"Dangerous": Russian Woman Nearly Scammed in Cape Town Warns Tourists About Red Flags

• A Russian woman visiting Cape Town shared how she spotted warning signs after meeting a Nigerian man at a local market
• The woman, @_avalentina, described a series of inconsistencies in the man's story that raised her suspicions on the drive home
• Her Instagram video about the close call resonated with viewers who recognised the pattern she described

A Russian woman visiting Cape Town took to Instagram on 14 October to share a story that had many tourists and locals nodding along. She walked her followers through a near-miss she believed could have cost her.

The Instagram creator explained that she met a man at a local market in Cape Town. The two struck up a conversation about African culture and local life, and she said she genuinely enjoyed it. When he offered to drive her home, she agreed, reasoning that he seemed decent.

On the way home, @_avalentina said she stopped at a supermarket to pick up a few things. She noticed he showed no interest in contributing, even in a small way. She did not think much of it at first. But once she was back home, she began piecing things together. He told her he had lived in the United Kingdom, yet his accent carried none of the British influence she would have expected from someone who had spent meaningful time there. He also drove a noticeably nice car, which she said did not quite match the picture he was painting of himself. She said:

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"It's impossible to live in the UK and not get a really, really strong British accent."

She concluded that his approach followed a pattern: identify women who appear financially comfortable, build a connection, and then eventually ask for money. She was certain it would never have worked on her, and suggested that he sensed this too, since he never reached out after dropping her off. Watch her Cape Town scam story on Instagram:

Mzansi discuss Cape Town scam attempt

Viewers in the comments were quick to share their thoughts on @_avalentina's experience:

@mrbubbles.rsa wrote:

"Crazy 😂"

@vissima said:

"🙈🥺 Dangerous"

@humblevee commented:

"You met a yahoo boy Sis. 😂"

@apontita added:

"Nigerian in CPT is a dead giveaway girl."

Other Briefly News stories on tourist security in Cape Town

• An Australian tourist visiting Cape Town went viral on TikTok (@elladymalla) after sharing footage filmed while on a morning run with Table Mountain in the background, only for an on-screen caption to reveal she was robbed at gunpoint shortly after.
• International travellers arriving at Cape Town International Airport are reportedly falling prey to predatory transport scammers operating near terminal exits, charging up to R25,000 for standard short rides.
• A visitor wrapping up a three-month stay in South Africa shared an emotional TikTok video (@aliceswiftylife) in tears after being robbed of substantial funds by three men posing as legitimate parking marshals.

Source: Briefly News