Conmen and pickpockets are part of every town and therefore Eldoret in not an exemption. They usually steal from you either by tricking you or using violence.
Here are some of the tricks that the conmen and pickpockets in Eldoret are using to steal from you:
The pickpockets are using well-choreographed tricks to lure you into their traps. These tricks always involve two thieves where the first one is always in front of you and the other follows you from behind. The first one pretends to have dropped some money and his counterpart hurriedly pretends to pick it up.
Here is where the real theft happens, the one who has picked the money come to you pretending to be a good person and decides to share the money with you. He will ask you to come with him and find some change so that you can divide the money equally. If you believe it and decide to follow him, you will be lured into a dark corner where the other guy waits and everything will be taken from you.
Another trick that the conmen are using is deception. Most of them always come up with decisive stories like their phones are off and they need to call someone within the town. If you give them your phone, you may not be able to get it back.
Others will use their stories to ask for money pretending to be stranded in town and they need a fare back home. Others may pretend to have not eaten for weeks and ask you for money. Stupidly, they might use the same story to get money from you when you meet again.
Even though some of the stories might be true, it is always wise to dig deeper into the truth. If someone claims to have not eaten for days, just buy him food and do not give him/her money. If he is stranded in town and asks you for fare and you are willing to give him, just go, pay for the fare and let him aboard the car as you see. Otherwise, you will be coned without you knowing thinking that you are a Good Samaritan.
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