Where did I get robbed?

[albatross710]

OK, It's been on my mind for a month and I can't quite work out where I got done out of 40% of my money. The story goes like this.

The main street of Seminyak, Bali, I look for a money changer and of course choose one which has a higher exchange rate than the others I have seen.

The sign points me down a small alley, past three girls offering massages. The girls are happy to let me pass.

I go to the counter, no security screen like other money changers, seems to be more of a tour booking desk. Two men help me. One stands directly across form me, the other is at the end of the counter to my left.

Being the cautious traveler, I change A$100.

The guy in front counts out half of the money in Rp 50,000 notes. (The main street money changers always give Rp100,000 notes.)

The guy to my left makes up the other half of the money, still using Rp50,000 notes.

I carefully count everything, still one guy across the counter, the other to my left.

I split the money, some into my wallet, some into my left trouser pocket and the remaining into my right.

On the way out, the massage girls are happy to see me pass and make lots of noise.

I cross the road to Mrs Albatross and tell her I've just been ripped off, I just don't know how.

About 15 minutes later when paying for a coffee I get a chance to count my money again and I'm well short.

I still have my wallet, my credit cards, my iPhone, just missing about 40% of the exchanged money.​

So where was the scam?

The counting of the notes?
Pickpocket by girls?
Elsewhere?​

Alby

 

[robd]

….

I cross the road to Mrs Albatross and tell her I've just been ripped off, I just don't know how.
….

​

Alby

How did you know at this point that you had been ripped off? You counted the money, and put it away.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

What you been smokin' alby?

 

[travelislife]

Not 100% sure what he is getting at. But we nearly got caught with this in Bali, they get you to count 2 separate piles and then stupidly let them combine it and shave some off. Though when he handed the lot over we counted again and it was short and 'they apologised' for leaving some on the counter (which you couldn't see).

Same slight of hand happened in Myanmar before they had any ATMs.

 

[Boca68]

As you've said you counted the money, travelislifes' theory could be one option.

But, I'm thinking, they had a "picket". A guy who stands nearby, in communication with the exchanger, and watches for a chance. You said your missing about 40% of the money. And you placed it in 2 pockets and the wallet. Lets assume 40% in wallet, the remainder split between pockets. I'm guessing, once the girls distracted you, albeit for a second or 2. He got you without you even noticing he was there.

Probably, just as you exited the alley into mainstream traffic.

 

[robd]

Not 100% sure what he is getting at. But we nearly got caught with this in Bali, they get you to count 2 separate piles and then stupidly let them combine it and shave some off. Though when he handed the lot over we counted again and it was short and 'they apologised' for leaving some on the counter (which you couldn't see).

Same slight of hand happened in Myanmar before they had any ATMs.

Yes, I just googled "Money-changing scams in Bali". Who counted the money last?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So where was the scam?

The counting of the notes?
Pickpocket by girls?
Elsewhere?​

Alby

The money changer in the alley! There's lots of stuff on the net about it - google 'money changing scam Bali'. Many stories seem to involve multiple stacks (more than one) of money, or exchange rates that haven't been rounded out to a '0' or '5'.

 

[robd]

I haven't been to Bali for a couple of years, but I always used the Kodak shops without issue.

 

[RB]

I seem to being warned about this stuff before going to Bali in 1993- as above were you the last to hold & count the money?

 

[JohnK]

I still don't get it.

Would love to see them scam me but they won't get that opportunity.

 

[Pvcmenace]

Happened to me in April, Ive been 7 times before and never had a problem as I only change $100 per visit.... This time I needed more for a large purchase so changed $100, all good then proceeded to foolishly change $500 more. We nutted out the total figure which resulted in 'more' money being required. A second person now entered into the fray with the delivery of more notes, this is where the piles of notes were counted out moved around and the distractor would interject with comments to throw the concentration off. They picked me well as they could tell I was being distracted by my travelling companions and had been drinking.

Result, I was fleeced of a full half of the $600. Took a full 2 hours to realise. Fortunately our friend we use for transport for our last 5 trips heard the story and took me back to the money changer he eventually got them to admit to the scam and I got back all the money.

Lesson is you can't let your guard down, complacency leads to disappointment. I was just exceptionally lucky to have known a Balinese so well that there was a good outcome.

 

[ashleyn]

It never ceases to amaze me how people in Bali spend ages bartering for a 'good price' or to get the 'best' exchange rate at a risk as exposed here and end up maybe saving a dollar or two at best.

 

[Pvcmenace]

I understand wholeheartedly your point to a degree, but for me its never been about the best exchange rate, I usually choose the changer close to the Hotel as the exchange rate offered in house is a blatant rip off 8-12% difference. That makes a difference over 8 x 6-10 day trips, I'd be close to guessing about $1000. I'm not much for haggling so paying store/restaurant prices so no additional saving there.

 

[albatross710]

How did you know at this point that you had been ripped off? You counted the money, and put it away.

I've been travelling and backpacking since 1986, I can feel a scam going down, I just couldn't work it out. Yes, I 'believed' that i had counted the money.

No smoking Cruiser. I'm clean living guy.

 

[moa999]

ive had someone try and short count notes in ChungKong Mansions in HK - one of the better rate ones in the back.

Always count in front of them first, get them to cross, then same in reverse

 

[JohnPhelan]

As soon as the phrase "down a small alley" appeared, that was the clearest sign ......

 

[Hvr]

As soon as the phrase "down a small alley" appeared, that was the clearest sign ......

And with this in mind think of the experience not as losing 40% of your money but being fortunate in saving 60% of your money.

 

[Renato1]

I've never been to Bali. Don't they have ATMs there?
Regards,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

Was the drawer under the desk open? We were ripped off this way. We went back to collect the correct amount. And yes, always use Kodak.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

If you haven't been ripped off - you haven't been to Bali ;-)