In Reply to: Warning! Double Check Who Your Driver Is posted by Bali Escape on Wednesday, 7. September 2005 at 22:20 Bali Time:
I had a similar experience a couple of years ago. I became suspicious as soon as he arrived to pick me up at the hotel - the white van was instead a very tired green Kijang. The driver explained that his car had a "problem" and he had to change car just because of our arrangements. Later, when he could not explain "his" nickname in a way to match the explanation I received in e-mails prior to my arrival (checking, checking), I became even more suspicious. As he, after the tour kept bombarding me with requests for more tours I realised that he was not only cheating me but also his friend.
The simplest solution to this sort of scam is: Ask for his driver's license when you first meet. If he says the license (or his ID) is at home, tell him to leave because he either has no license or he is an imposter - or both. If he gets angry and start calling you names, that's it. Tell him that you are putting his name, registration and telephone number on the BTF - and do it in order to save other travellers the nuisance.
There are hundreds of quite honest guys who want your business. Go for them instead.