Blogger Amanda Jerome at the Eiffel Tower, which was shut down recently due to pickpockets. (supplied)
Travel is hugely beneficial as it opens the heart and the mind to new cultures, but tourists should be aware that their minds may not be the only things being opened while they wander the streets of a foreign city.
Pickpockets and scam artists are hard at work trying to open the pockets and bags of tourists and relieve them of their personal belongings while they’re distracted by the sights and sounds of a new place.
“Travellers should always be aware of their surroundings and on their guard, as theft can occur anywhere,” says Allison Frame, Chief Luxury, Adventure, and Relationship Officer for The Divine Destination Collection, a startup luxury travel company based in Toronto.
“This is especially true when you are visiting “touristy” landmarks or attractions where pickpockets know they will find tourists. Public transit is also a hot-spot for theft, as people are packed closely and can hop on and off quickly. There are a few cities with a rep for pickpockets where you should be extra vigilant.”
These top five destinations have become notorious for their scam artists and Frame recommends vigilance when travelling to them:
Rome
Juan Carlos Ferrero and Lleyton Hewitt have a rally by the Spanish Steps in Rome. (Getty Images)
“Pickpockets, often children, frequent the high-traffic tourist areas like the Spanish Steps,” says Frame. “These children will often try to distract you by swarming you and holding up cardboard signs. Under the signs they are reaching for your wallet.”
Barcelona
Tourists visit 'La Boqueria' green market on April 10, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. (Getty Images)
“If you are visiting Barcelona you will definitely want to stroll along Las Ramblas, a rambling, tree-lined pedestrian mall where you will enjoy music, street performers, street vendors and food,” she says. “But don’t become too distracted by the sights and sounds, as professional pickpockets abound.”
Prague
People walk across the Charles Bridge on December 21, 2011 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Getty Images)
“Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, but the large crowds of tourists at sites such as Charles Bridge are an ideal hunting ground for thieves,” she says.
Buenos Aires
A waiter at Cafe Tortoni takes a picture for two customers in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Getty Images)
“Beware the “bird poop” scam,” says Frame. “A friendly local will notice that a bird has “pooped” on your shoulder and will come to your rescue with a napkin or tissue. But the poop is actually a condiment they squirted on you, and when they are tidying you up they are also reaching for your wallet.”
Paris
“The city’s extensive subway system is one of the most convenient ways to get around Paris, but it is also a haven for thieves,” she says. “Also beware of the “ring scam”. Someone stoops in front of you as if picking something up, and asks if you have lost the ring. As you are distracted by looking at the ring an accomplice comes by and makes off with your wallet.”
Kim Sison, a traveller from Toronto, has seen some of the scams Frame details first hand on a recent trip to Paris.
“Scamming, pickpocketing is definitely a problem there,” said Sison in a Facebook interview about her travels to the City of Light. “It’s not an over exaggeration. Last year when I was there I was on a free walking tour and the tour guide was telling us all the classic scams they’d pull (i.e. the bracelet scam) and right when he was explaining it, we witnessed a couple fall for a classic scam involving a “lost ring”. The whole thing went down exactly as our tour guide described.”
Sison, who has been pickpocketed before on a trip to New York City, has learned some tricks to keep her cash safe while she’s travelling.
“I didn’t feel a thing when it happened and my bag was a shallow one that was on my side,” she says of being robbed in Times Square. “I’ve since…been traveling with deeper bags that have a security lock on it so you can’t get in without being noticed. I also spread my cash into different compartments and have just been putting my phone in my bra. Any pockets I have on my pants or jackets are always empty.”
Mike Baginski, Publisher and Managing Editor at Baxter Travel Media, says preparation and awareness are the keys to warding off thieves.
“Know the reputation of the place you are for pickpocketing,” he says. “Southern European cities have a worse reputation than northern ones due to high population of itinerants. For example, Barcelona is likely to be worse than Oslo.”
Baginski recommends the following steps to ward off thieves:
Split credit cards and money between family members so all the eggs aren’t in one basket.
Don’t dress the part (i.e. fancy clothes, watches, handbags.) These put a bulls-eye on a traveller, not just for pickpockets, but theft in general. Same goes for looking too much like a tourist, so ditch the Hawaiian shirt and knee-socks. Try to look like a local, or someone not worth robbing.
Money belts can be hidden under clothing, some hang around the neck, others around the waist. But external fanny packs are as vulnerable as purses or backpacks, which can be cut to allow contents to spill out, not just torn away.
Write credit card and travel document numbers down and keep them in a separate place than where those documents are normally kept for backup.
Advise your credit card company ahead of time where you’ll be travelling and have their international number handy so cards can be cancelled easily if stolen.
