Beware the Hanoi Banana Pole Mafia

Beware the Hanoi Banana Pole Mafia.

I noticed a group of young woman running a very effective scam procedure at the northern end of the Hoan Kiem lake in central Hanoi. They were carrying the usual two shallow cane baskets with fruit, suspended on a bamboo pole.

Unlike the legitimate mobile vendors that carry a much larger and heavier selection of goods in a similar way, these girls had just a few bananas or pineapples in each basket with a small plastic bag containing a few bananas or a peeled pineapple.

They would target quite innocent tourists who were walking around with a camera in hand, looking to take a photo or two. The ploy went like this:
1. Approach tourist and place the bamboo pole on the tourists shoulder and conical hat on their head and at the same time offer to take a photo with the tourists camera.
2. Once the photo was taken they would either insist that you buy the small bag of fruit or just demand US$3 for having taken your photo.
3. Some worked in pairs with the second one also placing their bamboo pole with baskets on the other shoulder once it became impossible to decline or remove it because the photo was just about to be taken.
4. When two were involved the second one would also demand to be paid but usually only US$1.

They don't give change either. I watched one man hand over a large Dong note, asking for change. The note was quickly passed to one of the other girls who placed it in her pocket and left quickly. The girl who was handed the large Dong said she didn't have change and could not return the note - arguement followed.

These girls were generally not mobile but tended to hang around the intersection of Hang Gai and Dinh Tien Hoang Streets looking for victims. At one stage the Police arrived and the girls departed very quickly.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Hanoi
• Vietnam
• Scams
• Dishonest
• Ha Noi

[afranka]

I'm currently traveling along VietSCAM and I'm regretting it so much! Unfortunately I already spent money in train tickets and hotel rooms, so I either go to Cambodia or stay here and suck it up. I've already been scammed in Hanoi and in Sapa. I noticed that Vietnamese-Americans who come to Vietnam are as much a part of the scam as locals. They see it happening and they don't say anything. Do a search in google for "vietscam" and read the threads...I'm regretting this trip to VietSCAM

[stekmer]

@afranka

I found things a little better in the South, the further North I went the greater the need to be constantly on guard - becomes really tiresome really quickly.

The need to be hyper vigilant was much less in Cambodia and Laos

[hoahaoblog]

@afranka I saw first hand how evil the people can be in Vietnam

[OVERCAPITALIZE]

Don't worry about it @stekmer . The Vietnamese citizen gets trick all the time by the doctors, when the doctors say something outrageous, the Vietnamese tend to think its true (if you say there is an alien, then they'll think its true.) then the doctors demand more money to fix that person up.

[merlionphva]

I'm VIetnamese. I'm so sorry about this problem. They have made mistake to our country. All the tourist have to stand away from them when come to Hanoi. I suggest !!!

[binzhaha]

im vietnamese and im so shame about this but now they all busted, no more tricker , we alway welcome you come to vietnam , have a nice day

[binzhaha]

im vietnamese and im so shame about this but now they all busted, no more tricker , we alway welcome you come to vietnam , have a nice day

[veryverymakmak]

As well I remember walking in the icecream shop and a big hubub being made by the rickshaw drivers to gain my buisness, but my hotel was just behind the multi level bar across the street so no harm in the end!

[veryverymakmak]

Ha! I know that exact corner (I believe there is an icecream shop right there is maybe why they chose that point) but I didnt see women doing this scam!