The most common tourist scams in Morocco (and how to avoid them)

Morocco runs on a tourist economy and that comes with a parallel economy of small scams. None of these are dangerous. They’re annoying, they cost you 50–500 MAD if you fall for them, and they’re all easy to spot once you know the patterns.

Ranked roughly by how often you’ll encounter them.

1. The medina re-router

The setup: You’re in the medina, slightly lost, looking at your phone. A friendly young man approaches. “That way is closed. The souk is this way, I’ll show you.”

The reveal: He leads you to his cousin’s carpet/leather/spice shop, not to where you wanted to go. You owe him a “tip” (50–100 MAD) for “helping.”

How to shut it down:

• Don’t ask for directions in a medina from anyone except shop staff at a clearly established business.
• “La, shukran” + keep walking. Don’t engage in conversation.
• Use offline Google Maps / Maps.me. Look like you know where you’re going.

2. The henna ambush

The setup: Older woman in Jemaa el-Fnaa (Marrakech) approaches with a smile. Before you react, she grabs your hand and starts squeezing henna paste onto it.

The reveal: She demands 100–200 MAD. The henna won’t even develop properly (cheap stuff, sometimes with chemicals that can cause skin reactions).

How to shut it down:

• Keep your hands at your sides or in pockets in the square.
• If she’s already touched you: pull away firmly, say safi (enough), walk off. Don’t engage further.

3. The broken taxi metre

The setup: You get in a petit taxi. Driver says “the metre is broken, 100 dirham.”

The reveal: Metre works fine. Real fare to your destination is 30 MAD.

How to shut it down:

• Insist: “compteur, s’il vous plaît.” Politely but firmly.
• If he refuses: get out, take the next taxi. There are 50 more.
• At airports, official taxi stands have posted fixed fares, pay those, they’re slightly above metre but not scam-tier.

4. The “your riad is closed”

The setup: Outside a medina gate, a “helpful local” asks where you’re going. When you name your riad: “Oh, that one closed last month. But my brother’s is much nicer.”

The reveal: Your riad is fine and open. He gets a commission for delivering you to his cousin’s place.

How to shut it down:

• Don’t reveal your riad name to anyone outside the medina.
• Have your riad’s number on your phone, call them, they’ll send someone to fetch you.
• If you reach a closed door at your actual riad’s address: call them. They’re not closed; they’re inside.

5. The photo fee

The setup: You photograph the snake charmer, water seller, monkey trainer, or Gnawa musician in Jemaa el-Fnaa. They surround you, demanding payment.

The reveal: This isn’t really a scam, they’re performers and they expect payment. The scam is the price escalation: “10 dirham” becomes “100 dirham” once your camera’s out.

How to handle it:

• Negotiate before you click. “10 dirham for one photo, OK?”
• Or don’t photograph. Watch the show without your phone.
• Hand over the agreed money, smile, walk off.

6. The fake guide certification

The setup: A man in the medina says he’s an “official licensed guide” and offers a tour for 200 MAD. Shows you a card.

The reveal: Card is fake. He leads you in circles, dumps you at his cousin’s shop, demands more money.

How to shut it down:

• Real licensed guides have a plastic ID badge with a photo and a number. They work through your riad or licensed agencies.
• Book guides through your riad or established companies (Plan-it Morocco, Insiders Experience). 300–500 MAD for half a day.

7. The fake argan oil

The setup: Shop or street stall sells “pure argan oil” at 50 MAD for 100ml.

The reveal: Mostly sunflower oil with a drop of argan for the smell. Real argan is 200–400 MAD for 100ml.

How to spot real:

• Real argan is filtered, dark gold/amber. Fake is pale yellow.
• Real smells nutty and faint. Fake smells perfume-y.
• Real is sold in dark glass bottles. Plastic = run.
• Buy from a women’s argan cooperative (UCFA, Targanine) on the Marrakech-Essaouira road. Production is visible, prices are fair.

8. The carpet “let me show you my workshop”

The setup: Inside a tanneries or medina shop tour: “Come see my workshop, no obligation to buy.”

The reveal: You’re now in a room with three carpet salesmen, glasses of mint tea, and 40 carpets unrolled. You’ll spend 90 minutes saying no.

How to handle it:

• Decide before walking in: are you buying or not?
• If not: don’t enter shops that aren’t on your list.
• If yes: it’s still a fine experience, just budget 60–90 minutes and be prepared to hard-bargain.
• The walk-away always works. “Safi, bislama” + leave.

9. The “free” tannery viewing

The setup: In Fes near the tanneries, men hand you mint leaves to mask the smell and offer to show you the viewing terrace.

The reveal: The mint is the upcharge. The terrace is technically free (it’s a shop’s roof) but you “owe” 50–100 MAD for the mint and the view.

How to handle it:

• It’s reasonable, they’re providing a service.
• 20 MAD per person is the fair tip. Don’t pay 100.
• Or: the Hôtel Sahrai rooftop in Fes has a tannery view without the shop pressure.

10. The 50€ for 50 MAD swap

The setup: You’re tired at the airport, pull out a 50 EUR note. Driver swaps it for a 50 MAD bill (worth ~€4.50) while you’re distracted, then says “you didn’t pay me, you gave me 50 dirhams.”

The reveal: Sleight of hand.

How to avoid:

• Count out the money in your hand before handing it over.
• Take a photo of the note before paying.
• Better: pay in dirhams. Get cash from an ATM at the airport before leaving terminal.

11. The “free” tea

The setup: Carpet shop owner insists you sit, gives you mint tea, says it’s free hospitality.

The reveal: The tea is free. The 90 minutes of carpet pitching that follow is the price.

How to handle it:

• Tea is genuinely free. If you have time and curiosity, enjoy it.
• Make clear up front: “I’m not buying today, just looking.” Sometimes they’ll still offer; sometimes they won’t.

12. The fake taxi waiting outside the airport

The setup: At Marrakech airport you walk out of arrivals. Several men approach: “Taxi? My friend! 300 dirham to medina!”

The reveal: Real fare is 80–150 MAD. They’re unmarked grand taxis charging 2–4× the rate.

How to avoid:

• Walk past them to the official yellow petit taxi stand with the posted fixed-price board.
• 150 MAD fixed to the medina is fair. Anything above 200 MAD is scam-priced.

13. The currency confusion

The setup: You ask “how much?” and they quote “ten.” Ten dirhams? Ten euros?

The reveal: It’s both. Souk vendors quote in euros, dirhams, or dollars depending on what makes the price sound smaller. You pay 10 EUR when you thought you were paying 10 MAD.

How to handle it:

• Always clarify: “How many dirhams?” / “Bshhal dirham?”
• Pay in dirhams. Carry small bills.

What’s NOT a scam

• Tip expectations for service. They’re real. Not a scam. See our tipping guide.
• The kid who watches your car. 5–10 MAD. It’s the local economy.
• Bargaining. It’s the system. Not a scam. See our bargaining guide.

General rules to avoid 90% of scams

1. Don’t engage in conversation with strangers approaching you in tourist zones. Direct, firm, walk away.
2. Look like you know where you’re going. Even when you don’t.
3. Negotiate prices before, not after. Photos, taxi rides, henna, “tours.”
4. Carry small bills. Vendors “have no change” for a 200 MAD note.
5. Trust the riad and tour operators you booked through. Distrust everyone else by default.

Morocco is genuinely safe. The scams are small, predictable, and almost all handled by saying la, shukran and walking.