Yes, counterfeit rupiah does circulate in Bali: on 27 October 2026 Bali Police and Bank Indonesia destroyed 3,731 fake notes worth Rp341,575,000 that banks across Bali had picked up, and 3,121 of them were Rp100,000 notes. The check is Bank Indonesia's 3D method (look, feel, tilt against the light), and you should do it while the cashier or seller is still in front of you, not after you walk away.
What happened this week
According to ANTARA Bali (27 October 2026), the destroyed notes were 3,121 x Rp100,000, 579 x Rp50,000, 22 x Rp20,000, 8 x Rp10,000 and 1 x Rp5,000. Senior Commissioner Wisnu Prabowo, head of Bali Police's special crimes unit, linked the risk to the heavy volume of cash transactions in tourist areas. He also mentioned Bali's first completed prosecution of an illegal money changer (a non-bank KUPVA), handled with Bank Indonesia.
At the same event, Bank Indonesia Bali head Achris Sarwani urged all money changers to operate legally to protect visitor trust, and warned about digital fraud such as skimming and phishing (ANTARA, 27 October 2026).
What the reports did not say: over what period the notes were found, where they circulated, or whether any tourists were victims. So this is no reason to panic, only a reason to start checking large notes.
A 10-second check
- Look. Tilt the note. On the 2022 series, the numerals on Rp20,000, Rp50,000 and Rp100,000 use colour-shifting ink. The security thread should look woven into the paper, not printed on top.
- Feel. The hero portrait and the words "Bank Indonesia" feel rough because they are printed in raised ink. The tactile marks for blind users along the edges can be felt too. Fakes usually feel flat and smooth.
- Hold to the light. You should see a watermark portrait and a BI logo whose halves on each side line up into one image (rectoverso).
The 2016 series is still legal tender alongside the 2022 series (Bank Indonesia regulation 24/08/2022), so a note that looks different from the others in your wallet is not automatically fake.
When tourists should look harder
- Getting Rp100,000 or Rp50,000 change in dim places: bars, night markets, roadside stalls.
- Exchanging money: count and check at the counter before you leave. Use a Bank Indonesia licensed changer; how to spot one is in our guide to changing money in Bali.
- Big payments (scooter rental, tours, villas): pay by card or QRIS where possible so there is no cash change. See whether foreign tourists can use QRIS.
- Get cash from bank ATMs or bank tellers, not from individual "changers" on the street.
If you already have one
Bank Indonesia's website (checked 28 October 2026) gives these steps: during the transaction, politely refuse the note and ask for another. If it is already in your hands, keep it intact, do not spend it, and hand it to a bank, a police station or the nearest Bank Indonesia office. Only Bank Indonesia can rule on whether a note is genuine, and notes confirmed as fake are not replaced.
Do not pass it on to another shop. Article 36(3) of Law 7/2011 on Currency sets a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to Rp50 billion for anyone who circulates or spends rupiah they know is counterfeit. Other rules visitors should know are in our Bali rules summary.
If the fake came from a money changer, go back with your receipt and report it to the local police. If your card is the problem, the steps are in card skimmed in Bali. Bank Indonesia's information line is 131.
More questions about fake notes
Will a bank replace a fake note I was given? No. Bank Indonesia says notes confirmed as counterfeit are not replaced. Damaged genuine notes can be exchanged under its rules.
Can a tourist be prosecuted for unknowingly carrying a fake note? Article 36(3) targets people who circulate money they know is fake. Handing the note to a bank or the police is the safest move.
Which notes are faked most? In the 27 October 2026 batch, Rp100,000 was far ahead (3,121 notes), followed by Rp50,000 (579). Small notes were rare.
The simplest habit: before change goes into your wallet, run a thumb over the portrait once.
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