Portable Professional no it was a queue right at the airport when i first arrived. they took advantage :(. now i just get a grab car its much easier like you said
I believe Paris was the worst for us. Not that we got scammed, but there were those around the touristy areas always looking to take advantage of us. It actually got a bit aggressive.
We booked our flight from Da Nang to SGN with Agoda. Flight was a Vietnam Airlines Flight but operated by Pacific Airlines. I checked back with the agency and also Vietnam Airlines and they confirmed, that with my booking I bought a real VN Airlines ticket with the baggage allowance rules of VN Airlines. At the airport they sent us directly to Pacific Airlines and we had to pay for all our flight baggage except hand baggage. There was no baggage allowance in the PA flight. The writing to customer services of Agoda, VN Airlines and Pacific Airlines to chance the booking process didn't help.
There are scams all over the world from Asia to Europe, Africa, America etc. I am Vietnamese living in Vietnam, I am glad that you mentioned of the scams you have known of in Danang and hope that many would be travellers to Vietnam watch this video and take care of themselve, not to fall into these bad straps. I really enjoy watching your videos.
An very weak and stupid logic to apply in debate. Oh my gosh there are scammers everywhere on the planet and viet nam regardless we have scammers but we better than other countries in other points, we try to stop the scammers but they too resistance and we cannot do it. You are an Culture Censorship Propagandist from Viet Nam. Your Propaganda is absolutely fake
Agreed, i been to vietnam few times, been to all over the world, europe, china, us, canada , thai etc....vietnam is considered v safe But experinced bad scam in india, pakistan, london, indonesia..... I surely think, vietnam is safe but of course be extra vigilance when you look like a tourist at any and every where you go.
I have a house in Da Nang and have spent 5 years on and off in Vientam including 3 year continuous stay and I would say Da Nang is one of the safest places on earth to live. Maybe because I'm street savvy and speak a bit of Vietnamese I have not experienced being scammed on money or change etc. And I feel pretty confident using my mobile phone anywhere while out and about.
also as for the counterfeit money scam. Straight to the police as they'll take this one very seriously. (And if the first police you try don't help try some others).
Regarding motorbike rental, and any other situation really, you should avoid handing over your passport to someone. There are motorbike shops that will take cash deposits or if you're going to be there several months, buy a bike. Once you hand over your passport, you put yourself in a really bad spot. If you've handed over USD $200 deposit on a bike the worst that can happen is you're out $200. Not being able to get your passport back becomes a much more complicated situation.
@Joe Vogue When I was in the AF we had a helicopter go down in the Philippines. No injuries to the crew. Was in a very isolated area. Next day they went back to retrieve the copter and lift it out for repairs only to find it stripped of everything down to a skeleton shell.
@Joe Vogue The war had nothing to do with scams or culture, and there are lots of honorable and caring Vietnamese. It's true though, that there are scams everywhere. Here in the USA, they are just much bigger, and harder to avoid, since they are perpetrated by business and government.
@Joe Vogue it's true that vietnam do have scam and stuff like that but so does every country , and there's no teaching their kids to lying or stealing , and it's have nothing to do with the war , the government did try to reduce the scamming but it's still some out there
I've been in Da Nang for less than 1 week and I got the wrong change 3 times. I thought it was in my head, but I came looking for a video and ended up finding yours. Thanks for the alert. Now I'll be smarter.
just important to know what to look out for if you go. On the plus side, very little violent crime. It's just petty theft like most tourist destinations. Where in the world are you now?
@@crisyorke1328 its not sketchy AT ALL. This video is all fear mongering but it's all common sense. Been living in Da Nang 4 months now and haven't been scammed once.
I live in California, USA. These same scams happen here to the unwary. Use Common Sense and listen to people who have been to these places, like this lovely young woman. Not a big deal.
Sorry that you had to go through all of these. I sincerely hoped they changed because of many years of opening the country for tourism but it is still very much the same. Still shake my head, swallow the shame and continue to hope.....
As a Vietnamese, I am ashamed of these scams toward mostly tourist. On their behalf, I apologized from the bottom of my heart and hopefully the goods outweighed the bad experiences.
Vietnam is a wonderful country. I have been there 5 times. My wife is from Vietnam. All big cities have crime. No matter what country you are in! Vietnam has mostly wonderful people, like you.
If you know what kind of high tech scams are going on in developed countries, you would not have to apologize anything for these pick pocket scams in Vietnam, my friend !
@@michaelhrivnak1719 I guess you haven't travelled much to state such thing. VN has a full collection of scams reserved not only to tourists but also to their own family members who live overseas.
Thanks for sharing the information. I hope you guys know and avoid the bad things so you can stay safe and enjoy the good things Vietnam offers. Please share more of the information ^^
This is such a great video! 👍 Thank you so much for this great information🙏 I have zero tolerance for this stuff and never experienced any of it while in Malaysia or Thailand. One question: is it easy in Da Nang and Hoi An to tap-and-pay with your phone using a digital wallet like Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. to avoid or minimize using cash? I love that in Malaysia I rarely needed cash.
Hi, thank you for this great video! I'm Vietnamese and thanks to your video, I will not be visiting my country ever. With all these scams and dishonesty, I don't know why would anyone even bother to visit. You have my respect and I salute you for going through these experiences!
Wow ! So many scams out there these days . Very useful tips on how to be on the look out for them , avoid them and not get ripped off . The info applies to many destinations no doubt . The info was very well presented by you too . Thanks .
This made Danang sound like a theme park. Its sad... Reminded me of my first 2 visits in Vietnam. I felt like everyone was just waiting to ripp off tourist. I was just very uncomfortable with locals especially in the train stations. For a long time, I only eat at KFC because i hate being ripped off. But after a few visits, I love Vietnam.
couldn't agree more! I was pickpocketed in Ha Noi and also followed by two suspicious guys from the market all the way to my hotel! That definitely was my last time visiting this country!
That was my feeling exactly, not only in Danang but in other cities as well. I've always felt like a walking wallet to those ppl who worship money. I like Viet nature, sites, but it's impossible to relax from all the ripoffs. The country is cheap but you get what you paid for. Nice country but way too many Viets everywhere ruin it.
If someone returns with counterfeit notes - do not touch them. Ask for a plastic bag and put them in a plastic bag and tell them you will take them to the police for forensic checking ie fingerprints. This should quickly sort out the problem in this case.
Wow, that's very smart! First time I've heard of this method to thwart the scammers. Just wonder if anyone has tried it that actually worked in real life. Maybe the scammer will bet that you won't actually go through with it? In other words, for them to admit they scammed you, or taking the chance that you won't actually go through with your bluff, or the police would actually go through the trouble of checking the fingerprints on the bill, etc., seem like a easy choice for them...
to check the fingerprints cost hundreds dollar in vn ... best is not losing your sight on your money, insist to ask that person being there with you while she/he is checking the notes
How about taking a quick picture of the bills you are handing over, including the code number on them, the digits printed on them that are unique to each one of the notes?
You'll be missing a lot of nice experiences and friends. I had no particular problems in VN, but China is very different. I'd never want to spend more time there without a native friend. Korea, Japan, Singapore, no issues...
I travelled to Hanoi with my 2 children- one in a wheelchair. We had to use a taxi at the last minute and the guy had a meter. He then locked us in the car with the meter being rigged . In the end a really short trip cost us a fortune. I found some (not all) of the Vietnamese took advantage of people in wheelchairs. So be mindful of this
Loved your videos. Obveviously, you appeared to have more love for Da Nang and more living experience in its city than most. Can't wait to reach out to you when I return to Vietnam for my next trip to Vietnam since 1978 which was the year I have settled my life in Mississauga, Canada.
It is very true 100% for sure, myself and my family members always got piss off because of scams and cheating when we travels in some cities of Vietnam . We have known those scams are going to happen to us. But We are unable to avoid those scams for sure. Many times we got our money rip off. And we are still unhappy when we think about them till today
first hours in vietnam got scammed by taxi at bus station drove me in big circle to inflate meter then inflated price then switched bills on me after i paid to say I didnt give enough...lol... paid like 25 or 30 dollars for a 5 minute ride that I could have walked ...next day almost got scammmed by guy offering motor bike tour who threaten me after tour for extra money but he backed down...whats funny is I met guy on the bus who warned me about taxi and said he used the app on his phone to pay for taxi service to avoid the price gouge/arguing issue...problem i had was that I had my phone stolen/lost in Cambodia so I couldnt use grab.
When I arrived at the airport a guy approached me and tried to charge me 300 thousand to take me to my hotel 10 mins. away, I ignored him and kept going asked another guy if he used the meter. He said yes, the fare was 100, asked me for an extra 50 at my destination said was for a fee the airport charges. It was still half of what the first guy asked. Insist on the meter and you won't go far wrong or use Grab.
* Here's a scam to avoid. When you get in a taxi, keep your luggage in the backseat with you, not in the trunk. If your luggage is in the trunk, when you get to your destination, the driver can demand more money before he'll open the trunk and return your luggage to you. This happened to me in Poland. *
100%. Don't put your luggage in the trunk unless you really trust the taxi. Otherwise they can extort money out of you. In Vietnam, I always use Vinasun and they are reputable.
In Tokyo ordering a drink I always asked for price. The scam used to be normal priced drinks but if you ordered nuts or had some that were out even, bingo! You'd be hit with the most expensive bar nuts you ever heard of.
This video makes Danang sound scary, but..if you dont live in the "expat" area you will be less likely to be scammed. I am from the US and have lived in Danang for 5 years now. The inner city is very friendly, clean and beautiful.
thank you for posting this! Good advice that I will be taking as soon as Vietnam opens up. Scams are all over the world, they are legalized in my country. 😎
Wow even I am a Vietnamese, I sometimes feel embarrassed over those scams. They are real. Not like the US with contracts, vnese always has ways to get more money from travelers
One tip regarding the currency: I kept my "Big bills" separate from small bills, to make it easier. Luckily, none of the notes in circulation are worth more than about $22, so even if you screw up, you shouldn't suffer a huge loss. I had a wonderful time in VN and met some really nice people; looking forward to returning, as soon as they'll let me in again. (Damn this scamdemic, and the people behind it.)
That's what these rip-off merchants are hoping. You'll let your guard down and they'll steal from you while wearing a smile. Don't be fooled by the SEA smile.
Be careful also of the currency exchange right in the airport. The Vietnam Dong currency is also confusing and they can take advantage of tourist by undervaluing your currency by 30% to 40%.
Great video Megan as always. Good tips although if I were ever to go Vietnam it would only be on a cruise, which means I'm not staying more than a day and everyone involved in my trip has to be honest or the cruise company won't give them anymore work. I always love these videos I love your personality.
@@PortableProfessional yeah a lot of time haven't cruised in a while though. I've flown to visit my Grandad a few times to Disney in boyhood and Tadah to go on a cruise in the Caribbean.
@@PortableProfessional Being a Millenial using the grab app is in my abilities. So if I ever do chose to visit Vietnam in my life by plane might see you there.
@@PortableProfessional I might cruise and Fly to Colombo if I ever go to Sri Lanka or Ceylon as I know it. I have to redeem my reputation as a purely Cruise man. sorry I have this illness it's called flirting with women please forgive me.
Really? Is that what you think? The cruise ship is interested in getting their cut from the tour operator. I should know because I spent 2 years working on a first class cruise ship while in hotel school. In general, the best values are to be had by traveling on your own, picking and choosing what interests you. Happy Travels!
Hey Pete, I never experienced any issues with air quality while living on the beach side. You are right on the ocean in Da Nang and there is always a nice breeze. :)
@@sweetjane6506 I don't know man, i've been all over, Only in Vietnam and CHina would it be common to be pick pocketed or scammed every few hours. I know EU has a huge problem but its mostly isolated in area for say Here in Vietnam there is no restrictions to the problems, nice, poor, rich, casual areas are all the same. Scams, robbery, and petty theft are just a norm here that surpass anything EU could manage to equal.
@@sweetjane6506 Yeah i can agree with Breezy on this. But on YOUR point i can see two. I feel though Visiting Vietnam and LIVING in Vietnam are two different things. Me personally i visited 3 times before i offically moved here 9 years ago.. I can safetly say the visits of months at a time where much more relaxed not many problems, nor worries of permits, renting homes, daily shopping , etc. WHen i finally made the move things changed and fast, this isn't bad its just intergrating into the culture compared to seeing it from the outside. Barcelona, that sucks i hear horror stories of that place a lot from tourist here in regards to safety :( Ahh and Vietnam, its not two words :)
@@RockDavid In Viet Nam it is. : ) Any country has more hassles when you live there long term, and you're not a citizen. I lived in Thailand for several years, and while shopping and rentals are pretty convenient, immigration is a nightmare.
every tourist place have scams. Search the web for France scam or USA scam. U will see a tons. If you smart you dont have to worry to much about scam ( I bet you not )
you are such an ignorance. you think only third world countries have scams. think again my friend. Everywhere you go will always have scams. It all depends on how smart you are, fface.
Same scams can be happened everywhere in the world when traveling alone and don't know how to use the reviews on the medias. Wish to hear 10 VIETNAM TOURIST FAVORABLE.
@DrKimiAdventuresAustralia and Europe has very serious traps for asisan men tourists. Especially, rich or middle class asian men. A girl comes to talk to 1 or 2 asian men, then following him/them to his/their room, then calling police that she was raped and even she is under 18... Actually after inside the room doing or even not doing anything, she asked for big amount of money, when men refuses, this happens. She has a team behind. It is popular in Europe. But this happened in Australia too
Scam on rental deposit also exist in California, and it's really hard to get the full amount back.Thanks Megan for all the Tips, and I may consult with you again if I decide to make a trip to Da Nang in 2022.
That's right. In 14 years of living in California, I've encountered one rent deposit scam. In two years of living in Vietnam, ALL three of my landlords withheld large portions of my deposit and two out of three lied about promised improvements that they never did once they got the $ in their pockets. Never again.
developing or developed, there will always be people who steal an rob for a living. They actually steal and rob more in 'developed' countries, so stop trashing developing countries like that.
This is why I no longer care to travel much. When I was young I use to love the market games where you barter with the seller. I knew sometimes I was being scammed but it was usually for a very small amount of money and I felt sorry for the people so I wrote it off as entertainment. I no longer feel this way, I don't want to deal with crooks anywhere.
It's deeper than just an economic benefit -- it provides a psychologically-rooted dopamine flood that transcends mere money. Gaining unparalleled happiness from cheating someone is a characteristic unique to Southeast Asia. Everyone does it.
Thank you for this, another amazing Danang video! I'm going for the first time this weekend to stay long term and I found your videos very helpful. I got a bit worried about the deposit scam, is there any apartment building or villa that you can recommend? Keep up the good work! 😊🤗
Hey Leda! Unfortunately, most of the landlords I know and trust have all their units rented out. I need to stop talking about them in my videos, or I will never have a place to stay for myself haha! 😅 I know of one building where I stayed for several weeks in 2019 that MIGHT have a spot left. Send me an email and I can connect you with the landlord if you are interested. hello@megangougeon.com. Safe Travels!!
After a couple visits I still love Da Nang Vietnam. I started using the grab Ride app when I was in Thailand and Cambodia, it just cuts the BS of the scammy taxi driver and generally puts them in line, or shuts them down due to their bed Behavior. Arrival at the airport would have been good except I was hit on by a scammy driver not even a taxi and then he demanded way too much money to me that was obvious. So I went in the hotel and told him to come inside and he would not come in fortunately I only had one bag and I did not go out of the hotel once I went inside so he waited outside for a while then just left sorry no money trash. Some touristy places treat foreigners with that phony smile and literally reach into your hand and take your money, even if I knew full well that was instantly insulting and I let them know you don't reach in my hand and take money. Marble Mountain was really great, but it is about 500 uneven Rock steps so careful there. I hope to get back there soon🙏🙏
In da nang , i asked for spring rolls and the lady told me they didn't have it at the moment but she didn't speak english , she just showed me with hands they don't have spring rolls , so i ordered a pho and i saw on the menu the price of 70 but 5 mins later after i started to eat my pho, she gave me 3 spring rolls and i said no and she just leave it . At the end i paid 200 k when is supposed to pay 70 k 😪 im really tired of this scams
The deposit scam is HUGE here, all over VN its a norm The way i've gotten around it has been what i do as a 3 week stay I will advise the owner i am leaving, and to make it 'Easier" for them they can just keep the deposit for the last month but i will be leaving after 3 weeks giving them a week of free money and time to rent it.. 100% the time this works and there is no "Deposit" to worry about . The rule really is this, if you give any money to Vietnamese that is expected to be returned, you probably won't get it back.
I always put my fingers on the menu, in Asia before ordering, I take video as proof to avoid the menu scam. Sign on the bill before you pay and note the serial number of the bill. Same Menu and bill scams in Turkeyi too.
It's mean scamming people on what is supposed to be a joyful vacation touring another land/city/peoples culture , it happens at home in America also like on a date at a Jazz Club in St.Paul Minnesota paying for 12.00 USD drinks with a hundred dollar bill and getting 8.00 dollars in change back .
Unfortunetaly recently a friend of mine had a very bad experience with a waitress from Vietnam based in Abu Dhabi named Ha . She got from him lots of money and material objects like I phone , scooter even refrigerator and washing machine , besides too much cash . She lied to him , played the victim card and so many other things I can't describe . Beware !!!
So funny love that video. Scams are everywhere in Asia....just travel a lot and you’ll learn more rather staying home and no nothing of what’s happening on this earth. FYI they even scam local Vietnamese....part of the game
Scams are everywhere in Asia... AND the rest of the world. It's just important to know what to look out for as a local or as a tourist. Glad you enjoyed the video and absolutely agree with the tip to travel and learn. Hopefully we can all get back to it sometime soon :)
@@PortableProfessional True. Impressive when you were locked down in VN...happy you appreciated your trip in VN. Your video is great for new travelers...I personally get angry when they scam foreigners...but hey, I've been scammed the first time I came too...despite I'm asian ;) All the restaurants, TripAdvisor is the best to kill a business for non-ethic business
#1 Scammed in Hong Kong: don't have a bunch of bags from gold vendors on you at a Pub later; good pick pockets(pick baggers?) #2 Philippines guy after the sale of 4 tshirts for $10usd...gave a $20 bill and he insisted the "change" was 4 more shirts since we just agreed that 4=10 bucks. I laughed and took the shirts. The guy was very personable and funny about his "scam" . Lov It!!
Never ever board a private taxi in Vietnam Only go through grab Today we boarded a private taxi and traveled for 2 kms and he charged us 1.5 lakh dong Only book through grab and travel anywhere
Make screenshots of every dollar note infront of landlord. Show him the number on every note. Please bring back the same screenshot notes, if landlord think that they are fake. Now who is the crook now.??
Giving up your passort is literally the dumbest thing you can do..Make copies of your passport and if they don't accept that, don't rent there.. You're begging to get scammed when you give up your passport as collateral
This video has scared the crap out of a lot of people; don't let it keep you from visiting Vietnam. The incidents are good to know about, and should be remembered, but there are lots of great people and fun things to experience in VN, too. My only notable problem was getting hustled at the airport, though I already knew I wanted a Grab Cab (which I found). If I had not stood my ground, it probably would only have cost me an extra 3 or 4 dollars. VN was much better for me than China, where English-speaking students will swindle you with tea-shop scams, and prostitution is a never-ending hassle.
I live in th US and every day I get email scam and teller marker scam and its very annoying. But in the past I get towing scam, taxi scam, car repair scam, and even hotel scam when the hotel host get your debit card number while checking in. And make a separate personal charge using your debit card number online. This happen in the great USA. My lost was with US dollars is way more than the Vietnamese Dong that you lost.
Don't forget to give this video a Like 👍 and subscribe - See you next week! 😊 P.S. Have you ever been scammed while traveling?! 😣
Portable Professional i fell for the taxi scam in the phillipines lost $20
Sorry to hear that, Michael! Was it a rigged meter? How did you find out you were scammed?
Portable Professional no it was a queue right at the airport when i first arrived. they took advantage :(. now i just get a grab car its much easier like you said
I believe Paris was the worst for us. Not that we got scammed, but there were those around the touristy areas always looking to take advantage of us. It actually got a bit aggressive.
Portable Professional Megan can I have your Facebook Paige
We booked our flight from Da Nang to SGN with Agoda. Flight was a Vietnam Airlines Flight but operated by Pacific Airlines. I checked back with the agency and also Vietnam Airlines and they confirmed, that with my booking I bought a real VN Airlines ticket with the baggage allowance rules of VN Airlines.
At the airport they sent us directly to Pacific Airlines and we had to pay for all our flight baggage except hand baggage. There was no baggage allowance in the PA flight. The writing to customer services of Agoda, VN Airlines and Pacific Airlines to chance the booking process didn't help.
Wow. Never would have realized most of these possible scams. Thanks.
Haha me neither! probably why i experienced most of them haha just good stuff to know :)
There are scams all over the world from Asia to Europe, Africa, America etc. I am Vietnamese living in Vietnam, I am glad that you mentioned of the scams you have known of in Danang and hope that many would be travellers to Vietnam watch this video and take care of themselve, not to fall into these bad straps. I really enjoy watching your videos.
An very weak and stupid logic to apply in debate. Oh my gosh there are scammers everywhere on the planet and viet nam regardless we have scammers but we better than other countries in other points, we try to stop the scammers but they too resistance and we cannot do it. You are an Culture Censorship Propagandist from Viet Nam. Your Propaganda is absolutely fake
Agreed, i been to vietnam few times, been to all over the world, europe, china, us, canada , thai etc....vietnam is considered v safe
But experinced bad scam in india, pakistan, london, indonesia.....
I surely think, vietnam is safe but of course be extra vigilance when you look like a tourist at any and every where you go.
Guess you have never been in Japan
You named third world countries and London. Try Japan, NZ and Singapore. Not all people are scammers.
I have a house in Da Nang and have spent 5 years on and off in Vientam including 3 year continuous stay and I would say Da Nang is one of the safest places on earth to live. Maybe because I'm street savvy and speak a bit of Vietnamese I have not experienced being scammed on money or change etc. And I feel pretty confident using my mobile phone anywhere while out and about.
also as for the counterfeit money scam. Straight to the police as they'll take this one very seriously. (And if the first police you try don't help try some others).
Thank you for sharing..life experience is the best
I have been here six months, and none of this has happened to me or anyone I have talked to. Da Nang is very safe.
NEVER GIVE YOUR PASSPORT to ANYONE in VN, instead asking and put down the $ deposit
Regarding motorbike rental, and any other situation really, you should avoid handing over your passport to someone. There are motorbike shops that will take cash deposits or if you're going to be there several months, buy a bike. Once you hand over your passport, you put yourself in a really bad spot. If you've handed over USD $200 deposit on a bike the worst that can happen is you're out $200. Not being able to get your passport back becomes a much more complicated situation.
My thoughts exactly. I would never ever leave my passport with anybody. Walking or travelling by taxi is cheaper than losing your passport.
Not to mention that it's likely illegal for the merchant to demand customers surrender a passport.
....... They can take a copy of my passport, nothing more. If they not like....there are so many other shops to renr a bike. 😅
Very good tips, Thanx.
I really liked Vietnam when I was there, but being constantly targeted for scams is very off putting!
@Joe Vogue When I was in the AF we had a helicopter go down in the Philippines. No injuries to the crew. Was in a very isolated area. Next day they went back to retrieve the copter and lift it out for repairs only to find it stripped of everything down to a skeleton shell.
@Joe Vogue The war had nothing to do with scams or culture, and there are lots of honorable and caring Vietnamese. It's true though, that there are scams everywhere. Here in the USA, they are just much bigger, and harder to avoid, since they are perpetrated by business and government.
@Joe Vogue it's true that vietnam do have scam and stuff like that but so does every country , and there's no teaching their kids to lying or stealing , and it's have nothing to do with the war , the government did try to reduce the scamming but it's still some out there
@@dalexplym4882 Agreed. I live in the suburbs of New York CIty
@Joe Vogue stay home.
I've been in Da Nang for less than 1 week and I got the wrong change 3 times. I thought it was in my head, but I came looking for a video and ended up finding yours. Thanks for the alert. Now I'll be smarter.
Glad you found it helpful! Enjoy Da Nang!
@@PortableProfessional Thank you very much 🙏
Wow, I am depressed listening to this.
just important to know what to look out for if you go. On the plus side, very little violent crime. It's just petty theft like most tourist destinations. Where in the world are you now?
I'm currently n orwellian socialist singapore. It's quite an expensive city but boy is Da Nang sketchy!
@@crisyorke1328 its not sketchy AT ALL. This video is all fear mongering but it's all common sense. Been living in Da Nang 4 months now and haven't been scammed once.
Same here..makes you don't want to go.,
I live in California, USA. These same scams happen here to the unwary.
Use Common Sense and listen to people who have been to these places, like this lovely young woman.
Not a big deal.
Sorry that you had to go through all of these. I sincerely hoped they changed because of many years of opening the country for tourism but it is still very much the same. Still shake my head, swallow the shame and continue to hope.....
As a Vietnamese, I am ashamed of these scams toward mostly tourist. On their behalf, I apologized from the bottom of my heart and hopefully the goods outweighed the bad experiences.
Vietnam is a wonderful country. I have been there 5 times. My wife is from Vietnam. All big cities have crime. No matter what country you are in! Vietnam has mostly wonderful people, like you.
If you know what kind of high tech scams are going on in developed countries, you would not have to apologize anything for these pick pocket scams in Vietnam, my friend !
Don't appologise. Blame it on the government for not doing enough to stop it
If these peoples used their smart in a good way your country will be better than this.
@@michaelhrivnak1719 I guess you haven't travelled much to state such thing. VN has a full collection of scams reserved not only to tourists but also to their own family members who live overseas.
Thanks for sharing the information. I hope you guys know and avoid the bad things so you can stay safe and enjoy the good things Vietnam offers. Please share more of the information ^^
This is such a great video! 👍 Thank you so much for this great information🙏 I have zero tolerance for this stuff and never experienced any of it while in Malaysia or Thailand.
One question: is it easy in Da Nang and Hoi An to tap-and-pay with your phone using a digital wallet like Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. to avoid or minimize using cash? I love that in Malaysia I rarely needed cash.
Very easy
Again thanks for all beautiful tips .
Very useful information. Thank you for sharing. Will you do another video identifying all the places where you or your friends got scammed?
I want to know exactly places ( restaurants, bike rental, shops, market, landlords.....)where she got scam. So I can avoid them
Hi, thank you for this great video! I'm Vietnamese and thanks to your video, I will not be visiting my country ever. With all these scams and dishonesty, I don't know why would anyone even bother to visit. You have my respect and I salute you for going through these experiences!
A Vietnamese dude who is afraid of his own country after watching a video made by a Canadian who loves Vietnam! That is funny!
Foreigners are the best target because they don't understand the scammers' conversations nor their tricks.
@@cliftran581 I guess he is not a blind patriot.
OMG this is so accurate. The same thing happened to me whilst travelling around Bali.
Wow ! So many scams out there these days . Very useful tips on how to be on the look out for them , avoid them and not get ripped off . The info applies to many destinations no doubt . The info was very well presented by you too . Thanks .
0:39 If the menus aren’t kept on the table, seems like taking a picture of the menu you’re ordering from would be a good idea.
On a positive note. They would only get away with it once with myself. Good advice here. Learned some new tourist scams.
I like the way you do the direct talk and also clear explanations, thanks and good luck
Sadly, we have to be bold and seem untrusting by taking pictures of Menus and Bank notes when we pay just to protect ourselves in Vietnam and asia.
Knowing these things makes me hate VN despite the beauty of the countryside and waterways. Some people have no honor.
This made Danang sound like a theme park. Its sad... Reminded me of my first 2 visits in Vietnam. I felt like everyone was just waiting to ripp off tourist. I was just very uncomfortable with locals especially in the train stations. For a long time, I only eat at KFC because i hate being ripped off. But after a few visits, I love Vietnam.
couldn't agree more! I was pickpocketed in Ha Noi and also followed by two suspicious guys from the market all the way to my hotel! That definitely was my last time visiting this country!
That was my feeling exactly, not only in Danang but in other cities as well. I've always felt like a walking wallet to those ppl who worship money. I like Viet nature, sites, but it's impossible to relax from all the ripoffs. The country is cheap but you get what you paid for. Nice country but way too many Viets everywhere ruin it.
@@nxcx688 Vietnam people alway fantasic bro.
If someone returns with counterfeit notes - do not touch them. Ask for a plastic bag and put them in a plastic bag and tell them you will take them to the police for forensic checking ie fingerprints. This should quickly sort out the problem in this case.
Wow, that's very smart! First time I've heard of this method to thwart the scammers. Just wonder if anyone has tried it that actually worked in real life.
Maybe the scammer will bet that you won't actually go through with it? In other words, for them to admit they scammed you, or taking the chance that you won't actually go through with your bluff, or the police would actually go through the trouble of checking the fingerprints on the bill, etc., seem like a easy choice for them...
to check the fingerprints cost hundreds dollar in vn ... best is not losing your sight on your money, insist to ask that person being there with you while she/he is checking the notes
How about taking a quick picture of the bills you are handing over, including the code number on them, the digits printed on them that are unique to each one of the notes?
Thanks, for all the excellent advice, and thanks again; for sharing your videos, on your RUclips channel.
OMG, I can't believed it. I decide not go to Vietnam. Thanks for upload.
You'll be missing a lot of nice experiences and friends. I had no particular problems in VN, but China is very different. I'd never want to spend more time there without a native friend. Korea, Japan, Singapore, no issues...
@@dalexplym4882 Not really the criticism towards to vietnam is warranted. It's basically scams galore.
Every country has the same situation, my friend.
I travelled to Hanoi with my 2 children- one in a wheelchair. We had to use a taxi at the last minute and the guy had a meter. He then locked us in the car with the meter being rigged . In the end a really short trip cost us a fortune. I found some (not all) of the Vietnamese took advantage of people in wheelchairs. So be mindful of this
Just read your comment and realised how heartless the thirst for money can make some people.
Loved your videos. Obveviously, you appeared to have more love for Da Nang and more living experience in its city than most. Can't wait to reach out to you when I return to Vietnam for my next trip to Vietnam since 1978 which was the year I have settled my life in Mississauga, Canada.
It is very true 100% for sure, myself and my family members always got piss off because of scams and cheating when we travels in some cities of Vietnam . We have known those scams are going to happen to us. But We are unable to avoid those scams for sure. Many times we got our money rip off. And we are still unhappy when we think about them till today
These are great tips, thank you! 👏👏
WOW excellent information not only for being in Vietnam but elsewhere in the world taking trips and enjoying life. Thanks! :)
first hours in vietnam got scammed by taxi at bus station drove me in big circle to inflate meter then inflated price then switched bills on me after i paid to say I didnt give enough...lol... paid like 25 or 30 dollars for a 5 minute ride that I could have walked ...next day almost got scammmed by guy offering motor bike tour who threaten me after tour for extra money but he backed down...whats funny is I met guy on the bus who warned me about taxi and said he used the app on his phone to pay for taxi service to avoid the price gouge/arguing issue...problem i had was that I had my phone stolen/lost in Cambodia so I couldnt use grab.
When I arrived at the airport a guy approached me and tried to charge me 300 thousand to take me to my hotel 10 mins. away, I ignored him and kept going asked another guy if he used the meter. He said yes, the fare was 100, asked me for an extra 50 at my destination said was for a fee the airport charges.
It was still half of what the first guy asked. Insist on the meter and you won't go far wrong or use Grab.
Thanks for sharing this!!
Thank u for your sharing for lesson learn of all of us.. . Its very shame Dang Na business owners not honest
This is good information! cheers
Thanks for share amazing information
* Here's a scam to avoid. When you get in a taxi, keep your luggage in the backseat with you, not in the trunk.
If your luggage is in the trunk, when you get to your destination, the driver can demand more money before he'll open the trunk and return your luggage to you.
This happened to me in Poland. *
100%. Don't put your luggage in the trunk unless you really trust the taxi. Otherwise they can extort money out of you. In Vietnam, I always use Vinasun and they are reputable.
Would Grab drivers scam the same way?
@@Birdylockso No bro
Thanks for this informative and succinct video. Well done, and subscribed! Also, sorry you always have trouble with dong! LOL.
In Tokyo ordering a drink I always asked for price. The scam used to be normal priced drinks but if you ordered nuts or had some that were out even, bingo! You'd be hit with the most expensive bar nuts you ever heard of.
Didn't know Japanese would scam you like that! Maybe the bar is owned by someone from "other" countries?!
Thanks ya information!
Love your video!
This video makes Danang sound scary, but..if you dont live in the "expat" area you will be less likely to be scammed. I am from the US and have lived in Danang for 5 years now. The inner city is very friendly, clean and beautiful.
thank you for posting this! Good advice that I will be taking as soon as Vietnam opens up. Scams are all over the world, they are legalized in my country. 😎
Wow even I am a Vietnamese, I sometimes feel embarrassed over those scams. They are real. Not like the US with contracts, vnese always has ways to get more money from travelers
One tip regarding the currency: I kept my "Big bills" separate from small bills, to make it easier. Luckily, none of the notes in circulation are worth more than about $22, so even if you screw up, you shouldn't suffer a huge loss.
I had a wonderful time in VN and met some really nice people; looking forward to returning, as soon as they'll let me in again. (Damn this scamdemic, and the people behind it.)
My friend went to VN last year, he had nothing but a bad experience. Everybody wanted to scam out of him everywhere he went.
Wow, it seems like avoiding these scams are an adventure in itself. I like rest and relaxation when I am on vacation.
That's what these rip-off merchants are hoping. You'll let your guard down and they'll steal from you while wearing a smile. Don't be fooled by the SEA smile.
Oh my. Vietnam sounds like the Wild Wild West. This is so depressing.
WOW!!! Infinite thanks...
Wow!! Very clever these scams are. Thanks for the tips.
Glad it was helpful!
So helpful tips, thank you.
You're so welcome!
Good video. I am now in Vietnam as a world traveler.
Great 👍 Thanks for watching!
Excellent video! One of the best Vietnam videos I’ve seen! Thank you!👍👍🌹
Amazing to hear!! Thanks for the feedback, thinking of making a visit?
great stuff !
Glad you enjoyed it!
Be careful also of the currency exchange right in the airport. The Vietnam Dong currency is also confusing and they can take advantage of tourist by undervaluing your currency by 30% to 40%.
True! It's always good to have an idea of the exchange rate ahead of time!
Thank you for the info; it sounds scary visiting there.
very nice vlog. 😍😍🇵🇭
Great video Megan as always. Good tips although if I were ever to go Vietnam it would only be on a cruise, which means I'm not staying more than a day and everyone involved in my trip has to be honest or the cruise company won't give them anymore work. I always love these videos I love your personality.
Thanks for sharing , Leo! Do you always travel cruise only?
@@PortableProfessional yeah a lot of time haven't cruised in a while though. I've flown to visit my Grandad a few times to Disney in boyhood and Tadah to go on a cruise in the Caribbean.
@@PortableProfessional Being a Millenial using the grab app is in my abilities. So if I ever do chose to visit Vietnam in my life by plane might see you there.
@@PortableProfessional I might cruise and Fly to Colombo if I ever go to Sri Lanka or Ceylon as I know it. I have to redeem my reputation as a purely Cruise man. sorry I have this illness it's called flirting with women please forgive me.
Really? Is that what you think? The cruise ship is interested in getting their cut from the tour operator. I should know because I spent 2 years working on a first class cruise ship while in hotel school. In general, the best values are to be had by traveling on your own, picking and choosing what interests you. Happy Travels!
This is some of the best travel tips I've seen on RUclips.
For all the different scams you mentioned, I'd not bother going there at all.
You are terrific
How about the air quality
Trash burning diesel fumes??
not everyone can live in a first world country. jeez
Hey Pete, I never experienced any issues with air quality while living on the beach side. You are right on the ocean in Da Nang and there is always a nice breeze. :)
Yes the trash burning and diesel fumes is the worst thing in Da Nang and across Vietnam generally.
Well, scams and thieves are everywhere, my mother got her luggage stolen once in Spain and once in Germany, while another man/woman tried to ask sth.
There are way more thieves in Europe than Asia.
@@sweetjane6506 I don't know man, i've been all over, Only in Vietnam and CHina would it be common to be pick pocketed or scammed every few hours.
I know EU has a huge problem but its mostly isolated in area for say
Here in Vietnam there is no restrictions to the problems, nice, poor, rich, casual areas are all the same. Scams, robbery, and petty theft are just a norm here that surpass anything EU could manage to equal.
@@breezyrelaxation That's really unlucky. I've been to Viet Nam at seven or eight times and never encountered any of that. I got robbed in Barcelona.
@@sweetjane6506 Yeah i can agree with Breezy on this. But on YOUR point i can see two. I feel though Visiting Vietnam and LIVING in Vietnam are two different things. Me personally i visited 3 times before i offically moved here 9 years ago..
I can safetly say the visits of months at a time where much more relaxed not many problems, nor worries of permits, renting homes, daily shopping , etc.
WHen i finally made the move things changed and fast, this isn't bad its just intergrating into the culture compared to seeing it from the outside.
Barcelona, that sucks i hear horror stories of that place a lot from tourist here in regards to safety :(
Ahh and Vietnam, its not two words :)
@@RockDavid In Viet Nam it is. : ) Any country has more hassles when you live there long term, and you're not a citizen. I lived in Thailand for several years, and while shopping and rentals are pretty convenient, immigration is a nightmare.
That is why I can’t stand visiting third world countries. I want to enjoy my trip not worrying about scams.
every tourist place have scams. Search the web for France scam or USA scam. U will see a tons. If you smart you dont have to worry to much about scam ( I bet you not )
you are such an ignorance. you think only third world countries have scams. think again my friend. Everywhere you go will always have scams. It all depends on how smart you are, fface.
@@paultran5748 I bet he is stupid
Welcome to viet nam haaa
How racist! Why,is your country free of scams? B.s! Opportunists are everywhere in every country.
Great video !
these tips are golden! 😎
ขอให้สนุกกับการเดินทาง😊🤟🇹🇭
Wow I can’t believe this happened to you! Good tops tho!
Thanks, Jose! Lots of similar scam stories from other places too, but over all I’ve been pretty lucky! Have you ever been caught in a scam?
Scammers count on people being to embarrassed to speak out or tell others , you can bet 90% of the time they get away with it some crimes pay .
NEVER give up your passport - ever!
Sounds like avoiding Vietnam would be the way to go
Same scams can be happened everywhere in the world when traveling alone and don't know how to use the reviews on the medias. Wish to hear 10 VIETNAM TOURIST FAVORABLE.
@DrKimiAdventuresAustralia and Europe has very serious traps for asisan men tourists. Especially, rich or middle class asian men. A girl comes to talk to 1 or 2 asian men, then following him/them to his/their room, then calling police that she was raped and even she is under 18... Actually after inside the room doing or even not doing anything, she asked for big amount of money, when men refuses, this happens. She has a team behind. It is popular in Europe. But this happened in Australia too
Scam on rental deposit also exist in California, and it's really hard to get the full amount back.Thanks Megan for all the Tips, and I may consult with you again if I decide to make a trip to Da Nang in 2022.
That's right. In 14 years of living in California, I've encountered one rent deposit scam. In two years of living in Vietnam, ALL three of my landlords withheld large portions of my deposit and two out of three lied about promised improvements that they never did once they got the $ in their pockets. Never again.
I enjoyed your videos and I have come to the concullsion good people and crappy people are everywhere.
Loved your suitcase story. Very wise and practical advice when traveling in any developing country with varied levels of poverty.
developing or developed, there will always be people who steal an rob for a living. They actually steal and rob more in 'developed' countries, so stop trashing developing countries like that.
@@diehardcat pointless comment of the day
So far thank God this type of stuff has not happen to me in Vietnam. However, the video is a good reminder to be extra aware.
:(
I would be feel like home there. Greetings from Colombia lol.
Nice advice. Great channel.
This is why I no longer care to travel much. When I was young I use to love the market games where you barter with the seller. I knew sometimes I was being scammed but it was usually for a very small amount of money and I felt sorry for the people so I wrote it off as entertainment. I no longer feel this way, I don't want to deal with crooks anywhere.
Hi . . . YOU ~ ROCK ! !
Is the Air base still there ...Clark ?
Was r
There in 69 ~ 70
true but vietnam is probably the best i travel to yet- There is scams but some is real.
Thank you so much.
Even street side sellers are professional scam artists.
VERY GOOD VIDEO, its sad that people need to scam people just to get ahead.
It's deeper than just an economic benefit -- it provides a psychologically-rooted dopamine flood that transcends mere money. Gaining unparalleled happiness from cheating someone is a characteristic unique to Southeast Asia. Everyone does it.
Thank you for this, another amazing Danang video! I'm going for the first time this weekend to stay long term and I found your videos very helpful. I got a bit worried about the deposit scam, is there any apartment building or villa that you can recommend? Keep up the good work! 😊🤗
Yeah same here, im wondering if someone can recomend a good apartment or landlord
Hey Leda! Unfortunately, most of the landlords I know and trust have all their units rented out. I need to stop talking about them in my videos, or I will never have a place to stay for myself haha! 😅 I know of one building where I stayed for several weeks in 2019 that MIGHT have a spot left. Send me an email and I can connect you with the landlord if you are interested. hello@megangougeon.com. Safe Travels!!
After a couple visits I still love Da Nang Vietnam. I started using the grab Ride app when I was in Thailand and Cambodia, it just cuts the BS of the scammy taxi driver and generally puts them in line, or shuts them down due to their bed Behavior. Arrival at the airport would have been good except I was hit on by a scammy driver not even a taxi and then he demanded way too much money to me that was obvious. So I went in the hotel and told him to come inside and he would not come in fortunately I only had one bag and I did not go out of the hotel once I went inside so he waited outside for a while then just left sorry no money trash. Some touristy places treat foreigners with that phony smile and literally reach into your hand and take your money, even if I knew full well that was instantly insulting and I let them know you don't reach in my hand and take money. Marble Mountain was really great, but it is about 500 uneven Rock steps so careful there. I hope to get back there soon🙏🙏
In da nang , i asked for spring rolls and the lady told me they didn't have it at the moment but she didn't speak english , she just showed me with hands they don't have spring rolls , so i ordered a pho and i saw on the menu the price of 70 but 5 mins later after i started to eat my pho, she gave me 3 spring rolls and i said no and she just leave it . At the end i paid 200 k when is supposed to pay 70 k 😪 im really tired of this scams
The deposit scam is HUGE here, all over VN its a norm
The way i've gotten around it has been what i do as a 3 week stay
I will advise the owner i am leaving, and to make it 'Easier" for them they can just keep the deposit for the last month but i will be leaving after 3 weeks giving them a week of free money and time to rent it..
100% the time this works and there is no "Deposit" to worry about .
The rule really is this, if you give any money to Vietnamese that is expected to be returned, you probably won't get it back.
I always put my fingers on the menu, in Asia before ordering, I take video
as proof to avoid the menu scam. Sign on the bill before you pay and note the serial number of the bill. Same Menu and bill scams in Turkeyi too.
It's mean scamming people on what is supposed to be a joyful vacation touring another land/city/peoples culture , it happens at home in America also like on a date at a Jazz Club in St.Paul Minnesota paying for 12.00 USD drinks with a hundred dollar bill and getting 8.00 dollars in change back .
Best tip ever: never smile when you are dealing with them and don't be affraid being agressive saying NO
I would NEVER leave my passport with the bike rental or ANYONE.
I will not take out my passport out EVER except at the airport. EVER.
Unfortunetaly recently a friend of mine had a very bad experience with a waitress from Vietnam based in Abu Dhabi named Ha . She got from him lots of money and material objects like I phone , scooter even refrigerator and washing machine , besides too much cash . She lied to him , played the victim card and so many other things I can't describe . Beware !!!
Thanks for all the information
It looks like you have to be very careful all the time
Will not be visiting Vietnam
So funny love that video. Scams are everywhere in Asia....just travel a lot and you’ll learn more rather staying home and no nothing of what’s happening on this earth. FYI they even scam local Vietnamese....part of the game
Scams are everywhere in Asia... AND the rest of the world. It's just important to know what to look out for as a local or as a tourist. Glad you enjoyed the video and absolutely agree with the tip to travel and learn. Hopefully we can all get back to it sometime soon :)
@@PortableProfessional True. Impressive when you were locked down in VN...happy you appreciated your trip in VN. Your video is great for new travelers...I personally get angry when they scam foreigners...but hey, I've been scammed the first time I came too...despite I'm asian ;) All the restaurants, TripAdvisor is the best to kill a business for non-ethic business
#1 Scammed in Hong Kong: don't have a bunch of bags from gold vendors on you at a Pub later; good pick pockets(pick baggers?)
#2 Philippines guy after the sale of 4 tshirts for $10usd...gave a $20 bill and he insisted the "change" was 4 more shirts since we just agreed that 4=10 bucks. I laughed and took the shirts. The guy was very personable and funny about his "scam" . Lov It!!
Sorry to hear about these experiences, but great attitude and appreciate you taking the time to share!
Well good to know! We may be sailing there in the near future...
That sounds amazing!! Where are you sailing at the moment??
Never ever board a private taxi in Vietnam
Only go through grab
Today we boarded a private taxi and traveled for 2 kms and he charged us 1.5 lakh dong
Only book through grab and travel anywhere
Make screenshots of every dollar note infront of landlord. Show him the number on every note. Please bring back the same screenshot notes, if landlord think that they are fake. Now who is the crook now.??
Nice! Thank you!
Yeah, that sounds practical. (not)
Giving up your passort is literally the dumbest thing you can do..Make copies of your passport and if they don't accept that, don't rent there.. You're begging to get scammed when you give up your passport as collateral
It's crazy to me that your passport is what is often asked for when renting a motorbike. I am on the same page as you, I would NEVER leave it! Smart.
This video has scared the crap out of a lot of people; don't let it keep you from visiting Vietnam. The incidents are good to know about, and should be remembered, but there are lots of great people and fun things to experience in VN, too. My only notable problem was getting hustled at the airport, though I already knew I wanted a Grab Cab (which I found). If I had not stood my ground, it probably would only have cost me an extra 3 or 4 dollars.
VN was much better for me than China, where English-speaking students will swindle you with tea-shop scams, and prostitution is a never-ending hassle.
Yeah I'm pretty sure the shakedowns at airports while people are exiting are deterring more people from planning to visit Vietnam in the future.
I live in th US and every day I get email scam and teller marker scam and its very annoying. But in the past I get towing scam, taxi scam, car repair scam, and even hotel scam when the hotel host get your debit card number while checking in. And make a separate personal charge using your debit card number online. This happen in the great USA. My lost was with US dollars is way more than the Vietnamese Dong that you lost.