HÀ NỘI — Police in Hà Nội City reported on Tuesday they had fined a GrabCar driver VNĐ1.5 million (US$65) for ripping off foreign tourists.

Vũ Ngọc Quang, 39, was accused of overcharging a group of Japanese tourists when he took them from Nguyễn Quang Street (Cầu Giấy District) to Hàng Đường Street (Hoàn Kiếm District).

The Japanese visitors claimed they were charged VNĐ2 million ($85) for a journey that would normally cost VNĐ200,000.

They complained to Hoàn Kiếm District police who identified the GrabCar driver and brought him in for questioning.

According to police, on August 31, Quang took advantage of the language barrier and the fact the foreign tourists did not know the exact exchange rate to charge them VNĐ2 million.

On September 19, two Philippine visitors reported they were charged VNĐ1.7 million (US$74) for a journey that would normal cost a fraction of that price in HCM City.

In the first six months of this year, 2,650 cases of tourists being hassled by taxi and cyclo drivers, beggars and street vendors were reported.— VNS