german couple robbed in sosua

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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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En Sos?a turistas alemanes desesperados denuncian les retienen pasaporte, le exigen alta suma de dinero y nadie les hace caso s

they rented a pasola that was later stolen by someone who showed up with a key and simply drove off. they reported the case to the police who asked them for petrol money in order to go and look for the pasola. the rental company demanded payment of 1500 dollars despite the fact they have no license to operate in sosua and rental documents do not give pasola's details. on the top of that the passport of the german woman has been retained until 1500 dollars fine is paid.

welcome to DR. we loooooove turistas here.
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i am glad the couple has taken it to the media. puts some pressure on otherwise sloppy help service. eh.
 
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SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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No doubt that this was a set up. It happened with a car to one or our poster's who will remain anonymous.
 
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barker1964

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Apr 1, 2009
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SKY said:
No doubt that this was a set up. It happened with a car to one or our poster's who will remain anonymous.
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The key thing was so obvious. Maybe they won't get the full $1500.00 but they will get something
 
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SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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Never give any rental company the right location where you will be in the DR if they ask. And that covers ALL.
 
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HUG

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Feb 3, 2009
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Like others have said, giving your passport over is silly. Give them a copy of it. They will not need your passport for security as they will have a carbon of your credit card details, or should do, I'd have thought. I would be surprised if it was legal for them to retain your passport. Even when restrictions are put on someone from leaving the country the court does not keep your passport, they just take a copy.
If there are no details of the Pasola, registration etc. then there can be no contract, surely. They need to go into Sosua station and pay the Capitan RD2,000 to go and demand the passport back.
Chances are if these thieves just came along and took the pasola with a key they were sent by the shop they rented from. An age old scam.
 
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KateP

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May 28, 2004
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Passport belongs to the issuing country. As others have said, never ever ever give someone your passport. If the embassy finds out they'll probably cancel it anyways as it's been compromised. At least that's what Canada would do.
 
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Lobo Tropical

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Aug 21, 2010
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Caveat Emptor

HUG said:
Like others have said, giving your passport over is silly. Give them a copy of it. They will not need your passport for security as they will have a carbon of your credit card details, or should do, I'd have thought. I would be surprised if it was legal for them to retain your passport. Even when restrictions are put on someone from leaving the country the court does not keep your passport, they just take a copy.
If there are no details of the Pasola, registration etc. then there can be no contract, surely. They need to go into Sosua station and pay the Capitan RD2,000 to go and demand the passport back.
Chances are if these thieves just came along and took the pasola with a key they were sent by the shop they rented from. An age old scam.
Click to expand...

Tourists assume that things will be as in their countries.
Renting a pasola/motorcycle in the DR is different.
There is no insurance on motorcycle rentals as it is too expensive.
Renters are liable for damages and theft.
Payments are made in cash, it would be unusual to pay with a credit card.
As a security, renters like to keep that passport, because credit cards are not used.
Automobile rentals are different.

Going public is what helped them, and hopefully will create problems for the unscrupulous operator.
 
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Lobo Tropical

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Aug 21, 2010
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dv8 said:
this is why i suggested reaching to detras de rumor in fake guagua case. they know how to get the attention.
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Exactly,
Harley's report was well intentioned, but did not provide enough factual information.
For the victims going public at a high level is the only hope for investigation.
This means the minister of tourism, Detras del Rumor, Police at high level, transportation syndicate ect.
There has to be uncomfortable noise for those responsable.

It may be helpful to learn what a real gauga, or carro publico going to Rio San Juan or Puerto Plata looks like.
6:30 AM may not be the optimal time for a single gringa, in regard for personal safety.
Why in both cases they were detained for 2 hrs. is strange.
That's the problem with unsubstantiated internet postings. The accuracy is impossible to determine.
 
Harleysrock

Harleysrock

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Nov 4, 2012
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Gaspar Hernández, Espaillat, Dominican Republic
I can't make people go to the press! All I care about is people being careful and hopefully the creeps be found.

The DR news always has half stories anyways so it really is not much different!

The police at high levels know what is going on as do the guagua peeps. Road blocks have been set up the last few days in hoping to catch these criminals. A lot is going on in the background about this, that is for sure!
 
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