Morocco is a very beautiful country. Most people here are kind and want to help you. It is generally very safe to travel to Morocco right now. If you come alone, you can also see if Morocco is safe for solo travelers. But, just like in any popular place, there are some people who try to trick visitors to get more money. You do not need to be afraid, but you do need to know what happens on the streets.
If you know these common tricks, you can enjoy your trip much more and feel relaxed. In this guide, I will show you the most common scams in Morocco. More importantly, I will tell you exactly what to do for each one so you stay safe. Let’s look at the list of scams and how you can avoid them easily. You can also read the official UK travel advice for Morocco if you want to see more about general safety from the government.
Quick Answer: Common Scams to Avoid in Morocco
- Fake Guides: Say no to random people offering tours. Book real guides through your hotel.
- Henna Tricks: Do not let anyone draw henna on your hand without agreeing on the price first.
- Taxi Overcharging: Always ask the driver to use the meter or agree on the price before getting in.
- Animal Photo Charges: Don’t take photos of monkeys or snakes if you don’t want to pay high fees.
- Restaurant Menu Tricks: Check menu prices and confirm the total cost before you order.
- Fake Goods: Buy from good shops. Don’t believe stories about very cheap “authentic” items.
- Card Fraud: Cover your PIN at ATMs and never let someone take your card away.
The #1 Rule That Prevents Most Scams
Before we talk about specific tricks, there is one very big rule you must remember. This rule will keep you safe from almost everything here. The rule is: agree the price first. You must do this for taxis, for photos, for guides, and for any small service. If you do not ask the price first, people will ask for a lot of money later.
Also, if a situation feels rushed or forced, just walk away. Nobody can make you buy something or do something. Just say “no thank you” and leave.
Here is a quick checklist for you to remember:
- Ask “how much?” before you accept anything.
- Do not feel bad to say no to people.
- Keep walking if someone is following you and you don’t want their help.
Common Street & Medina Scams
Fake / “Unofficial” Tourist Guides
When you walk in the old cities, called medinas, you will see many people. Sometimes, a young man will come to you and say “hello” and ask where you are from. He will be very friendly. Then he will say he can show you the way to a famous place or a market. He might even say he is a student and just wants to practice his English. This is how the fake guide trick starts. He will walk with you and act like your guide. But when you finish walking, he will demand a lot of money. If you give him a little money, he will get angry and say it is not enough.
How to avoid this trick: Do not walk with random people who offer to help you on the street. If you need a guide to see the city, you should only use licensed badge guides. You can easily book a good and safe guide through your hotel or riad. If a stranger starts walking with you and talking about the city, just say “no thank you” firmly and do not follow them. You can walk into a shop until they leave.
“It’s Closed” / Wrong Directions / Forced Detours
This is a very classic trick in Morocco, especially in big medinas. You are walking and looking at your phone. Suddenly, a person tells you, “The road is closed,” or “You can’t go there, it is only for Muslims.” They might also say that the place you want to go to is closed today. Then they will say, “I will show you the right way.” But they will not take you where you want to go. They will take you to their friend’s shop, or to a place where they will ask for money for the “help”.
How to avoid this trick: Do not listen to people who tell you the road is closed unless it is a real police officer. You should use offline maps on your phone to know where you are. Just keep walking confidently in the direction you want to go. Don’t look lost. If someone says “wrong way”, just smile and say you know where you are going. Don’t follow strangers who want to show you another way.
Henna Scam
In places like the big square in Marrakech, you will see women doing henna tattoos. Sometimes, a woman will just take your hand and start drawing on it very fast. She might say it is “free” or just a “gift to welcome you”. But when she finishes drawing, she will suddenly ask for a lot of money. She will say it took time and the henna is expensive.
How to avoid this trick: You must be careful where you put your hands. Keep your hands to yourself or in your pockets when you walk near these women. Do not accept anything that is “free” on the street. If a woman tries to grab your hand, gently pull it away and walk away early. If you really want a henna tattoo, ask for a menu with prices first and agree on the total cost before she touches your hand.
Photo Fees & Animal/Snake/Monkey “Photo Trap”
In the busy tourist squares, you will see men with monkeys on chains or snakes on the ground. Sometimes, they have beautiful water seller hats. They wait for tourists. If you stop to look, they might suddenly put a monkey on your shoulder or a snake around your neck. They do this very fast before you can say no. Then, they will take your phone to take a picture of you. After that, they will demand a very high price for the photo. They place the animal on you so you feel trapped.
How to avoid this trick: The easiest way is to not take photos of the animals at all. It is better not to support this anyway. Keep a good distance from these men. Do not stand too close. If you really want a picture of them or the animals, you must ask the price before you take your camera out. If they put an animal on you, ask them to take it off immediately and do not give them your camera.
Taxi & Transport Scams
Overpriced Taxi / “Meter Broken” / Long Route
Taking a taxi can be stressful because of this trick. Many tourists ask is Uber available in Morocco because they want avoid this, but usually you must take the local small taxis. It happens a lot at airports, train stations, and near big tourist squares. You get in a small taxi. You ask to go somewhere. The driver starts driving but he does not turn on the meter. If you ask him, he will say “the meter is broken” or “it is night time, there is no meter now”. Sometimes, he uses the meter but he takes a very long route to make the price higher. Then he asks for a price that is three or four times more than normal.
How to avoid this trick: Always ask the driver to use the meter when you get in. If he says the meter is broken, you should get out of the car and find another taxi. If there are no other taxis, you must agree on the price first before he starts driving. It is good to ask your hotel how much the taxi should cost. Also, try to use official taxis from taxi stands, not the ones waiting directly in front of tourist places.
Fake Ticket / Fake Help at Stations
When you go to a train station or bus station, you might meet “helpful” strangers. They will look like they work there. They will offer to help you buy tickets, or they will say the ticket office is closed and you have to buy from them. Sometimes they offer to carry your bags to the train. They will ask for a big tip for this assistance.
How to avoid this trick: Ignore people who walk up to you at the station. Only buy your tickets at the official counters inside the station or use the official phone apps. Carry your own bags, or use an official porter with a uniform and agree on the tip first.
Shopping & Market Scams
Counterfeit / Fake Goods / “Authentic” Claims
Shopping in the souks is very fun, but you have to be careful. This scam is very common in the markets. Sellers will show you beautiful things like leather bags, silver jewelry, or spices. They will claim that these items are 100% authentic, pure, or antique. They will tell you long stories about how it is made by their family. But often, the silver is fake, the leather is cheap, or the saffron is just colored flowers.
How to avoid this trick: It is best to buy from reputable shops, especially for expensive things. Ask your hotel for good places to shop. Always compare prices in different shops before you buy. Do not believe pressure claims or sad stories from the seller. If the price is too cheap for real silver or real leather, it is probably fake. Just buy it if you like it, not because it is “authentic”.
Switcheroo (You pay for X, receive cheaper item)
This is a sneaky trick. You spend a long time looking at a beautiful item. You check it and you like it. You agree on a price and pay the money. The seller takes the item to the back of the shop to wrap it nicely for you. But when they put it in the bag, they switch it with a cheaper or broken version of the same item.
How to prevent this trick: Watch the seller when they wrap your item. Do not let them take it out of your sight. Always check your bag before leaving the shop to make sure it is the exact item you paid for. Also, ask for a receipt if possible.
“Argan Oil / Carpet” Pressure Sales + Commission Stops
Sometimes a friendly local will talk to you and say, “Come see my cousin’s place, they have the best argan oil” or “There is a special Berber carpet market today only.” If you follow them, you will be led into a shop. They lock the door or block the exit and serve you tea. Then, three or four men will try very hard to make you buy an expensive carpet or oil. The person who brought you there gets a big commission from your money.
How to avoid this trick: Give a firm “no thanks” to anyone who invites you to a shop or a special market. Do not follow strangers to a second location, even if they are very nice. You can find good carpets and oil on your own without a random guide.
Restaurant & Service Scams
Menu Swap / Surprise Charges / “Service Not Included”
You sit down at a restaurant, maybe in a busy tourist area. The waiter shows you a menu with good prices. You order your food and eat. When the bill comes, the prices are much higher. If you complain, the waiter will bring out a different menu with higher prices and say you looked at the wrong one. Sometimes, they add surprise charges to the bill, like a very high tax or a big fee because they say service is not included.
How to avoid this trick: Always ask for a menu with prices written on it. Do not order if they just tell you what they have. Confirm the total price before ordering. When you get the menu, take a picture of it with your phone if you are not sure. Always check the bill carefully to see what you are paying for.
“Free” Mint Tea / Small Service → Unexpected Fee
In cafes or shops, they might bring you mint tea or some bread and olives before your food comes. They say “welcome, welcome.” But it is not free. When you want to pay, you will see a big charge for the tea or the bread on your bill.
How to avoid this trick: When they put something on your table that you did not order, ask “how much is this?” first. If you do not want to pay for it, decline it politely and say no thank you.
Money & Card Safety
Using your money in Morocco is usually fine. It is very good to read about what currency is used in Morocco before you come so you understand the money. But there is some card fraud risk and ATM problems. Sometimes, small shops or restaurants might try to charge your card twice, or they might take your card to a back room where you cannot see it. At ATMs, there can be machines that copy your card details if you are not careful. Also, people might stand very close to you while you take out money.
How to avoid this trick: It is best to use bank ATMs that are attached to a real bank building, not the ones standing alone on the street. Always cover your PIN with your hand when you type it. Never let a waiter or shop owner hand your card away to another place. Ask them to bring the machine to your table, or walk with them to the machine. It is a good idea to carry some cash because many small places do not accept cards anyway. Just don’t carry too much cash at one time, and keep your wallet in a front pocket.
Where Scams Are Most Likely
You will not find scams everywhere in Morocco. They usually happen in places where there are many tourists. It is good to know these places so you can be more careful when you go there. Here are the places where scams are most likely:
- Busy medinas: The old city streets are very narrow and confusing. It is easy for people to say you are lost and offer help for money.
- Major squares: Places like Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech are famous for henna women, snake charmers, and aggressive sellers. If you go there, read our post about is Marrakech safe to visit for more details.
- Tourist hotspots: Anywhere with famous monuments or big gates will have people waiting for tourists.
- Stations and airports: When you arrive, you have bags and you might be tired. This is when taxi drivers try to overcharge you. Late-night arrivals are also risky.
- “Too helpful” interactions: If someone speaks perfect English and is trying very hard to be your friend in the first two minutes, it is a pattern-based sign of a scam. You should be careful. Real locals are very kind, but they usually wait for you to ask for help first. They do not force their help on you when you are just walking.
What To Do If You Get Scammed
Even if you are very careful, sometimes a trick happens. If you realize you got scammed, the most important thing is to stay calm. Do not shout or argue aggressively. Getting very angry will not help and can make the situation worse. Try to de-escalate the problem. Just say clearly that you do not agree.
If you feel unsafe, leave the scene immediately and go to a busy or public place like a big cafe or a hotel lobby. Do not stay in a dark street with the person.
You can contact your accommodation for help. The people at your riad or hotel know how to handle these things. If it is a big problem, you can look for the tourist police. You can find emergency numbers and good advice on official pages like the US State Department page for Morocco.
It is also important to document the basics. Try to remember the exact location, the time of day, and keep any receipt if you have one. This will help the police or your hotel if they try to get your money back.
FAQ
What’s the most common scam in Morocco?
The most common scam is the fake guide or “wrong direction” trick in the medina. Strangers will tell you a road is closed to make you follow them to a shop or demand money for helping you.
Are fake guides illegal?
Yes, it is illegal to work as a guide without an official badge in Morocco. The tourist police are strict about this. You should always book official guides to stay safe and learn real history.
How do I avoid taxi scams?
You avoid taxi scams by always asking the driver to turn on the meter before you sit down. If they say no, walk away. If there is no meter, agree on the total price before driving.
Is it safe to walk in the medina at night?
Yes, it is generally safe to walk in the main streets of the medina at night. But you should stay in the busy areas with light. Do not walk in dark, empty streets alone very late.
Should I carry cash or card?
You need to carry both. Big hotels and nice restaurants accept cards. But for small shops, taxis, and markets, you must use cash. Keep your cash in a safe place.
What cities have the most tourist scams?
Marrakech and Fes have the most tourist scams because they have the biggest medinas and the most visitors. You should be more careful in these cities. Smaller towns are usually much more relaxed and quiet.
Conclusion
Morocco is an amazing country with wonderful food and culture. You do not need to be scared to visit. Just remember the 3 strongest prevention rules: always agree on prices first, use official guides, and walk away if you feel forced. Encourage respectful confidence, not paranoia. If you smile, say “no thank you” firmly, and keep walking, you will avoid almost all problems.
Enjoy your trip, drink the sweet mint tea, and have a beautiful time exploring. Millions of people visit every year and have a fantastic experience. You can see more about the beautiful places to visit on the official Visit Morocco website. Just be smart and aware.