American lawyer scammed in Jaipur! Cab driver, hotel manager allegedly involved

A disturbing incident by an American attorney at a Jaipur hotel has gone viral on social media. The attorney, Andrew Hammel, a German-residing author, documented his disturbing experience on X (formerly Twitter). His tweet, which describes the suspected hoax perpetrated by a cab driver and a hotel manager, has received close to three million views.

Hammel recounted that while staying at the ‘Holiday Inn’ in Jaipur, he returned to his hotel via taxi. About 30 minutes later, he was startled by a loud knock at his door. To his surprise, both the hotel manager and the cab driver were standing outside. They insisted that the driver had mistakenly given him extra money and demanded a return of ₹3,000.

Lawyer refuses to comply

Detailing his reaction, Hammel wrote, "I politely informed them that no such mistake had occurred, and I had no intention of returning any extra money. I then shut the door. However, the knocking continued."

Hammel further noted, "In situations like these, you wonder how gullible they assume you are to fall for such an obvious scam. But then you realize—it’s not about deception; it's about intimidation."

A 45-minute ordeal of harassment

The American lawyer revealed that despite his firm denial, the two men persisted, knocking on his door for the next 45 minutes. Realizing that the harassment was part of an intimidation tactic, Hammel decided to take decisive action.

Explaining his next move, Hammel stated, "A cab driver can earn ₹400 per hour through legitimate work. So, spending 2-3 hours trying to extort ₹3,000 from a foreign guest might seem worthwhile. Fortunately, I was saved by my American corporate experience."

Hammel noticed a worn-out, laminated instruction sheet in his hotel room that listed an international complaint helpline. Acting swiftly, he called the number while the manager and driver were still present.

"As I began writing down the name of the hotel manager on the complaint call, he went on demanding the money and even threatened to call the police. But when I began repeating phrases like 'police,' 'crime,' 'arrest,' 'harassment,' and 'fraud,' he eventually backed off."

Social media reaction and tourism concerns

The viral post has sparked widespread discussion about tourist safety and scams targeting foreigners in India. Many users expressed concern over the incident, calling for stricter regulations and better security for international visitors. The hotel's management has yet to issue a formal response regarding the allegations.