Money & ATM Scams in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Card skimming, currency exchange fraud, dynamic currency conversion, and cash cons. Below are the money & atm scams scams reported in Kota Kinabalu — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Lombok, Palawan, and Mandalay.
Last updated: April 4, 2026
1
Money & ATM Scams Scams
8
Total in Kota Kinabalu
How it works
Stalls at the Filipino Market handle high transaction volumes and some vendors deliberately return incorrect change, particularly for seafood, sarongs, and souvenir purchases. The market environment is busy and transactions often happen quickly with the assumption that tourists will not recount change carefully. Currency confusion involving similar-looking MYR notes is sometimes used as a pretext.
See all scams in Kota Kinabalu
8 total warnings across all categories