Officers in Hanoi have summoned a group of locals who they say pose as street vendors and shoe shiners to ‘rob’ foreign visitors in broad daylight.

Police in Hoan Kiem District confirmed on Thursday they had summoned nine suspects, aged from 26 to 44, involved in a tourist scam that Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper recently shone the spotlight on.

Tuoi Tre’s probe revealed that a gang of 20 men and women posed as street vendors and shoe shiners to scam foreign tourists near the iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake.

These ‘robbers’ often stripped sandals and shoes off the victims without their permission and started cleaning them.

Nine suspects were summoned to the police station in Hoan Kiem District on November 1, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre

They then demanded that the foreigners pay an exorbitant price, between VND500,000 (US$21) and VND800,000 ($34), for the ‘service.’

Some of the suspects also forced tourists to buy deep-fried glutinous rice balls, typically VND10,000 ($0.43) a piece, for up to VND600,000 ($26) for a pack of five.

Another trick often employed by the group was duping victims into thinking they were testing free snack samples before forcing them to pay a fortune for the food.

A member of the gang, wearing a black cap, takes money from a foreign tourist. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Some others sold low-quality stamps, lighters, or unappetizing street food at outrageous prices.

Tourists reluctant to pay wound up being threatened and robbed.

According to the probe, these scams began popping up about four years ago but they only recently began to spiral out of control.

At the police station, some of the suspects denied their wrongdoing, while others admitted to their crimes, but claimed they had only joined the group in October.

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