Scams in Indonesia

Let's have some fun talking about a few scams in Indonesia that some unscrupulous people try to pull on us….

Although most Indonesians are charming people, in tourist areas—and especially at transportation hubs within those areas—I was surprised both by the number of con artists and by how aggressive they were.

Let's take a look at some common scams and problems you might encounter with these people and how to deal with them

1. TAKING A BUS

1.a – The bus stop

When it comes to scams in Indonesia, anything involving buses is a classic.

I'm sure this sounds stupid, but many taxis, minibuses, etc., drop you off not exactly at the bus stop but at a nearby travel agency run by a friend or at a bus stop run by a friend. Before you get off the bus or taxi, make sure you're actually at the bus station.

1.b – Taking the bus

I'm talking about intercity buses.

When you approach a bus station, several shady characters will come up to you and ask where you're from, where you're going, how many of you there are, and so on. The trick is not to answer, to play dumb, or to give evasive answers. Be rude—don't hold back. They aren't your friends. They don't want to help you. They're just out to scam you.

At large bus stations, there are several pull-offs, and the buses “line up” there (just like taxis).

Just walk over to the curb and look for the bus you want to take (they have a sign on the front indicating their destination); if you're not sure, ask THE BUS DRIVER, not that hothead.

DON'T GIVE THOSE HULL-BAKED FOLKS ANY CHANCE TO TALK TO YOU

Once you strike up a conversation with one of them, you won’t be able to shake him off, and he’ll insist that he’s the one in charge and that you have to buy your ticket from him. That’s a lie. You buy the ticket inside the bus from the man who goes from seat to seat with a huge stack of tickets, collecting payment once the bus IS IN MOTION (not before).

Another common scam is when they tell you the bus is leaving right away and that you should pay the driver right then and there. Don't do it. Once you've paid him, you might find that the bus takes forever to leave… and I'm not talking about five or ten minutes, but an hour…

More problems: the duration of the trip.

To try to get you to ride their bus, they’ll tell you that theirs is faster, that the competition’s bus makes more stops… that’s a lie. When comparing the tickets of several passengers on the same route and on different buses—where all the stops are listed—they all stopped at the same places….

Transfers: Be very careful with this.

A lot of the time, they don't tell you that you have to transfer, so you end up throwing away your ticket or losing it or whatever. Keep it until the very end. You'll probably get on a bus operated by a different “company,” and they might try to rip you off by asking you to pay for a new ticket. Don't give in.

In the Probbolingo and Banyuwangi area, they're very, very aggressive—literally speaking. They practically came to blows with one of my travel companions. If you argue with them or question them, things will only get worse, so it's best not to say anything.

Therefore:

.- Find the bus, either on your own or by asking a driver.
Get on WITHOUT PAYING—you'll see the locals do it—and pay only the man you see collecting fare from the Indonesians

.- The trip is going to take longer than they told you… be patient…

2. TAKING A TAXI

2.a – Arriving from your trip at a train or bus station

By “taxi,” I mean a bicycle, motorcycle, or car—any form of individual transportation other than a bemo (mini van)

We've all been there: you arrive after a long trip, at night, and as soon as you get off the bus, a bunch of guys are already hounding you to take their taxi—at an exorbitant price.

Or even worse: someone approaches you—speaking good English, more or less well-dressed—who wants to help you. Plus, they know a nice hotel nearby! And they’ll take you there! How lucky you are to run into this Good Samaritan just as you’re getting off the bus! These are the worst kind because not only will they charge you a lot for the ride, but you might also have to pay a commission to their “partner hotel” where they’re taking you… This is a very common scam.

Unfortunately, in Indonesia, public transportation stops running around 4:00–5:00 p.m., so the situation isn't easy. The bus stops are far from downtown, so walking isn't a viable option.

The trick is to wait. I know this sounds hard with night falling and all the nerves that come with it, but that's what you have to do.

Usually, the other tourists will go off with the con artists, leaving you face to face with just one or two of them. It’s no longer five against one. Now you’re on equal footing. If he can’t pull the wool over your eyes, he’ll be left without a stupid gringo tourist to fleece. Now it’s easier to negotiate….

If that jerk still asks for an exorbitant price, walk out of the bus station—even if it's nighttime and you're far from downtown. Walk a good distance without fear; Indonesia is safe, and no one is going to mug you.

You’re 100% guaranteed to run into more taxi drivers, and they aren’t as shameless as the ones at the station; plus, with this “lone taxi driver,” you have the upper hand: he’s come across a “gringo” in the middle of the street at night, and he’s not going to let him get away. It’s his lucky day. Negotiate for a much lower price than what they were asking at the station because he’s sure to accept it.

2.b - The price

One of the most common scams. Obviously, it's best to know roughly how much the taxi fare will be before you arrive at your destination.

The golden rule is to agree on a price before getting in the car.

Then you can make up a thousand stories (one guy got lost while looking for me, started driving around the city, and in the end wanted to charge me… 10 times more than we’d agreed on!)

Don't give in. If he wants me to call the police… uuhhhh… in Indonesia? What police…? Pay him what you agreed on and nothing more. No meter. Just what you agreed on and nothing more.

3 – TAKING THE FERRY

No mode of transportation is immune to scams in Indonesia.

This isn't just a scam—it's a full-blown cartel. There's no free competition—I mean, it doesn't matter which route you take (Java-Bali, Bali-Gili Islands)—the prices here are set in stone.

There really are price differences from one agency to another, but this is due more to the quality of the ferry or the length of the crossing than to whether you're a better or worse negotiator.

Prices are usually posted on large signs on the doors of the agencies, and you pay what's listed—don't let them pull any tricks to jack up the price.

4 – THE UNEXPECTED GUIDE

In Indonesia, there are almost no signs pointing the way to places or monuments.

You’re walking around, distracted, with Google Maps trying to find what you’re looking for, and—as if by magic—some guy shows up. He’s really friendly. He asks you the usual questions (“Where are you from…”) and offers to guide you to the place. He takes you to the ticket booth—if there is one—and tells you all sorts of things along the way. He waits patiently while you take a million photos. How nice. If only everyone were like him….

...and at the end of the tour, there's a surprise. He asks for a tip. Haha. And an exorbitant one at that.

It's best to cut it off right from the start—and not give them any leeway, or, if you're feeling particularly cruel, let them finish their visit and then just… walk away. Don't worry, they won't do anything to you—except curse you and your whole family under their breath.

5 – TIPS AND THE 10% TAX

One of the scams in Indonesia is something you'll encounter in cafes and restaurants in tourist areas; it doesn't happen in the rest of Indonesia. It's a 10% surcharge on the bill supposedly for a tax collected by the Indonesian government—who knows.

In non-touristy places, they obviously don't charge you, and in super-touristy places (like Ubud), they charge you the tax… and a tip. Oh well…

Well, for now, these are the scams and tricks I've been able to spot, but I'm sure there are more 😛

And finally: even if you get ripped off, in the end they only took 5–15 euros from you… it’s not that big of a deal, right? It’s best not to dwell on it and just enjoy your trip ☺️

If you found this post about scams in Indonesia helpful, or if you know of any other scams, let me know by leaving a comment!!!

And if you want to know more about Indonesia: https://999millas.net/category/paises/indonesia/

Texto : Mike !