Accommodation Scams in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Fake listings, bait-and-switch hotels, ghost rentals, and check-in fraud. Below are the accommodation scams scams reported in Ho Chi Minh City — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Lombok, Kampot, and Mandalay.
Last updated: April 6, 2026
2
Accommodation Scams Scams
18
Total in Ho Chi Minh City
How it works
Scammers create cloned Facebook pages and websites that impersonate well-known District 1 hotels such as the Majestic Saigon on Dong Khoi Street or the Rex Hotel on Nguyen Hue Boulevard, using stolen photos and near-identical names. They advertise heavily discounted rooms and request a 30–50% deposit transferred to a personal bank account. Once payment is made, the booking confirmation is fake and the hotel has no record of the reservation.
How it works
Taxi and xe om drivers collected from Tan Son Nhat Airport or the bus terminal on Mien Dong Street tell newly arrived tourists that their booked hotel is closed, full, under renovation, or has changed its name. The driver then offers to take them to a "better" alternative hotel where he earns a commission of up to 50% of the room rate from the owner.
See all scams in Ho Chi Minh City
18 total warnings across all categories