Fez Scams to Avoid in 2026 (Morocco)

Fez has 13 documented tourist-targeted scams in our database, concentrated around other scams (4 reports). The most consistently reported individual pattern is Riad Impersonation and Fake Accommodation Booking — Touts near Bab Rcif and inside the medina approach tourists with luggage and claim their riad or hotel has closed, changed address, or is overbooked, then redirect them to a different property where the tout earns a commission. Travellers familiar with Cairo or Marrakech will recognise the broad shape of the risk environment in North Africa, though the specific local variations in Fez are what catch first-time visitors out.

Specific documented risk areas include Near Bab Rcif and Bab Bou Jeloud city gates, and throughout the narrow alleyways of Fes el-Bali where tourists carrying luggage are conspicuous; Leather goods shops with rooftop terraces directly overlooking the Chouara Tannery in the Chouara quarter of Fez el-Bali, accessible from Derb Chouara; Throughout Fez el-Bali, the world's largest car-free medina, particularly near Bab Boujeloud (the Blue Gate), around the tanneries, and in the Andalusian quarter. A separate but related pattern is Tannery Terrace "Free" View Then Pressure Buy: 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. The single most effective protection across these patterns: Contact your riad directly using the official phone number from the booking platform before arrival to confirm the address and any pickup arrangements. Do not follow strangers who approach you near the city gates with unsolicited help about your accommodation. Share your riad address with a trusted contact before entering the medina.