How to Avoid Theft
In the past year, several groups of robbers have profited from the forgetful New York City subway passengers. “I open my wallets, put my hands in and pull out my wallets, ” one robber, who was eventually arrested and found with three metro cards and four cell phones, told the detective . “I choose people who are distracted.”
Marauders often operate in groups (although not always) and in secrecy; they hunt humans when they least expect it. Back in 2015, French police arrested a group of robbers who robbed tourists visiting the Eiffel Tower. According to NBC News , they stole about $ 3,000 every week.
This week, Million Mile Secrets provided tips on how to lower your chances of being pickpocketed. If you don’t want to lose your passport or wallet while traveling, carry only the essentials with you and resist the urge to catch babies. (We’ll get to that shortly.)
Avoid tourist areas
The easiest way to avoid losing your property to scammers is to avoid tourist traps altogether. On its website, the U.S. Embassy in France advises travelers to be vigilant in tourist areas like the Eiffel Tower (unsurprisingly), as well as places where museums, monuments, restaurants, hotels, beaches, etc. are located.
In other words, you should avoid any rides where reviews mention crowds and selfie sticks. As we wrote earlier , this could also mean choosing a small hotel or Airbnb rentals in quieter areas, rather than chain hotels in tourist hideouts.
But you should also exercise caution in places that are usually congested, such as bars, restaurants, and any other form of public transport. On Reddit, u / crushhawk shared the story of a train thief in Madrid, Spain. “On the way, my only friend ran into a loud guy behind him all the time,” they said. “He suddenly thinks it might be a bad place to be stolen, reaches into his pocket and finds that his wallet is basically flying out of his pocket … Suddenly his camera falls to the floor from his bag. [Pocket] reaches out to take it, but when we get to the bus stop, it runs out. “
If you are at a music festival, be especially careful; at the Lollapalooza festival this year, at least 209 people reported missing their phones. (As one Reddit user suggests, a fanny pack isn’t a bad pickpocket prevention measure.)
Beware of Fraud
As we’ve said over and over again , always research the scam on the target before you travel. And in your research, you might highlight one common theme among pickpocketing scams: distraction. Pocket (or a member of their group) will distract you by bumping into you, asking for the time, or causing some kind of ridiculous accident that you can’t look away from.
“A passer-by sprinkles liquid, seasoning, or an artificial bird drip at you,” suggests the Washington Post as an example. “While you inspect the stain, you are pickpocketing … Other tricks to distract tourists include the fall of an elderly person, a woman throwing a child or a cat at you, or someone who dropped a wallet and accused you of putting it down. contents in your pocket after you pick it up. “
We say that the next time someone throws a child at you, don’t catch him. (Joke.) Instead, resist the urge to catch, touch, or reach something. Just be aware of your surroundings. “Don’t let suspicious strangers invade your privacy if you can help,” suggested u / hairfarmer on a Reddit thread . “If they try to touch you or dance or anything that seems a little weird, understand that they are probably doing it for some reason and it won’t be the best way.”
Never carry your passport with you
There are small things you can do to avoid being stolen (other than the decoy wallet ). First, always keep your phone and wallet in your front pockets. According to Million Mile Secrets , don’t leave phones on tables or bags strapped to the back of a chair. And never carry your passport with you. Instead, leave it in the safe in your hotel room. In Points Guy, writer Brian Biros keeps only the essentials: a credit card, an ATM card, a photocopy of his passport, and $ 10 to $ 20 in local currency; the rest of the cash must be left in the hotel room.
You can also purchase a money belt that wraps around your stomach, although I believe it is a large, thick arrow that indicates that you are a tourist looking to be hunted for. As Biros suggests, buy a bracelet for your phone or camera, keep it strapped to you at all times, and use it to hide cash. Or try using a running belt that wraps around your arm or thigh to make you look a little less like a tourist. Finally, do not open the map or guidebook publicly. This can only increase the likelihood that a scammer will try to take advantage of you.