Bali is full of good vibes, tropical beauty, and warm-hearted locals—but just like in many touristy spots, scams can happen, especially if you’re not paying attention. One of the most common ones? The money exchange scam. And yes—it happened to me too.

While I was in Bali, I went to exchange some of my money into Indonesian Rupiah. I found a small exchange shop offering a much higher rate than the others nearby. It seemed too good to be true—and spoiler: it was.

How the Scam Works

This type of scam is especially common in the Sanur area. The place will look like a legit exchange booth. They might even have a signboard that says “Authorized Money Exchange”, but in reality, it’s not authorized at all.

Here’s the exact trick they used on me:

• They asked me to place my foreign currency (USD, Euro, etc.) on one side of the table
• They placed their Rupiah notes on the other side
• While counting their money, they quickly dropped some notes under the table, hoping I wouldn’t notice

Luckily, I was paying close attention and caught the guy red-handed. He acted surprised and quickly handed over the correct amount. But not everyone is that lucky.

How to Avoid Getting Scammed

• Don’t trust the “Authorized Money Exchange” sign—many fake ones use it to look legit
• Avoid places with unusually high exchange rates
• This scam is very common in Sanur, but can happen in other touristy areas too
• Compare the rates at multiple exchanges—surprisingly, the slightly lower rate shops are often the legit ones
• Stick to official exchanges inside malls, banks, or clearly branded booths (like BMC or Central Kuta)
• Always count your money yourself, and don’t let anyone rush or distract you

Scams like this are frustrating, but they shouldn’t ruin your trip. Bali is a beautiful place—and 99% of the locals are kind and honest. Just stay alert when exchanging money and trust your gut.

If you have any questions about my trip, don’t hesitate to ask them!

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