Bali Governor Wayan Koster has announced that he is pushing for a new regulation that will crack down on illegal money changers in Bali’s most popular tourist resorts.
Bali is considered one of the safest travel destinations in the world, but scams are reportedly the biggest cause of concern for travelers.
The issue with fraudulent and scam money changers in Bali has been known to the government, local leaders, and returning tourists for decades. Over the years, various approaches have been taken to crack down on scams, though, as is often the case, scammers adapt and find new ways to operate, taking advantage of unsuspecting tourists.
This week, Bali Governor Wayan Koster held a meeting with Bank Indonesia and the Bali Foreign Exchange Affiliation (APVA) in Denpasar. The focus of the meeting was to discuss ways to strengthen cross-institutional collaboration to curb illegal money changers, who remain alarmingly prevalent in several tourist areas in Bali.
Speaking to reporters, Erwin Soeriadimadja, Head of the Bank Indonesia Representative Office for Bali Province, shared, “Bank Indonesia continues to strengthen its oversight to ensure the smooth operation of the licensed non-bank money changer industry. We are also promoting various measures to curb illegal money changers, which require cross-agency synergy.”
He confirmed that to help tackle the issue, Bank Indonesia Bali has launched an information portal, moneychangerbali.com, integrated with the Bali Provincial Government’s lovebali.baliprov.go.id portal. This site serves as an information and educational resource for tourists and the public regarding officially licensed money changers.
Soeriadimadia noted that Bank Indonesia Bali now also provides a complaint channel through the BI-PATROL system, which allows the public to report illegal money changer activity and enables officials to follow up on reports of scams.
He emphasized that enforcement cannot be carried out by a single institution alone. Not in “This effort requires collaboration between Bank Indonesia, local governments, the Indonesian National Acquisition Agency (APVA), law enforcement officials, and traditional institutions.”
Bank Indonesia data indicate that by 2025, there were 601 licensed non-bank money changer (KUPVA) offices in Bali, making the province the second-largest in Indonesia in terms of its official money changer network. Most of these money exchange outlets are concentrated in key tourist destinations, namely Badung Regency, Gianyar Regency, and Denpasar City.
It is believed that using licensed outlets is a sufficient safeguard for tourists. While scams could still take place at licensed venues, it is unlicensed venues that are repeatedly reported as scamming tourists, in addition to operating illegally by not being licensed.
Governor Koster told reporters, “Regulating illegal money changers is a strategic step towards realizing quality tourism in Bali that is globally competitive.”
These measures, committed to by the provincial government and the authorities, are expected to minimize the risk of fraud or cheating that often occurs at illegal money changers, while also maintaining Bali’s reputation as a safe and trusted tourist destination for international travelers.
The most common money exchange scam in Bali is easy to spot. In fact, it’s a scam that is used by money exchange tellers all around the world.
Most tourists are concerned about haggling for a fair rate, many are so focused on getting a good deal that they miss the bigger scam that’s taking place right in front of their eyes.
It’s incredibly simple, which is why it happens so frequently. The teller counts out the cash exchange in front of the customer, and as they swipe the notes into a bundle, they swipe as many notes as possible off the counter onto the desk below.
They then hand the bundle of cash over to the customer, who assumes the amount is correct as they just saw the full exchange amount counted out in front of them.
This is why tourists should always use a licensed money exchange outlet and count the cash once or even twice before leaving the counter.
A legitimate teller will not be offended by this, and it is essential to ensure that the exchange is fair. Tourists who have been victims of this kind of scam in Bali are urged to make a report to the local police.
Here at The Bali Sun, we keep a track of traveler experience in real time through the Bali Travel Safety Index. In recent days, the safety rating has increased, though it has always been in the stable green zone. The most common reports of concern are scams, such as the money exchange scam.
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