Online Scams in Casablanca

WhatsApp Souvenir Pre-Order Fraud

Vendors in the Ancienne Médina and around the Hassan II Mosque collect tourists' WhatsApp numbers under the pretense of sending photos of custom-made goods — leather goods, carpets, or pottery — that require a deposit to hold. Once a transfer is made via Western Union, cash app, or direct bank payment, the vendor either disappears or delivers a low-quality substitute item. The scam is increasingly run remotely, with operators contacting tourists who have shared contact details earlier in the trip.