ryanmThe sad reality of traveling is that in almost every major city, you will find nefarious pickpockets, who try to make a quick buck out of unsuspecting tourists. Major cities which pickpockets operate in high frequency are, Barcelona, London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Paris and Athens. Here I will go over 7 simple ways, you can greatly minimize your chances of falling victim.
. Visibility
You always want to keep your valuables, in your zone of vision. Front pockets or a FannyPack, are an ideal location for this. Too many people fall victim to pickpockets when placing their wallet or phone in their back pocket, this will turn you into a duck sitting on an alligator infested lake. You want to make sure your valuables are placed in a location where any nefarious hand, will make it into your vision.
. Restaurants
More than often, if you are at a restaurant or bar and are not using your phone, your best bet is to place it into your pocket or bag, especially in outdoor seating. A common scam in London, entails a malicious person placing a newspaper or map over a phone seated on the surface of a table, distracting the diners, then swiping the phone from under the paper and then making off with it. Don’t fall victim to this, by placing your phone into your pocket when it’s not in use.
. Crowds
Pickpockets love crowds, when in a crowd the pickpocket has a limited chance of getting detected and a high chance of making off uncaught. Crowds are unavoidable in any major city; this is why you must increase your attentiveness and general awareness. Don’t become paranoid, as this will just dampen your trip, but rather be assertive.
. Bracelet scams
This type of scam is common in Europe, especially in the heart of Milan. It entails a scammer insisting on placing a cheap rope bracelet onto your wrist, sometimes even physically grabbing your arm and then demanding that you pay for it, due to the knot the bracelet is unremovable so unless you have a pair of scissors, you will be stuck with this bracelet on your person. The way I avoided this, was simply by assertively stating that I did not want the bracelet and yanking my arm away. Unless you want the bracelet and are willing to pay for it, you must show confidence and assertiveness.
. Public transport
When travelling around Europe Taxis can be costly, and most cities have an effective public transport system, making it ideal for tourists. Public transport especially on the metro is a common dwelling place for pickpockets, as I’ve previously stated pickpockets love crowds. When it is possible try to have your back placed on a wall or any surface, to not give pickpockets the opportunity to stand behind you.
. Distractions
Artificial distractions such as street performances, can be created as tourist traps. I’m definitely not saying that you should avoid street performances, as most are entertaining and done in good faith, however just listen to your gut and be vigilant. Be attentive to your surroundings, if you see Suspicious people not watching the performance, but rather are looking into pockets and bumping into people, your best bet is to get out of there.
. Traveling during the off-peak season
Traveling during the off-peak season, has many benefits including avoiding hefty queues for attractions as well as restaurants and having more opportunity to socialize with locals. Pickpockets and scammers will also be operating with less frequency, giving you a chance to let your guard down.
. Research
It’s always a good idea to research anywhere you journey, to get a good idea of what is worth seeing and doing using the real experiences of legitimate tourists. Websites such as TripAdvisor are perfect for this, most cities have at least one tourist trap attraction, with the sole goal of overcharging tourists. Examples of these traps include the “Maid Cafes” of Tokyo, which overcharge tourists and serve chaotic food, while treating their staff poorly. If the large consensus of tourists are writing negative reviews, it is best to listen.
