Scammed in Hanoi

If I wanted to count the number of every single person who has fallen prey to scam in Hanoi, I certainly would not be able to keep track. This unfortunate mishap happens to the innocent, at the expense of the locals who disregard and have thrown dignity and morals and conscience and image out the window, into one of the many lakes and rivers in the city. As much as I understand they are trying or have to make a living to feed themselves and their families, doing so at the expense of the harmless who have not offended or done any wrong to them, the dark side of humans have been exposed.

Digressing, why does one scam? Greed drives people to dishonesty and using unscrupulous means to churn out the dollars. Unethical and distasteful. In some cases, the "scammer" might not actually want to scam or swindle a foreigner of their cash, but he could be working for a syndicate or someone who takes a huge cut of the amount he has successfully conned from the victim. He could face punishment in the form of getting beaten up if he is unable to earn a certain amount everyday thus he commits that act, although clearly aware that it is not the right thing to do. Deceit to earn more cash to feel satisfied, overcharging so you can go home early? The reasons for why people cheat and commit fraud are never ending.

From reading a good 20-30 articles about scams, and the dangers of it, some authors claim that the swindlers, when told off by them responded that it was their job, some feigned innocence and the rest of the con artists became aggressive. Whatever you call them-- con artists, fleecers, hustlers or fraudsters, they project and shed a negative image on a country, on the contrary to image and face being extremely important in Asian culture. Being poor does not give you the liberty to commit these acts!

I fell prey to various scams in a day, and actually genuinely felt touched for a moment shedding a little tear (but quickly retracted when I knew I was in for a ride that never ended.) Befriending the staff in a food and beverage establishment the moment someone asked me "are you alone here, is this your first time?" and foolishly letting my guard down and speaking the truth. Then I took a gamble and ate street food, within half an hour of consuming it, the food poisoning had started-- stomach upset. Tried to hold it down and went back-- promising that I would be back after I wanted to try a local delicacy. I was still swayed and falling even further into the trap of the scammers and allowed them to introduce me to more crooks. Oh, "never talk to strangers", that infamous line your parents tell you at nursery age, it certainly did not come to my mind. Oh, beware of any local who is overly friendly and excited to help a sick foreigner! What happened after that was a total nightmare.


Getting double whammy-scammed by taxi drivers overcharging with a local who had accompanied me who pretends that she had made sure my fare was correct, then when I hand over a bill, she says it's not enough and I need to give more. Visiting a run down and undeveloped hospitals whose staff spoke not a single word of english, translated from the overly friendly local: I was being told that I needed an IV and to be warded overnight. Despite saying I did not as I knew my food poisoning would probably go away and all I needed was charcoal tablets, they insisted. And so, I was made to pay the consultation fees at the hospital without any medication, feeling worse. The cycle repeated itself twice, with taxi drivers and hospital staff. Finally at a hospital which had an English speaking "senior nurse", she told me I had salmonella and a bacterial infection that I would need pumping and flushing in my body and stay overnight but I could not pay for it since I had no insurance, and her voice still makes me scared and freeze in fear. Yet again, getting overcharged and nothing happening.

In short, I was taken from place to place to lighten the cash I had brought to spend on vacation. The overly friendly local then suggests that I should change my ticket to go home earlier, and yet again, I was taken for a ride. Made it to the ticket office, and more cash evaporated when there was no need to-- in fear that I might die from this food poisoning. All in all, I should not have told them the truth about needing a pharmacy-- which had them jumping at the thought of "Time to phish and make some money!" Every single person that I encountered said they did not know what charcoal tablets are-- when it is the most common form of food poisoning/stomach trouble medication, the red flags should have been waving in my face, but sadly no. Sickness and panic exposes your vulnerability writes "target" all over you.


Where was the spirit of humanity when it was painfully clear from your looks that you were sick?

Moral of this incident: never tell strangers the truth, and if you're a single woman traveling, always say you are married/ the boyfriend/husband is back at the hotel or out shopping/you will meet him in awhile. Also, buy travel insurance shall you really require medical attention, and do not forget to bring full supplies of pills when going to a less developed nation!