When visiting unfamiliar places with language barriers and different customs, tourists are often targeted by unscrupulous individuals who want to take advantage of their familiarity with the environment.
Scams in Southeast Asia do not vary from country to country, most of them are based on the naive trust of tourists who are bewitched by the people and the place they visit.
The only way not to fall for scammers in Asia is to know about them in the first place. Here are a handful of common scams to watch out for when traveling in Southeast Asia.
Beggars, monks and students
Popular scams in Southeast Asia that appeal to your humanitarian side include the following:
Some women in northern Thailand deliberately dirty their children's faces, and the children then walk down the street with an empty plastic bottle or hat and ask you for money. In Malaysia, it is popular for men to dress up in Buddhist monk robes and wander around town asking for donations for their temple. If you do want to donate some money to the temple, do it at the temple rather than to an individual on the street. Young people who claim to be students and say they can no longer afford their educational expenses will also ask you for money to continue going to school. In Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, many claim to be art school students and attempt to sell - for example, cheap imitations of various paintings in order to pay for their tuition.
Motorcycle rental scams
Be careful when renting motorcycles from strange companies in Indonesia and Vietnam. One common scam is that there are two keys to the rented motorcycle. Then all you have to do is, for example, have the motorbike delivered directly to your hotel, or give them the address where you are staying and once you park it and leave it unattended, the company employee will steal the motorbike. You will then be required to pay damages for the entire motorcycle. Less often, after you leave the motorcycle unattended, employees will intentionally damage the motorcycle - for example, by scratching or damaging the engine. You will then be charged for the resulting damage to the motorcycle, at a higher fee than you would have been charged locally. Always inspect your scooter carefully to make sure it is not damaged in any way when you rent it before you leave the rental shop. Alternatively, take photographic documentation of the extent of the faults at the time of hire.
You can find motorbike rentals in Vietnam directly from VIETNAM CK here.
Cheap and VIP bus tickets
They are particularly common on the route between Thailand and Cambodia, and bus companies offer low prices that undercut their competitors.
Once the bus is full, the driver deliberately chooses the route and timings so that he has to stop the journey due to an already closed border crossing or after the last ferry has left. The driver has already selected suitable guesthouses along the route where he can accommodate passengers while waiting. The profit from the accommodation is then shared. So-called "VIP" buses are infamous throughout Asia. Often times these buses are essentially "broken down" and you get a regular bus route instead, with no refund of the VIP fare.
Money exchange scams
Always change money in official money changers and not with individuals on the street. In some countries, calculators have even been reconfigured to show incorrect information. Money is best exchanged in big cities where prices are better. And especially away from border crossings where the exchange rate is mostly unfavorable.
Never accept torn or damaged banknotes, which are usually given to foreigners and are difficult to get rid of later. Always count your money before you leave the exchange office, do not trust those who will count it for you.
Fake travel agencies and companies
Vietnam is becoming a booming tourist market because the whole country offers such a diverse culture combined with stunning landscapes and a long coastline with beautiful sandy beaches. The country has become a dream destination for many travelers and there are many tour companies that are recognized throughout the country for their exceptional service. Once tourists recognize the company's services, many copies with similar names start to appear. The fake travel companies usually use the same names with minor changes, so if you are not careful, you may end up being scammed into thinking you are organizing a trip with a reputable company. For example, the most famous scam of this sense involves the Sinh cafe company. The real company is called Sinh Tourist and offers amazing tourist service at an affordable price. There are literally a thousand different but similar names that can easily confuse people. Be careful when booking tours in Vietnam and always do your research! Or, of course, contact our company directly in Saigon VIETNAM CK.
Easy ways to get rich
Some scams are more obvious than others, but unwary tourists are still susceptible to these scams. These scammers try to gain their trust by suggesting ideas and ways to make easy money for the country during a friendly conversation. These are usually simple businesses of various kinds, however, if these businesses worked so well, surely these gentlemen would not have needed your cooperation long ago.
Leave quickly whenever you hear mention of gems, cards or exports!
Tourist Information Offices
Some bureaus branded as "tourist information" are rarely legal, they earn their commission by sending tourists to restaurants and hotels that charge higher prices. Don't believe them when they tell you the place you mentioned is closed - it's probably just not in their network. It also doesn't pay to ask taxi drivers for restaurant or hotel recommendations, for example. They'll probably take you to a place where either their family works or they have an appointment and it will obviously cost you more money.
Watch out for drivers
Never trust drivers in any country! Most scams happen near borders and at transport hubs such as train and bus stations, where locals naturally know the correct price for transport. Unfortunately, you don't. The best rule of thumb is to always agree on a price before getting inside any vehicle. Don't be afraid to negotiate, prices in Southeast Asia are negotiable and definitely be tough in your negotiations. Riding with a smiling local driver can seem like a great experience until he or she shouts an outrageous amount of money at you at your destination. Even the meter in the taxi may not mean you'll get an adequate price. Drivers regularly take the longest route and take advantage of your unfamiliarity with the local area.
Prostitution and massage parlours in Vietnam
Bui Vien Street is a popular pedestrian street in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. This street is often referred to as the backpacker area of Saigon, where every night there is a party in every bar. As you walk down Bui Vien Street or the side streets near Hai Ba Trung, sexy Vietnamese girls offering cheap massages and other services call out to you. If you already choose to do so and receive a massage from a beautiful Vietnamese girl, your clothes, and backpack will be stored in a safety locker.
Be careful in these places because someone else from the staff will open the locker during the massage and very skillfully steal your valuables. It is not uncommon for money and other valuables to disappear during these massages. These types of scams can occur in almost any massage parlour, but are much more likely in massage parlours on Bui Vien Street. I wish I could share a better review or a positive experience for a good massage on Bui Vien Street. Furthermore, once you are lying there naked, the masseuses offer other services such as oral sex. Of course, they always offer incredibly high prices and you are in a strange situation when you are already naked and ready for a good massage. If you're interested in these services, it's best to negotiate exactly what you want and for how much right at the start. Another famous street for these services is also Nguyen Phi Khanh.
If you've encountered any other kind of scam in your travels, we'd certainly appreciate it if you'd share your experience with us in the comments below.