Money Changer Fraudster - The Fast Change in Bali, Indonesia

A common Bali Money Changer fraud tactic in Bali, Indonesia is the Fast Change. I was supposed to exchange my US dollars in a small money changer shop along Jalan Legian (Legian Road). Jalan Legian is a main thoroughfare in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, like Singapore’s Orchard Road, or Dubai’s Khalid bin Al-Waleed St..

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

I guess I can call myself lucky because I was able to get out of the place in time, but let me share this with you so you won’t fall victim to this modus operandi.

Back in June 2014, Indonesian banks and other very official-looking currency exchange shops offer an exchange rate of USD:IDR = 1: 11,700. On the other hand, other shops offer 1:12,200 or more. That’s a major difference of almost 5 percent! But just like the old saying, it’s too good be true.

This tactic is very similar to the Santo Domingo Sting, a similar scam perpetuated in the streets of the Cuban municipality of Santo Domingo, Cuba. The scam involves the exchange of large sums of money to confuse you, their customer.So let me tell how the Bali version works.

Money Changer Fraudster – Step 1: The Con Tricks

The money changer fraudster, right after you tell him how much you want to exchange, uses a confidence trick to gain your trust. He will engage you in a bit of small talk while they prepare the stuff for the transaction. He will ask you relatively mundane things like how long you’ve been in Bali or which hotel you’re staying.

Just like Frank Abagnale, though far less gorgeous.

Just like what the section title suggests, the money changer uses these confidence tricks to build rapport and gain a bit of your trust. This makes it easier for him to deceive you later on because you will be less cautious than you would be if you were in front of a total stranger. Remember, sharing a laugh or two doesn’t make the two of you best friends.

Money Changer Fraudster – Step 2: Wads and Wads of Cash

The money changer fraudster will use small bills to create piles upon piles of cash that are tough to count in just one glance. The denomination of choice is the IDR 20,000 bill, as it’s small enough to let them pile it up, but not too small as to elicit suspicion. Fraudulent money changers also prefer to use old and worn bills because they stack higher than newly printed ones.

This is worth only US$1.67. Yes, just one dollar and sixty-seven cents.

Remember that US$1 is worth about IDR 12,000. Hence, a single US$ 100 bill is equivalent to around 60 pieces of IDR 20,000 bills. I usually exchange a minimum of US$ 300 so that translates to a whopping 180 pieces of IDR 20,000 bills!

He will usually group these bills into stacks of IDR 100,000. This is to give you the impression that he’s making it easier for you to keep track of what’s going on. However, things get slightly confusing when he’s already on the 10^th stack or more.

Money Changer Fraudster – Step 3: Pile & Drop and Closing Statement

After they’ve “finished counting”, the money changer fraudster will ask you to verify total amount of bills stacked on top of the transaction table. After you’ve confirmed the amount, he will start to combine all the small stacks of IDR 20,000 bills into one big stack. Then here comes the catch.

Something like this, but with smaller denominations and older, worn-out bills.

Using a bit of sleight of hand and with his hand lying low, he will let one or two of the small piles fall into the table’s drawer. You may find this hard to notice because his hand, along with the paper bills he’s holding, block your line of sight. He also does this really fast, presumably due to hours upon hours of “pre-game practice”.

Before you can react, the money changer will then hand over the large pile of cash and tell you something similar to one of the following:

• “Take it home now. You cannot trust locals.”


• “Count it in the hotel, it’s dangerous, this is a public place.”


• “Be careful, that’s a lot of money.”

Of course, the instinctive reaction would be to stash the cash into your bag or wallet and walk away, and he wins.

Money Changer Fraudster: The Recap

Let me recap the basic steps of the Fast Change:

1. You tell the money changer fraudster how much you want to exchange.


2. He uses a few con tricks to build your trust.


3. He starts to form small stacks of worn-out low-denomination bills.


4. He asks you to verify the amount.


5. He quickly combines everything into one stack, letting a small stack or two fall into his drawer, out of your line of sight.


6. He tells you something to create a sense of urgency to leave the place.


7. You go home short-changed, literally.

So how do you avoid money changer fraudsters likes these? Check out my other post, Money Changer Woes? Here are 5 Helpful Tips!.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Share your experiences in the comments section below!

Money Changer Fraudster - The Fast Change in Bali, Indonesia

Cebu Pacific Air’s Piso Fare Promo: How does it Work?

Cebu Pacific Air’s Piso Fare promo has caught the fancy of many would-be budget travelers and backpackers. After all, who wouldn’t want to go to far-flung place at virtually no cost? But before you get your panties in a bunch, let tell you how it exactly works.

First, Cebu Pacific’s Piso Fare isn’t really “Piso”.

Cebu Pacific’s Piso fare costs more than “piso” (₱1 / USUS$ 0.03). Instead, “piso” refers to the base fare only. This means that the final amount that you’ll have to pay may vary based on additional carrier-imposed fees and government taxes. Among all these additional costs, the biggest chunk can be blamed on the fuel surcharge, the value of which depends on the distance to be travelled.

Here’s a summary of all these additional fees as of Jun 23^rd, 2014:

1. ₱ 120  - Web Admin Fee,


2. ₱ 200 to ₱ 550 – Fuel surcharge for domestic flights


3. ₱ 900 to ₱ 5,400 – Fuel surcharge for international flights


4. ₱ 50 to 550 – Terminal Fees


5. ₱ 430 to ₱ 1,138 – Country-specific taxes


6. Check-in Baggage

For example, I booked a round-trip September 2014 piso fare flight to Hong Kong. The total base fare was ₱ 2, but the miscellaneous costs jacked up the total price to ₱3734.51.

Effectively, this means that a one-way ticket from Manila to Hong Kong is around ₱1867 (US$ 43). But then, the cheapest non-promo round-trip fare to Hong Kong costs more than ₱ 7000 (US$ 160), so the piso fare option is still very cheap.

Second, Cebu Pacific’s Piso Fare Seats are Limited.

If you want more choices, click the monthly view link.

Piso fare seats are limited. That’s why you will need to adjust your schedule so you can find a flight with available piso seats. First, choose a date that falls within the travel period where the promo applies. If the initial results page does not offer piso fares or has piso fares on inconvenient dates, click “monthly view” so you can see all your options. It’s worthy to note that non-booked piso fare seats from an older promo may still be available, so be on the lookout for those.

Choosing the monthly view option will show all the dates with available piso fare seats, just like in the image show below:

Cebu Pacific Piso Fare Monthly View

Third, you don’t need a credit card to pay for Cebu Pacific’s Piso Fare seats.

Credit cards remain to be the most popular method to pay for piso fare seats. However, there are other ways to pay for your tickets. Aside from credit cards, Piso Fare bookings can be paid through:

1. Debit cards (e.g. UnionBank EON Card)


2. ATM cards via ATM Machines (e.g. BDO and Megalink member banks)


3. Bancnet Online


4. LBC Branches nationwide


5. Bayad Center


6. Robinsons Department Stores

To check your bank’s eligibility, or for a complete list of payment options, click here.

Instead of credit cards, I use a Visa/Mastercard debit card. My UnionBank EON Visa Debit Card, for example, costs only ₱ 350 per year to maintain, there’s no required maintaining balance, and it works almost just as well as any credit card.

Fourth, mind the piso fare promo’s fine print.

It’s too good to be true if it sounds too good to be true.

Cebu Pacific Piso Fare seats come with additional terms and conditions, most of which are far from trivial. Let me list them down, one by one:

1. Piso fare bookings are non-refundable, so don’t book one unless you’re certain that you’ll use it.


2. Piso Fare seats are still rebookable, but are subject to fees and seat availability.


3. You can still increase your baggage allowance up to four (4) hours before your flight schedule. Any later than that and the excess baggage costs will be pretty hefty.

 

Fifth, piso fare or no piso fare, here are a few extra tips.

•  Hand-carry Luggage: Cebu Pacific (and most other airlines) are pretty lenient with hand-carried baggage. The standard maximum weight is 7 kg but this rule is seldom enforced. I have even seen people who bring big bayongs on board.

1. Fluids in Bottles: Airport security confiscates – with no exceptions – any sealed bottle or container whose volume exceeds 150 mL. If you plan to bring a hand sanitizer, liquid soap, or whatever, make sure that the package is small enough. In case you really need to bring one, put that container in your check-in baggage. Lighters and matches are also confiscated.


2. Check-in Baggage: Airline companies in general are also lenient with excess baggage if the weight is over the limit by just a kilogram or two. If you’re extra nice to the check-in counter person, he may even let you go over 5 kilos or more. For example, I was cracking jokes with the check-in counter guy in Changi Airport. He then found out that my excess baggage was 6 kilos, but he just gave me a cynical smile and let me go.

 

If you have additional questions about Cebu Pacific’s Piso Fare promos, or flight bookings in general, please leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

Also, don’t forget to like The Backpacking Writer on Facebook or follow me on Twitter!

 

Cebu Pacific Air’s Piso Fare Promo: How does it Work?

Money Changer Woes? Here are 5 Helpful Tips!

Money changers are a fact of backpacking life. Sadly, some budget travelers fall victim to cunning tactics because they’re unfamiliar with the destination, there’s a major language barrier, or these scheming money changers are simply too good. To help you a bit in dealing with this, here are several very useful tips.

Tip No. 1: In most countries, money changers ask for your valid ID.

A Philippine Passport

Money changers, per local laws, require your valid ID so they can proceed with the transaction. Your passport is usually the best option. For security purposes, however, budget travelers like you may opt to leave your passport at the hotel and present a colored photocopy instead. This requirement is true for many countries like Singapore, Thailand, Italy, those in the Middle East, and those in the European Union.

Money changers may also accept international driver’s licenses, but not always. Some don’t require ID’s in places where enforcement is lax, but it’s better to bring an ID so you won’t waste valuable time.

Tip No. 2: Money changers like major currencies in higher denominations.

Backpackers should bring major currencies in higher denominations whenever possible so you can get better rates. US dollars, Euros and Japanese Yen are the most widely accepted. If you don’t live in the US, EU, or Japan, you can still buy US dollars from your local bank.

Local brick-and-mortar money changers typically offer two rates: one for the highest denominations and another for the lower ones, with the first rate being more favorable than the latter by around 5 percent. For example, a money changer along Legian St. in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, offers USD:IDR = 1:11,700 for 100 USD bills, and just USD:IDR=1:11,200 for 50’s, 20’s, etc., a whopping 4.5% difference.

Tip No. 3: Banks are money changers, and they’re your safest bet.

Banks are typically the best money changers and most of them will accept major currencies without requiring you to open or maintain an account with them. I usually research about the banks surrounding my hotel before my flight and check which ones offer the best rates. However, if you don’t have the time to do this, most banks post their daily rates right at their front door.

Backpackers like you may also have the option of exchanging currency at the airport, but the rates are usually very low. This is why you may want to exchange just enough to cover taxi fare to the hotel and other urgent expenses. Unless you’re familiar with the local scene, I suggest that you deal with companies with easily verifiable reputations. Better be safe than sorry.

Tip No. 4: Count your money before leaving the money changer.

 

Remember to count your money before leaving and while still in front of the counter. If there’s a discrepancy, you don’t want this to be a case of your word against theirs. You may also want to have people around you so there are witnesses in case things go wrong. Shady establishments will easily figure out that you’re not a local through several means, such as your accent, the way you look, or even the general manner in which you conduct yourself – and they may take full advantage of that fact.

Tip No. 5: Be Alert. Avoid money changer scams.

Most money changers post their rates in their shop front and some of them entice budget travelers and backpackers by posting absurdly good rates. But then, there’s always a catch. If you’re gutsy enough to go to a local money changer, at least be familiar with the most common tactics used by fraudsters.

For example, some offer extremely high rates but ask for substantial commissions. Some use wads of smaller bills to overwhelm and confuse. There are those who use similarly-colored bills with lower value.  The list goes on and on.

Do you have other useful tips or experiences to share? Please leave a comment below!

Don’t forget to like The Backpacking Writer on Facebook or follow me on Twitter!

Money Changer Woes? Here are 5 Helpful Tips!

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5 Easy Steps for Getting a Passport in the Philippines (A How-to Guide)

Getting a passport in the Philippines used to be very tricky, but not anymore! Now, you can get one in 5 easy steps. Let me tell you how!

Getting a passport is the biggest hurdle for many Filipinos who wish to travel, mainly due to the misconception that the application process is tedious and expensive. This isn’t true. Even without the help of a travel agent, you can get your own passport in no time. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has streamlined its passport application process, making it extremely simple and straightforward.

The folllowing sections describe the passport application process step-by-step, and don’t forget to read the tips that I’ve inserted at the end of each section!

Let’s begin!

Getting a Philippine Passport Step 1: Prepare your Birth Certificate and Valid ID’s

Getting a Passport in the Philippines: NSO Birth Certificate on Security Paper

The first step is a given: gather all the required legal documents. The required documents are:

1. Birth Certificate
   
   • Printed on NSO Security Paper
   
   
   • You can get one from any NSO Census Serbilis Center or you can order one by calling (02) 737-1111.
   
   


2. At least one Valid ID
   
   • Digitized SSS ID
   
   
   • Driver’s License
   
   
   • GSIS E-card
   
   
   • PRC ID
   
   
   • IBP ID
   
   
   • OWWA ID
   
   
   • Digitized BIR ID
   
   
   • Senior Citizen’s ID
   
   
   • Old College ID
   
   
   • Alumni ID
   
   
   • Old Employment IDs
   
   

Tips:

1. NSO Birth Certificate: If you need to get your NSO Birth Certificate really quickly, you can go to your Census Serbilis Center a few minutes before they open for business so you can be on top of the daily queue. This way, you can politely ask the NSO officer if it’s possible to claim your document in the afternoon. I have done this a couple of times and it worked.

2. Valid ID’s:  Valid ID’s are extremely important. However, if you don’t have one, the DFA officer will usually ask for some other proof of your identity. In some cases, they will ask for a high school or grade school yearbook with your picture in it: that’s what happened in my case.

Getting a Philippine Passport Step 2: Book an appointment with a DFA representative.

Getting a Passport in the Philippines: A Snapshot of the DFA Appointment-setting Page

Back then, passport applications are done by just walking into DFA consular offices, so applicants usually expect excruciatingly long queues and waiting times. Today, you can look forward to the new appointment system, which allows you to get in and out of the DFA offices in no time.

1. Go to Passport.com.ph


2. Fill out the forms completely.


3. Print the filled-out forms and take note of your appointment reference number.

Tips:

1. Appointment Dates: The DFA website allows you to choose from a set of dates and timeslots. However, the range of options depends on the number of applicants at the time. The more applicants there are, the worse your choices will be. Hence, I suggest that you take the schedule very seriously.

2. No Appointment System:  some consular offices such as DFA Region III in San Fernando, Pampanga,  don’t follow that appointment system.

Getting a Philippine Passport Step 3: Photocopy each document twice.

The DFA office will ask for photocopies of your IDs, Birth Certificate, and application form so make sure they’re ready.

Tip:

1. DFA’s On-site Photocopying Services: Each DFA consular office offers photocopying services but they charge heavy fees (like 2-3 pesos per page) and you’ll surely suffer from long queues, so have your docs photocopied somewhere else.

Getting a Philippine Passport Step 4: Go to DFA on the appointment date.

Getting a Passport in the Philippines: The DFA Passport Processing Section

1. Metro Manila applications are processed in DFA Aseana.


2. Provincial applications are processed in their corresponding regional offices.


3. The appointment involves 4 stages:
   
   • Stage 1: Show your appointment form to the DFA receptionist.
   
   
   • Stage 2: Get a queue number.
   
   
   • Stage 3: After submitting the documents and receiving a go-signal from the consular officer, go to the cashier to pay the processing fee:
   
   
   • Stage 4: Go to the encoding section for biometric data capture.
   
   

 

Tip:

1. Processing Fees:

Php 950 for regular processing (25 working days)

Php 1200 for expedited processing (15 working days)

2. No Regular Processing: Some regional/provincial DFA offices do not offer regular processing, i.e. prepare Php 1200 just in case. (e.g. DFA Region III – San Fernando Pampanga).

Getting a Philippine Passport Step 5: Claim your new passport on the scheduled release date.

Getting a Passport in the Philippines: Types of Philippine Passports

And there you go! If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to post a comment below and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

5 Easy Steps for Getting a Passport in the Philippines (A How-to Guide)

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