Hanoi police investigate viral video of street vendor allegedly fleecing foreign tourist

The video, posted on social media, shows the tourist buying donuts from a street vendor near Hoan Kiem Lake.

The vendor packed around 10 donuts and one small pastry for the tourist.

Several other types of pastries, including fried sesame balls, were also displayed on the vendor's tray.

After receiving the food, the tourist handed over a VND500,000 ($19) note and received VND75,000 ($2.84) in change.

He then gave the vendor an additional VND5,000 ($0.2) note.

This transaction amounted to VND430,000 ($16), far above the usual market price.

Surveys of Hanoi’s street stalls show Vietnamese donuts typically cost between VND5,000 ($0.2) and VND7,000 ($0.3) each.

In the video, the tourist appeared enthusiastic, showing the bag of donuts to the camera and praising their taste.

He described the donuts as crispy outside and soft inside, enjoying the street food experience.

The clip quickly attracted widespread attention online.

Many viewers criticized the vendor for “overcharging” and warned that such practices could damage Hanoi’s reputation as a tourist-friendly destination.