Ostap from Anapa: followers of the great strategist sell the air of their native resorts

In the last month alone, several enterprising “benders” have been neutralized in Russian resorts, who have set up the sale of “air”, charging for public beauty. If their literary mastermind Ostap knew “400 relatively honest ways to take money from the population”, then his real followers seem to know even more. But in our century, they regularly spoil the business of social networks, where vacationers share their indignation. Judging by the complaints of tourists, there are two types of “ostaps” on the Russian Riviera.

The most “fresh” schemer was detained in hot pursuit in Anapa: he came up with the idea of ​​charging people who want to take pictures at a local attraction called “400 steps”.

“This is a staircase with picturesque viewing platforms,” shares a vacationer from the Moscow region, who observed the impudent behavior of a false entrepreneur. – The views are amazing, absolutely everyone who climbs the stairs is photographed. Special photo shoots in this place from professionals are actively advertised on the Web. And right on the steps, photographers come across offering tourists to help take beautiful pictures for a small fee. This is not the first time I have been in this place, the majority calmly dismissed the “wandering photographers”. But then he got impudent – they say, if you don’t want with my help, then it’s impossible at all.

According to tourists, successful “benders” are distinguished by a special impudence. Those who claim their non-existent rights to public beauties more confidently than others are often believed and paid.

– But these are mostly those who are in Anapa for the first time, – the habitues of these places suggest. – They think, well, you never know, maybe that’s how it should be. But most of those who watched this disgrace, of course, began to take pictures of the clever man on their phones and upload it to Anapa public.

As a result, the “combinator”, who turned out to be not so great, was quickly found by the police, who saw the post of a tourist informing users of the social network that a certain citizen requires tourists to pay for photos on the “400 steps”. A 30-year-old lover of illicit enrichment was neutralized right at the crime scene, which he did not even think of leaving, he was taken to the nearest police station, where a protocol on an administrative offense was drawn up. It is strange that the Ostap did not stop the fate of his recent predecessor, who also operated in the vicinity of Anapa, who collected money for free parking in Bolshoi Utrish, posing as her guard.

– A very young boy of non-Slavic appearance, – eyewitnesses of this entrepreneurial activity share. – He said, they say, rest easy, I will guard your cars. Many believed and paid. Until the “guard” began to demand payment from a man who parked not even on the site, but on the next side of the road. The motorist was indignant, the Ostap, who had managed to become insolent, began to put pressure on him, and the tourists who were nearby began to film what was happening on their phones. The video of the conflict also caught the eye of law enforcement officers who monitor the public pages of the territories under their jurisdiction, the unfortunate businessman was detained and brought to administrative responsibility. Now a 20-year-old boy from a neighboring sunny republic is forced to collect money for a considerable fine from relatives and friends. According to the collective opinion of users, both Anapa “combinators” belong to the first species, operating with the help of impudence alone. There are similar impudent people in season at all resorts and they like to declare themselves “caretakers” of public barriers, picturesque views, or even a passage to a wild beach in hard-to-reach places.

– At the request to show documents confirming their relationship to this place, scammers of this type begin to make a fuss, – law enforcement officers say. “Those who are more careful retreat silently. For some time. And then they return to a tasty place. But there are also those who are more prepared – with completely or partially false pieces of paper.

This is the second type of “resort ostapov” – “with ksiva”, that is, covered with a certain crust, which, upon closer examination, most often has nothing to do with the matter. For example, not so long ago, such a smart guy charged 100 rubles from adults and 50 from children and pensioners for entering one of the Crimean caves. At the request of especially suspicious tourists, the “cave keeper” readily took out a certificate of state registration as an individual entrepreneur from wide trousers. In the resort sun, few of the vacationers, who were determined to inspect the cave, and not the documents, read the contents of the paper. But in vain: there was not a word about any cave, it was about a completely different individual entrepreneurship, in a completely different place.

Meanwhile, in another alluring corner of the Crimea, an “individual entrepreneur” took 50 rubles from everyone who wanted to go down the narrow steps between the rocks to a nudist beach, waving a certificate of some environmental society. True, according to the testimony of his “clients”, he really took it by the arm and saw him off, making sure that the person did not stumble and fall.

– In principle, it’s a good thing, because falling there is a piece of cake, – says a tourist from St. Petersburg. – And 50 rubles is such a sum, because of which almost no one will find out if this young man is from a “nature protection” organization that plans to “fast strengthen the trail.” Although such a crust, which he waved, you can buy at any newsstand. He broadcast that, they say, the descent is dangerous, many fall, and their society took the initiative to install a railing and a refrigerator tray for selling water there, otherwise people are dizzy in the heat, which makes it difficult to descend to the beach. But, they say, in order to do all this, you must first raise money. He spoke so loudly that no one really cared. A couple of days later, this “naturalist” disappeared from that place. Apparently he got what he wanted. I think it’s some kind of smartphone, he was a young guy, but the tongue is suspended so that it obviously won’t disappear.

“Federal legislation allows you to collect fees from visitors to nature reserves, which is what resourceful false rangers use,” explains lawyer Maria Grigoryan. – But tourists, in order not to distribute money to each zhulk, should remember that only the provision of any services can be paid on the territory of the reserves – excursions, entertainment activities, but not access to the territory. Successful scammers are well aware of the psychology of people. If a vacationer has come from afar for just a week or two and is not a professional complainer and litigator, it is easier for him to pay a small amount than to spend precious vacation time on finding out, writing statements and other chores. There was a case when an “ostap” in an Abkhazian resort presented himself as an “ambassador of a relic forestry” and invited all those who had doubts to go there and see for themselves. Of course, it was easier for the absolute majority to get 100 rubles on account of the upcoming “census of relic pines.”

Well, almost like their literary mastermind, who suggested that the discontented should contact the sexual reform league.