Other Tourist Scams in Algiers

Fake Handicraft Certificate of Authenticity

In the markets around Rue de la Lyre and Bab El Oued, vendors sell mass-produced tourist goods — pottery, leather items, embroidered textiles — accompanied by handwritten certificates claiming they are certified artisanal products from specific Algerian craft cooperatives. The certificates are fabricated and the goods are imported factory products. Prices are inflated by 300–500% compared to identical items in standard markets.