Key Takeaways
- The #1 reported scam is the The Tailor Shop Bait-and-Switch
- Most scams in Hoi An are low-to-medium risk
- Use app-based ride services (Grab, Gojek) instead of street taxis — always confirm the fare before departure
- Never accept unsolicited offers from strangers near tourist sites in Hoi An
⚡ Quick Safety Tips
- Keep phones and valuables in secure pockets when in crowded areas
- Use only licensed taxis or app-based ride services
- Book tours and tickets through verified operators with online reviews
- Keep a copy of your passport separate from the original
Jump to a Scam
The 5 Scams
Hoi An is famous for its tailors — you can get a custom suit in 24 hours.
You pick premium fabric and a design from a catalog. The fitting looks great. But when you pick up the final product, the fabric feels different, the stitching is loose, and the buttons are cheap plastic. The shop insists it's the same fabric. Some shops use quality material for the fitting and swap in cheaper stuff for the final product.
Red Flags
- Extremely low prices compared to other shops
- Won't let you mark or photograph the fabric you chose
- Rush you through the final fitting
- No refund or alteration policy
How to Avoid
- Use shops recommended by your hotel or with consistent Google reviews
- Photograph the exact fabric bolt and take a small cutting as reference
- Always do a proper final fitting before paying the balance
- Reputable shops: Yaly Couture, Bebe, A Dong Silk are consistently reviewed
You rent a motorbike and pay with a 500,000 VND note (~$20).
The vendor quickly palms it and shows you a 20,000 VND note (~$0.80) claiming that's what you gave them. Vietnamese dong notes look similar in dim lighting — the 500k and 20k notes are close in color. You're now being asked to pay again.
Red Flags
- Quick hand movements when accepting your payment
- Claim you gave a much smaller denomination
- Poor lighting at the transaction point
How to Avoid
- State the denomination out loud as you hand it over: 'This is 500,000'
- Use a phone flashlight to verify notes in dim shops
- Pay by card or Grab where possible
- Familiarize yourself with VND note sizes — larger notes are physically bigger
You're cycling through the rice paddies when a farmer waves you over to take a photo sitting on his water buffalo.
Great Instagram content! After the photo, he demands 200,000-500,000 VND ($8-20). Refuse and he follows you on foot for an uncomfortable distance. The buffalo is essentially a prop, and the 'farmer' does this all day.
Red Flags
- Overly enthusiastic invitation to interact with animals
- No price mentioned before the photo
- Located on a route popular with cycling tourists
How to Avoid
- Ask 'Bao nhieu?' (How much?) before any interaction
- 20,000-50,000 VND is a fair photo fee if you want the shot
- Decline firmly with a smile and keep cycling
- The further from Old Town, the more genuine the interactions
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Get Free Itinerary →You walk to the Thu Bon River at dusk to enjoy Hoi An's famous lantern boats.
A woman at the dock offers a boat ride for 50,000 VND per person. You agree and climb in. After a five-minute paddle, she hands you a paper lantern to float on the river and then demands an additional 100,000 VND for the lantern 'ceremony.' When you return to shore, she expects another 50,000 VND tip, claiming it's customary. Your 50,000 VND ride has become 200,000 VND. On the 14th of each lunar month during the Full Moon Festival, prices double again.
Red Flags
- Boat operator quotes a low price but doesn't mention lanterns are extra
- No price board or official signage at the dock
- Operator becomes emotional or aggressive about tips at the end
- Price changes mid-ride after you're already on the water
How to Avoid
- Agree on the total price including lanterns before boarding
- Standard fair price is 50,000-100,000 VND total per person including one lantern
- Book through your hotel for a fixed-price evening boat experience
- Walk to quieter docks away from An Hoi Bridge for less pressure and better prices
A woman near the river offers a 15-minute basket boat ride for two people at 150,000 VND -- a ...
A woman near the river offers a 15-minute basket boat ride for two people at 150,000 VND -- a seemingly reasonable price. She leads you to a different person who leads you to yet another person at the actual boat dock. Once on the water, the boat operator demands more money for every additional minute, insists on tips, and tries to sell you coconut juice and souvenirs. The 150,000 VND ride balloons to 500,000 VND or more. As r/VietNam users describe, the handoff chain means the person who quoted the price is never the person you pay, and each intermediary adds their own markup.
Red Flags
- The person quoting the price hands you off to someone else at the dock
- The agreed price is only for a very short ride with extras costing more
- Once on the water, the boat operator demands tips or additional fees
- The boat operator claims the original price did not include return to shore
- Add-on activities like net fishing or singing are pushed aggressively once you are on the water
How to Avoid
- Book boat rides through your hotel or a reputable tour operator with fixed prices
- Confirm the total price including all fees before getting on any boat
- Deal only with the boat operator directly, not intermediaries on the street
- Carry exact change so you can pay the agreed amount and nothing more
- If the price changes once on the water, politely insist on the original agreed amount
🆘 What to Do If You Get Scammed
📋 File a Police Report
Go to the nearest Vietnamese Police (Công An) station. Call 113. Get an official crime report — you'll need this for insurance claims. You can also report online at hanoi.gov.vn.
💳 Cancel Your Cards
Call your bank immediately. Most have 24/7 numbers on the back of the card (keep a photo saved separately). Block any suspicious transactions before the thieves use your details.
🛂 Lost Passport?
Contact your nearest embassy or consulate. The US Embassy is at 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. For emergencies: +84 24 3850-5000.
📱 Track Your Device
If your phone was stolen, use Find My (iPhone) or Find My Device (Android) from another device. Don't confront thieves yourself — share the location with police instead.
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