Other Tourist Scams in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Timeshares, fake police, charity fraud, and miscellaneous scams targeting visitors. Below are the other 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
Other Scams Scams
18
Total in Ho Chi Minh City
How it works
On Bui Vien Walking Street, some bars and clubs employ local or Vietnamese women to befriend foreign tourists, encourage rounds of drinks, and then disappear before the bill arrives. The bill presented includes drinks the tourist did not order, inflated prices not matching the menu, and charges for the companions' drinks. Tourists who refuse to pay face intimidation from staff or associates.
How it works
Budget massage parlours along Bui Vien Street and the streets radiating from Pham Ngu Lao offer very low-priced massages but staff unlock or access lockers containing tourist valuables — phones, cash, and cards — while the customer is on the table. The theft is not discovered until the customer has left the premises.
See all scams in Ho Chi Minh City
18 total warnings across all categories