The Red Cross Scam

A really common scam in Vietnam is someone coming up to you saying that they are a student or a teacher and presenting you with a little laminated card saying that they work for the Red Cross and are collecting donations. Or they might be selling exorbitantly expensive toothpicks for the Red Cross to raise money. Whatever they say, don't give them any money, it's a scam! In Hanoi, a girl claiming to be a student tried it on us. She had handwritten cards in multiple languages talking about raising money for the deaf and disabled. We refused to give her money and she kept saying "Why? Why?" and took on a very nasty demeanor. Earlier today in Hoi An a guy saying he was a teacher had me fill out a survey for tourism research and then tried the Red Cross laminated card thing on me. When I told him I wasn't going to give him any money he just waved me away in an irritated manner. Red Cross is a highly professional organization and they send people around with handwritten cards asking for money so I was almost insulted when these people tried to scam me with this crap. If anyone in Vietnam says they work for the Red Cross and asks you for money, maybe you should ask them "Do you think I'm stupid enough to fall for your scam?"