Vietnam720: Scam in Saigon Vietnam is an article brought to you by Adam from MuineBeach.net.
I putting this article here to warn our web visitors so they can be aware of such scam going on, particularly if you are travel to Vietnam alone and is new in Saigon. I have personally witnessed one such event: The place I’m staying is also a mini guesthouse in the Pham Ngu Lao Street area and one of the guest recently got cheated of around US$10,000 through one of these tactic described below.
Adam: There is a well-organized gang of con artists, most if not all are from the Philippines, operating in District 1, Saigon. It began with probably less than a dozen folks a year ago, but now there are so many I’m not sure I could count. There is at least 1 cell of people (3-5 members in a cell) working on every city block around Pham Ngo Lao Street, Le Loi and Dong Khoi.
The point of the scam is to walk up to strangers, befriend them, and convince them to go off with these people alone for coffee or lunch, or to meet a relative who “just happens” to be a student studying in the victims country, and needs some “advice”. The victims I have heard from tell me the gang members eventually pressure them to play a card game, eventually losing all their money. There is some reason for concern that tourists could be outright robbed or physically harmed by the gang under the right circumstances.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
This fellow approached me with the same old story–”Hi, how are you, where you from–Oh, I have a daughter going to school there, can you come with me to meet her…” Of course if you were to go with them, the scenario changes and they try to dupe you in a con. There is also a danger of being mugged and robbed outright, of course. This fellow clearly did not like being photographed. As it turned out, there were three other people in his cell group there. After I took a photo he assaulted me. I asked the security guard there for assistance but he refused to help. This all took place in front of the Le Lai Hotel at 76 Le Lai Street, District 1.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
This man and woman were also in the cell group. They left right away.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
This woman was part of the cell group. When I was assaulted she hopped up to suggest to the man that they should go.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Here I was, at the bus stop on Ly Tu Trong and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia. There was a very beautiful striped squirrel on the tree (an unusual sight in Saigon) that I was trying to photograph, when up pops this ass. Another con man trying to get me to go with him somewhere so he could con me.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Finally the jerk left me alone and joined one of the other guys in his cell group. There are normally at least 3 people per group, but I didn’t spot the other person.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Here’s a group of 3 on Phan Ngu Lao, heading toward the De Tham area.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
I reported these two fellows (above) earlier. I’ve recently seen the old man above, sitting along Pham Ngu Lao Street, waiting for tourists to come by. The younger bald guy (here pictured with a cap), is a short but hefty guy. I found him eating breakfast this morning in one of the alleys around Pham Ngu Lao Street, and this afternoon stalking tourists in front of the Rex Hotel.
Scam in Saigon Vietnam
This older man (above) is a long-time con artists, but this is the first time he appears pictured in this blog. He is a front-man, approaching tourists on Pham Ngu Lao Street and asking them questions to make sure they are suitable for the con (that they are alone, new in town, and friendly to a con) Then he calls other people in his cell to notify them of the “mark”-ed tourist that is coming their way.
Vietnam720: Please help forward this to your friends who are visiting Vietnam. Do note that although this article is titled ‘Scam in Saigon Vietnam’, Adam mentioned in his blog that he encountered such similar scam in Nha Trang also. But while this article is here to warn people of such scam in Saigon Vietnam, I must say that Vietnam is still generally a safe country to visit. As long as you keep your wits above you, you should be able to enjoy your Vietnam travel.
Thanks for the directional guide. Maybe I should do a...
Do help me tell your friends...
One of my Filipino friend in Vietnam told me they had also been warned by their own consulate about this group of scammers. She forwarded me the mail from her consulate.
Anyone who wants to verify this do feel free to get in touch with me to see the mail from the embassy of the Philippines.
Thank you Jen for the mail.
Update: As of this morning (5th Oct, 09), 2 fellows in this post – the man in the grey shirt with a sunglass over his head and the lady in white t-shirt (with a plastic bag in between her legs, 6th picture from the top), is still spotted in Saigon.
I was on a walkabout this morning from Pham Ngu Lao, the backpacker’s area, all the way to the Saigon Post Office, when I saw them.
PLEASE help spread this around. These scumbags are still active here till today.
Those Filipino scammers are just not going away. Adam, the original blogger who give us this article, just updated on his site that they are now even riding bikes instead of going on foot to try scamming more tourist!
Read all about it on Adam’s site here: http://fisheggtree.blogspot.com/2009/10/saigons-filipino-mafia-on-motorbikes.html
Thank you Adam for the update.
when i will see you outside in vietnam i will kick you!!! do you understand mr. adams. i knew you already next time i will see you. i have a gift to you! that you will not forget your life. We will see if you can take more picture asshole!
I’m not Adam. But I have 2 words for you: Fuck you
Yes I foolishly give my telephone number to these people today in the park in Pham Ngu Laos. He wanted me to go to Binh Thanh district to talk to his niece and her mother about the prospect of his niece taking a nursing position in Manchester. He also talked about Liverpool football club. There was a cell of 4 people. The number I was given by them is 01224948985.
Thanks John for the input. Did those scambags call u?
Yes I also had problems with these people today and recommend that you do not visit anybody that they suggest
Thank you Morgan.
People, those scambags are still around. I was at Ben Thanh Market this morning and got approached by them. New faces. Not shown here.
PLEASE, don’t ever go anywhere with them. And PLEASE tell your friends about it.
Why can’t the police, cong an, get rid of this guys?
That’s a good question Sang
Was approached twice today with these scammers once at the Uncle Ho museum where I politely told him to “F” off and then again at the Rex where the guy claimed to be Thai this year. Maybe they’re on to people knowing and will change their country of origin to Thai or something else. Be afraid be very afraid.
I didn’t see that one guy who used to be a fixture in the park by the New World….I spent alot of time looking for them too.
Saw the guy and his girl in Ben Thanh market today but he caught on real fast that I wasn’t new to Viet Nam and didn’t start working his scam….same look as the guy in the park…might be a relative.
This bloody scam has been going on for so long now. Damn upsetting that these MFKs are still around.
Thanks Drifter for your updates.
It is disgusting to learn that people from my own country do this kind of scam.. so shameless! I suggest tourists who were approached by these scumbags should alert the police right away. They should be deported and blacklisted. Shame on these scammers for putting Philippines in a bad light.
The sadder part to this issue is that the police are aware of it and yet nothing is done.
Why? I don’t want to think the police are getting bribes so the scammers are free to do their dirty business?! It would only get worst if tourists don’t report and police don’t do anything about it. All talk and complaining but no one actually care that this has to stop. I have forwarded the issue to some well-known journalist in Manila so this would be out in the open. Hope it helps..
Marnie, if only the people here who should care cares like u.
Thank you- hope your journalist friends can help.
I got to hcmc in june 2009 and within the first couple of days those same guys or someone related tried to pull the deal with me. My radar went haywire when he insisted that I meet his mother who would love to talk with me about a daughter living in california….I was like, sure, I’ll meet you tomorrow. I never met him but did see him again a few days later. He asked why I didn’t show up and I said nothing and walked on. I spent a year there, just returned to the states…the whole place left a bad taste in my mouth. I won’t go back to anyplace in SE asia nor would I recommend it outside of perhaps a dive excursion in thailand…but even that is questionable. I’ve had nearly everything stolen there, what a bunch of bums. And the food sucks. And the city is a dump. God bless the USA.
Dear Jack,
Sorry that things didn’t work out for you in Vietnam.
My personal horror stories with travel happened in India where 19 out of 20 Indians I came across were all cons. I kept my wits above me and managed to stay safe. I know I’ll return to India again one day and deliberately chose to think that my encounters with the many con artists are isolated cases. This works better for my psychic and is fairer to the postive things I’ve experienced in India- like the BEAUTIFUL scenary and incredible food.
I hope u’ll consider a more positive stand for Asia too.
Asia is a fantastic place, great people, great food and great hospitality but you have to remember that there are people in every country who will take advantage of tourist. The best advice i can give about travelling in vietnam and it worked everywhere i went, was to ask the people at receiption at the hotel where you are staying, for anything to look out for. They are local and they will know.
I also had one of those guys (not pictured) follow me from the Markets all the way up Lee Loi to the Highland Cafe. Trying to engage me in a conversation covering many topics, in the end he just gave up. But he worked the section near the top of Lee Loi and i passed him just about every day for a week. Best advice be polite and just ignore them. But make sure you have you hands in your pockets as he did get very close.
Yeah, agree with Tails that in every country in the world, there’ll always be scammers.
Besides checking with the people in the hotel, Tails, i guess the more homework one does, the better prepared one will be. The more we read, the more we’ll know.
Thanks Tails yet again for more updates on those scumbags
So wish I had of read this before. I enden up in one of these scumbags houses today. They picked me up from outside the Rex Hotel. Same sort of story. A sick mother, sister going to work in a London hospital. yadayada — I got to there place by taxi (deliberately kept me talking so I wouldn’t pick out where we were going) and they introduce me to their Uncle who starts to show me a card trick. I got out of there as quick as I could. I am so thankful I didn’t get mugged or worse by these people. I was in a very vulnerable position. There were 4 people in total. One man and a woman, said they were from Thailand visiting their sick mother. Be really careful. I don’t think I will trust going anywhere with any local in Vietnam now.
Those guys better not meet me on the street. I will send my brothers to take care of them. If the Police can not take care of them underground forces can!
Jack, glad you got out safe and sound. These scumbags have also been linked to mugging people directly in broad daylight. So it was really fortunate that you could get away.
Sean, didn’t know you have that side of you. I have people emailing me directly asking why nothing has been done to them. Man, I wish I have an answer to that. Else, I can only say T.I.V which means This Is Vietnam. Sean, I wish your ‘brothers’ do cross path with these MFK one day.
Hey guys,
The link below is an article in Vietnamese about one of this Filipino scammer gangs, which was recently busted. Note: not meant to indict all Filipinos, of which i have many friends.
http://www.baodatviet.vn/Home/phapluat/Tu-Philippin-vao-Viet-Nam-lap-soi-bac-bip/20105/91196.datviet
Hooray.. check this out:
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/201005/Filipino-con-artists-arrested-in-HCM-City-907872/
Jonanthan and Paul, this is GREAT news. Relieved to know that the local authorities do care, albeit much later.
Thanks for the links.
That’s great news, and i would say that this web site highlighted awareness of the dangers of this scam. It’s good to see sites like this looking after travellers. Well done VN 720
Thank you Tails.
But credit goes to Bryan from MuiNeBeach.com
Great news!! lets see how they fare in a Vietnamese prison
Finally alittle help. Hopefully they’ll roll-up the rest of these idiots soon! Maybe the crooked cops that allowed this to go on for years also. We’ll see how it plays out, if they get deported or jail time. Thanks for keeping this issue alive and on the net, that’s what these cockroaches needed to smoke them out. Hey Reuben Alila “how you like us now”?????
Drifter, Owee – yeah, let’s hope they have a good time in Vietnam’s prison
Just got back to the hotel from a walk in Saigon where I encountered two guys who said they were from Malaysia. It felt like a scam but I agreed to meet them tomorrow anyway but now I will not. They’re pitch fits your description to a T. Thank you.
Thanks for dropping a note here Rob. And glad Vietnam720 had helped.
I encountered these people a few days ago; same guy as in top photo was the card dealer.
I was foolish enough to go to their home and luckily got out with my money and no physical violence.
I put a warning posting up on the SoSaigon site as I think travellers and expats visit that site looking for info. The admin from SoSaigon pointed me to your site.
Thanks for the good info and the photos are excellent.
I have been approached by numerous Filapinos in my one week in Saigon and was wondering why. I certainly Do Not believe that all Filapinos are con artists but it seems the gang is alive and well here. At least they’re clumsy enough that most people will recognize their scam.
If someone can put them down go for it!
Hey Keinnon,
Appreciate you dropping a note and giving us another warning. This whole scam thingy this is just so screwed up. And the worst part is that people ‘up there’ are not caring enough.