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Tunisia (TN)

North Africa's most Mediterranean country, Tunisia blends Carthaginian ruins, Saharan Desert, and French-influenced cafés with a warm, hospitable culture.

Capital: Tunis
Region: Africa
Language: Arabic
Currency: TND (DT)
Cost of living: Very affordable (index 28)
Emergency: 197
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Scam Warnings

Common scams targeting expats in Tunisia.

Tunisia is generally safe with welcoming people, but expats and tourists are targeted by specific and well-documented opportunistic scams — primarily around taxi fares, medina tourism, currency exchange, and rental deposits. Most scams are non-violent and rely on confusion, pressure, or unfamiliarity with local prices. Tunisia is not a SEPA or EU member and has its own legal consumer framework. The golden rules: insist on the taxi meter every time; never exchange currency outside banks or licensed bureaux de change (it is illegal and carries serious legal consequences); always physically visit a property before paying any deposit.

Taxi Meter Fraud

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Yellow taxis in Tunis operate on a meter (compteur), but many drivers attempt to negotiate a fixed, inflated rate — particularly with tourists and new arrivals who do not know local fares. A typical Tunis city centre journey should cost TND 3–8 on the meter; touts may demand TND 20–50. At Tunis-Carthage Airport, taxi touts frequently approach arrivals before they reach the official taxi rank and quote TND 30–50 for a ride worth TND 10–15 by meter. Night rates after 21:00 are legitimately 50% higher — this is normal and not a scam.

How to spot it
  • - Driver suggests a fixed price before the journey starts rather than using the meter
  • - Meter is visibly not running after the journey has begun
  • - Driver claims the meter is "broken" (en panne)
  • - Price demanded at destination is far above what the meter would have shown
  • - Driver at the airport approaches you inside arrivals rather than waiting at the official taxi rank
What to do: Always insist on the meter (compteur) before getting in. If the driver refuses, use Bolt or InDriver instead — both operate in Tunis and show the fare before departure. For airport journeys, walk past all drivers inside the terminal to the official taxi rank outside, or pre-book Bolt before landing. Night rates after 21:00 are legitimately 50% higher and marked on the meter.

Medina Fake Guide and Commission Shop Scam

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Near main medina gates in Tunis (Bab el-Bhar, Bab Souika) and in other historic medinas (Sousse, Sfax, Kairouan), unofficial "guides" offer to show tourists around. They lead visitors to specific carpet shops, leather goods stores, or souvenir sellers from whom they collect commissions. Prices in these commission shops are significantly inflated and visitors feel social pressure to buy after accepting the guide's hospitality and time.

How to spot it
  • - Unsolicited offer to help you navigate the medina or show you "the real souks"
  • - Insistence on showing a particular "artisan" or "family business"
  • - Intense pressure to enter a specific store after the walking tour concludes
  • - Guide becomes irritated or aggressive when you decline to buy anything
  • - At the Bardo Museum or Carthage site: someone offering "free explanation" of exhibits
What to do: Use only official tourist guides licensed by the ONTT (Office National du Tourisme Tunisien). Politely decline all unsolicited guiding offers with a firm but friendly "non merci." If you want a medina guide, book through your hotel or directly through ONTT. Bargaining in souks at your own pace is culturally normal and enjoyable — pressure tactics are the signal to walk away.

Black Market Currency Exchange

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Individuals near tourist areas, airports, medinas, and border crossings offer to exchange EUR or USD for TND at a better rate than the official bank rate. This is illegal in Tunisia — the Tunisian dinar (TND) is a controlled, non-convertible currency and all exchange must occur through licensed banks or official bureaux de change. Legal consequences include fines, confiscation of all currency in your possession, and potential criminal prosecution regardless of whether you knew it was illegal.

How to spot it
  • - Any approach by an individual offering to exchange currency outside a bank or licensed bureau
  • - Rates quoted that are significantly better than official bank rates displayed in bank windows
  • - Urgency and secrecy around the transaction — gesturing you away from public view
  • - Exchange proposed near Tunis central medina, Hammamet tourist areas, or at border crossings
What to do: Always exchange money at BIAT, Amen Bank, STB, Attijari Bank, or official bureaux de change inside hotels or at the airport. The official rate may be marginally less favourable but it is legal and safe. If approached on the street, decline immediately and walk away. Never exchange currency informally — the legal consequences are severe and disproportionate.

Rental Deposit Fraud via Online Listings

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Fake rental listings — often lifted from legitimate Tunisian property portals and reposted on Facebook Marketplace or groups — target expats seeking housing. The "landlord" claims to be abroad and cannot show the property. They request a deposit transfer to "secure" the listing before any physical visit. Some scammers impersonate actual landlords using the same listing photos. Expats in larger cities (Tunis, Sfax, Sousse) are most frequently targeted.

How to spot it
  • - Rental price 20–40% below market rate for the neighbourhood
  • - Landlord is abroad and cannot arrange a physical viewing at any time
  • - Requests deposit before any contract signing or physical visit to the property
  • - Photos reverse-search to a legitimate listing on another platform or from a different country
  • - Communication only via WhatsApp or email — refuses a video call showing the interior
  • - Payment requested via Western Union, cryptocurrency, or untraceable transfer methods
What to do: Never pay any deposit before physically visiting a property and signing a written contrat de bail with the landlord present. Meet the landlord in person and verify their CIN (national identity card). Pay deposits by documented bank transfer, never cash or untraceable methods. Keep all payment receipts and written communications. Use trusted expat communities ("Expats in Tunisia" Facebook group) for vetted landlord referrals.

Fake Parcel / Customs Release Scam

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SMS or WhatsApp message claiming a package is held at Tunisian customs or by a carrier and requires a payment of DT 50–200 to be released. The link leads to a fake payment page impersonating La Poste Tunisienne, DHL, or another carrier. Card credentials entered on the fake site are used for fraudulent transactions.

How to spot it
  • - Unexpected SMS or WhatsApp about a parcel you did not order or are not expecting
  • - Request for payment before delivery or for customs clearance via a link
  • - URL does not match the official carrier website (e.g., not laposte.tn or dhl.com)
  • - Urgency: "parcel will be returned or destroyed within 24 hours"
  • - Message arrives outside normal business communication channels
What to do: Do not click any link in unsolicited parcel messages. Check delivery status by typing the carrier's official URL directly into your browser. La Poste Tunisienne delivers a physical avis de passage (paper notification) for genuine customs items. Report phishing attempts to ANCS (Agence Nationale de Cyber Sécurité) at ancs.tn.

Carpet and Craft "Hospitality" Pressure Sales

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A well-documented souk experience in Tunisian medinas: invited spontaneously for mint tea or coffee in a carpet or craft shop, then subjected to a skilled and extended sales pitch for carpets, leather goods, or ceramics at prices quoted initially in EUR or USD rather than TND. The hospitality is genuine but the pricing is deliberately opaque. This is not fraud if clearly commercial — but the pressure and guilt-tripping can feel overwhelming to first-time visitors.

How to spot it
  • - Tea or coffee offered before any prices are discussed
  • - Extended conversation building rapport before any mention of buying
  • - Prices quoted in foreign currency (EUR, USD) rather than TND — always convert and compare
  • - Guilt-tripping or offence expressed if you decline to buy after accepting the hospitality
  • - Claimed "fixed government price" or "cooperative price" — these are negotiating tactics
What to do: You can accept the hospitality and politely decline to buy — this is entirely acceptable and locals know it. If interested in buying, research fair market prices first, negotiate firmly in TND, and be prepared to walk away. Souk shopping is a cultural experience as much as a transaction; approach with good humour, not anxiety. Never feel obligated to buy because you accepted tea.

Online and Phone Investment Fraud

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Fraudulent investment offers — often delivered via WhatsApp, Facebook, or phone — promise high returns from cryptocurrency, forex, or "international business partnerships." Tunisia has seen rising investment fraud cases in 2025, often connected to regional fraud networks. Victims receive initial "returns" to build trust, then lose all invested capital.

How to spot it
  • - Unsolicited message about an investment opportunity promising unusually high or guaranteed returns
  • - Contact made via social media or messaging app rather than through any licensed financial institution
  • - Pressure to invest quickly before the "window closes"
  • - Requests to transfer money to a foreign account or via informal transfer services
  • - No identifiable registered company name or physical address
What to do: Do not transfer money to anyone you cannot verify through official channels. Legitimate investment in Tunisia requires a licensed financial institution. Report fraud to the Brigade Centrale de Lutte contre les Délits Informatiques (BCLDI) via the Police Nationale. File a complaint at the relevant Tribunal de Première Instance.

Reporting

Where to report: Police Nationale: 197. Garde Nationale: 193. For cybercrime and online fraud: Brigade Centrale de Lutte contre les Délits Informatiques (BCLDI) — contact via Police Nationale (197). National Cyber Security Agency (ANCS): ancs.tn. For tourism-related complaints: ONTT (Office National du Tourisme Tunisien). For rental fraud and consumer matters: Tribunal de Première Instance in your governorate.

Consumer helpline: Direction Régionale du Commerce (in your governorate) for consumer complaints and price fraud. ANCS (ancs.tn) for cybercrime and phishing reports. Embassy or consulate of your home country for serious incidents involving foreign nationals. No free national consumer helpline equivalent to EU systems exists — use the regional commerce directorate or police.