Wherever there is money, there is temptation. Tourists in a foreign country often stand out and those who are a little naïve and perhaps know little about the Country they are visiting can occasionally fall prey to unscrupulous locals who have scams to cheat the unguarded. It has to be said that the Vietnamese in general are happy and welcoming people whose beliefs prevent them from cheating anyone. However, as you take a holiday in Vietnam, it is possible that you will come across some who live for short term gain rather than their future and the future of their families. Materialism is important to some so if during your Vietnam  packaged tour you are suspicious that something is not quite right, walk away.

There are some common scams in areas frequented by tourists. They include being overcharged in restaurants with unseen extras or arranging tours or accommodation that are expensive or indeed accommodation with a voucher that is fake. When you have a good Vietnam tour company making all your arrangements you should avoid needing to involve yourself in such things but when you are shopping in Vietnam, you should take care of a number of things

•  Overcharging is a danger. It may take the form of trying to confuse tourists with currency and exchange rates. It is best to change your money into small denominations are usually use the local currency that you have changed at a legitimate exchange.

•  Markets frequently by tourists may have prices marked far higher than the real price. Resist the temptation to buy anything until you have an idea of the proper price and ask your tour guide if you need any help.

•  Be certain of the quality of anything you are thinking about buying. That can range from poor quality books to clothing. If all you want are cheap T – shirts that won’t last, then go ahead anyway. You should inspect things you have bought because there is always a chance that it will have been switched for something inferior so don’t buy something wrapped out of your sight.

•  Strangely, it is worth being suspicious of someone in a market that speaks very good English. It may have been well-practised trying to dupe tourists, and being successful at it.

Transport is a common scam in many tourist areas. That ranges from the cost of taxis to scooter scams where a rental is stolen by the owner with the renter then facing a huge bill. It can be buying tickets for buses or trains from private agents rather than legitimate companies online. If you are on an organised tour then you are unlikely to be exposed to any of these problems but everyone on a tour of Vietnam will have a certain amount of free time. Read the tips that your travel company provide you with and ask questions if you are in any doubt. You should always walk away from any situation if you begin to become suspicious. If you do that you should be trouble free.