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[Buffalo Boy]

http://www.lookatvietnam.com/2010/05/filipino-con-artists-arrested-in-hcm-city.html

http://vietnam720.com/travel-tips/scam-in-saigon-vietnam/

Usually I never walk anywhere in Vietnam, but I went for a walk around District 1 a couple of weeks ago and was approached by four groups of these people in the space of about an hour.

Anyone else had experience with this?

[Mushroom Druid]

Buffalo Boy, thanks for the thread and the links.

It's sad to see people that fall for these scams, and these parasite thugs are despicable.

Any stranger that approaches you, asking "where you are from" or, "hey, didn't I see you at the airport," or inviting you for coffee, lunch, or beer, is a con, worse, an outright robber or mugger.

Why would an absolute stranger approach you, in a park, street, or traffic corner? Make sense?

How many tourists & travelers that have been scammed, and never reported it?

Spreading info and these photos is a way spread awareness.

Good on you.

[deadlift]

I've lost count of the number of times I've been approached by these scam artists. Not even ten minutes ago an avuncular old Asian man complemented me on my nondescript old sneakers, right here in Vincom Plaza.

The first time it happened I was suckered, to a point. I ended up having a drink with this friendly old guy who claimed to be from Thailand. He told me his daughter was planning to study in my home country, he wanted to ask me for advice... and I swallowed it hook, line and sinker. When he started insisting I come back to his place to meet his brother who works as a croupier on a cruise ship, alarm bells rang and I left. Googling around later, I found the links in the first post, among others, which read like a play-by-play of my own experience.

I spent the next few days in self-disgust at my own naivete, and remembering all the other weird encounters I'd had. Now despite this story, I do not consider myself a gullible man. If anything, I now understand how easy it is for otherwise intelligent people to be sucked in by professional, career con-artists.

It often works is like this:

A well-dressed, tourist looking Asian man or woman (often a couple) complements you on something: "Hey, nice shirt/glasses/tattoo/shoes/beard/whatever".

You stop and say thanks, the very next question is "Where are you from?"

You say "Dogleg Springs, Kentucky" and they say "Oh wow! My daughter is going to study in Kentucky!" They steer the conversation to you meeting the daughter and offering advice. If you say you're a teacher, they'll tell you they know a school-owner. If you mention accommodation, they'll tell you their sister owns a hotel.

Whatever you give them, they've got a way to spin it into you coming to their place, where they'll introduce a card scam, or gem scam, or whatever. Of course, you're the one getting scammed, but if you've gone this far you're at their mercy because you're unlikely to know exactly where you are.

Long story short, if someone on the street tries to initiate a conversation based on some inane detail of your appearance, say thanks, nothing more, and keep walking.

[shanewarne]

And its not only people on the street you need to be careful of, there's school managers, girlfriends(especially including her family), shop owners, security, neighbours etc, etc. My advice is, don't trust a single soul not even yourself! There are people out there ready to grab your money and run, heck i even had my shoes stolen.BTW, If anyone does happen to see a young/old Viet man wearing size 12 shiny black leather shoes, let me know. Thanks.

[Mushroom Druid]

[BenE]

I've never seen any of this and I've been in Hanoi for a while. Either it isn't really in Hanoi or I have no good clothes to compliment.

I'm starting to think the latter.

[bde2]

I always figured they were just trying to sell stuff, so I do the same thing I do when I hear "motobike": shake my head and keep walking. Think I'll keep my camera handy next time I stroll through that area and try to get some pics of them.

Thanks for getting the word out, BB.

[dogUNLEASHED]

How safe are the motorbike taxis? Are there any reports of tourists being taken to a back alley on one and mugged by a gang instead of driven to the requested destination? I worked too hard for this fur coat to lose it to a scammer.

[Buffalo Boy]

If you were drunk, alone, at night in a touristy area you might have problems with xe om drivers, but otherwise they're ok.

[PattyFlipper]

Yo dawg! Still carrying that first-aid kit?