Key Takeaways
- The #1 reported scam is the The Forced Bracelet Scam
- 2 of 6 scams are rated high risk
- Use app-based ride services (Grab, Gojek) instead of street taxis — always confirm the fare before departure
- Never accept unsolicited offers from strangers near tourist sites in Lombok
⚡ Quick Safety Tips
- Keep phones and valuables in secure pockets when in crowded areas
- Use only licensed taxis or app-based ride services
- Book tours and tickets through verified operators with online reviews
- Keep a copy of your passport separate from the original
Jump to a Scam
The 6 Scams
A child or young adult approaches you at the beach with a bright woven bracelet.
Before you can say anything, they've tied it onto your wrist with a tight knot. Now they demand 50,000-200,000 IDR ($3-12) to remove it. If you refuse, they make a scene — loudly shaming you in front of other tourists.
Red Flags
- Someone approaches with a bracelet already in hand
- They touch your wrist without asking permission
- A crowd of sellers appears once you engage with one
How to Avoid
- Keep your hands in your pockets or crossed when vendors approach
- A firm 'Tidak, terima kasih' (No, thank you) while walking away
- If a bracelet gets tied on, offer 5,000 IDR max — or just cut it off later
- This is particularly aggressive around Kuta Lombok and temple parking lots
A local at the Rinjani trailhead offers to guide you up the volcano for a fraction of the official price.
He has no safety equipment, no porter support, and no park permit. Halfway up, when you're exhausted and committed, he demands more money. Rinjani is a serious multi-day climb (3,726m) with real risks — people have died without proper guides.
Red Flags
- Price well below the standard ₹2,500,000-4,000,000 IDR ($150-250) per person for 2-3 day trek
- No official Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani permit shown
- No visible safety equipment or first aid
- Operating from the side of the road, not an office
How to Avoid
- Book through registered operators listed on the Rinjani National Park website
- Verify the guide has a Rinjani Trekking Management Board (RTMB) permit
- Budget $150-250 per person for a legit 2D/1N or 3D/2N trek
- Check TripAdvisor and Google reviews before booking
A rental shop offers a scooter for 200,000 IDR/day — over double the fair rate of 60,000-80,000 IDR.
When you negotiate down, they agree but hand you a bike with bald tires or bad brakes. The 'savings' come from renting you an unsafe vehicle.
Red Flags
- Price above 100,000 IDR/day for a basic scooter
- Bike has visibly worn tires or doesn't brake smoothly
- No helmet included or helmet is cracked
How to Avoid
- Fair rate is 60,000-80,000 IDR/day in Lombok
- Test ride the bike around the block before accepting
- Check tires, brakes, lights, and horn
- Rent from your hotel or a Google-reviewed shop
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Get Free Itinerary →You arrive at Bangsal Harbour to catch a boat to Gili Trawangan.
Before you reach the official ticket counter, a swarm of touts surrounds you, grabbing at your bags and insisting the public boat is full, cancelled, or not running today. They offer a 'private fast boat' for 350,000 rupiah per person -- roughly five times the public boat fare of 15,000 to 35,000 rupiah. The public boat is running fine. If you push through the touts and reach the official counter, tickets are available at the standard price. Bangsal Harbour's aggressive tout culture is one of the most complained-about experiences in Lombok, documented extensively on r/bali and r/travel.
Red Flags
- Touts approach aggressively before you reach the ticket counter
- They claim the public boat is cancelled, full, or dangerous
- Price quoted is five or more times the standard fare
- They try to carry your bags without permission, creating obligation
- They block your path to the official ticket window
How to Avoid
- Walk directly to the official ticket counter and ignore all touts
- Know the public boat fare in advance -- approximately 15,000-35,000 IDR to the Gilis
- Keep a firm grip on your bags and decline all offers to carry them
- Book a fast boat from Senggigi or Teluk Nare instead to avoid Bangsal entirely
- Travel with a local guide or hotel-arranged transfer for a smoother experience
You land at Lombok International Airport and approach the taxi counter.
The quoted fare to Senggigi is 200,000 to 350,000 rupiah for a ride that local Grab drivers would charge 80,000 to 120,000 for. The airport taxi counter operates as a fixed-price service with inflated tourist rates. If you try to order a Grab, you discover that ride-hailing pickups are prohibited from the terminal. You must walk outside the airport perimeter to find one. For tourists unfamiliar with the layout, this effectively forces them into the overpriced airport taxis.
Red Flags
- Airport taxi counter quotes a price two to three times the Grab estimate
- Ride-hailing apps show no available pickups within the terminal area
- No meter is used and the price is non-negotiable
- Driver offers a 'tour package' as part of the airport transfer
- Other passengers are being charged different rates for the same destination
How to Avoid
- Arrange airport pickup through your hotel before arrival -- many include this service
- Walk approximately 200 meters outside the airport to reach the Grab pickup point
- If using the airport taxi, know that Senggigi should cost no more than 150,000-200,000 IDR
- Share a taxi with other travelers heading to the same area
- Download the Grab app and have it ready before landing
You use your credit card at a dive shop or restaurant in Senggigi.
Three days later, fraudulent charges appear on your statement from locations you have never visited. A Reddit user on r/bali described losing multiple Visa cards over twelve months to skimming in Lombok and Bali, with the fraud patterns traced back to tourist businesses where card details were copied. The skimming devices are hidden inside card terminals, or in some cases, the waiter takes your card out of sight for processing and photographs both sides. Lombok's less-developed payment infrastructure means fewer security checks on transactions.
Red Flags
- Your card is taken out of your sight to a back room for processing
- The card terminal looks modified or unusually bulky
- You receive unexpected small-amount test charges on your card within days
- The business only accepts card payment through a mobile phone reader rather than a proper terminal
- Staff seem to take an unusually long time processing your card
How to Avoid
- Pay in cash wherever possible in Lombok — withdraw from ATMs inside bank branches only
- If using a card, never let it leave your sight — insist the terminal be brought to your table
- Use a travel card with instant transaction notifications (Wise or Revolut)
- Set low daily spending limits and enable card lock when not in use
- Check your statements daily during your trip and freeze the card immediately if fraud appears
🆘 What to Do If You Get Scammed
📋 File a Police Report
Go to the nearest Indonesian National Police (Polri) station. Call 110 (Police) or 112 (Emergency). Get an official crime report — you'll need this for insurance claims. You can also report online at polri.go.id.
💳 Cancel Your Cards
Call your bank immediately. Most have 24/7 numbers on the back of the card (keep a photo saved separately). Block any suspicious transactions before the thieves use your details.
🛂 Lost Passport?
Contact your nearest embassy or consulate. The US Embassy in Jakarta is at Jl. Merdeka Selatan No. 3-5, Jakarta 10110. For emergencies: +62 21-5083-1000.
📱 Track Your Device
If your phone was stolen, use Find My (iPhone) or Find My Device (Android) from another device. Don't confront thieves yourself — share the location with police instead.
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