Common Tourist Scams in Macau

Know these common scam patterns so you can avoid them.

Currency Exchange

Illegal Street Money Changers & MOP/HKD Rate Tricks

Touts near casinos and border checkpoints offer "better" exchange rates than banks, then short-change the count, use sleight-of-hand with counterfeit notes, or quietly apply the MOP/HKD rate in the wrong direction since the two currencies trade near 1:1 and are easy to mix up.

How to avoid it: Exchange money only at licensed banks, hotel cashiers, or official currency-exchange counters inside reputable resorts; count cash yourself before walking away, and never hand over your original notes before receiving and verifying the exchanged amount.

Transportation

Taxi Meter Refusal & Inflated Flat Fares

Drivers loitering outside casinos rather than at official taxi stands claim the meter is "broken" and quote a flat fare far above the metered rate, especially late at night or when picking up from ferry terminals — sometimes then taking a deliberately longer route.

How to avoid it: Only board taxis at official ranks or hail licensed cabs on the street; insist the meter is switched on before departing, and if a driver refuses, get out and find another cab.

Casino

Counterfeit Casino Chips

Opportunists near casino entrances offer to sell "discounted" casino chips or claim to help cash out chips for a fee — the chips are often counterfeit or the whole exchange is a pretext for theft.

How to avoid it: Buy and cash out chips only at the official cashier counters inside the casino itself, never from anyone approaching you outside or in a public area.

Tours & Tickets

Unlicensed Tour Touts & Fake Ticket Sellers

Around Senado Square and casino resorts, unlicensed operators offer cheap "guided tours" or resell tickets to shows/attractions at inflated prices, sometimes for tickets that turn out to be invalid or nonexistent.

How to avoid it: Book tours through licensed travel agencies or your hotel concierge, and buy show/attraction tickets only from the venue's official box office or its official website.

Shopping

High-Pressure Luxury Watch/Jewelry & Timeshare Sales

Shops around casino malls and touts offering a "free gift" or "free show ticket" lure visitors into a high-pressure sales pitch for overpriced watches, jewelry, or timeshare/property investment packages that are difficult to exit once seated.

How to avoid it: Politely decline any "free gift" invitation that requires attending a sales presentation, never sign anything on the spot, and remember that walking away at any point is always an option, no matter how long you've already been seated.