10 tips for avoiding pickpockets
30 May 2014
Nothing puts a dampener on a lovely holiday like being duped by a scam artist or having your precious digital camera stolen by a nasty thief.
While there will always be the risk of being pickpocketed when on holiday, by being a bit streetsmart, there are definitely lots of ways you can avoid being a victim and continue enjoying your time away.
If you have the unfortunate experience of being targeted by a thief, remember that personal safety is always of the utmost importance and report the incident to the police.
1. Place your money in different spots
One option to keeping your money safe is storing it in several safe areas in different pieces of your luggage. If someone does steal your suitcase and you have placed some cash in your handbag or backpack as well, you will still have some resources to draw upon.
2. Talk to your financial institution
Before you leave for your destination, ask your bank about the safest way to take money with you. Many offer travel cards you can pre-load with set amounts of money, transferring more over incrememntally. If you do lose that travel card, all is not lost.
3. Travel insurance
It’s a small amount of money to pay upfront to ensure that your personal belongings are taken care of, should anything untoward happen to you while on holiday.
4. Pick your ATM wisely
Use an ATM in a well-lit area and don’t talk to anyone while using it. A well-known scam is for a pickpocket to distract you by animatedly chatting to you while you withdraw hundreds of dollars of cash.
5. Don’t be distracted by scam artists
Pickpockets often work in teams. One may try to show you a magic trick, while the other attempts to swipe the wallet in your back pocket. Or a group of kids might suddenly crowd around you, trying to hide the fact that one of them is trying to get their hands into your handbag.
6. Don’t take too many valuables with you
Do you really need an iPad, an iPhone and a digital camera while walking around the Louvre?
7. Dress like a local, not a tourist
Put away your ‘I LOVE BALI’ t-shirt and bumbag. It’s best to avoid dressing like a tourist so you can blend into the crowd and it’s not so easy for pickpocket to single you out.
Having said that, you may want to consider buying a money belt to wear under your clothes and keep your cash safely hidden away.
8. Don’t typecast people
Thieves come in all shapes and sizes, and the best ones are the pickpockets who look like your friendly next door neighbour.
9. Be smart
Don’t flash great wads of money around, or leave your bags unattended or unzipped.
10. Be aware
Unfortunately, some of the most beautiful spots in the world are known for sly pickpockets. These include Ho Chi Minh City, well-known for its number of drive-by bag snatches; Vatican City in Rome, where thieves like to hang out near the entrance; Washington DC, which has the highest number of robberies in the US; and Prague, where car break-ins often take place.
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