago, Slvkguy said:

 the guy you hire assaults the driver & steals the car - then what happens to the “rich” foreigner that paid by credit card ??   

THAT PART!

[Half-vaccinated]

15 hours ago, Slvkguy said:

there are scammers lurking everywhere & are infiltrating places and things we regard as safe

They are Irritating as hell. 

[Guest]

yes - the increase in “scams” running foreign & US domestic seem to keep increasing & mutating in ways we don’t see coming.  With Uber as an example, I have never sent Uber to pick up anyone else, but probably would have in the US.  Outside the US, it just didn’t feel right but I was unaware that there were organized scams running.

In many countries, tourists are prime targets.  The thieves know tourists will usually leave their countries in a short period of time & are unlikely to pursue criminal charges even if the perpetrator is caught.  This is exactly what happened to me in Spain.  I was robbed and they caught the person, I identified them, but they needed me to be in country for prosecution - I was leaving shortly after he was identified. The criminal was released and he went back to business.  It’s the same story over & over.  He was a known criminal with a long rap sheet targeting gay tourists exclusively.

And, in many places, older tourists (gay or straight) that use sex-workers are even better targets. Think about it -  we are frequently in comprising positions where just about anything could happen.  And we are largely dealing with unknown people in most cases. Which is why I prefer the safety of a sauna if I’m not feeling too lazy to go.  On the occasion, I want them to come to my hotel, then I make sure they know they must register at the front desk and bring ID.  Even if I know that’s not necessary.  It weeds them out quick.

Will I stop doing the things I like to do ?  NO. Will I change my behaviors to adjust for the increasing threat level ?  YES  
Thats why I always stay in premium hotels in developing countries with layers of security.  There is no way I’d have a boy from a developing country into an AirBnb or similar.  Even if the boy is trustworthy, whomever he tells about it may not be. And, everyone in the buildings knows which apartments are AirBnB and many times people on the street know too.  In Madrid, it’s obvious my building and AirBnB apartment were under surveillance as a known place for gay tourists with little to no security.  It was an AirBnb in Plaza de Chueca with only a keyed building entry.  Never again.

Also - I’d never use a credit card in any Brazilian sauna or other sex-worker venue in any country.  I go by the Leave No Trace mantra, never leaving anything that could identify me in places that are questionable.  The owners may be reputable, but who knows how many employees cycle in/out of these places.  And, yes ID theft and credit card fraud can happen anywhere - but given the seedy nature of some of preferred venues - it feels like extra caution is needed.

When I was in SP recently - I got asked over & over;  How long are you staying ?  Where are you staying ?  No, No, No, No.  Be ready for those questions and never give away the correct information.  This is basic and everyone knows this I think.

And in SP,  I was absolutely bombarded on Scruff with invitations for “free sex”.  I accepted one offer & it was from a rich Brazilian who was a member at the health club in my hotel.  There are guys on the apps soliciting sex with the intention to rob you.  These stories pop up from time to time in NYC and other places in the US - of course it’s happening to “rich” foreigners visiting developing countries too.  All that much easier in a foreign country because the rich tourist will soon be leaving.  I’m 60 yrs old, still decent looking looking, aware that some younger guys do like Daddies, but under no illusion that the agenda for something else is more than likely at play. Many of these crimes never get reported for many reasons.

Yes - most of this is an absolute buzzkill and we’d all rather ignore it & pretend it doesn’t exist. But, it does and protect yourself because the scammers really are lurking around every corner.  Including in this forum.

in all my years hiring domestic and abroad - I’ve never had an issue/problem related to hiring for sex. God knows I was lucky when I was younger, but then many of these current scams just didn’t exist or they have become much more sophisticated.  The robbery in Madrid was when I got drugged by someone I perceived to be a fellow gay traveler and was just being friendly & accepted a cocktail in a bar that he guided me to.  The bar staff was in on the scam.  Once It was reported to the police, they confirmed drugging tourists is extremely common, most don’t report out of shame/embarrassment or they don’t remember enough to make it worthwhile.  I was shocked & a real wake-up call.

It sucks to be on-guard 24/7, especially when traveling and trying to relax and have a good time.  But necessary. Drinking and/or drugs are an obvious NO/NO and will only make you an even easier target for the scammers/thieves - just don’t do it.  
 
I had a great time in São Paulo recently, but followed all the rules above and didn’t feel any threats at any time. I’d go again in a minute, with the proper precautions. Or anywhere in Brazil for that matter.  It helps my preferred time of day for meeting guys is in the afternoon - reduces risks exponentially IMO. After dark, I’m ready for a good meal, a couple of cocktails and the comfort of my hotel.  All good. 

[floridarob]

15 hours ago, Slvkguy said:

it’s happening to “rich” foreigners visiting developing countries too.

That leaves me out....😆

[Half-vaccinated]

On 5/5/2022 at 12:06 AM, floridarob said:

That leaves me out....😆

All visitors are considered rich.  One guy was calling me a king in comparison🤷‍♂️

[Half-vaccinated]

On 5/4/2022 at 8:08 AM, Slvkguy said:

yes - the increase in “scams” running foreign & US domestic seem to keep increasing & mutating in ways we don’t see coming.  With Uber as an example, I have never sent Uber to pick up anyone else, but probably would have in the US.  Outside the US, it just didn’t feel right but I was unaware that there were organized scams running.

In many countries, tourists are prime targets.  The thieves know tourists will usually leave their countries in a short period of time & are unlikely to pursue criminal charges even if the perpetrator is caught.  This is exactly what happened to me in Spain.  I was robbed and they caught the person, I identified them, but they needed me to be in country for prosecution - I was leaving shortly after he was identified. The criminal was released and he went back to business.  It’s the same story over & over.  He was a known criminal with a long rap sheet targeting gay tourists exclusively.

And, in many places, older tourists (gay or straight) that use sex-workers are even better targets. Think about it -  we are frequently in comprising positions where just about anything could happen.  And we are largely dealing with unknown people in most cases. Which is why I prefer the safety of a sauna if I’m not feeling too lazy to go.  On the occasion, I want them to come to my hotel, then I make sure they know they must register at the front desk and bring ID.  Even if I know that’s not necessary.  It weeds them out quick.

Will I stop doing the things I like to do ?  NO. Will I change my behaviors to adjust for the increasing threat level ?  YES  
Thats why I always stay in premium hotels in developing countries with layers of security.  There is no way I’d have a boy from a developing country into an AirBnb or similar.  Even if the boy is trustworthy, whomever he tells about it may not be. And, everyone in the buildings knows which apartments are AirBnB and many times people on the street know too.  In Madrid, it’s obvious my building and AirBnB apartment were under surveillance as a known place for gay tourists with little to no security.  It was an AirBnb in Plaza de Chueca with only a keyed building entry.  Never again.

Also - I’d never use a credit card in any Brazilian sauna or other sex-worker venue in any country.  I go by the Leave No Trace mantra, never leaving anything that could identify me in places that are questionable.  The owners may be reputable, but who knows how many employees cycle in/out of these places.  And, yes ID theft and credit card fraud can happen anywhere - but given the seedy nature of some of preferred venues - it feels like extra caution is needed.

When I was in SP recently - I got asked over & over;  How long are you staying ?  Where are you staying ?  No, No, No, No.  Be ready for those questions and never give away the correct information.  This is basic and everyone knows this I think.

And in SP,  I was absolutely bombarded on Scruff with invitations for “free sex”.  I accepted one offer & it was from a rich Brazilian who was a member at the health club in my hotel.  There are guys on the apps soliciting sex with the intention to rob you.  These stories pop up from time to time in NYC and other places in the US - of course it’s happening to “rich” foreigners visiting developing countries too.  All that much easier in a foreign country because the rich tourist will soon be leaving.  I’m 60 yrs old, still decent looking looking, aware that some younger guys do like Daddies, but under no illusion that the agenda for something else is more than likely at play. Many of these crimes never get reported for many reasons.

Yes - most of this is an absolute buzzkill and we’d all rather ignore it & pretend it doesn’t exist. But, it does and protect yourself because the scammers really are lurking around every corner.  Including in this forum.

in all my years hiring domestic and abroad - I’ve never had an issue/problem related to hiring for sex. God knows I was lucky when I was younger, but then many of these current scams just didn’t exist or they have become much more sophisticated.  The robbery in Madrid was when I got drugged by someone I perceived to be a fellow gay traveler and was just being friendly & accepted a cocktail in a bar that he guided me to.  The bar staff was in on the scam.  Once It was reported to the police, they confirmed drugging tourists is extremely common, most don’t report out of shame/embarrassment or they don’t remember enough to make it worthwhile.  I was shocked & a real wake-up call.

It sucks to be on-guard 24/7, especially when traveling and trying to relax and have a good time.  But necessary. Drinking and/or drugs are an obvious NO/NO and will only make you an even easier target for the scammers/thieves - just don’t do it.  
 
I had a great time in São Paulo recently, but followed all the rules above and didn’t feel any threats at any time. I’d go again in a minute, with the proper precautions. Or anywhere in Brazil for that matter.  It helps my preferred time of day for meeting guys is in the afternoon - reduces risks exponentially IMO. After dark, I’m ready for a good meal, a couple of cocktails and the comfort of my hotel.  All good. 

People who post only the Fun Stuff cannot be trusted.  Even good sex gets old and tiring (can't believe I said that).  Stay vigilant and enjoy this big beautiful world.