Fake Police Scams in Morocco
Scammers impersonating Moroccan police and customs officers to extort money from tourists and residents under threat of arrest.
Part of: Fake Police Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Fake police and authority impersonation is documented in Morocco both as an online fraud and as an in-person approach in tourist areas. Fraudsters posing as plain-clothes police, customs officials, or anti-drug officers intimidate tourists and residents into paying on-the-spot fines or making immediate bank transfers to avoid arrest.
In tourist areas of Marrakech and Fes, individuals sometimes approach visitors claiming to be undercover police and staging scenarios involving drugs allegedly found nearby, demanding payment to resolve the situation quietly.
How this scam works on Morocco
In a physical variant, a person approaches a tourist in the medina and soon after a second person in plain clothes presents what looks like a police credential, claiming drugs have been found in the vicinity and the tourist is required to cooperate. The situation is engineered to demand a payment to be released without formal charges.
Online variants involve WhatsApp messages claiming to be from the Moroccan Brigade Nationale de la Police Judiciaire (BNPJ), alleging that the victim's phone number was associated with a money-laundering investigation and a payment will settle the matter before prosecution.
Phone calls claim to be from Moroccan customs authorities, alleging that a parcel addressed to the victim has been detained containing suspicious items and payment is required for release.
Common red flags
- Plain-clothes person presents credentials and immediately demands a payment
- Staged situation in a tourist area involving alleged drugs or contraband found nearby
- WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be BNPJ or customs demanding payment
- Phone call about a suspicious parcel requiring immediate customs payment
- Demand for cash or mobile transfer to resolve a supposed legal issue informally
How to protect yourself
- Know that genuine Moroccan police do not accept cash payments on the street
- Ask to be taken to the nearest police station (commissariat) if you believe an officer is genuine
- Contact your embassy or consulate if you feel unsafe — most tourist areas in Morocco have tourist police
- Do not engage with strangers in tourist areas who initiate scenarios with a second person appearing
- For online police impersonation, verify through the DGSN at dgsn.gov.ma
- Report in-person fraud to the Tourism Police (Brigade Touristique)
How to report it
- Report to the Moroccan Tourism Police (Brigade Touristique) present in major tourist cities
- Call Moroccan Police on 19 (urban areas) or 177 (rural/gendarmerie)
- Report online variants to DGSN cybercrime unit
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if someone claiming to be a Moroccan police officer is genuine?
Uniformed police carry clearly visible identification and operate from known commissariats. Plain-clothes officers conducting a legitimate stop will have a warrant card and will take you to a commissariat, not demand a cash payment on the street. Always ask to be taken to the nearest station if you are uncertain.