Common Tourist Scams in Indonesia

Know these common scam patterns so you can avoid them.

Transportation

Unofficial taxis and the "broken meter" trick

Unofficial freelance drivers swarm arrivals at the airport and popular sights, quoting flat fares that can be double or triple a real metered fare. Even with a taxi that looks legitimate, some drivers start the meter, then a few minutes in claim it's 'broken' and demand a high, non-negotiable flat price instead.

How to avoid it: Use official light-blue Blue Bird taxis (confirm the meter is running before you set off) or, better, book through Grab/Gojek — both show the fare and driver details upfront before you commit. Avoid drivers who approach you first in arrival halls or outside temples.

Transportation

Motorbike rental pre-existing damage scam

After a rental period ends, some shops inspect the returned scooter and claim scratches or dents that were already there when it was rented, demanding a large cash payment on the spot — sometimes hundreds of thousands of rupiah — for damage the renter didn't cause.

How to avoid it: Photograph or video every angle of the bike (including close-ups of any existing scratches) before riding off, with a timestamp visible if possible. Rent from an established shop with a paper contract rather than a random roadside stall, and avoid leaving your passport as collateral if a cash deposit is accepted instead.

Currency Exchange

Currency exchange short-changing

Some informal money-changers (often ones advertising unusually good rates) count your cash out loud in front of you multiple times, but use sleight of hand on the final count to skim off one or more notes, or slip in an old, pre-2016-series banknote that's no longer valid.

How to avoid it: Only exchange money at licensed money-changers displaying a 'PVA Berizin' (Bank Indonesia-licensed) sign, ideally in an enclosed, air-conditioned office rather than an open-air roadside booth. Count the cash yourself before leaving the counter, and use a banking app's live rate to sanity-check the quoted rate against the market rate.

Other

"The temple is closed" redirect and fake-ceremony donation scam

Near a well-known temple, a stranger claims it's closed today for a ceremony or renovation (usually untrue) and offers to arrange transport to another temple 'nearby,' which turns into a commission-driven detour. A related version: someone insists you need to buy offerings or undergo a purification ritual for good luck, then demands a large, undisclosed payment for it, sometimes with guilt-tripping if you refuse.

How to avoid it: Always look for an official ticket booth before believing a temple is closed — nearly every paid Bali temple has one near the entrance. Politely decline unsolicited 'help' from strangers near temples, and agree on any price in writing or out loud, before, not after, participating in an offering or ritual.

Street

Friendship bracelet / street vendor pressure scam

Around waterfalls, temples, and other tourist sites, children or young vendors approach and tie a cheap bracelet or offer a small gift before you can refuse, then insist on payment — often well above what the item is worth — using rehearsed guilt-tripping lines. Accepting or paying one tends to attract more vendors, sometimes sent by adults nearby.

How to avoid it: Firmly decline before anything is physically placed on your wrist or handed to you — say no and keep walking rather than pausing to negotiate. If a bracelet does get tied on, calmly remove it and hand it back rather than paying out of obligation.