Key Takeaways
- The #1 reported scam is the The Art Student Gallery Scam
- 1 of 7 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 Ubud
⚡ 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 7 Scams
A polite young Indonesian tells you he's an art student and today is his 'end-of-year exhibition.' ...
A polite young Indonesian tells you he's an art student and today is his 'end-of-year exhibition.' He invites you to his gallery — it's nearby. Inside, you find a commercial art shop with paintings priced at $200-800. Emotional pressure and guilt tactics are used: 'This painting took me 3 months.' The 'art student' earns 20-30% commission and does this daily.
Red Flags
- Friendly stranger mentions an art exhibition unprompted
- Gallery just happens to be nearby
- Prices are high with immediate 'special discount' offered
- Student becomes noticeably less friendly if you don't buy
How to Avoid
- Enjoy the chat but decline the gallery invitation
- Buy art from ARMA Museum, Neka Museum shop, or the Ubud Art Market (and negotiate)
- If you want to support real artists, Ubud has legitimate gallery openings listed in local events
- A painting that takes 3 months doesn't need to be sold by a sidewalk recruiter
A money changer displays a rate of 16,000 IDR per dollar — better than the bank rate of 15,500.
You hand over $100. The cashier counts out what looks like 1,600,000 IDR in a fast flourish, fanning the notes like a card trick. You recount at your hotel: it's 800,000 IDR. The cashier palmed half the notes during the count. This scam is performed by highly practiced operators and even careful travelers get fooled.
Red Flags
- Rate significantly better than banks or official money changers
- Cashier counts notes in a fast, flashy manner
- Booth is small with no bank affiliation
- Located in a heavy tourist area
How to Avoid
- Use official bank-affiliated exchange (BMC, Central Kuta, PT Dirgahayu Valuta Prima are legitimate)
- Count the money yourself, slowly, before leaving the counter
- Use ATMs instead — Wise or Revolut cards give near-market rates
- If a rate looks too good, it IS too good — the difference is made up by short-changing you
A local boy offers to 'watch your stuff' while you enter the Monkey Forest.
Inside, a monkey snatches your sunglasses right off your face. A different boy appears, claps his hands, and the monkey drops them. He demands 100,000-200,000 IDR for his 'service.' The boys and monkeys have a working relationship — the monkeys are trained to snatch, the boys are trained to retrieve.
Red Flags
- Boys loitering at the entrance offering to 'help with monkeys'
- Monkey targets your easily grabbable items (sunglasses, hats, water bottles)
- A 'helper' appears instantly when your item is stolen
How to Avoid
- Remove sunglasses, hats, and earrings before entering
- Secure all loose items in a zipped bag
- Don't carry food or water bottles in hand
- If a monkey takes something, wait — they usually drop it when bored (don't chase)
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Get Free Itinerary →You open Grab on your phone to book a ride from Ubud center but no drivers appear.
You walk a few blocks and a local taxi driver quotes 200,000 rupiah for a ride that should cost 50,000. The local transport mafia in Ubud has effectively blocked ride-sharing apps from operating in the town center. Drivers who accept Grab bookings near Ubud face intimidation from the transport cooperative. This leaves tourists at the mercy of fixed-price drivers who charge three to four times the normal rate.
Red Flags
- Grab and Gojek apps show no available drivers when you try to book from central Ubud
- Local drivers all quote the same inflated price for common routes
- Drivers tell you apps do not work in Ubud and you must use their service
- The quoted price is three to four times what the app would charge in other parts of Bali
- Drivers become aggressive or follow you if you try to walk away to find a cheaper option
How to Avoid
- Walk five to ten minutes away from the Ubud center to a main road where app drivers can pick you up
- Rent a scooter for the day at 70,000 to 100,000 rupiah which is cheaper than a single taxi ride in Ubud
- Negotiate firmly with local drivers and walk away if the price is above 100,000 for a short ride
- Ask your accommodation to arrange a driver for the day at a flat rate which is often better value
- Use the fixed shuttle services that run between major tourist points in Ubud
Your driver takes you to see the famous Tegallalang rice terraces but insists on stopping at a ...
Your driver takes you to see the famous Tegallalang rice terraces but insists on stopping at a coffee plantation along the way for a free tasting. The tasting is pleasant but the kopi luwak (civet coffee) is priced at 500,000 rupiah for 100 grams. The same coffee sells for 150,000 in Ubud markets. Your driver earns a 20 to 30 percent commission on anything you buy. Some plantations also keep civets in small cages for tourist photo opportunities raising serious animal welfare concerns.
Red Flags
- Your driver insists on stopping at a specific plantation that was not in your itinerary
- The tasting is free but the products are priced far above market rate
- Your driver stays near the sales area watching whether you make a purchase
- The plantation has caged civets displayed for tourist photos
- Staff apply high-pressure sales tactics after the free tasting
How to Avoid
- Tell your driver in advance that you do not want commission stops
- If you do visit a plantation, enjoy the free tasting but compare prices at Ubud market before buying
- Avoid plantations that keep civets in cages as this supports animal cruelty
- Buy coffee at Ubud's Pasar Seni market or directly from ethical roasters
- Negotiate with your driver that the itinerary is fixed and commission stops will result in a lower tip
You arrive at Tirta Empul temple wearing shorts.
A man at the entrance insists you must rent a sarong for 50,000 rupiah. Inside the temple you notice others wearing free sarongs provided at the entrance. The man at the gate is not a temple employee but a private vendor exploiting the dress code requirement. Besakih temple is worse, with unofficial guides latching onto tourists at the parking area and demanding fees of 300,000 to 500,000 rupiah for mandatory guiding services that are actually optional.
Red Flags
- Someone at the parking lot or before the official entrance insists you pay for sarong rental
- The vendor does not have a uniform or official temple credential
- Other visitors are wearing identical sarongs that appear to be free temple issue
- An unofficial guide tells you the temple requires a guide and their fee is non-negotiable
- The person blocks your path or follows you insisting you need their services
How to Avoid
- Bring your own sarong or long pants to temples as this eliminates the rental leverage entirely
- Walk past vendors to the official temple entrance where free sarongs are typically available
- Pay only the official entrance fee at the ticket window and decline additional services
- At Besakih temple be aware that guides are optional despite what touts claim
- Check current entrance fees online before visiting so you know the correct amount
You are in the visa-on-arrival queue at Bali's airport when an Indian family approaches and says ...
You are in the visa-on-arrival queue at Bali's airport when an Indian family approaches and says their credit card is not working and they cannot pay the visa fee. They ask if you can cover their payment — they will pay you back in cash or transfer money immediately. You pay for their visas (500,000 IDR each), and they thank you profusely, promising to transfer the money. They never do. A Reddit user on r/bali documented this: 'We met an Indian family at Bali's airport visa office. The husband asked if we could help cover their visa payment, saying his Indian card wasn't working.' The sympathy scam relies on the stressful airport environment and travelers' desire to help.
Red Flags
- A stranger at the airport asks you to pay for their visa or ticket because their card is 'not working'
- They promise immediate repayment via cash, bank transfer, or mobile payment that never materializes
- The amount requested is large enough to be a meaningful loss but small enough to seem reasonable to help with
- They create urgency by suggesting they will miss their flight or be denied entry
- They are well-dressed and articulate, making the story more believable
How to Avoid
- Politely decline financial requests from strangers at airports — suggest they speak to airport staff or their airline for help
- The visa-on-arrival counter at Bali accepts cash in multiple currencies — if their card does not work, they can use cash or visit a nearby ATM
- If you want to help, offer to guide them to the airport information desk rather than paying on their behalf
- Remember that legitimate emergencies are resolved by airport authorities, not by asking random travelers for money
- Never hand over cash to a stranger regardless of how convincing or sympathetic their story is
🆘 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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