Several tourists have reported that plenty of Indonesian market shops use rigged scales. This could happen anywhere, but it occurs frequently in fish-market restaurants, where the fish is cooked in front of the client, and the vendor charges by weight.

How to avoid: it is really hard to figure this out, but if you are making an expensive purchase, consider filling a bottle of water and carrying it with you. Don’t be afraid to call the merchant’s scam and put the bottle on the scale, if you really feel it is rigged.