Safety & PracticalitiesBy Clever Tourists · Published
The scams that actually catch visitors in Bali are money changers who short-change you, taxi drivers who pose as app drivers, card and ATM tricks, disputes at spas, nail salons and tattoo parlours, and scooter-rental damage claims. Violent crime is not the main issue; our Bali safety guide covers the advisory levels, scooters and volcanoes. This page is about the money traps. We spent about 3 days in Seminyak and 5 days in Ubud in May 2023, on a route that ran from Vietnam to Bali and on to the Banyuwangi ferry. The scam list below comes from the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) advice for Indonesia and from Bali police statements, plus long-running traveler reports. We do not describe losing money ourselves, because the route data records where we were and for how long, not what happened.
Free toolConvert to your own currency at live rates →Live mid-market rates for all 17 currencies we used, so you can see what a price actually costs.The FCDO advice for Indonesia lists Bali-specific problems in its safety and security section. Credit card fraud is described as common, so do not let your card out of sight during a transaction. Fake phone numbers may be stuck on ATMs to harvest card details. Unlicensed money changers may short-change you; the advice is to use only licensed exchanges identified by a Bank Indonesia logo and a QR code. Scams at tattoo parlours, nail salons and spas have risen in Bali, so choose carefully and agree the fee in advance. Bag-snatching and pickpocketing are reported, and bag-snatching is often reported in Bali.
It also warns about taxis: use only registered companies such as Bluebird, Silverbird or Express, check that the driver matches the app if you booked through one, and be wary of unregistered drivers claiming app affiliation who approach passengers on the street.
The 'zero commission' sign in Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud and the Legian strip is where short-changing happens. The trick is speed: the clerk counts a big stack of rupiah quickly, folds a few notes into his palm and hands you less than the total. Another version uses a calculator that shows the correct figure to you, and a different one to him.
How to avoid it: use a changer that shows the Bank Indonesia authorization logo with a QR code (the FCDO describes this, and scanning the code checks the business licence), or use a bank. Count the cash yourself, in front of the counter, before leaving, and do not accept a pile that is bound with a rubber band without counting it. Ask for the exact total in writing before you hand over your dollars. Large tourist-street changers that quote rates far above the bank rate are the ones to skip. Indonesian rupiah notes have lots of zeros, so know the 50,000, 100,000 and 20,000 notes before you go.
The FCDO reports fake phone numbers on ATMs, and says to keep your card in sight during any payment. Use ATMs inside banks or inside shopping malls and hotels, not stand-alone machines on a dark street. Do not call a number stuck to a machine, and if the machine keeps your card, go to the branch of the bank itself during opening hours.
At restaurants and shops, ask for the card terminal to come to the table, or walk to the till. Watch the amount typed in. If a dynamic currency conversion option appears, choose rupiah, not your home currency, which almost always costs more. Our money and tipping guide explains what to leave on top of a bill, because service charge is often already added.
At Ngurah Rai Airport the official taxi counters sell a fixed-price ticket for the zone you are going to, and prices at touts in the arrivals hall are negotiated against you. Our Bali airport arrival guide walks through the legitimate options and the entry levy process.
The FCDO names Bluebird, Silverbird and Express as registered taxi companies. Fake 'Bluebird' look-alikes and unlicensed drivers who say they are from Grab or Gojek exist, and the advice is to check that the driver and vehicle match the app, and share the journey with a friend. Some areas have local transport associations that ban ride-hailing pickups, so your driver may ask you to walk a block. That is a real local rule rather than a scam, but it is a good time to confirm the price in the app before walking anywhere with a stranger.
If a driver says your hotel is 'closed', 'flooded' or 'not safe', ring the hotel yourself.
The FCDO says scams in tattoo parlours, nail salons and spas have risen in Bali. The pattern is a low advertised price, followed by add-ons the staff apply without asking, then a bill several times higher, or a refusal to let you leave without paying. Get the full price, in rupiah and in writing, before the work starts. Take a photo of the price board. Read reviews on a map app and avoid shops that approach you in the street.
On tours, ask exactly what is included: entry tickets, parking, lunch and the driver's fee. A very cheap full-day tour often makes money from compulsory stops at a coffee plantation or craft shop. At temples, sarong rental and donation boxes are normal, and rules are in our temple etiquette guide. At the Ubud Monkey Forest, monkeys grab sunglasses, hats and phones; see our Monkey Forest guide. A person who offers to help you 'get your item back' for money is part of the same loop.
Damage claims. A shop that rents a scooter will sometimes claim scratches that were already there, and demand a large sum, sometimes holding your passport. Do not leave your passport as a deposit. Photograph and film the scooter on all sides, including the odometer, before you leave. Carry your licence: the rules, police checkpoints and the international permit are in our Bali scooter rules guide.
Roadside demands. Police checkpoints for foreigners without the right licence are real, and so are people who ask for cash on the spot. If you are stopped, stay calm, show your documents and ask what the official fine is and how to pay it. Insisting on the official process usually ends a roadside demand. If you doubt that the person is a real officer, ask to go to the nearest police station.
The FCDO links counterfeit alcohol in tourist areas to methanol poisoning and urges medical help if you feel unwell after drinking. It also reports drink spiking linked to sexual assault in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands, and advises watching your drink being made. Avoid arak cocktails in cheap bars, and read our Bali belly guide for food and water safety.
For reports, the Bali provincial police (Polda Bali) said in April 2026 that it runs a 24-hour multilingual 110 hotline so international visitors can report incidents without a language barrier. Indonesia's general emergency number is 112, and the FCDO does not list tourist police numbers on its page, so check the current numbers with your hotel. After any incident, get a written police report for your insurance. See also how to stay safe online while traveling for card and Wi-Fi risks.
Short-changing at unlicensed money changers, plus disputes at spas, nail salons and tattoo parlours. The FCDO says to use changers showing a Bank Indonesia logo and QR code, and to agree fees in advance.
Registered taxi companies such as Bluebird, Silverbird and Express are fine. The FCDO warns about unregistered drivers who claim to be from an app, so check that the driver and vehicle match the booking.
No. Offer a cash deposit or a copy, and photograph and film the scooter on all sides before you ride. Passport deposits are how many damage disputes turn into pressure.
Look for the Bank Indonesia logo with a QR code, which the UK Foreign Office says identifies licensed exchanges, and count the cash in front of the counter.
Polda Bali said in April 2026 that its 110 hotline is staffed 24 hours in several languages. Get a police report for insurance and ask your hotel to help.
Get our new Bali guides and practical tips by email: where to stay, what to eat, what things cost and the rules that catch travelers out.
Free. No spam, only new guides and tips.
Search verified local fleets with low security deposits and exact model delivery on Localrent.
Get the best deals on Bali hotels on Hotels.com before prices climb.
