Australian couple lose hundreds in seconds while in Bali in money scam

An Aussie couple on holiday in Bali were left millions of Indonesian rupiah’s out of pocket after a scam caught them out in seconds.

An Australian couple on holiday in Bali were left short changed after a money exchanger in the popular tourist town of Kuta scammed the duo out of 2.2 million rupiah.

It is understood, according to local media and police, that the scam took place on Padma Utara street in Kuta when the husband and wife exchanged $A1175 or $IDR11.9 million with the money changer.

According to local media Coconuts, the couple walked away from the money changer with around $IDR2.2 million short, or around $A215.

According to Legian’s Community Development Agency (LPM) Chief I Wayan Puspa, once the couple realised they had been short changed, they contacted authorities and the money changer was shut down and their electricity shut off.

There are ways to check a legitimate money changer from a scammer.

“The guests found out after they counted [the money] themselves. [They] didn’t get a receipt. [They] should’ve gotten the receipt,” said Wayan.

“In other words, the business has been black-listed in Legian and [they] are not allowed to re-enter.”

The exchange, which happened in seconds, will not result in any charges given the money changer reportedly gave back the stolen money to the couple.

Money changing scams on the popular holiday island are nothing new.

In 2019, An Aussie tourist by the name of Jason Pizzino uploaded a video to his YouTube channel showing how the scam typically happens and how other holiday-makers can avoid losing their cash.

Aussie Jason Pizzino uploaded a video to his YouTube in 2019 showing how money changers can scam cash from tourists.

Mr Pizzino captured the footage of how the scam is done.

Pizzino’s video shows the money changer asking how much cash he’d like exchanged. The warning is the more bills of cash, the more opportunity for the money changer.

Once Pizzino hands over their foreign bills, the money changer counts out the cash to be given in exchange. He then hands the money over to the tourist to count.

The money changer will then take back the cash from the tourist to do a final count and it is at this moment the worker uses sleight of hand to discreetly and quickly move a chunk of the cash below the desk while handing back the remaining wad of cash.

Tourists should always be cautious when changing money.

Pizzino, however, said there are ways to tell a legit money changer from a scammer – and it comes down to the desk.

Normally, a scam kiosk is very small but have high desks and darkened glass over the booth. A safe or legitimate money changer usually has a larger shopfront with a lower desk, electronic screens showing currency prices, and will get the customer to sign a receipt.

Pizzino’s advice to anyone that has been a victim to this scam is to tell hotel security or tourist police.