Digital influencer and content producer Xandi Barros has seen one of his videos, recorded on Copacabana Beach, go viral, thanks to netizens who say he “rescued” tourists who were being scammed by a street vendor. In the photos, the influencer arrives singing and the group joins him and offers to pay for the four’s drinks. When he hears the value of 200 Brazilian reals, announced by the seller, he claims that it is from Benha and the video ends without knowing the cost of the drinks, after all.
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To GLOBO-Zona Sul, Zandy Barros explains what happened. He says that last week he was recording his “Complete the Music” painting at Copacabana, in which the interviewee must sing the rest of a song suggested to them to win a gift, when a group of three Austrian tourists completed the challenge. Seeing them with the caipirinha they just bought, Xandi decides to pay for it. That’s when the seller mentioned the price, which was R$200 for the four drinks he ordered, and the influencer asked for the discount.
– I thought about doing a Pix movie, because they probably won’t get it. When I asked the seller for the bill, the man said “200 R$”, I got scared, didn’t I? – Reports.
In the comments on the video, it is possible to see hundreds of criticisms of the charge, and many users accuse the seller of conducting a scam. But the influencer avoids making this statement, and although he tried to negotiate, he eventually gave up.
– I can’t say it was a scam, and I don’t know what he was selling (drinks) for there. When I asked, he said it was R$50 per drink, so I went and paid. I cried like a carioca to pay cheaper, but I can’t say it was a scam, no, that’s what the internet says — he says.
Zandi also asserts that the street vendor did not give him a different price than what he charged tourists.
-At no time did he mention a price for me and another price for foreigners. I thought it was expensive, but he didn’t mention two prices. I know there’s that famous joke that “it’s more expensive for foreigners,” but I don’t know if he actually sells it at a higher price for foreigners – he points out.
In high season, it’s not hard to find drinks for R$50 on Copacabana’s waterfront, although the price is usually less than this amount. Regardless of the expensive or cheap drinks, Zande says the Austrians were “happy with life” by the sea in Copacabana.
— The foreigners smiled from ear to ear, because it is also easier for them, you know, the value of the euro is high… At no time did they look sad or feel cheated, on the contrary. “I think after I left they bought more drinks,” he reveals. —The foreigners really liked it.
Zandi records moments of interaction with the public in different neighborhoods in Rio, and says the viral video is uncontrollable.
The networks recall cases of extortion on the beach
The price charged for drinks made netizens remember the cases of fraud carried out against tourists in the capital of Rio. In June this year, a similar case was reported to police on the same Copacabana beach.
Municipal Guards from the Special Operations Group (GOE) arrested a corn seller who tried to collect R$300 for two pieces of corn from a couple in the Dominican Republic. After complaints from victims, the street vendor reduced the price to 60 Brazilian reais. However, when using the card machine, he spent more than R$1,000, which the tourists later realized.