You land in Hanoi. The air hits you - thick and humid! A man outside the airport smiles and offers you a ride for a “very cheap price”. You smile back, hop in, and somewhere between the airport and your hotel, the meter spins faster than it should. Welcome to Vietnam - where you find incredible beauty but also tourist scams that nobody warns you about loudly enough.
Here’s what most travel blogs won’t tell you: the smartest scams in Vietnam don’t look like scams at all. They look kind. A stranger offering directions. A woman draping her conical hat on your head for a “free photo”. A shoe shiner who starts polishing before you even say yes. The common tourist scams in Vietnam are built on trust and that’s exactly what makes them so effective.
Before you finalise your Vietnam tour packages, arm yourself with ground-level knowledge that goes beyond the obvious. This isn’t a scary guide, Vietnam is extraordinary and overwhelmingly safe. But preparation is everything. These tips to avoid tourist scams in Vietnam will keep your trip exactly what it should be - unforgettable, for all the right reasons.
Popular Tourist Scams in Vietnam
- Taxi and transport scams
- Airport taxi imposters
- Shoe repair/cleaner scam
- Fruit basket/photo scam
- Hotel/hotel booking scams
- Fake tours and agencies
- Currency confusion
- The “Fake” taxi and rigged meters
- The “Grab” Impersonator
- Menu and bill padding
- Drink spiking and overcharging
- The “Meeting a relative” card game
- SIM Card old stock
- Overpriced “fakes” at Han Market
- Seafood “Missing prices”
- Fake 5-star hotel vouchers
- The Middlemen
- Lantern Boat Overcharging
- The Lucky Draw/Survey Scam
- Rigged Taxi Meters/Hotel is Closed
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Here are some of the Hanoi tourist scams in Vietnam that you should be aware of while roaming around in the city.
1. Taxi and Transport Scams
There is a common usage of tampered meters by the drivers, taking longer routes, or insisting on higher and fixed prices. Another transport-related issue travelers should watch out for is motorbike rental tourist scams in Vietnam, where some of the rental shops may claim that a bike was damaged after it’s returned and demand extra payment.
Tip: Use the Grab App or some other reputable companies like Xanh SM to avoid fare disputes and also check your bike and take photos of it, once you have taken it from the shop.
2. Airport Taxi Imposters
One of the most common Vietnam scams travelers encounter happens right after landing at Noi Bai International Airport or Tan Son Nhat International Airport. There are some unofficial taxi drivers often approach tourists inside or outside the terminal pretending to be airport taxis.
Tip: You should always book taxis from the official airport taxi counters or use trusted ride-hailing apps like Grab.
3. Shoe Repair/Cleaner scam
A stranger crouches down and starts polishing your shoes before you even respond. Once done, they demand an outrageous fee. The service was never agreed upon, but the social pressure to pay feels overwhelming.
Tip: Never let anyone touch your belongings without agreeing on price first. If someone approaches your shoes, firmly say no and walk away.
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4. Fruit Basket/Photo Scam
You can see a smiling vendor draping a colorful fruit basket over your shoulder or places a conical hat on your head for a “free photo”. Nothing about this street vendor tourist scam in Vietnam feels dangerous, until they demand hundreds of thousands of dong for a picture you never asked for.
Tip: Smile and decline politely and keep walking. Never let anyone place anything on you without asking the price first.
5. Hotel/Hotel Booking scams
You book what looks like a great deal one, only to arrive and find a completely different property, hidden charges or a “fully booked” redirect to an overpriced alternative. Hotel booking tourist scams in Vietnam are rampant on third party sites and fake listing pages designed to look legitimate.
Tip: You should always book directly through the hotel’s official website or trusted platforms like Booking.com.
6. Fake Tours and Agencies
That rock-bottom Ha Long Bay cruise deal on a street flyer? It is one of the most popular tourist scams in Vietnam. Fake agencies collect full payment upfront, then deliver overcrowded boats, unlicensed guides or simply vanish.
Tip: always book your tours through the verified agencies with physical offices, reviews on TripAdvisor or Google, and transparent cancellation policies.
As you know, Vietnam’s Dong come with large denominations, a 500,000 VND note will look dangerously similar to a 20,000 VND note. So, you should be aware of one of the most common tourist scams in Vietnam, vendors and taxi drivers deliberately exploit this confusion, swapping your note mid-transaction or rushing change to shortchange you.
Tip: whenever you are about to do any transaction, you must slow down to see. Familiarize yourself with VND notes, colours and their size so you should never be in such scams.
Tourist Scams in Ho Chi Minh City
8. The “Fake” Taxi and Rigged meters
There are many unofficial taxis which tend to mimic the branding of reputable companies like Vinasun (traditionally white) or Mai Linh (green) but will use the meters that jump rapidly or take the longer routes. It is one of the most common taxi tourist scam in Vietnam that you should be aware of.
Tip: you must always stick to the Grab app or Be apps to ensure the transparent pricing and tracking of your ride.
9. The “Grab” Impersonator
You will tend to see some of the drivers at the airport or near the landmarks wearing Grab uniforms and approaching you, claiming they are the assigned driver. So, in this case you must always verify the license plate number and the driver’s name in your app before entering the vehicle.
Tip: You must always check the license plate and name of your driver.
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10. Menu and Bill Padding
Some of the restaurants and particularly the bigger ones in tourist zones, may lack prices on menus or add “mystery” charges for items like peanuts or wet wipes that were not ordered. Vietnam scams in nightlife are most aggressive in Ho Chi Minh city, where you will find tourist-heavy streets like Bui Vien.
Tip: You must always ask for a written menu before ordering, photograph your bill and never pay without checking every item.
11. Drink Spiking and Overcharging
In the Bui Vien nightlife area, solo travelers have reported being targeted with spiked drinks followed by robbery, or being charged excessive amounts for staff drinks. This is among the most dangerous Ho Chi Minch city tourist scams in Vietnam, most commonly reported around Bui Vien walking street and rooftop bars.
Tip: You must never accept drinks from strangers or leave your glass unattended. Also, o to the busy and well-reviewed bars, and always order yourself.
12. The “Meeting a relative” card game
There might be a charming stranger that strikes up conversation, mentions a relative studying abroad, maybe even your home country, then will invite you home for a “friendly” card game. These are some of the Vietnam scams which are elaborated, rehearsed and deeply convincing for the travelers. Then, the game is rigged, the family is in on it, and you will lose the money every single time.
Tip: whatever is your connection and how genuine it might feel, you should never follow a stranger to a private home for cards or gambling.
If you see any street vendor or unofficial shop selling you a SIM card that looks brand new, but it’s expired stock, already registered, or loaded with far fewer data credits than promised. You will discover the truth once you are deep into your trip, but with no connectivity and no refund in sight.
Tip: You must always buy SIM Cards from official carrier stores like Viettel, Vietnamobile, or Mobifone, or from the airport on arrival. You must avoid street stalls entirely, the few dollars that will be saved are never worth a day of being unreachable in a new country.
14. Overpriced “Fakes” at Han Market
While the Han Market is iconic, one of the famous places to visit in Vietnam but still a known “tourist trap” where knockoff designer goods are often sold at a very high price. You must be aware of such scams and don’t get any of the items without doing the good bargaining.
Tip: Con Market is often considered more authentic and comes with good bargaining power and lower prices for locals.
15. Seafood “Missing Prices”
There are many seafood restaurants along the coast which are not having their specific prices on the menu, which leads to really high bills. Many people order their seafood without knowing the accurate prices and this often leads to scams in the food bill.
Tip: You must always confirm the price per kilogram and ask for the total estimated cost before your food has been prepared.
16. Fake 5-Star Hotel Vouchers
There are many sophisticated social media ads that come as “too good to be true” and the 5-star hotel deals that result in non-existent bookings once you arrive. So, it is often suggested to make your hotel bookings through official websites
Tip: always book your hotels through reputable websites, and also don’t come in the scam of street vendors selling fake 5-star hotel vouchers.
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Many of the hotel staff, taxi drivers or friendly strangers earn up to a 40% commission for leading you to a specific tailor shop. And this cost is often seen in your final bill.
Tip: Just say “No, Thankyou” firmly and keep walking. Do your own research or Reddit beforehand. If a local is overly eager to walk you to a specific shop, they are likely on commission.
18. Lantern Boat Overcharging
Touts on the Hoi river bridge will quote you double or triple the actual price for a short boat ride.
Tip: Look for the official rate board near the riverbank. The fixed price is usually 150,000 VND per boat for 1-3 people.
19. The Lucky Draw/Survey Scam
There would be a friendly person who asks you to pull a tab or take a survey to win a prize, which leads to a high-pressure sales pitch.
Tip: You should know that nothing is truly free. If any stranger comes to you with a prize or a survey in a high-traffic tourist area, you should simply smile and keep moving.
20. Rigged Taxi Meters/Hotel is Closed
Drivers would take the longer route or claim your hotel is full to take you to a place where they get a referral fee.
Tip: You must download the Grab app. It works just like Uber/Lyft, the price is locked in before you get in the car and the GPS route is tracked on your phone, making it almost impossible to be scammed.
Tips to Avoid Tourist Scams in Vietnam - The Master Checklist
- Download Grab or Be: You should never take a random taxi and use these apps for the transparent pricing, tracked routes and authentication of drivers.
- Color code your cash: You must study your notes very immediately. The 20k vs. 500k are both blue notes and 10k vs 200k which are in green and brown color are the common mistake traps.
- The “rule of three”: When you visit markets like Ben Thanh or Han Market, you must ask for the price at three different stalls before buying to know the actual price.
- Photos aren’t free: If any kind of vendor comes to you with hats or baskets on your shoulder for photos, you have to pay for them, so if you don’t want them, don’t take the photo.
- Check for extras: While having your food at the restaurants, you must always keep a check on the extras like the wet towels, snacks on the table are almost never free.
- The video walkaround: Whenever you go for renting a bike, you must always take a high quality video of every scratch, dent or any damage. And make sure you are doing this in front of the owner.
- Official SIMs only: You should always buy your SIM card from the official stores or reputable airport kiosks.
What To Do if You Have Been Scammed in Vietnam?
- Stay calm and assess: You must avoid escalating a confrontation, especially if the scammer is aggressive.
- Document everything: You must take notes of the location, time and specific details. Take photos of license plates, vendor stalls or receipts.
- Notify your bank: if you ever see your credit card was involved or stolen, you must freeze it immediately through your banking app to prevent further unauthorized charges.
- Inform your hotel: The hotel staff or the manager can often act as translators when dealing with local police.
- Emergency police: You can dial 113 from any local phone for immediate police assistance.
- Hanoi tourism hotline: Call 0941.336677 to report scams specifically occurring within Hanoi, and this line is managed by the municipal Tourism Department.
- Cybercrime reporting: For high-tech or online booking fraud, visit the https://chongluadao.vn/en/posts/info
- Your embassy: Contact your home country’s embassy if your passport or travel documents are stolen.
Is Vietnam Safe for Tourists?
Yes, Vietnam is a safe country for tourists. It is consistently ranked among the world’s most peaceful nations and secured the 38th position out of 163 countries in the 2025 Global peace Index.
While petty scams and traffic chaos can sometimes surprise first-time visitors, staying alert and following basic travel precautions usually ensures a smooth trip. With friendly locals, vibrant culture, and diverse landscapes, Vietnam continues to be one of the most exciting and relatively safe countries to explore in Southeast Asia.
