just like that

Recently read about a petrol bunk fraud in one of my friend’s blog. I was reminded about how I had got duped at the exact same bunk a couple of weeks earlier in the same fashion. Taking a cue from it, I decided to post about one of the other frauds that I came across recently so that at least some of you can be prepared next time around.

I developed great respect for Mumbai when I lived there for a year. I was impressed with the efficiency of the train system and the honesty of the auto drivers which made travel at any time of the day such a comfort. So when I recently got duped at the Mumbai airport six months ago for the first time, I wasn’t even sure whether I had been duped in the first place. Me and my friend had landed at the airport and asked for a cab to Powai. Upon agreeing to the rate of Rs 200, the guy (lets say a Mr. X) who did the bargaining with us called for the cab and we get into it.

As soon as we sit inside, Mr. X smartly hands out three hundred rupee notes and politely asked my friend to give a 500 rupee note to settle the fare. My friend is slightly puzzled, but still takes the hundred rupee notes and pays the fare but Mr. X immediately returns it showing it’s actually a hundred rupee note we have given and asks for 500 Rs note. My friend thinks he has made a mistake, takes the 100 Rs note and pays him 500. Later, when he checks his purse, my friend remembers that he had no 100 rupee notes to begin with in the first place. So effectively we had been duped 400 Rs (since we got back a 100 Rs note for the first 500 Rs we gave).Upon enquiring with others, we find that this is a common occurrence at the airport.

So what is their modus operandi? They pick on unsuspecting passengers who as it is have no idea about the fares. Negotiations over, they take you a little outside the airport saying the taxi is parked there. There, the usual Mr. X is ready with the (500 – Agreed fare) amount. They wait for the passenger to sit inside the cab and immediately give him the money and ask for the 500 Rs note. And here is where the most important part of the operation is – As soon as u pay him the note, he switches it in a flash with a 100 Rs note, which no doubt he was having handy. If u weren’t paying enough attention you would not even notice his hand movement,go on to assume u made a mistake with the notes and end up losing 400 bucks more in the process.

I experienced the whole thing again when I went to Mumbai two months back. This time I was watching him closely and despite that I wasn’t able to spot when he actually made that switch. However, I at least knew he had definitely switched the note. I was angry and despite the broken Hindi I uttered, my tone helped that guy realize I was clearly not impressed by his behavior. He went off silently and the journey progressed smoothly. All of you might not be that lucky so I suggest one of the following precautionary measures:

1) Always try to take one of the taxis which are standing just in front of the airport lounge exit. In full public view with security personnel nearby, the Mr. Xs are virtually absent. Even better, take one of the prepaid taxis. The queue is long, but it’s always better than paying 400 bucks extra.

2) Never agree to go outside the airport to board a taxi unless it’s a prepaid taxi where you have already paid the fare.

3) Always insist on paying only after you reach your destination. Even if you are already inside the cab and they insist on payment before starting, do not hesitate to walk out.

4) Finally, if you know you are going to stay in a particular hotel, make use of the cab pickup service by calling them in advance and informing them of your arrival. The service usually comes free but even otherwise it makes a lot of sense.

As a parting note, I would like to mention a couple of things.

One of my friends recently had to go to the US and he had to take a connecting flight via Mumbai. He is running late and takes a cab to go from the domestic airport to the international airport. The cabbie takes him to some remote place, asks him to pay money failing which he won’t take him to the airport. Due to the paucity of time at hand, my friend paid 100 dollars in traveler’s cheques and got to the airport. Of course, he smartly blocked those cheques once he got inside the airport via phone banking.

Just beware of the Mumbai cabbies in the same way you would be of the Chennai auto- drivers. As in the latter case, the safest option would be to avoid them!

It almost seems that Oct-Nov is my blog hibernation period. Even last year, I haven't made many posts in this period. Anyways, since Iam making a re-entry yet again, I guess I will use this post to just give a snapshot of what's been happening with me over the last six months. Return to serious blogging only if I manage another post this month.

1) Work - When I made the choice on campus, I knew it was a good one but wasn't exactly sure if it was the right one. Six months post joining, the initial signs are encouraging. Responsibility, Independence and Pressure would be the few adjectives that I would use to describe the journey so far. With training getting over, I am just waiting to be let loose on real work.

2) Travel – This should count among one of the perks that I have enjoyed at work. From the buzzing M.G roads of Bangalore to the serene shores of Pondicherry, I have traveled across four states and 17 towns, learning something new at every stop. There was a period when I had to explore some new towns in interior TN with just a map, a sales officer and an Indica - Good fun it was!

3) People –The brusque menial in my godown, the smart yet down-to-earth MBA salesman, the multi-crore dealer who sits in a shop so small that two people can’t enter at the same time, the cab driver who has seen more countries than I ever will, the risen-through-the-ranks manager from whom I keep learning new things about management everyday – Its simply been a terrific time meeting new people and understanding what motivates each one of them.

4) Friends – Right at the top of the list of casualties. I knew I would lose touch with a lot of people once I left campus but even the 25-30 people with whom I wanted to stay in touch with have slowly started drifting apart. It may be because my work is too hectic (such a lame excuse!), I come online for a very small time and Iam not exactly the calling types but the fact remains that the only friends I have stayed in touch with are the ones who have bothered to call/mail me. Hoping to correct the situation in the near future (just the way I hope to write a blog more regularly)