The ₹18,000 Fake Mai Linh Scam – Priya arrives in Ho Chi Minh City for a 5-day holiday. At Ben Thanh Market, she flags down what appears to be a Mai Linh taxi—a white sedan, “Mai Linh” written on the side, meter visible on dashboard.
The driver is friendly: “Where you go, madam?”
“District 1, Dong Khoi Street.”
“Okay, I use meter.”
Priya gets in. The meter displays poorly, showing “100” initially. As the car moves, numbers climb rapidly. By the time she reaches her hotel (3km away), the meter reads “640.”
“640,000 dong, please,” the driver demands.
Priya hesitates. That’s ₹2,300. Seems high for 10 minutes, but she doesn’t know Vietnam prices. The driver starts shouting in Vietnamese, becoming aggressive. Feeling scared and alone, she pays.
Later, at her hotel, the receptionist is shocked: “That same trip should cost 60,000-80,000 dong maximum (₹220-290). You were scammed. Real Mai Linh taxis are GREEN, not white. You caught a fake Mai Linh.”
Priya lost ₹2,000 in one ride. This exact scam operates daily across Vietnam, specifically targeting foreign tourists unfamiliar with legitimate taxi company colours and meter reading methods.
This comprehensive Vietnam taxi guide explains how to identify real vs. fake taxis, recognise meter manipulation, use ride-hailing apps correctly, and avoid every common transport scam Indians face in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and beyond.
Vietnam has TWO legitimate nationwide taxi companies. Memorise their exact appearance:
If you see “Mai Linh” on WHITE car → 100% FAKE
Scammers create nearly-identical names to confuse tourists:
Fake Mai Linh variants:
Fake Vinasun variants:
Recognition tip: If the taxi name resembles established brands but isn’t exactly “Mai Linh” or “Vinasun,” it’s definitely fake.
Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City is a notorious hub for fake taxis. Scam taxis deliberately park there, knowing confused tourists will grab the first available ride.
Solution: Walk 2-3 blocks away from Ben Thanh before hailing a taxi. Or use Grab/Xanh SM apps instead.
Even if you catch legitimate Mai Linh or Vinasun, some drivers manipulate meters. Understanding the Vietnamese dong and meter displays prevents this.
Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND or ₫)
Exchange rate (November 2025): 1 Indian Rupee = approximately 305-310 VND
Denominations:
The confusion factor: Notes look similar (blue 20,000 vs. blue 500,000). Easy to mix up.
Vietnamese taxi meters show numbers WITHOUT the last three zeros. So “64.0” on the meter = 64,000 VND, NOT 64 VND.
Examples:
Common scam: Driver verbally adds an extra zero. The meter shows “64.0” (meaning 64,000), the driver demands “640,000”, claiming the meter shows that amount.
How it works:
Cost: Tourist pays 10x the actual fare. Loses ₹1,500-2,500 per ride!
Solution:
Some taxis use rigged meters programmed to jump rapidly—2-3x faster than legitimate meters.
Recognition:
Example: A Tourist reported a 45-minute airport-to-hotel trip costing 1,000,000 VND on a tampered meter. Same route with an honest meter: 250,000-300,000 VND.
Solution:
Major ride-hailing apps operating in Vietnam 2025: Grab (55% market share), Xanh SM (32% market share, launched 2023), Be (6% market share), and Gojek.
Coverage: Available in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Can Tho, and most major cities
Pricing (2025):
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
For Indians: Best overall reliability. Grab operates across Southeast Asia—if you used it in Thailand/Singapore, the same app works in Vietnam.
Xanh SM launched in 2023 as Vietnam’s first all-electric taxi fleet, operated by Vingroup.
Coverage: Major cities—Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang. Expanding to other areas
Pricing: Generally cheaper than Grab, with regular promotions and discounts
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
For Indians: Best for budget travellers staying in Hanoi/HCMC, willing to get a Vietnamese SIM card.
Coverage: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, major cities
Pricing: Be depends on deep discounts, seen as having the best promotional deals (23%) and competitive pricing (24%)
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
For Indians: Third backup option. Use if Grab/Xanh SM is unavailable or significantly more expensive.
Gojek (operating as GoViet in Vietnam) offers primarily motorbike rides, perfect for avoiding traffic jams. Short trips 10,000-20,000 VND (less than $1 USD).
Best for: Solo travellers, no luggage, wanting the fastest option through congested traffic.
Not ideal for: Families, anyone with bags, rainy weather, safety-concerned tourists.
Real Vinasun or Mai Linh meters start around 12,000-15,000 VND. Typical 10-15 minute trip costs around 50,000 VND ($2 USD).
Ho Chi Minh City examples:
Hanoi examples:
Rule of thumb: If metered taxi costs more than 200,000 VND for a short city trip, something’s wrong.
Safest options (in order):
AVOID:
Official taxi ranks: Outside arrivals, clearly marked
Cost to Old Quarter: Approximately $10-15 USD (300,000-450,000 VND / ₹1,080-1,620) with legitimate meter taxi
Best strategy:
AVOID: Touts offering “special taxi” in the arrivals hall
Official taxi rank: Outside domestic and international terminals
Cost to District 1: 150,000-250,000 VND (₹540-900)
Best strategy:
How it works: You pay with a 500,000 VND note (blue). The driver quickly switches it for a 20,000 VND note (also blue) and claims you underpaid.
Solution:
How it works: Driver claims meter broken, quotes flat rate (always inflated).
Solution:
How it works: The Driver takes an unnecessarily long route to inflate the legitimate meter.
Solution:
Real Mai Linh taxis are BRIGHT GREEN with distinctive logo, green-uniformed drivers wearing green ties, and phone number 028 38 38 38 38 displayed on car. Fake Mai Linh taxis are often WHITE or use slightly different spellings like “Mei Linh” or “Mai Lin”. If taxi is white and says Mai Linh, it’s 100% fake.
Vietnamese taxi meters drop the last three zeros. “64.0” means 64,000 VND (₹230), NOT 64 VND or 640,000 VND. Formula: Meter number × 1,000 = Total fare in Vietnamese Dong. This prevents extremely long numbers on display but confuses tourists unfamiliar with system.
Xanh SM is generally 10-25% cheaper than Grab for same routes with regular discount promotions. However, Grab has wider coverage and more available drivers especially during peak hours. Download both apps and compare prices before booking. Grab more reliable in smaller cities; Xanh SM better value in Hanoi and HCMC.
Legitimate metered taxi (Mai Linh or Vinasun) costs 300,000-400,000 VND (₹1,080-1,440). Grab/Xanh SM app typically shows 350,000-450,000 VND. Any quote above 500,000 VND indicates scam. Pre-booking Grab eliminates haggling and ensures fair price.
Grab Bike and Gojek motorbike services generally safe for solo travellers without luggage during daytime. Drivers wear helmets, provide passenger helmet, and rides are GPS tracked through app. Avoid freelance motorbike taxis approached on street (price manipulation common). Not recommended for families, anyone with bags, or rainy weather.
Stay calm. Use phone calculator showing: Meter number × 1,000 = Actual fare. If meter shows 65, correct fare is 65,000 VND not 650,000 VND. Firmly refuse overpayment. If driver aggressive, exit taxi, seek help from nearby locals or police. Pay only reasonable amount based on distance travelled using Google Maps estimate.
Prices and exchange rates reflect November 2025 approximations and fluctuate. Taxi company policies and app availability subject to change. Scam tactics evolve—stay vigilant even with this guide. Information based on traveller reports and research, not legal advice. Individual experiences vary. Always prioritise personal safety over money when facing aggressive situations.
Eccentric Blogger, Traveler and Consultant.
