Surfboard rental repair extortion scams in Arugam Bay
4 Answers from travellers
This is illegal extortion. NEVER leave your physical passport as a deposit for anything in Sri Lanka; leave a photocopy. If they have your passport and demand an absurd fee for a scratch, call the Tourist Police (1912) immediately while standing in the shop. Do not pay. They will hand the passport back the second the police arrive.
If you genuinely dinged the board, take it to Dylan’s Surf Shop or a local repair guy yourself. They will fix it for 2000 rupees.
I threatened to call the police like you said, and he suddenly "forgave" the scratch and gave my passport back. Thanks!
Always take photos of the entire board, especially the nose and tail, in front of the owner before you walk away with it.
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