Money & ATM Scams in Algiers, Algeria
Card skimming, currency exchange fraud, dynamic currency conversion, and cash cons. Below are the money & atm scams scams reported in Algiers — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Cairo, Marrakech, and Alexandria.
Last updated: April 9, 2026
2
Money & ATM Scams Scams
10
Total in Algiers
How it works
Informal money changers operate on and around Boulevard Zighoud Youcef and near the central post office on Boulevard Mohamed Khemisti, offering exchange rates 10–30% above the official bank rate for Euros and USD. While the offer appears financially attractive, transactions are illegal under Algerian law and tourists caught participating face fines, confiscation of funds, or detention. Some changers also use sleight-of-hand to shortchange tourists during the count.
How it works
Even among non-criminal informal money changers, tourists exchanging currency outside official channels frequently receive counterfeit DZD banknotes or are short-changed through rapid counting techniques. The DZD 1,000 and DZD 2,000 notes are most commonly counterfeited. Tourists rarely notice until attempting to pay at a shop or restaurant, where the counterfeit note is refused.
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10 total warnings across all categories
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