How to Not Be Scammed in Vietnam - South African Tourist Guides

Although the country is completely safe for travel with the low crime rates, it still exist some travel scams that you should aware of. In order to help travellers to enjoy their wonderful moments in Vietnam, vietnamtravels.co.za created a complete guides about the most common travel scams in Vietnam and how to avoid them quickly and effectively.

Before shoving into this article, we want to remind you that Vietnam will always worth a visit for incredible places and people. There are more reasons behind and you should also take a look at with our Ultimate Vietnam Travel Guides specifically for South Africans. 

TRANSPORT SCAMS

Taxi Scam

This is the most common scam that tourists should pay attention to when they are in Vietnam. Some taxi drivers take advantage of tourists especially foreign tourists who do not know much about streets or currency in Vietnam to bleed the tourists for money by adjusting the meter or not using the meter at all or driving different and longer routes to maximize the fare. Some normal cars also disguise themselves to look like popular taxi companies in Vietnam. 

Remember to check the cab's meter, driver license, and taxi fare before getting on the road 

How to avoid:

• Choosing a popular taxi group in Vietnam such as Mai Linh taxi, Vinasun taxi, Taxi group and so on.
• Besides, picking the cab via mobile applications like Grab, Go Viet or Be is also easy and safe.
• Checking the map carefully before picking the cab.

 Fake Ticket & Baggage Fee Scam

In addition, be aware of anyone who comes close to you around coach or train stations. They will tell you that the coach or train which you are going to catch is delayed and they will offer to book a ticket for you with an abnormally higher price or even it is a fake one.

Check everything on your travel ticket to avoid fraud

On the passenger tickets in Vietnam, every essential information relating to departure booking is always stated clearly with a printed scanning bar code. In some cases, when the amount of tourists is huge and there are not enough rooms for everyone. Taking advantage of it, some travel agents may book a soft-sleeper berth for you but actually sell you a ticket which facilities are poorer. Sometimes, imposters dressing up as ticketing officers stand at the front gate of train stations offer you a sale-off ticket at the last minute. Only when they are gone have you realized that the ticket is totally fake and could not get you through the security stations.  

Sometimes when you carry heavy or large luggage on a long haul bus, the staff may ask you to pay a fee for it but remember there is no such a nonsense rule in Vietnam so do not pay for it and inform manager or director about this.

Always be careful and watch out for your luggage

How to avoid:

• Purchase coach or train tickets via a reputable travel agent or an official website.
• Come to the coach or train station to buy your ticket at the ticket booth.

 Motorbike Rental Scam

Motorbike rentals can be deceit in Vietnam, especially where traveling by motorcycle is mandatory. Common scams include extremely low-quality motorcycles with many drawbacks. Moreover, driving in Vietnam also requires a driving license but some rental shops say that you do not need a license to rent and drive their motorbikes. Therefore, if you are caught by polices and you do not have a license to show them, the bike will be locked up for up to a month and you will be demanded to pay for the entire punished time.

Take pictures of the motorcycles' conditions to prevent extra repairing fees

How to avoid:

•  Make sure that you have a driving license.
• Check the motorcycles carefully before hiring them. If they exist scratches or defects, take photos and announce it to the owner.

CURRENCY SCAM

In Vietnam, there are 2 types of currency: paper banknotes (1000VND, 2000VND, 5000VND) and polymer banknotes (10,000VND, 20,000VND, 50,000VN, 100,000VND, 200,000VND, and 500,000VND).

Because of the similarity in color, polymer banknotes often make foreign tourists confused about distinguishing one from the other ones. For example, 20,000VND and 500,000VND are all blue so it is not easy to tell them apart.

Polymer banknotes are also thin and sticky which makes tourists may pay double the actual price without paying attention. Besides, taking advantage of not knowing well about Vietnam’s currency, some vendors substitute fraudulently votive money burnt for the dead for the real money.

The exchange rate from Vietnam’s currency to US Dollar changes constantly so visitors should check the exchange rate carefully to make sure that they do not suffer a loss.

Sometimes it is hard to differentiate the banknotes

How to avoid:

• Recounting the money carefully before paying or receiving.
• Not exchanging money at the black market or unsafe places.

OVERCHARGED FAKE ITEMS AND SOUVENIRS

Every country or city has scams and Vietnam is no exception. The most predominant is overcharging fake items and souvenirs for tourists which happens to both foreign and domestic ones. Vendors sell fake souvenirs and items with usually high prices. Do not let this trick you. Instead, you should be aware that you may pay $5 for something fake or low quality which only deserves $1.

Be careful because you might choose a low-quality product

How to avoid:

• Checking items carefully before buying.
• Buying authentic items or souvenirs from traditional villages.
•  Making sure that the tour guide knows where to buy authentic products at suitable prices.

SHOE SCAMS

In some big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, some kids offer to clean tourists’ shoes and overcharge them for it.

They usually take advantage of tourists who walk along the street and they suddenly bend down in front of them, put shoe polish and quickly clean their shoes. They are so fast that they complete it before tourists have a chance to react. They may often say that they can see their shoes are dirty so they will clean them with a small fee. However, when finishing, they will demand around $10 for shoe cleaning instead of a small fee as they offer.

Polishing shoe service is not free in Vietnam 

How to avoid:

•  Refusing drastically the offer if you do not want to clean shoes.

PICKPOCKET

Pickpocket situation usually happens in some places in big cities like Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.

Pickpocket against tourists usually occurs at dusk or at crowded places like on a bus, on the train, in the shopping mall or in the market. Pickpockets usually go in pairs sometimes alone. They often set someone to create misdirection and they will quickly take that opportunity to steal your phones and wallets.

They even ride on motorbikes, gently approach victims and suddenly snatch their handbags, necklaces, cell phones and so on then ride away with no trace. In a worse case, trying to pull back your belongings might cause an accident or injuries on yourself. Therefore, you should not let loose on your valuable items. 

In some cases, they work in disguise. They dress cleverly and pretend not to pay attention to their selected preys but as soon as tourists have carelessness, they will take advantage of it and grab the wallet, camera, hand-bag whatever they can get easily

Keep your phone close, keep your handbags and backpacks closer

How to avoid:

• Paying attention to phones, wallets or bags when getting on bus, train or being in crowded places.
• Wearing kit bags in front of your back when you on a bus.

BE CAREFUL WHEN  EATING AT VENDOR STREETS

It cannot be denied that Vietnam’s cuisine is extremely delicious and is considered being one of the most savory foods in the world.

Most restaurants especially street vendors in Vietnam serve peanuts or slices of cucumber and give wet tissues on the table. Tourists often do not notice about it and eat or use them impartially as they think they are free but they actually are not free at all. Once using them, you have to pay for them no matter you have no idea that they are on the bill.

 
Vietnam is a paradise of street food

In addition, when it comes to beers or dishes, you should always count how many you have had as some waiters will charge you for extra and pocket the cash for their own. There are also restaurants that do not display the actual price on their menu. You may always be overcharged here when they convert to the local currency. It even happens to domestic tourists who do not know much about the place they visit.

When choosing a place to dine out, it is advisable to put health safety on the first priority. When eating at the street stalls, you might get yourself into a small problem with your stomach because the food is not as hygiene as it can be in a fancy restaurant. Spot a place where lots of locals often visit is a smart move to make. 

How to avoid:

•  Asking the local tour guide which restaurant is good.
• Checking the menu before ordering dishes.
• Checking the bill carefully before paying.

HOTEL BOOKING SCAM

This scam is usually shown up in small and independent hotels that have low room conditions, but they will claim that the room you have booked has a high quality so you will need to pay much more for the extra services you need. Be careful because some hotels even refuse to return your passport unless you must pay for the extra fee so you have to pay for it. A guaranteed hotel is often booked through a travel agency, we are delightfully open to help just through a click of contact us.

Check the hotel's reviews before booking

How to avoid:

• Book your hotel via reputable hotel booking websites or applications.
•  Save your confirmation email.

STREET VENDORS PHOTO SCAM

Street vendors often aim at foreign visitors who have never experienced the local culture. Many street vendors invite them to take photographs with them or their products and force them to pay a fee for that. If tourists refuse to pay, these street vendors especially children will follow them until they buy something from them or give them money. Tourists will feel awkward because most of them pretend to be miserable or disabled and beg for money outside well-known attractions or restaurants.

Say no politely or just silently walk away from clinging vendors

How to avoid:

• Politely but drastically (if needed) refuse their offer. If the street vendors are too persistent, do not say a word and walk away from them.

These are some travel scams and some tips to avoid them. Everything has two-sided affairs which means Vietnam’s tourism is growing everyday and travel scams still exist but the government is trying their best to reduce them as fast as possible. Therefore, they should not be the factors that keep you away from the joy of traveling in Vietnam.

♦ If you need further information about Vietnam's tourism, don't hesitate to contact Vietnamtravels.