VietnamUpdated Sep 20, 2025
Vietnam: Taxi scams and motorbike rental disputes
Rigged meters, inflated airport fares and aggressive damage claims on motorbike rentals are the most common transport disputes in Vietnam. The Law on Protection of Consumers' Rights 2023 and the tourist police give you real leverage.
Your rights
- Under the Law on Protection of Consumers' Rights (No. 19/2023/QH15), drivers and rental operators must provide accurate pricing and honour the agreed rate.
- Licensed taxis must use a working, sealed meter — refusal to use the meter or a meter that runs visibly fast is a regulatory violation.
- Motorbike rental shops cannot withhold your passport. Holding a passport as security is unlawful under Vietnamese identity-document regulations.
- Damage claims on rented vehicles must be supported by evidence and a fair, market-rate quote — not an arbitrary figure.
Steps to take
- 1Photograph the vehicle (taxi licence plate, meter, or motorbike condition + odometer) before and after the trip or rental.
- 2Insist on a written rental contract in English or with a translation; never hand over your passport — offer a photocopy or cash deposit instead.
- 3If overcharged, pay only the fair amount, request a receipt, and report the licence plate immediately.
- 4For rental damage disputes, demand an itemised quote from an independent shop before paying anything.
Example cases
Rigged taxi meter from the airport
Partial refundHanoi₫1,200,000 charged
- What happened
- The meter ran about 4 times faster than normal on the trip from the airport to the Old Quarter.
- What they did
- Photographed the car number and receipt, and reported it to the taxi company and the airport hotline.
- Outcome
- The company refunded about 70% of the fare and suspended the driver.
Motorbike rental "scratch" demand
Full refundHội AnUS$150 demanded
- What happened
- The rental shop demanded money for scratches that were already on the bike when it was handed over.
- What they did
- Showed a time-stamped pickup video and calmly offered to go to the local police together.
- Outcome
- The shop dropped the claim on the spot.
Passport held as a rental deposit
Partial refundHo Chi Minh CityPassport
- What happened
- The shop refused to return the passport unless the renter paid an inflated repair bill.
- What they did
- Contacted the embassy and the tourist police straight away.
- Outcome
- The passport was returned after a smaller, negotiated payment. Lesson: never leave your passport as a deposit.
Illustrative examples, not legal advice.
Start a similar claimWho to escalate to
- Tourist Police hotline 113 (general) or 069 234 5860 (Hanoi tourist support).
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism complaint line: 1800 1099.
- Vietnam Competition and Consumer Authority (VCCA) — bvntd.vcca.gov.vn for online complaints.
- Your card issuer — chargeback for unauthorised top-ups or inflated rental damage charges.
Template phrases
"Pursuant to Article 10 of the Law on Protection of Consumers' Rights 2023, the price charged was not the price agreed and was not displayed accurately. I am entitled to a refund of the overcharge of [AMOUNT]."
"Withholding my passport as rental security violates Vietnamese identity-document law. Please return my passport immediately, failing which I will report this to the tourist police on 113."
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Informational only — not legal advice. RefundRights cites publicly available consumer-protection rules and is intended to help you assert your rights. For binding advice, consult a qualified lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.