Hi All,
Although this has been happening for quite some time here, a recent incident spark my urge to post this as a warning to new expats in Vietnam.
One normal evening last week, I was jogging along Vo Van Kiet and up to Cau Ong Lanh. While I was catching a breather there, I saw another foreigner, also a jogger, giving some 100,000VND bills to a lady sitting along the pavement on the bridge. This lady had a older lady lying on her lap and was crying. So I went over to find out about the situation. She told me the older lady was her mum and that her mum is very sick, needs money to go to the hospital, if not, she's going to die. Everything looked soreal. Lots of passerbys and riderbys gave them money, some gave food, and I too pulled out 100,000VND. Then, I went off to the side to do some stretching.
After like 10 mins, both ladies stood up smiling...guess its end of their shift...and took a healthy walk down the bridge. The older lady looks extremely okay...but just minutes earlier, she was coughing and fainting...etc..
At that moment, I thought to myself [email protected] though its just 100,000VND.
Anyways...beware!!!
Also, here's a youtube video showing a young lad...supposedly retarded...begging...after his shift, went to a nearby place for some beer with his friend. And second part, the famous lady begging at gas stations in D5 & D8. I run into her very often as I stay in D8 and she will give you that poor b@ta%rd look if you refuse to give her $$ 
watch?v=lq_sqOOXqyQ
Beggar Scams
Yes, and you might find many more. Begging is big business, especially common and pervert I find those woman always with a baby in their arms...
yeah...but the sad thing is alot of people sympathizes with them. Encouraging more to come out!
That's so true that I even do give anything anymore to anybody. Young girls with baby in their arms (I've heard they can hire a baby and give him/her drug so he/she doesnt cry).
Girls on Internet pretending they need money for her mother/sister/grandmother at hospital...
If I gave to somebody, I would give to an old person.
i'm Vietnamese and i know that some of theme are real beggar, some of them are not. So, usually, i give them from 5000-1000. If they are real, they can buy something to eat, if not, they couldn't stand up and smile like that. Because if they are doing business, they have to work harder to get more money. And 5000 paid enough for their hard work.
P/S: the best way is donate your money to charity organizations.
Thiery Henrry wrote:i'm Vietnamese and i know that some of theme are real beggar, some of them are not. So, usually, i give them from 5000-1000. If they are real, they can buy something to eat, if not, they couldn't stand up and smile like that. Because if they are doing business, they have to work harder to get more money. And 5000 paid enough for their hard work.
P/S: the best way is donate your money to charity organizations.
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=202661
Some charity organisations have FAT directors behind.
There is a partially completed temple in Q3 where the fund raiser disappeared.
Discretion highly recommended
Last year when we where living in an apartment in Phu My Hung, at the insistence of my 'BETTER HALF', I went to the gym (Hollywood Fitness World) daily. 
Riding towards Le Van Luong along Nguyen Van Linh from Nguyen Luong Bang, there was a VN guy - not my idea of a beggar - both his legs where very obviously wilted to to point of being useless. He used a pair of thongs, flip-flops - whatever you want to call them, on his hands to move himself along the side of the roadway. 
First day we saw him, my 'BETTER HALF' stopped, he was selling lottery tickets. She gave him 50,000VND and took only the one ticket.
She explained it was the Buddhist way of helping those less fortunate than themselves while allowing the person to retain his or her personal honor. 
After that each time going to the gym, I'd stop and give him about the same amount.
Got an earful later on about that - I broke one of the 'rules' - gave him money without taking a lottery ticket.
To keep his self-respect, he was just less fortunate than us, he was a seller, not a beggar, every time after that I'd pull up, give him some money and take one ticket from him.
Everyone was happy with that - no begging - no insult by just straight out giving of money - all kept their own personal honor.
Don't know how anyone else feels but it certainly made me appreciate another aspect of the VN / Buddhist culture.
i also meet a same man on Le Duan Street. He is mobility disability. He move by hand.It's so difficult for him to move, he look weak but i saw a strong power in his eyes.My wife and some others gave him money without taking lotteries.He refused! He just sells lotteries. He does not beg for money.
Thiery Henrry wrote:i also meet a same man on Le Duan Street. He is mobility disability. He move by hand.It's so difficult for him to move, he look weak but i saw a strong power in his eyes.My wife and some others gave him money without taking lotteries.He refused! He just sells lotteries. He does not beg for money.
Good to hear not everyone has lost self-respect!
dtcali wrote:Thiery Henrry wrote:i also meet a same man on Le Duan Street. He is mobility disability. He move by hand.It's so difficult for him to move, he look weak but i saw a strong power in his eyes.My wife and some others gave him money without taking lotteries.He refused! He just sells lotteries. He does not beg for money.
Good to hear not everyone has lost self-respect!
Unlike other countries and peoples, the Vietnamese are a very strong, hard working, proud and resilient people.
Family bonds and honor are just two of their greatest strengths.
He did seem a LOT happier with me after I started buying that one ticket at a time from him.
My 'BETTER HALF' went back and explained to him that I never meant any insult to him personally. That I was just poor dumb 'westerner' who was still learning of the customs and traditions of Vietnam and it's people. 
Panhandling is a worldwide occupation and not just limited to Vietnam, much like taxi drivers any where in the world will try to rip you off.
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