WERE YOU CHEATED BY A BEACHBOY? WHAT YOU CAN DO...

As we can see, nobody can change behavior of beachboys. Reason why is - they already felt how sweet easy money are. And they are teaching all others, younger boys, how to cheat, how to lie, how to steal money from us. How to use people and how to abuse love, friendship and trust. So, all these we can't change and it will be happening repeatedly. 

So, what we can do in the case of abuse and how to proceed. 

If it already happened and you lost money or property, what to do:

1. contact police - you can try to contact police, but in this way, you will probably go into more bigger troubles. They will open the case but then, they will not do anything. Especially not if you gave money to Maasais voluntarily. Yes, in Tanzania if someone will lie to you and someone will make the fraud on you - you will lose your money voluntarily! So police will laugh behind your back and that's all. Once we will trust scammers - it's our  problem. Police will look at you of course with disrespect. You will see in their faces, they see you to be stupid that you trusted scammers. They will have no intention to help you, for closing the case, you are that one who will pay money without any result. In many cases also when they will catch Maasai beachboy and they will put him to the jail, in short time he will be back on the beach, because Maasais community at Zanzibar will to police to let him go away. Easy. They can robe white women as much as they want and they will be never punished by police in serious way. If criminals would stay in the prison, the whole terrible situation with scammers would be change in that minute. But no. Tourists are there to be robed. Everything is fine. 

2. contact  Maasai boss in area - this is other possibility you have. But also, don't expect any miracle. Each area has own leader, something like SHEHA in Swahili world, Maasais  have similar person in each bigger village. They also have the leader of young warriors, then leader from elders, as we mentioned already. Maasais at Zanzibar have own organization with exact structure and hierarchy. They have many conflicts at home in bush with each other - mostly because of white women, but at Zanzibar they hold together. Zanzibar is for Maasais also foreign world, they are at home in mainland. So will elders help you? Not really. And why? Because elders of Maasais have a lot of money exactly from Maasai beachboys. Don't think they will do a lot for you. Only when the case will be published and bigger, they can act like they are doing something. But not really. The biggest leader of all Maasais in Tanzania will not also help you, he is more interested in problems in the bush, than problems at Zanzibar. He really doesn't care. The trust among Maasais is that white women want to have sex with Maasais and that's why they nedd to pay for it. So everything is fine. The word like "lie", "fraud", "manipulation", none of these words is in Swahili dictionary. So, you are just only wallet, not person, nobody from these people will take you seriously. But if you want, write us the mail and we will give you contact to leaders regarding on area. They are many people there on island, who are responsible only for keeping order, but they are not doing their job well. That's why you can meet many young Maasais drunk, smoking and also those who are using drugs. Making mess and shame, bothering tourists each day and nobody from elders has any effort to stop them. Money is important and when money is going to the Maasais bomas, everything is ok. Beachboys are mostly sending money home. When someone will try to stop them, that person  will be responsible for poverty in family of beachboys. Just don't expect any real help from Maasai people in this issue. They will not help and if yes, in rare cases. For example if you are someone who is living in Tanzania. But ordinary tourists have no chance. You will look just funny in front of them because they know already, they are not going to help you.

Both these actions are very tricky and with very unsure result. That's why the only help, the only real protection is to know and to be well informed. To have all possible information - to be warned. To prevent all future consequences. And it's very easy.

As we have mentioned already, Maasais beachboys are not agressive or violent. Not in first contact. Then,  some of them can hit you and can be really dangerous for you, but in first contact at beginning, they will not do anything to hurt you physically. Also robbery will be not easy for them, they will steal your money after you will let them go closer to you. If you will keep the distance from these people - nothing bad can happen to you. Easy. 

So the only help which really works in the case of scammers is THE PREVENTION. This way is VERY effective. Keep distance, don't talk to them, don't give them your number, don't join with them and you will be OK. They will do anything without opportunity you have to give them. They are powerless once you will decide to ignore them.

After the beachboy will go to you closer on the beach, IGNORE THEM  COMPLETELY. Don't react on his speech in any way. Don't look at him. Follow your way and pretend, he is not there at all. It's not very respectful behavior but it's only way how to get rid of them. After short time they will give up. But once you will tell just one word, they will not give up easily and it will take longer time until they  will let you go. Just never react in any way. Still keep looking in front of you and keep going. Don't tell anything to them, because they don't understand and they don't know what NO means. So it's wasting of the time to talk to them. And especially is wasting of the time your try to explain them something like "you don't want anything from them, you are not interested in them in any way", anything  from this they will not understand. They can also start to be aggressive after your rejection. The only thing which can work is IGNORANCE. Maybe you can tell "thank you" and still keep going. Don't stop. Without any excuse. This is the only behavior, which can save your life, your health, your money, your heart, your good feeling from the island. Go straight and never look back. It's the only way. If you will stay there for longer time, your "reputation" will spread around quickly and they will start to ignore you on the beach. They will not waste their expensive time with you. And then you will be so lucky, you will be able to enjoy the beach without beachboys behind your ass on each step. And you will like that feeling. You can be there alone, enjoying white sand, clean water and peace.  

The way how to reach this goal is not complicated. All you need is, to ignore them. Then everything will be fine and they will have NO POSSIBILITY how to ruin your life. Don't give them any possibility to destroy you and all what you was building until today. It's possible and easy.

Don't let them to hurt you. Just one chance only and they will use it immediately. They never hesitate. So be brave, be strong, be smart. Maasai beachboy can't be your happiness. Maasai man - maybe yes, who knows, there are many people in that tribe - hopefully (but we don't know almost any). But beachboy ? NEVER !  NO WAY ! The chance the beachboy will be your happiness is probably smaller than to win the first price in lottery. Don't even try. Find someone who respects you and who has good intention with you. Don't look for this person on the beach at Zanzibar. 

PLEASE, BE BRAVE AND SPREAD YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH BEACHBOYS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IT'S THE ONLY WAY HOW TO WARN OTHER PEOPLE AND HOW TO AVOID THE ABUSE OF THOSE WHO DON'T DESERVE YOUR MONEY, YOUR LOVE AND YOUR TRUST.