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Tanzania (TZ)

East African expat base with Swahili-English daily life, Indian Ocean access, major safari and NGO sectors, growing mining and energy work, and relatively low local costs offset by permit, insurance, school, and hard-currency housing expenses.

Capital: Dodoma
Region: Africa
Language: Swahili
Currency: TZS (TSh)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 27)
Emergency: 112
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Scam Warnings

Common scams targeting expats in Tanzania.

Tanzania is a generally welcoming country for expats, but scams cluster around visas and permits (fake eVisa websites, immigration fixers), housing (rental deposit fraud in Dar es Salaam and Arusha), mobile money (M-Pesa reversal scams), safari and tour bookings (out of 1,401 tour companies, fewer than 520 are fully licensed), fake jobs, police shakedowns, and property title fraud. Tanzania is NOT in SEPA; EU consumer protections do not apply. The Fair Competition Commission (FCC, fcc.go.tz) is Tanzania's consumer and competition authority — it gained expanded authority to handle consumer complaints directly under 2024 legislative amendments. Police emergency: 112. Tanzania Police Force: polisi.go.tz.

Fake eVisa / immigration website

critical

Unofficial websites closely mimic Tanzania's official eVisa portal, charge inflated fees (USD 100–300 versus the official USD 50), and in many cases steal passport details and card data without processing any real visa. Some victims arrive in Tanzania with worthless "approval letters" from fake sites and are denied entry.

How to spot it
  • - URL is not immigration.go.tz or the official visa subdomain visa.immigration.go.tz
  • - Site promises instant approval regardless of application content
  • - No government control-number on the receipt that can be verified
  • - Support is via WhatsApp only, with no official Tanzanian government contact
  • - Poor English, inconsistent formatting, or fee amounts different from official USD 50
What to do: Apply only through visa.immigration.go.tz or immigration.go.tz. If you used a fake site, cancel your card immediately and apply for the real visa. Report fraud to Tanzania Police (112 or polisi.go.tz) and your embassy.

Fake safari operator / unlicensed tour company

critical

Fewer than 40% of Tanzania's 1,400+ tour companies are licensed, according to the Tanzania Revenue Authority. Scammers posing as legitimate operators, particularly targeting arrivals in Arusha (gateway to Serengeti and Kilimanjaro), sell cheap "safaris" that include non-existent park access, unsafe vehicles, and guides without valid licences. Some operators collect full payment and simply disappear.

How to spot it
  • - No physical office address — only a social media page or WhatsApp number
  • - No TATO (Tanzania Association of Tour Operators) membership or MNRT operating licence
  • - Price far below the genuine Serengeti / Ngorongoro park entry fees alone (Serengeti: USD 70+/person/day in 2025)
  • - No written itinerary, vehicle insurance, or guide licence provided
  • - Approaches you proactively at the airport, bus station, or your hotel lobby
What to do: Verify operators through TATO (tatotz.org) or the Tanzania Tourist Board (tanzaniatourism.go.tz). Pay by traceable means and get a written contract with itinerary. For Kilimanjaro climbs, verify operator licences with KINAPA. Report unlicensed operators to FCC (fcc.go.tz) or Tanzania Police.

Rental deposit fraud (Dar es Salaam / Arusha)

critical

Fake landlords list attractive properties in expat areas of Dar es Salaam (Masaki, Oyster Bay, Msasani) and Arusha at below-market prices, collect advance rent deposits, and disappear. Listings circulate on Facebook groups, WhatsApp, and local classified platforms. Expats arriving on short timelines are especially vulnerable.

How to spot it
  • - Landlord is unavailable for in-person viewing and communicates only via WhatsApp
  • - Deposit or 2–3 months' advance rent demanded before lease or title check
  • - Price significantly below comparable properties in the area
  • - Landlord cannot provide Land Registry title or proof of ownership
  • - Urgent: "another family wants it tomorrow"
What to do: Never pay any advance without physically inspecting the property and verifying the landlord's ownership (obtain the Title Deed or Lease Certificate number and verify it with MLHHSD). Use a written lease and pay by bank transfer. Use a local property lawyer for high-value rentals.

Mobile money (M-Pesa / Airtel Money) reversal and PIN scam

critical

Caller claims to have sent you money by mistake via M-Pesa or Airtel Money and asks for the money back, or poses as "operator technical support" claiming your account has a security issue requiring your PIN or a reversal approval. PIN sharing allows full account drain; "reversal" approval triggers a transfer out of your account.

How to spot it
  • - Caller knows your name or phone number and claims an accidental transfer
  • - Any request for your M-Pesa PIN — operators never ask for PINs
  • - Urgent tone with threats (your account will be suspended)
  • - Unknown caller number not matching the official Vodacom/Airtel SMS short code
  • - Pressure to approve a mobile money transaction quickly
What to do: Never share your M-Pesa or mobile money PIN with anyone. If money was genuinely sent by mistake, the sender contacts the operator directly — you do not need to do anything. Call the official Vodacom Tanzania line (100) or Airtel Tanzania (100) using the number on their official website to verify any claim.

Fake job offer with upfront fee

critical

Scammers impersonate hotels, NGOs, mining companies, or international organisations and send job offers requiring applicants to pay "work permit fees," "medical clearance costs," or "recruitment processing fees" in advance. No job exists. Particularly targets candidates on job boards and LinkedIn.

How to spot it
  • - Job offer arrived unsolicited via WhatsApp, email, or social media
  • - Request to pay fees to a personal mobile money number rather than a government office
  • - Employer cannot be verified in BRELA (Business Registrations and Licensing Agency, brela.go.tz)
  • - Generic offer letter with no specific role details or start date
  • - Interview conducted only via WhatsApp chat
What to do: Verify employers in BRELA (brela.go.tz). Work permit fees in Tanzania are paid to the Labour Commissioner or TIC/EPZA directly — never to a recruiter. Never pay upfront for a job placement. Report to BRELA and Tanzania Police.

Money exchange fraud (counterfeit or short-changed TZS)

warning

Street money changers (mostly near tourist areas like Zanzibar Stone Town and Arusha town centre) offer attractive USD/TZS rates but use sleight-of-hand to short-count notes, insert counterfeit TZS bills, or switch bundles after the count. Some pass old, torn, or pre-2019 demonetised notes that shops refuse.

How to spot it
  • - Exchange offered at a rate significantly above the Bank of Tanzania interbank rate
  • - Changer insists on exchanging quickly or away from open view
  • - Complex bill-counting sequence designed to confuse
  • - Notes feel different from genuine TZS (lighter, no security thread)
  • - Notes have heavy folds, tears, or ink marks
What to do: Use licensed bank exchange desks or reputable hotel exchanges. Never exchange on the street. If you must, count every note yourself before walking away and decline any torn or heavily worn notes.

Police roadblock cash demand

warning

Some police officers at road checkpoints (particularly in rural areas) invent traffic violations or document irregularities and demand informal cash "fines" rather than issuing an official ticket. Impersonators also operate at some checkpoints.

How to spot it
  • - Officer states a violation but cannot write an official ticket (fomu ya faini)
  • - Requests payment to a personal mobile money number
  • - Cannot show badge number or name
  • - Threatens immediate arrest or vehicle impoundment without written process
What to do: Stay calm and respectful. Ask politely for the officer's name, badge number, and an official written ticket (fomu ya faini). Request to resolve the matter at the nearest police station. Document the interaction. Report serious corruption to PCCB (Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau, pccb.go.tz).

Property title double-sale / disputed land

critical

Tanzania's land tenure system has different land categories (Village Land, General Land, Reserved Land). Fraudsters sell land with disputed, informal, or duplicated title documents, sometimes to multiple buyers simultaneously. Expats who cannot stay in Tanzania long-term are particularly exposed as enforcement is slow.

How to spot it
  • - Seller cannot produce an original Title Deed (for General Land) or a Certificate of Customary Right of Occupancy
  • - Multiple sellers or "family representatives" claim ownership
  • - Title search at MLHHSD has not been completed before payment
  • - Unusually low price with cash-and-quick-close pressure
  • - Seller discourages use of an independent property lawyer
What to do: NEVER pay for property without a formal title search at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development (MLHHSD). Use a licensed Tanzanian advocate for all property transactions. For investment above USD 100,000, register with TIC (Tanzania Investment Centre, tiseza.go.tz).

Counterfeit medicine from informal sellers

warning

Informal vendors in markets sell fake or expired medicines, including antimalarials (hydroxychloroquine, artemether), antibiotics, and paracetamol. WHO estimates 30% of medicines in sub-Saharan Africa are substandard or falsified. Using fake antimalarials is life-threatening.

How to spot it
  • - Vendor is not a registered pharmacy (duka la dawa)
  • - Packaging is damaged, resealed, or has inconsistent printing
  • - Price is significantly below what hospital pharmacies charge
  • - No batch number or expiry date visible
  • - No receipt provided
What to do: Purchase all medicines from registered pharmacies (duka la dawa baridi) or hospital pharmacies only. Verify pharmacy registration with Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA, tmda.go.tz). Report suspected counterfeit medicines to TMDA.

SIM registration misuse / identity document copying

warning

Informal SIM registration agents or service providers make unauthorised copies of your passport and permit, then use them to register additional SIM cards or open mobile money accounts fraudulently in your name. Tanzania mandated biometric SIM re-registration; unofficial copies remain a risk.

How to spot it
  • - Agent keeps copies beyond the single transaction and does not destroy them
  • - Registration is at an unofficial kiosk or temporary booth
  • - Asks for your PIN or biometric details casually
  • - No official TCRA-registered operator shop stamp on the registration receipt
What to do: Register SIMs only at official operator stores (Vodacom, Airtel, Tigo/Yas). Watermark any photocopies of documents ("For SIM registration only — [date]"). If your ID is misused, report to TCRA (tcra.go.tz) and police.

Reporting

Where to report: Police emergency: 112. Tanzania Police Force (Jeshi la Polisi Tanzania): polisi.go.tz. Fair Competition Commission (FCC) for consumer and market issues: fcc.go.tz. TCRA (Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority) for mobile money and telecom fraud: tcra.go.tz. TMDA for counterfeit medicines: tmda.go.tz. PCCB for corruption: pccb.go.tz. TIC for investment issues: tiseza.go.tz.

Consumer helpline: Police: 112 (emergency) | polisi.go.tz. FCC (Fair Competition Commission): fcc.go.tz. TCRA (telecom/mobile money): tcra.go.tz. BRELA (business verification): brela.go.tz. TMDA (medicine safety): tmda.go.tz. Your embassy's emergency line for serious incidents.