Common scam patterns — Sri Lanka
Last updated:
Editorial notice
Patterns documented from public scam reports and provider feedback. New patterns emerge; report new ones to us via /contact.
- Sea-turtle 'hatcheries' that handle hatchlings for tourist photos — refuse.
- Elephant 'orphanages' with tourist contact, riding or bathing — refuse (Pinnawala is the famously controversial case).
- Childcare and orphanage programs — Sri Lanka has a documented orphanage-tourism pattern.
- Driver / guide arrangements that include unannounced 'shopping stops' (a Colombo-area pattern).