Fog + Gatiman = latest train scam.

At an ungodly hour, bleary eyed, and trying to enter New Delhi train station, we heard, “No madam, you must go to that entrance.” Half asleep I complied.

At that entrance, an official looking man in a suit said, “Madam, tickets please.” I complied. Then, “Madam, Bhopal Shatabdi, 10 hr delay, fog. New train, Gatiman Express, on time. From Old Delhi. You have credit card?”

At “credit card” I woke up. “Oh, Old Delhi station, let me call my driver” “No madam, private driver not allowed.” “That’s ok, he’s a taxi driver.” I fortuitously manage to retrieve my tickets from this man and turned back to head towards the usual entrance. He wasn’t giving up. Keeping up with me, he continued, “No madam, taxi not allowed, come with me, I help” I looked at him pointedly as I speak in Hindi on the phone to dear old Shashi, my long suffering local Delhi taxi driver. Man in suit starts to realise that maybe this dupe might not work. On reaching the right entrance I made my way, still being followed, to the train departure board, looked at it, then at the man who was still claiming, “Madam taxis not allowed back in, come I help, Taj Mahal very beautiful, you don’t want to miss.”

“Yes, apparently so,” I said, “Oh look, it says here Bhopal Shatabdi is on time, 0600, platform 1.” Man in suit, “Oh, this train madam? Yes yes madam, train is here, on time.” And with that, he immediately, almost magically he disappeared into the crowd……. Those buggers weren’t getting me!

This is a scam where they either get your credit card details, or whisk you off to their friend who has a taxi and who can drive you to Agra, at some quite considerable expense!

And it is also why we always recommend that clients are accompanied to the train at train stations.

Philippa has been a specialist in travel to India since 1998, contact philippa@indianexperiences.com

http://www.indianexperiences.co.uk