Key Takeaways
- The #1 reported scam is the The Batik Gallery Art Student Scam
- Most scams in Yogyakarta are low-to-medium 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 Yogyakarta
⚡ 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 friendly English-speaking university student strikes up conversation on Malioboro Street.
After 10 minutes of pleasant chat, he invites you to his 'art exhibition' — it's the last day and it would mean so much to have foreign visitors. The 'exhibition' is a commercial batik gallery with astronomical prices. The student gets 20-30% commission on anything you buy. The friendly chat was rehearsed.
Red Flags
- Overly friendly stranger who speaks excellent English
- 'Exhibition' happens to be nearby and closing soon
- Art is suspiciously expensive for Indonesia
- Student becomes noticeably less friendly if you don't buy
How to Avoid
- Enjoy the conversation but decline invitations to shops or 'exhibitions'
- Buy batik from the government-fixed-price Batik Keris or market stalls
- If you want quality batik, visit the actual Batik Museum or Tirtodipuran workshops
- Genuine art students don't need to recruit customers off the street
You arrive at Borobudur for the famous sunrise viewing.
Outside, someone offers sunrise tickets for 350,000 IDR when the official price is 475,000 IDR for foreigners. Great savings! But the tickets are for the neighboring Mendut temple — which has a different sunrise view but isn't Borobudur. Or worse, they're completely fake.
Red Flags
- Tickets sold outside the official entrance
- Price below the listed foreign tourist rate
- Seller uses urgency: 'Only 3 tickets left for sunrise!'
- Ticket looks different from what's shown on the official website
How to Avoid
- Buy tickets only from the official Borobudur ticket office or the Taman Wisata Candi website
- The official foreign tourist sunrise price is approximately 475,000 IDR
- Arrive at the official entrance by 4:30am — tickets are available on-site
- Cross-reference ticket prices on the official website before your visit
You hire a becak (cycle rickshaw) on Malioboro Street for a ride to the Kraton palace.
The driver agrees on 20,000 rupiah. Ten minutes in he stops at a batik shop and tells you he will wait while you look. Then a silver shop. Then a leather goods store. Each stop is a commission arrangement. If you refuse to stop he becomes sulky or claims a road is closed and detours through more shops. What should be a fifteen-minute ride takes an hour.
Red Flags
- The becak driver agrees to an unusually low fare suggesting he plans to make money through commissions
- The driver stops at shops that were not in the agreed route
- He claims roads are closed and detours through commercial areas
- The driver becomes upset or refuses to continue if you decline to enter shops
- Multiple drivers quote the same suspiciously low price for the route
How to Avoid
- Agree firmly on the destination and route before starting and state you do not want shop stops
- Use Grab or Gojek for transparent pricing on longer routes
- Walk short distances on Malioboro Street rather than taking a becak
- If the driver makes unauthorized stops, negotiate a reduced fare for the time wasted
- Tip fairly for honest direct service to incentivize good behavior
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Get Free Itinerary →You arrive at Borobudur Temple and a man approaches in the parking lot saying he is a licensed ...
You arrive at Borobudur Temple and a man approaches in the parking lot saying he is a licensed guide and the temple requires a guide for entry. He quotes 300,000 rupiah. You agree, not realizing guides are optional and the entrance fee includes access without one. His knowledge of the temple is minimal, and he spends most of the visit posing you for photos. Official licensed guides cost 100,000 to 150,000 rupiah booked through the temple ticket office.
Red Flags
- A guide approaches in the parking lot rather than at the official ticket office
- He claims a guide is required or mandatory for temple entry
- The quoted price is double or more the rate charged by guides at the ticket office
- He cannot show an official guide license issued by the tourism ministry
- The guide has minimal historical knowledge and focuses on taking photos of you
How to Avoid
- Buy tickets and arrange guides only at the official Borobudur ticket office
- Know that guides are optional at both Borobudur and Prambanan temples
- If you want a guide, book through the official ticket counter where rates are fixed at 100,000 to 150,000 rupiah
- Research the temple history before visiting using apps or guidebooks so you can self-guide
- Decline all offers from people who approach in parking lots regardless of their claims
You are riding a rented motorbike on the road to Parangtritis beach when a man in a uniform-like outfit waves you over.
He says your international driving permit is invalid and the fine is 500,000 rupiah payable now. He does not provide documentation or a receipt. Real Indonesian police do stop tourists on motorbikes but always issue official paperwork and direct you to pay fines at a station or through a bank, never cash on the roadside.
Red Flags
- The officer demands immediate cash payment rather than directing you to a police station
- He does not provide a written citation or official documentation
- The uniform looks slightly off or the officer has no name tag or badge number
- He claims only cash payment will resolve the situation right now
- Other motorists are not being stopped by the same officer
How to Avoid
- Carry a valid international driving permit (IDP) which is legally required for riding a motorbike in Indonesia
- If stopped, ask to see the officer's identification and badge number
- Real fines in Indonesia are paid at a police station or through a bank, never as roadside cash
- Politely insist on going to the nearest police station to settle any fine
- Take a photo of the officer or their vehicle if the interaction feels suspicious
Your hotel offers a sunrise Borobudur package for 450,000 rupiah per person including transport and entrance.
You agree because it is convenient. Later you discover the entrance fee is 100,000, and the minibus shared with eight other travelers costs the hotel 30,000 per person. The hotel markup is 300 percent. Independent travelers who arrange their own transport and tickets pay less than half. The same applies to Jomblang Cave and Parangtritis beach tours.
Red Flags
- The all-inclusive package price is vague about what is actually included
- The hotel discourages you from booking independently or visiting the attraction on your own
- No breakdown of costs is provided just a single total price
- Other travelers at the same hotel paid different prices for the same tour
- The tour uses shared transport with many travelers crammed into a single vehicle
How to Avoid
- Research entrance fees and transport costs independently before accepting any package deal
- Use Grab for transport to temples which is often cheaper than hotel-arranged minibuses
- Buy Borobudur sunrise tickets directly through the official Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur website
- Compare prices at three or four different booking offices on Sosrowijayan or Prawirotaman Streets
- Join other travelers to share a Grab car which splits costs while maintaining flexibility
You are walking near Taman Sari when a friendly Indonesian man starts chatting in English.
He says he is a student and invites you to his 'family batik workshop' nearby — just to see, no pressure to buy. Inside the small studio, artisans demonstrate the traditional wax-resist technique. It is genuinely interesting. Then the sales pitch begins: finished batik pieces for 200,000-500,000 IDR that are available in tourist markets for 50,000 IDR. Reddit users on r/indonesia confirmed: 'The scammy workshops usually come from people who invite you to their batik workshop when you walk around Taman Sari or Malioboro.' The markup is 4-10 times the market rate, and the 'commission' goes to the person who brought you.
Red Flags
- A stranger approaches you on the street and specifically invites you to a 'family workshop' or 'art studio'
- The workshop is in a small, private space rather than an established storefront with posted prices
- Prices are quoted verbally and seem significantly higher than what you have seen elsewhere
- The person who invited you lingers during your visit and encourages you to buy
- There is a subtle sense of obligation because they have 'shown you something special'
How to Avoid
- Visit established batik workshops with posted prices, such as Batik Winotosastro or Batik Plentong, where you can learn and buy without pressure
- If invited by a stranger, politely decline — you can visit Taman Sari independently and explore Malioboro batik shops at your own pace
- Know that basic batik scarves cost 20,000-50,000 IDR in Malioboro markets — anything significantly above this at a 'private workshop' is overpriced
- Compare prices at multiple shops before buying — Yogyakarta is full of legitimate batik artisans who do not need street recruiters
- If you do visit a workshop, never feel obligated to buy — 'terima kasih' (thank you) and a polite exit is perfectly acceptable
🆘 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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