Latest bounty hunters in town shoot with cameras, report traffic law violators

The 25-year-old from Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan District began doing this on Jan. 2 after learning about a new regulation, which provides for paying people for reporting traffic violations. The compensation is capped at 10% of the penalty collected with a maximum of VND5 million (US$199).

"Contributing to society while earning money—why not?" Tien asks.

Once a habitual red-light runner who also often hopped onto sidewalks to save time, Tien has become a law-abiding citizen since Vietnam increased fines to VND4-6 million for motorcyclists flouting traffic rules from Jan. 1. At traffic lights, she now stops 5–10 seconds early to seek out lawbreakers.

Her regular "hunting grounds" include her commute from home on Le Van Luong Street to work on Nguyen Phong Sac Street in Cau Giay District. Even during coffee outings with friends, she occasionally sets up a tripod for clearer views of offenders.

In her first seven days as a bounty hunter she captured over 20 violations, primarily red-light running, lane encroachment, stopping beyond the stop lines at red lights.

She has downloaded the VNeTraffic app and plans to submit all her evidence once the Traffic Police Department establishes a payment mechanism for whistleblowers.

Vu Tien holds her camera on the ready at a red light on O Cho Dua Street in Hanoi’s Dong Da District as she scours for traffic offenders on Jan. 10, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Nga Thanh

In 2024 the Hanoi traffic police hauled up 2,609 violators and collected fines of VND2.7 billion.

Although a payment mechanism for people reporting traffic violations has yet to be established, social media has been flooded since Jan. 2 with images of people setting up tripods at intersections and pedestrian bridges to document violations.

Facebook groups sharing tips on "hunting" for violators and reporting them to authorities have gained popularity.

As of Jan. 10 the VNeTraffic app had been downloaded over 100,000 times on Android devices alone.

Dr. Pham Ngoc Trung, a former head of the faculty of culture and development at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, says the new regulation allowing citizens to report violations has also encouraged road users to become more disciplined, he says.

"Citizen monitoring enhances the overall traffic environment, especially since the traffic police cannot oversee everything."

While not motivated by financial rewards, Hai Nam, 32, a freelance photographer living in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh District, is enthusiastic about documenting traffic violations. He once captured 10 offenses ranging from running red lights to riding without helmets or on sidewalks at just two stops at traffic lights.

"It feels exhilarating, like a predator in a hunting game," he says.

He has been insulted and called "heartless" for "profiting from others’ mistakes," but remains undeterred, explaining that he merely seeks to improve public awareness of traffic laws.

"If everyone obeys the rules, they wouldn’t need to worry about me taking photos or reporting violations," he says.

A photo taken by Hai Nam in early January 2025 shows several motorcyclists stopping past the designated line at a red light on Xa Dan Street in Dong Da District. Photo courtesy of Nam

Since learning about groups that snitch on traffic violators, Hang Lan of HCMC has become cautious on the road, refraining from racing through green lights just before they turn red and avoiding reckless driving altogether, fearing she might be secretly filmed.

"Now, every time I see someone holding up a phone, my heart skips a beat," the 40-year-old says. "I’m scared of unintentionally making a mistake. These days, even a small slip-up could get reported, and so I drive slowly and stay alert."

But Trung also points to the fact that, while community monitoring is beneficial, the practice of gathering at intersections specifically to look for violators could create a negative social image, fostering distrust and division.

"Traffic monitoring and reporting should only be done spontaneously rather than deliberately as a mission," he says.

Nam says he continues to hunt for violators in his spare time. Once a reward mechanism is in place, he plans to turn over the data he has collected to the police.

Besides, in addition to patrolling within the city, he also intends to expand his bounty hunting to suburban areas to increase his chances of spotting violators.