There are two forms of scams currently going on at the Douala international airport in Cameroon and both of them involves payments, apparently to the government of Cameroon. The first scam is what is called airport stamp fee of 10,000frs CFA by each passenger traveling from that airport. Now, when one buys a plane ticket, it is stated that taxes are included in the payment. However, this is not the case in Cameroon. Even though taxes are included when one buys a ticket to and from Cameroon or vice versa, the government of the country still charges additional tax at the airport. When this money is paid, one's boarding pass is stamped, as in the image below. This tax is not publicized and one only discovers it at the airport. What is the purpose of this tax and why is the tax not included in the air ticket? I have travelled through many airports around the world but it is only in Cameroon that this tax is levied. Why is this so? Is this not a scam?
Airport Stamp Tax at the Douala Airport
The second of these scams is actually the first in the order of traveling from Cameroon at the Douala international airport. Stationed at a point just before one enters the area where luggage is checked in, is a group of people who are said to be from the Ministry of Forestry. Their purpose, apparently, is to check the agricultural products one is taking out of the country. However, they do not actually check anything. They simply ask one to pay money. In my case, they asked me to pay 6,000frs CFA and I was given three sheets of papers, none of which showed how much I had paid. What is the purpose of this group of people and does the government know about the money they collect? Is one supposed to pay fees if they are leaving with an agricultural product, such as plantain or dried fish, from Cameroon? And why do these people not actually check the bags but only ask for money? Why do they not give receipts for the money they charge? This is another scam that happens at the Douala international airport in Cameroon.
Three sheets of papers given to me at the Douala Airport; none is a receipt
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