Scam guide
Do you know what a wholesale gem offer is really worth?
Sapphires made this island famous long before tourism did. That history is the hook.
Sri Lanka is famous for sapphires, which is what makes this pitch work. A friendly stranger offers investment-quality stones at wholesale prices for you to resell at home.
How it works
- A well-dressed local strikes up a conversation and mentions a family gem business or a one-day government sale.
- You are shown stones and told they will sell for double in your home country.
- The stones are worthless or heavily overpriced. The friendly local is paid a commission on the sale.
How to avoid it
- Never buy gems as an investment on a trip. Dealers at home do not buy from tourists at a premium.
- If you want a stone to keep, buy from an established jeweller and ask for an independent certificate.
- Treat any unprompted introduction to a shop as a paid introduction.
If it happens to you: If you paid by card, contact your card issuer quickly. Report the seller to the Tourist Police or the 1912 hotline.
Know the fair price: Private driver should cost US$50–80 per day, for a car with driver, fuel included, on a multi-day trip.
Rather have the price settled before you land?
Tell us where you want to go. We reply with one all-inclusive figure for car and driver, with no shopping stops along the way.