Tourist Scams in Morocco

A local dealer befriends tourists and offers hashish. Shortly after you accept, a "police officer" (working with the dealer) appears threatening arrest unless you pay a large bribe immediately.

How to avoid: Never accept drugs from anyone in Morocco. This scam is well-organized and specifically targets tourists in Chefchaouen. If confronted, insist on going to the official police station.

Children or adults attach themselves to tourists navigating the blue medina, offering directions or acting as unofficial guides even when not invited, then demanding payment on arrival.

How to avoid: Book official licensed guides through your riad or the tourist office. If someone follows you uninvited, say clearly you don't need a guide and stop engaging.

Petit taxi drivers in Marrakech routinely refuse to use their meters with tourists and quote inflated flat rates to the airport, Majorelle Garden, or the medina. At night the rates can be three to four times the daytime metered fare without explanation.

How to avoid: Insist on the meter being used for all petit taxi journeys. If a driver refuses, exit and find another. The Djemaa el-Fna to the airport should cost no more than 70–80 MAD by meter during the day. Use inDriver or Careem as alternatives.

Women approach female tourists in Djemaa el-Fna square or near tourist sites and offer to apply a small free henna design. They then apply a large, elaborate design without permission and demand 20–50 EUR, threatening a scene if payment is refused. Some use black henna containing PPD, which can cause severe skin reactions.

How to avoid: Decline henna applications from anyone who approaches you unsolicited. If you want henna, agree on the design and full price before sitting down. Avoid black henna entirely due to the risk of chemical burns and allergic reactions.

A local approaches tourists near the entrance to the Marrakech medina offering to show them around for free. They lead tourists deep into the maze of souks, through dead-end alleys, then into shops run by friends or family where commissions are paid. Tourists feel unable to leave without the guide to find their way out.

How to avoid: Download an offline map of the medina before exploring. Firmly decline all unsolicited guiding offers. If you want a guide, book an official one through your riad or a licensed agency. The medina is easier to navigate than it seems with a map.

Snake charmers and handlers with Barbary macaque monkeys in Djemaa el-Fna aggressively place animals on tourists for photos without consent, then demand large sums of money — typically 10–20 EUR per photo — threatening confrontation if not paid.

How to avoid: Avoid any proximity to snake charmers and monkey handlers in the square. If an animal is placed on you without consent, stay calm, remove it gently, and walk away without paying. Do not take out your camera near these individuals.

Tourists browsing the souks are invited into a shop for free mint tea by a friendly shopkeeper or intercepted by a tout near the souk entrance. The hospitality creates a strong social obligation in Moroccan cultural norms, followed by an intense multi-hour high-pressure pitch to buy carpets, rugs, or textiles at prices 10–20x their real value. Items are typically presented at an opening price of 3,000–8,000 MAD; shopkeepers expect extended negotiation but the social pressure of the tea invitation makes it psychologically difficult to leave without buying anything at all.

How to avoid: You are never obligated to buy anything because of tea or hospitality. It is acceptable to enjoy tea and decline all purchases politely but firmly. Know that initial prices in carpet shops can be ten times the final negotiated price.

Leather shops surrounding the famous Chouara Tannery offer free rooftop access to see the tannery panorama, but staff then aggressively pressure visitors to buy leather goods at inflated prices before they can leave.

How to avoid: You are under no obligation to purchase anything. Browse briefly and leave firmly when you are ready, ignoring all pressure.