How to protect against pickpockets/muggers overseas

[neddy]

I decided to start this thread after helping a Singaporean who was pickpocket in Parc Guell in Barcelona.

REPORTING THE LOSS.

In Europe's capital cities - esp the Top pickpocket ones, there are usually Tourist Offices who can help you find English-speaking Tourist Police to report your incidents. In general, they are better because they know the tourists' need and often, they are also one-stop service. Let me explain further.

1. They are usually centrally located, Eg the Barcelona one is in the main Tourist area itself. I was told that in Lisbon, it is just next to the Tourist Information office at the local Museum.

2. They will contact your credit card companies on your behalf and arrange an English speaking staff to talk to you. Sometimes, the credit card company will re-direct to your home country's credit card company.

3. If the Tourist Police are not busy (they are lots of pickpockets in the afternoon so they are usually busy), they may even provide a English translation of the Police report.

4. Some of these police will ask you if you want to overstate the cash loss and value of your purse to defraud the Travel Insurer. No joke. They may ask you. Please don't do that. Travel Insurer has a limit to the claims anyway and you may not even get back the amount you stated in the Police report.


HOW THE INCIDENT HAPPENED

You are happily walking and enjoying the place alone seeking some peace from the crowded park when suddenly, you are hit by something, bird droppings.
Some kind English speaker try to help, you open your bag to get wet tissues and he help you clean up. After a few wipes (that is what you thought) the next moment he disappeared completely and you are left wondering what happened.
That is usually when you know you have been pickpocket.

This is only one variation of the story. You can hear a lot more at the Tourist Police station while waiting for your turn.


WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT THEFT

1. Carry as little on you as possible. Leave the rest in the hotel. Some hotels in Barcelonas ran out of locks for the hotel safe, Pay to use the central hotel safe.

2. Hide some cash in a hidden wallet.

3. Dress like a local, see how the Asian expats in the city dress. That camera slinging on our shoulder is a dead giveaway. Suddenly, if you find groups of people attracted to you, some kids or even babies in prams, you are in trouble. Usually, tourists are not so alert! Esp in crowded venues, eg queuing up for tickets.

4. DO NOT TALK TO STRANGERS. In Paris especially.

5. DO NOT ACCEPT OFFERS OF FLOWERS, etc. You are relaxed on holidays and suddenly, you get pleasantly surprised by such offers. In Spain, where this happens, it is usually the palm-reader who went on to read your palm and extract money from you.

OK. If you are going to the tannery in Fez Morocco, you can accept the sweet smelling stalk of leaves from the leather salesmen because the smell of the traditional tannery can make you puke. Usually, Moroccans are friendly and will not rob you.

6. A LOT OF PICKPOCKETS AND $$$ CRIMINALS ARE FROM ROMANIA AND BULGARIA. Ever since Western Europe open its door to these poor gypsy, the crime against tourists have sky-rocketed! And in towns and villages in Romania/Bulgaria, nice mansions and luxury cars line the streets, thanks to tourist dollars.

7. Be careful when taking public transport, or taking money out to buy tickets. Watch the places around you.

8. Do not leave your luggage out of sights in Madrid. They are known to roll away without your knowledge, when you are talking to a stranger or surfing the net.

 

[neddy]

MUGGING CHINESE

1. Chinese traders in Europe appear rich. Just look at the luxury brands store.
2. Chinese have a bad reputation overseas.
3. Chinese like to carry big cash around.
4. Many Chinese living in Europe flout the immigration laws or exploit the loopholes to be there.
5. If you hate the PRC FTs in Singapore, think what the other migrants in Europe, or even their own locals, think of PRC Chinese.
6. I have to re-assure my angmo staff that the PRC Chinese are not scolding them in their loud voice.
7. As a business visitor in Egypt, I have to explain to the Egyptian waiters that the China people need Hot Tea for their day out after the PRC tourists grabs hot water tasks from the waiters to fill up their own flasks, leaving the rest of the hotel guests at the restaurants with NO HOT WATER.


In Paris, Rome and many capital cities these days, there are more and more crimes against Chinese. Unfortunately, the muggers cannot tell the difference between Chinese, Chinese Singaporeans or Chinese-looking Aussies.

Just avoid dark areas at night and short-cuts during the day.

 

[neddy]

CARD SKIMMING

AT ATMs
Often Bulgarians are involved, they even come to remote Perth in Australia and attached a skimming device in the ATM I used often.

So, always check the card slot on ATM machines and hide your keystrokes when you enter your PIN.

These days, ATM keypad has privacy covers so it makes my job easier.

In CAFE/RESTAURANT/SHOPPING

Do not allow the waiter to take your credit cards esp if you do not know the waiter.

Even BODY SHOP and MACDONALDS are not safe, just be alert when paying.

Once, a BODY SHOP cashier took a client's card and told the client that she ran out of free gifts and had to go to a nearby shop/storeroom to get more. She wanted her card back and the cashier glared at her. She wondered why?

To cut the story short, It happened that her colleague (who informed her of the free gifts at Body Shop) had her card fraudulently used, it was lucky that ANZ bank "Falcon" called her and managed to stop the transaction going through.