Vietnam is generally a safe country for foreign residents, with low rates of violent crime against foreigners, but scams and petty theft are a real part of life. The scams that catch long-term residents are different from tourist tricks: calls and messages impersonating police, tax or utility officials, fake rental listings and deposit traps, unofficial visa websites, payment and change tricks, and online investment or job offers. Almost all of them can be avoided with a few firm habits: never transfer money or install apps because of an unexpected call, see a home and the owner's papers before paying a deposit, use official channels for visas, and slow down whenever someone creates urgency.
This guide describes the typical patterns rather than naming individuals or companies, because the people behind scams change their names constantly while the scripts stay the same. The aim is to help you recognise the shape of a scam early. If you are ever in doubt, stop, hang up, and check through a channel you found yourself.
Calls and messages from fake officials
The most widespread scam in Vietnam, affecting Vietnamese and foreigners alike, starts with a call or message from someone claiming to be from the police, a court, the tax office, the immigration department, an electricity company, a telecom provider or a bank. The caller says there is a problem: your phone number is linked to a crime, your residence registration is invalid, a parcel in your name contains illegal goods, your power will be cut, or your bank account will be locked. The solution is always urgent and always involves you doing something now.
Typical demands include installing an app from a link, which then gives the scammer control of your phone and banking; moving money to a "safe account" for verification; reading out a one-time password; or joining a video call where someone in uniform pressures you. Some scammers already know your name, passport number or address, taken from leaked data, which makes the call feel genuine.
Real Vietnamese authorities do not handle matters this way. Police and immigration officers do not ask you by phone to transfer money, install apps or read out codes, and official summons are delivered through formal channels. The right response is to hang up, avoid clicking any link, and, if you are worried, contact the agency through its official address or go to your local police station in person with a Vietnamese speaker.
Scam patterns residents report most often
The patterns below come up repeatedly in residents' groups and official warnings. Details change, but the shape stays the same.
| Pattern | How it usually works | Your defence |
|---|---|---|
| Fake official call | Caller claims to be police, tax, immigration or utility; urgent problem; demands money, codes or an app install | Hang up; never install apps or move money because of a call; check through official channels |
| Rental listing scam | Attractive home online, request for a deposit to hold it before you have seen it or met the owner | View in person, see the owner's papers or the authorisation to rent, pay only against a signed contract |
| Unofficial visa website | Site that looks official charges extra fees, collects passport data, or never delivers | Apply only through the official e-visa portal or a sponsor you know |
| Payment and change tricks | Similar-coloured notes swapped, a stall's QR code replaced, wrong amount typed on a card machine | Know the notes; check the payee name in your banking app before confirming; check the screen |
| Online investment or task scam | Easy money for liking posts, reviewing products or trading; small early payouts, then larger deposits demanded | Treat guaranteed returns and paid tasks as scams; never pay to withdraw earnings |
| Romance or friendship scam | New online contact builds trust, then needs money for an emergency, a ticket or an investment | Do not send money to people you have not met and verified in person |
Most of these scams rely on urgency, secrecy or a promise that sounds too good. Any one of those three is a reason to pause and talk to someone you trust before acting.
Rental and deposit traps
Housing is where many newcomers lose money. Fake listings use photos copied from real apartments and ask for a deposit before you can view, often citing high demand. Others are posted by people who rent a flat themselves and then sublet it without the owner's consent, leaving the new tenant with no rights when the owner discovers the arrangement.
A legitimate rental is straightforward to check. View the home in person, meet the owner or an agent with written authorisation, and ask to see the ownership certificate or the document that allows them to rent it out. Read the contract before paying, make sure the deposit and its return conditions are written clearly, and pay by bank transfer to an account in the owner's or company's name so that there is a record. Our guides to renting and to rental contracts cover these steps in more detail.
At the end of a lease, deposit disputes are the most common problem. Photographing the home's condition on the day you move in, keeping messages with the landlord, and agreeing the inspection process at the start make disputes much rarer and easier to resolve.
Money and payment tricks
Similar-looking notes. Vietnamese polymer notes come in colours that are easy to confuse when you are new, for example the 20,000 and 500,000 dong notes are both blue and similar in size. Count the zeros, keep larger notes separate, and pay attention when receiving change.
QR code swaps. At stalls and shops, a printed QR code can be covered with someone else's. Before confirming a transfer, check that the recipient name shown in your banking app matches the business or seller.
Card machine amounts. Look at the amount on the terminal before entering your PIN or tapping, and keep your card in sight.
Fake bank messages. Messages warning that your account will be locked unless you update your details through a link are a classic phishing pattern. Banks in Vietnam have introduced biometric verification steps in recent years, and scammers use that change as a pretext. Update details only in your bank's official app or at a branch.
Too-good exchange rates. Exchanging money with strangers on the street risks counterfeit notes and sleight of hand. Use banks or licensed exchange counters.
Online shopping, deliveries and fake sellers
Online shopping is part of daily life in Vietnam, through large marketplaces, social media shops and sellers who take orders by message. Most transactions go smoothly, but a few patterns recur. Social media pages selling goods far below normal prices may take a transfer and disappear. Fake delivery messages claim a parcel is waiting and ask you to pay a small fee through a link, which leads to a page that captures card or banking details.
Cash on delivery remains common and is a useful protection when buying from sellers you do not know: you pay the rider only when the parcel arrives, and many platforms allow you to check the item first. When paying in advance, prefer the payment system of an established marketplace over a direct transfer to a personal account, since it gives you a way to dispute the order.
If a message says a delivery needs extra payment or address confirmation, check the order in the app where you actually bought it rather than following the link. Real delivery riders usually call or message shortly before arrival and do not ask for card details.
Theft and everyday safety
Violent crime against foreigners is uncommon, but snatch theft is a known risk in the big cities. Thieves on motorbikes grab phones from people walking near the road or riding as passengers, and bags from the shoulders of pedestrians. The fix is simple: hold your phone on the side away from traffic, put it away while riding, wear bags across the body, and avoid displaying expensive items carelessly at night.
At home, ordinary precautions apply. Many residential buildings have guards and access cards; houses in lanes often have gates and padlocks. Motorbike theft happens, particularly of bikes parked outside without a guard, so use attended parking or a sturdy lock. When you use a ride-hailing app, check the plate and driver's name before getting on.
Drink spiking is rare but reported occasionally in nightlife areas, as in most countries. Keep your drink in sight, go out with friends you trust, and use an app to get home.
Natural hazards deserve a place on the list too. Typhoons and heavy rain affect the central coast and the north in particular seasons, and flash flooding can hit city streets quickly. Follow weather warnings, keep a small emergency kit at home, and ask neighbours how the area usually copes.
What to do if you are scammed or robbed
Acting quickly gives you the best chance of limiting the damage, especially with bank transfers.
- If money left your account, contact your bank immediately through its official hotline or app, explain that it was a scam, and ask whether the transfer can be stopped or the receiving account flagged.
- Change passwords and remove any app installed at a scammer's request; if your phone was taken over, seek help to reset it and secure your accounts.
- Report the incident to the police. In an emergency call 113; otherwise go to the police of your ward or commune with your passport and a Vietnamese speaker if possible.
- Collect evidence: screenshots, phone numbers, account numbers, messages and receipts.
- If your passport or residence card was stolen, report the loss to the police, inform your embassy, and contact the immigration authorities about replacing documents and keeping your stay legal.
- Warn your residents' group or community, without sharing personal data, so that others recognise the pattern.
Recovering money from scams is difficult everywhere, so prevention matters more than anything. Talking openly about near misses with friends and neighbours is one of the best defences.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Is Vietnam safe for foreigners to live in?
Generally yes. Violent crime against foreigners is uncommon, and most residents feel safe walking in their neighbourhoods. The main risks are road traffic, petty theft such as phone snatching, and scams, particularly phone and online fraud. Sensible everyday precautions reduce these risks considerably.
Do Vietnamese police call people about crimes over the phone?
Police do not ask people by phone to transfer money, install apps, read out verification codes or join video calls to resolve a case. Calls like this are a well-known scam pattern. Hang up, do not click any links, and check with your local police station in person if you are concerned.
How do I avoid rental scams in Vietnam?
View the home in person, meet the owner or an authorised agent, ask to see ownership or rental authorisation documents, and pay a deposit only against a signed contract, preferably by bank transfer to an account in the owner's name. Be wary of anyone who pushes you to pay before viewing.
How can I tell if a Vietnam visa website is official?
Apply for an e-visa through the government's official e-visa portal, and be cautious of websites that look similar but add service fees, ask for unusual information or promise guaranteed approval. If you use an agent, choose one recommended by your employer or sponsor and confirm the visa yourself once issued.
What should I do if I sent money to a scammer?
Contact your bank immediately through its official channels, explain the situation and ask for the transfer to be stopped or the receiving account flagged. Then report to the police with screenshots, account numbers and messages. Act quickly, since the chance of recovery drops fast.
Which Vietnamese banknotes are easy to confuse?
Newcomers most often confuse the 20,000 and 500,000 dong notes, which are both blue, and other pairs can look alike in dim light. Count the zeros, keep high-value notes separate, and check change carefully until the notes become familiar. Paying by QR code avoids the problem altogether.