Marrakech has a lot to offer all sorts of tourists, from hikers to ancient architecture lovers. It holds a special place in everyone’s heart. It’s a very safe place and the people are also very welcoming and of helping nature. But like every other popular tourist attraction, Morocco is also filled with scammers who see you as their prey. You may encounter very bizarre kinds of scammers and the only thing that will help you in these situations is your alert-mindedness and rude behavior. Learn to say NO! Otherwise you may find yourself in a tight spot. Here are few popular scams in Morocco that you need to know about so if something happens to you then you are prepared for it.
The Helpful Local
This is the most common scam in Marrakech. If you have some fancy gadgets and taking pictures of the beautiful streets or monuments and mistakenly open maps or gave a look that you’re lost. A helping local surrounds you offering you to help you get to your location. These peoples are always on the watch for tourists. For once you feel like what a kind guy but as soon as you reach your destination they will demand money for his service and that’s where you feel devastated and you can’t do anything because his gang will surround you and forces you to pay. The police are also sometimes involved in it and the only solution to this is to try to stall them or talk rudely and reject their proposals in the first place.
Hospitality Scam
Marrakech is famous for its hospitality and scammers often cash this thing for their benefit. Another scam that you’ll face is just pretty much the same as above but now they are getting smarter. If you feel lost then a helping guy will come and guide you towards your destination but he hesitate to come along and you’ll feel like he’s a genuine guy. He may also trick you by guiding you towards a specific stop and then refers you to another helping guy which happens to be some sort of shop owner. This often creates a chain and you may get to your destination for free but when you try to go back, that’s when the real scam starts as these guys are waiting for you to offer you tea and biscuits for free and as soon as you accept their hospitality, you have to but something from their shops. This is how they fool you into fall for their hospitality.
Dirham For Euro
Some children will come you with an offer to exchange one Euro coin which they found somewhere for 10 dirhams as they cannot use foreign currency. Be aware, it’s a fake coin and this will cost you a lot if you try to help these so-called innocent children.
Restaurants Frauds
Most of the time tourists select food depending on the price and when you finishing eating and ask for a bill, you’ll get a shock to see the prices. The fish you ordered for 5 dirhams is now 20. This technique is called menu swapping, you see a cheaper menu and after the order, the menu they present you for proof has different prices. Be alert and take pictures of the menu as you have proof of your own in the end. Also, look for freebies as they appear to be free at first one only but quite expensive afterward. The waiters frequently top it off and won’t mention it till the bill comes.
Free Moroccan Pastries
You are wondering in the market and suddenly a shopkeeper offers you free pastries. Who in the right mind will reject these hot delicious pastries. When you try one they present you with another tray even more intriguing than the previous one but he won’t mention “free” this time. This scam will end up arguing for a hiked price of $5 for each pastry.
Street Vendors
Some, not all street vendors and shop keepers will try to sell you souvenirs and shall at a hiked prices and they often play sympathy card that you are quite rich so but these goods. Try your bargaining skills and he’ll eventually sell you cheap and don’t think that he’s having a loss. No one in their right mind will sell you without making a profit.
Currency Conversion
Make sure to confirm currency at the start because as soon as you feel interested in that item and try to pay for it, comes a twist that you’re thinking 500 dirhams and he’s referring to $500. This is the most common scam and you may happen to encounter it everywhere.
Taking Photographs
It is not originally a scam but sometimes it may be termed as one. If you try to take pictures of somebody or someone’s property they will demand money in return and believe it or not it’s better to hide your cameras in local streets because shopkeepers will make your day hell and you feel stranded in this situation. The price of street performers, artists musicians are often pretty hyped up as they demand $30 for a single click. A pro tip is to find high ground and let the zoom of your Lenz do the work.
Staying In Hotels
Hotels rooms are often costly and they will often gain your trust by giving you cheap prices or hefty discounts but in reality, it’s a scam as they show you a $20 room. Make it $100 and they try to sell you for $50. Many tourists fall for this scam pretty easily.
Camel Rides
This mostly happens in the Sahara desert or coastal areas. They often bring you farther than agreed and overcharge you for this or offer you the inflated price in the beginning. Another kind of this scam is they’ll bring you far from your location and then demand a hefty amount to get back and this is pretty much scary and tourists have to pay them to get home.
