Bali cash machine scam: Tourists warned against using some ATMs

Tourists say they have been scammed by dodgy cash exchanges, skimming cash in Bali. Photo / Unsplash

International tourists in Bali are being advised to only use approved ATMs when withdrawing holiday cash.

The warning comes after police exposed a scam installing card skimming devices in cash machines around the popular tourism hub. The Bali Tribune reported that a woman was deported last week in connection with tampering with public ATMs.

The woman, a 35-year-old Ukranian national was expelled after a two-year sentence at the Kerobokan Women’s Correctional Institution and an IDR 100,000,000 ($10,500) fine, after being found guilty of tampering with cash machines in 2022.

According to The Bali Sun, the Ngurah Rai Immigration Office said the foreign national was flown to Warsaw last Tuesday and faces a travel ban in Indonesia.

The expulsion was described as a timely reminder for tourists to only use approved card machines and, where possible, use machines inside bank buildings – to minimise the risk of tampering.

Card skimming involves devices fitted to ATMs, used to steal users’ card details when they withdraw cash.

In some cases, this involves physically tampering with public ATMs or creating fake cash withdrawal points around tourist hot spots.

Last year an Australian tourist reported being almost tricked by skimmers targeting a Commonwealth Bank ATM in Seminyak.

Tourists in Bali have encountered an ATM scam in operation. Photo / L. McMullen

Posting a warning to the popular Facebook Group “Bali Bogans”, tourist L. McMullen reported finding a handwritten note on the cashpoint machine, claiming it was “broken”.

This was revealed to be a hoax, intending to get tourists to use potentially compromised ATMs in the area.

When she asked a bank teller, the bank machine was discovered to be fine. They had no idea who had placed the note. Presumably, a scammer had walked in off the street to try and lure victims to their rigged ATM.

Pramella Y. Pasaribu, head of Bali’s regional office for the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights, said the deportation of the convicted card skimmer was an example of Bali’s strong immigration laws tackling problem tourists.

She also praised the recent creation of a Tourist Task Force, specifically to address the issues of visa abuse and bad behaviour.

“We will continue to improve co-ordination with related agencies and strengthen supervision of the presence of foreigners in the Bali region.”