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 | Ho Chi Minh City Thieves & Beggers Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 20 |  |
 | |  |  | Thieves & Beggers: Vietnamese Children | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
This is not really a big problem espcially if you keep your backpack locked but be careful of these innocent cuties, especially,if you're a Caucasian. Vietnamese children will usually target you and badger you to buy postcards, hats, little grasshoppers made from grass, etc. It's very difficult to refuse them because they are such sweethearts. But giving money to one will encourage the rest to swarm to you like bees to honey. Also, do take note that while you are paying attention to one cute child, another could be helping himself to your wallet when you're not watching! Update: Well, even if you're not Caucasian, you'd better take note of this warning as well. My poor hubby recently got pickpocketed in HCMC, or shall I say backpack-pocketed? Some light-fingered fella unzipped his backpack and fished out his new cell phone. Amazingly, his wallet was left untouched. Well, not so surprising, if you consider that it looks like yesterday's lunchbag Wanna avoid getting mugged by a cyclo rider? click on b'packer's hcmc page to find out more Leave a Comment
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| | | | Thieves & Beggers: Conned on a Joy Ride | Tip Rating: | | | | |
TIP: Personally, I have nothing against cyclos even though I was harassed to death by them. But it just pays to be careful, especially if you are a solo female traveller or even a 100kg American male!Yup, I think after reading these 2 real life-accounts, you just just might be a tad bit more careful. Story 1: A new Aussie friend told me how she was nearly conned of USD20 when she took a joy ride on one of those quaint cyclos. The driver took her to a God-forsaken district and threatened not to cycle her back until she paid him! Well, the good news is that she outwitted him back and said..... a) She wasn't American so she only had dong; b) She didn't have that much dong with her with her in the first place! Thumbs up to her. She paid him half the amount and got back safe and sound to tell me this tale. * Story 2: Recent Update: Never ever hop unto a cyclo for sight-seeing unless you are God-Dammed sure about the asking price! My husband's American colleague recently got harassed by an unusually aggressive cyclo when he did just that. Yeah, what was supposed to be a quaint, Vietnamese cyclo-sightseeing experience turned to something more reminiscent from "The Fugitive" after the cyclo demanded 1 million dong for half a day's efforts. Why the fugitive? Well, after my husband's colleague refused to pay 1 million dong ( He gave him a lower fee ) , he was chased around Vietnam until he took refuge in his hotel. Hotel security was called and the cyclo disappeared . But after that, the colleague had a serious case of paranoia each time he left the hotel. At the back of this mind, there was a cyclo lurking around with homicidal tendencies so he stuck to my poor hubby like a remora (sucker fish) after that * Wanna avoid being mugged by children? click on b'packer's hcmc page to find out more Leave a Comment
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| | | | Thieves & Beggers: bag snatcher in Sai Gon | Tip Rating:  | | | | |
Apparently still active, but other than my experience didn't see or hear much about it as I have read on the internet. Just reminder to be mindful and aware at all times of your bag in your hand. Also read my story and consider if you want to get your bag back: Thao and I were walking on Nguyen Van Troi st over rach thi nghi from Phu Nhuan Dist into Dist.3 at the end of the bridge there were some guys. When we passed them one darted out and grabbed Thao's purse. I instinctively went after him but he went into the black foul water of the river (basically sewage). Yes i would not pursue him in the water,but ran back across the bridge to the other side. He emerged, tangled with a security guard, and ran down the bank of the river. A fence separated me from him, but I kept after him until I came to a wood wall with a locked gate in it. Just then the security guard came running with the key. I continued after they guy down a street, into an alley where other people where trying to restrain him. He looked back again, and saw I was STILL coming , so he threw the bag, and broke away, I got the bag back with everything still in it, but my handphone ruined from the water. I like to think that the people in the alley were being altrusitic, not wanting Thao's bag for themselves. I figured the thief is not used to being chased and continued pursuit would cause him to give up. If you are in Dist1 and many places in Dist 3 many many businesses have security guards outside. There are a lot of them. I suspect if a thief on foot took your bag and you gave chase in these areas the guards would assist you. Still, there is the danger of the drive-by grab to which your defense is again to be sure to have your bag secure to your person and not on the road side of the sidewalk
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