A word of caution for female tourists visiting Egypt: be careful of the many of the men working in tourist areas in Egypt.
Although the vast majority of Egyptians have a high sense of honor and good conduct, it seems that tourist areas seem to attract a relatively high concentration of people with lax morals, who would exploit tourists in many ways. It can manifest itself as persistent aggressive begging, peddling cheap goods, charging 10X the normal prices for services and goods, and what this article focuses on: exploiting female tourists.
Looking at the bulk of the comments on my notes on compulsory army service in egypt they are mostly from non-Egyptian women who married (or intend to marry) an Egyptian man, and army service has become an obstacle.
So, once you here the word "habibti" (meaning "my love" in Arabic), and before you call him "Habibi", let alone go down the marriage route, read on below for more information.
The exploitation happens in many forms, but is normally centered around one of the following:
Easy and Free Sex
Many tourists come from countries where sex is more freely practiced outside of marriage. Youn g Egyptian men working in tourist areas who
are not married see this as an opportunity, and are met with acceptance from the female tourists.
A source for Money
Many Egyptian men who practice this scam view the "wealthy" tourist as a source of income. They keep asking their "girl friend", "fiance" or "wife" for money for various excuses, just like a professional scammer would play a confidence game on a victim.
An Opporunity for Immigration
Some of those men want to get out of Egypt, and see their marriage as a way to gain residence and citizenship in a Western country. The economy in Egypt has been stagnant for decades, and poverty, lack of opportunity and the high cost of marriage lures some youth to trying these tricks.
Why it works?
There are several factors that work in favor of the Egyptian scammers here.
One factor that helps is that most Egyptian men look desirable to Western women, being of darker complexion than their compatriots. The fact that the foreigners are white blonds work in making the women attractive and desirable for Egyptian men.
Another factor is that the woman is coming to the tourist place to have a good time. It may be a break from stressful work or study, or perhaps a past relationship. This helps blind her to what is happening.
Yet another factor is the cultural differences which also create temporary blindness.
Moreover, those workers being away from their village or city of origin, where they would be observed by their extended family and friends tend to make it easier for them to engage in sexual relationships and scams without being scrutinized by acquaintenaces, and no stigma is attached to these behaviors.
Finally, the scammers have perfected their techniques over the years, and are very skillful at what they do.
Blacklists
Blacklists have emerged on the internet, to warn potential female tourists from known exploiters. These have all the faults of user contributed content on the internet in that they can be innacurate, biased, or even rigged by rivals or pranksters. However, in the absence of any other information, they can be useful, provided they are taken with a good deal of skepticism and research and common sense applied.
- An overview article on what a "black list" is, at Arabia.pl.
- Dezy House: Blacklist for Hurghada, in English.
- Dezy House: Blacklist for Sharm El Sheikh, in English.
- Wanted List of Egypt.
- Egyptian Blacklist on Topix.
- KunstKamera blacklist.
Happens everywhere, not only Egypt
Before someone gets the impression that Egypt is a cesspool, and Egyptians are crooks, let me say it is neither.
The problem above is not limited to Egypt by any means. Any country where tourists come in to spend money has its share of exploiters. The above black lists have a Turkish one, and a Tunisian one, and there are lots of stories about French, Italian and Spanish men exploiting women tourists as well.
Of course, there is also the Russian bride fraud targeting well to do men in the West.
So, the problem is universal, although this article focuses on female tourists to Egypt.
Final Thoughts
There are many non-Egyptian women married to Egyptian men happily, so over-generalizing from the cases mentioned, or from workers at tourist resort is wrong. Chances are you will be happy with an Egyptian as a husband if you met him in a more natural settings, e.g. while studying or working, and getting to meet his family as well.
The "artificial" environment in resorts, being on holiday, and surrounded by some scammers lend itself to the disasters described.
So, beware ...
Further Reading
- Marwa Rakha: Relationship Warning: Do not get involved with Egyptian Men (also here).
- Global Voices: "Beware of Egyptian Men" says Canadian Embassy, also by Marwa Rakha.
- Trailing Grouse: Egyptian men marrying women for money.
- Yahoo Answers: Egyptian Men marrying foreign women to get out from Egypt.
- Sex, Sun, Stupidity and Gigolos.
- Amy Robson: n English girl who keeps falling in false love with Egyptian men (she finally returned to Britain).
- Someone searching on KunstKamera: for Honest Egyptian Boys?
- List if sites on Romance Fraud in German, and other languages.
- A movie documentary in the making on holiday romance, specially Hurghada.
- Female Sex Tourism on Wikipedia, has lots of links to extensive articles. While Turkey is listed as a major destination, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco are listed as "minor destinations".
- An article from a Canadian perspective: Sex tourism in full boom. Jamaica, Barbados, Dominican Republic and the Caribbean are the major destination for Canadian women.
Comments
try again (not verified)
failed article
Thu, 2012/03/15 - 18:28you say this is world wide yet you put the title, "Warning to female tourists thinking of marrying Egyptians" what kind of way is that to represent every country when you say "world wide" yet i see the country "Egypt". As an Egyptian i got really offended by this...i lived in America my whole life and than i moved to Egypt, all i saw was the kindest people someone could meet, my female friend car stopped working all a sudden and she says she found 3 men fixing it when it was a holiday wich was kinda hard to find anyone busy to help. Now you say that egyptian tourist will trick you...you say you been i don't luxor like 12 times and thats how you rate 85 million people? Another thing is that when you said an Egyptian will ask for money, 1 Egyptians never let a woman pay for them nor get a loan from a woman as that is a shame in Egyptian culture, 2 why are you even talking about a country you hardly even know about. Just reading this pathetic article of yours makes me belive that middle eastern countries have a reason to hate you people. i could go on and on but this just pathetic. Please ask yourself what are you gonna gain when your trying to ruin most of the modest people you will see in your life reputation.
Anonymous (not verified)
Egypt must have honest and
Fri, 2012/03/16 - 11:38Egypt must have honest and hard working people but also has gigolos and scammers in cities like Hurghada and Luxor who will ripp of women, and take advantage of tourists in general.
Please inform yourself before giving your opinion
Isis (not verified)
"i lived in America my whole
Sat, 2012/03/17 - 07:51"i lived in America my whole life and than i moved to Egypt"
Sorry I don't buy it - your English is not good enough for someone who has lived in the US their whole life.
"Just reading this pathetic article of yours makes me belive that middle eastern countries have a reason to hate you people."
I assume "you people" are all non-middle eastern people. You say this even though you would have been appreciative of western culture and the people IF you had lived in the US for your whole life.
I don't believe one word of what you say. You are Egyptian and you have never left Egypt. So now I ask, who is scamming who?
Unfortunately no matter how hard you try to deny that Egyptian men don't scam foreign women it will not go away. You se it happening every day on the streets and in the hotels of Luxor. If a foreign woman were to stand outside the Sonesta Hotel and wait for a taxi for less than a minute she will be approached by gigalos who haunt the area prowling for vulnerable women. There are many, many men in the tourist areas of Egypt that will take money, sex and whatever else they can get their hands on with any opportunity that presents to better themselves. This is done with complete disregard for the woman, her emotional state and her financial status. This is why I do not view this article as "pathetic". Vulnerable women need to be warned and alerted to these scams just as you would expect to be alerted to possible scams if you were ever able to really visit the US. There are kind people in Egypt and I know many but they do not haunt the tourist areas and lurk in front of the 5 star hotels hoping that their luck will change.
Tourism is the basis of the Egyptian economy and I think that is a very good reason not to hate "you people" but to treat the people that bring money into Egypt with respect just as you as an Egyptian are demanding respect.
I spend 6 months of the year in Egypt and contrary to your belief I do know Egypt very well. I must also mention that I am married to an Egyptian and have been for nearly seven years.
My advise to you is not to "assume" and make sure of your facts.
Anonymous (not verified)
Do you have to pay the
Fri, 2012/03/16 - 04:58Do you have to pay the government and college before you join the army, or is it a fee you have to pay, when you do not attend college, and its like a backhander, to get you less time for National Service? And 21000LE a year for college tuition seems a bit expensive when an average wage is 1500LE a month! Also, do the courts/government still take money for shortening time in the army?
Isis (not verified)
Re: Do you have to pay
Sat, 2012/03/17 - 07:54I don't even know your story but if you have been told all these costs you are being scammed. You are right - it doesn't sdd up. Ditch him fast or you won't have any money.
Anonymous (not verified)
Thank you, but I will never
Sun, 2012/03/18 - 12:12Thank you, but I will never send any money ever. Even though he is a Coptic, he should never have asked for my help, and its shocking to read how many women do fall for these men, and send thousands of pounds, I'm lucky not to have fallen for it!
lynn (not verified)
Try again You read my story
Fri, 2012/03/16 - 07:46Try again
You read my story about my mums Egyptian husband,you say Egyptian men dont ask or loan money of women?.He has had tens of thousands of pounds of her ,all of which he has asked for,most of the Egyptian men working in tourist resorts are after conning anybody in sight ,surely all the people who complain about these con artists cannot be lying.I suggest you do somemore reading on this forum and other forums before defending these lowlife scum.
kajafont (not verified)
Can I Just Ask?
Fri, 2012/03/16 - 21:41I been here reading all this about being used for everything it actually makes me sick to keep reading this about Egypt. I been a student of Egyptology for 2 years and I love the country as it is but what happen? people use to have honor and respect and "love" for mankind. Now it seems its all you have something I want and they get it at any means ... It's rather giving all of Egypt a bad name. It's true I was scammed by Nasser H. Ali Mourssi but it didn't change how I love Egypt. I will travel there after I am married. To ward off the players and scammers. My fiance said I will never leave you alone there all like vultures. I am happy to be engaged to Hani (Lebanon)after this betrayal of Nasser I set better rules for myself
1) never believe a man when he says "i love you" in the first time together love takes time to grow and be "for-real"
2) if I cant meet his family then I walk away... and if his family is allowing him to do this then shame on them as parents...
3) I am in the USA if he wants me he will come there I will give him advice and what his options are and go about my life... True Arab man will always go to the woman he loves Yeah Hani come to me it took time but it was worth it.
4)Never send money to a man if he can't do anything for himself then he is a player not worth your time and if you are sitting with a man and he get a text saying I'll buy you a boat ladies tell him go with her she offers you more and walk away player are a dime a dozen in Hurghada. (as with everywhere else)
5) if you are taken for money it is a crime report it to your Embassy and local police department I did that about Nasser I filed a report in Cairo ( actually my brother in Islam did this for me, he said he should have been there to stop me, he is handling all legal matters now with my consent..
Mosquito's, I was told in Tunisia in 2005 he want to get me a Pepsi and soon as he walked away there was 2 guys talking I said I am not interested.......and then he said mosquito's are bad today.:) never went back to Tunisia after this....
I will come to enjoy the sites in Egypt not the men it's more satisfying for me . Obviously they must think there are all that I learned my lesson and So happy I will go to Egypt for what I respect not to be disrespected. Lesson was learned and I wish I could do more to stop woman from being so USED by men I hope they open there eyes I wish all you ladies good luck and just be careful if it seems to good to be true then it is.
Isis (not verified)
To kajafont
Mon, 2012/04/02 - 03:34Whilst most of your advice is sound your comment "if I cant meet his family then I walk away... and if his family is allowing him to do this then shame on them as parents..." needs clarification. The Gigolos and scammers will most often take foreign women/wives to meet their family but the problem is that the family is on the scam as well! The men do this to try and gain the trust of the women they are trying to snare and the families are quite happy to be a part of it for the rewards they will reap. These people have no shame as all they can see is a better lifestyle for their selfish selves and a big boost to the ego as well.
lynn (not verified)
Hello,a quick update here,he
Thu, 2012/04/05 - 16:14Hello,a quick update here,he came back from egypt a couple of week ago ,first thing he did was ask my mum for money for his insurance on his car,he is now telling her he owes people in egypt £1500 ,he says he borrowed it while he was there,he talks nonsense,he was here at my house with my mum the other day ,he told me he earned £500 a week when he worked in sharm,surely this cannot be true?anyway he used my computer to view his email messages. After he went i went on my computer and he had not logged out of his account properly ,so i had access to his emails ,and facebook ,he tells my mum he doesnt have facebook ,any way he has documents in his emails from insurance companys and the documents are adressed to atiia ayoub ,this must be his real name ,yet my mums married name is ahmed and he tells us his second name is ahmed but this cant be the truth because his insurance would be void if ayoub isnt his real name,can anyone shed any light on this for me?I had a nosey on his facebook and he has been messaging other women asking if they want to meet up and stuff also he is a member of adult sex sites and he has been looking for casual sex on there ,we are trying to get as much evidence as we can against him and then show it all to my mum,so look on facebook for attia ayoub and see if any of you people can give me more info,thanks again.
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