@Esa Denise Well i am from spain and right now if you hit someone in your own defence you can even get deteined and will have to pay the robber in case you hurm him. Yes its quite frustraing :(
@Esa DeniseOw yes. I remember one black guy getting punched in the face and getting knocked out. The funny thing is, that when he got back up (which he impressively did in less than 15 seconds) he started yapping about how everyone here is a racist and stuff. Of course everybody laughed at him and he announced that he will call the police (he did that while leaving of cource)
As someone who lives in London, if you know where you're going and how to get there, you aren't a target. They target people who are confused and vulnerable. If in doubt, just walk confidently.
I got pickpocketed on a train in Italy. Had a cold and my pocket was full of used tissues. He took em all. Even saw them in his little bag. Almost wanted to say thanks. But just as you said, he stepped off at the very next stop. So I didn't get the chance.
I have a wallet with false US dollars in the backpocket of my backpack, so when they get away stealing that wallet they might be arrested at the bank or money changer in the process of changing the money into Euros :)
I did similar thing. Went to dollar store bye 3 wallets and fill with fake home printed dollars. Put in my back pocket and wait. Went to Italy and nothing happened but in Athens in Grece one was gone in metro
Someone I know was pickpocketed in London and before he was aware of it a cop returned it to him. Thief was caught then captured by CCTV. How incredibly lucky.
Our group was warned about a fake wedding party in Prague. Our guide said it was to rob tourists. People are distracted looking at the beautiful bride and then they walk through and lift wallets, etc.
Was in Barcelona last week and on the metro a elderly women spat on my girlfriends shoulder and made a scene about it trying to clean it. Luckily I had watched your videos and knew what was going on and moved my girlfriend away from her. I then noticed 2 other elder women looking at us and the 3 of them left the train together. Thanks for all the travel advise. It's amazing all of the videos
In Amsterdam, people use a very nasty ATM trick, where they apply some kind of tape to the inside of the part where the cash comes out. This makes the money stick to the tape and prevents it from coming out of the machine, so the tourist will think that the ATM is broken and will walk away without the money.
In Paris, a young woman on the train was “pregnant” and asked my dad if she could sit down where my dad was sitting. My dad didn’t buy it. Straight off the bat, she looked suspicious to him. So he engaged in casual conversation while simultaneously reaching to his back pocket to make sure he had his wallet. Suddenly, he felt the hand of a young man who had been reaching out for his wallet. The guy pulled his hand away before he could take anything from my dad and my dad turned to look at him very sternly “what do you think you’re doing?” Immediately the train stopped and he, and the “pregnant” young woman and another guy ran out the doors. Thankfully they didn’t take anything.
@@MargaritaMagdalena Yes to distract him and to get him in a standing position which would make lifting his wallet much easier than when he is sitting on it.
I was in Paris back in June 2018. At 13, I snatched a wallet consisted of 730 euros, the woman's purse was behind her the whole time instead of in the front.
When I travel, I'm usually with someone so one of us gets money out of the ATM or gets the tickets or checks in the hotel at the desk while the other looks the other way. There's no need for both of us to stare at the ATM screen or push buttons on the ticket dispenser or talk to the desk clerk so one of us performs the action and the other one faces the other way to watch what's happening behind. A friend had her bags stolen in Paris while she and her husband were checking in at the hotel. (It was an upscale hotel, too). The desk clerk kept asking questions and keeping them engaged while a thief walked up behind, slid his foot forward to hook a strap on a bag she set on the floor next to her. He slid the bag back toward him a few inches and then just reached down, picked it up and walked out with it. Watching the surveillance video from the lobby camera, it seemed apparent that the desk clerk was in on it since he found something to draw their attention to him just when it seemed like there was a lull and one of them might look around. The police didn't care and weren't even interested in viewing the video. They just didn't care at all. if they write a report, it becomes a crime statistic and high crime stats are bad for tourism.
What he said, spot on! When I was in Europe last time for 6 months I saw a lot of what he mentioned. One thing I noticed more than everything was that the pickpockets definitely take advantage of people who are NOT paying attention. If you keep all your valuables on lock down (under your clothes) and use a dummy wallet with expired cards or any kind of cards and small bills you shouldn't have any issues. I always carry a Pacsafe purse, but still never leave my most valuable items in there. All credit cards and passport go in RFID sleeves in a money belt 24/7. You can never be too careful. Never once was I pickpocketed, but they tried and I walked away. Especially, if your standing watching an event. I always stand in the back over to the side away from the crowd so I can easily see the thieves coming in my direction. Another thing, if you're waiting on a train or bus and there's a building around, stand with your back right on the wall so nobody can come up from behind. I think that was a deterrent 99% of the time. And inside ATMs or ones only at at large banks that don't tolerate shady people outside. Bottom line, keep your stuff under your clothes and use a cheap dummy wallet in case you're robbed or pickpocketed. Thanks for the video Mark!
Good advice. My husband kept a small change purse in his back pocket, so when he got stopped by a guy in front of him bending over to "tie his shoe"as we were getting off the subway in Barcelona & the partner behind his picked the coin purse with about $1.00 in change, while he had the real money in the front, deeper pocket
When I was in Italy I got a little holder that I could wear around my neck that I put my money, passport, etc in and I put that under my clothes and kept my other stuff in my backpack and I didn't have a problem. I was also the dork who wore their backpack in front but hey, better to look silly then robbed.
@@snowflake8191 I disagree. They're looking for the most naive, simplest target. If you're aware, they'll move on to someone else. Even staring someone down or giving them the stink eye will let them know you're on to them.
Thanks Wolter! I watched your "`13 Ways How Pickpockets Rob You!" and am glad I did - especially clip #8 - The Bird Poop Scam. My wife and I visited Girona, Spain last week. As we rambled down the riverside tree-lined Rambla de la Libertat suddenly we were both splashed from above with some disgusting grey gooey mud that stunk! An older sweet looking lady quickly appeared and sympathetically offered a kleenex and suggested my wife put her backpack on the ground so the lady could wipe her off. At the same time a sweet looking old man came from behind me and started to offer a kleenex. Thanks to your clip, I instantly went into Batman mode! I shouted "get away," "no thanks we are OK", "leave us alone" - and the man still approached. I raised my hand to clearly indicate "stop now!", took a quick 3-4 steps back, turned about to see if any other ne'erdowells were present (there was a 3rd younger guy a few feet away - likely the "bag snatcher". I grabbed my wife, and started walking away briskly, constantly looking back at them. We walked a block, crossed the street and watched them through some trees and - sure enough - the 3 were together sitting on a bench chatting! What a gross way to make a living... Thanks l
I keep a knife pointed outwards of my wallet or valuables. So far 3 people have jerked their hands violently next to me and walked away clutching their hand in pain.
There is another sneaky trick and you had a image of it, and that is the random "Beware of the pickpockets in this area" sign, when tourist see it they feel if the wallet is still in the pocket, so not the thief know where it is, then they follow you, when you leave the area you will feel safer and that is when they take it, when you let the guard down. Some other tips: Do not wear a camera bag, that is a bit like pointing out where they can find a expensive camera, and get a shoulder/neck strap for the camera that have no branding. Put some extra money in the small utility pocket of your jeans and do not have all the money in one and same place. Do never give money to the beggars, that is also a way to show where you have the wallet. If someone show you a map and ask for direction, take a step back or hold onto your phone. This is often happening when you sit outside a coffee and have bags or phones on the table, but they also use the map to cover what they are doing and as an distraction. Never play (or stop) at street games where someone has 3 mugs or boxes and ask folk to pick the one with a coin under, this is always a scam and they are often one of a pickpocket gang.
Anyone follows me and I will strike, and get rid of the threat. Not your "average" traveler A few people found that out and now suck their food from a straw.
One ruse that made me smile a few years back. On the London Underground they had signs saying "Beware, pickpockets operate in this area!". Trouble was a huge amount of people would read those signs and immediately check their wallet / phone. The pickpockets learned this and so hung around these signs and just watched. Once they new where your valuables were it was easy to remove them. London Transport eventually removed the signs as they were counter productive.
Can confirm. I just returned from Europe and my travel partner (who is otherwise EXTREMELY VIGILANT about safety) was almost caught by a woman with a petition underneath the Eiffel Tower (but she pretty quickly realised what was going on and told the petition woman to "f*ck off" and we stormed off together). One that was not mentioned in this video is how they disperse. This happened to us on the steps of Sacré Coeur in Paris - we were coming down from the church and saw a group of guys with trinkets in their hands all talking in a tight circle. As soon as they saw us, they IMMEDIATELY dispersed and blocked the entire path so that we had to walk through them (by this point, there was no other way down) and they came up and almost touched us, demanding that we buy what they had while the others started looking for our pockets. The only thing that worked at getting them away from us was barging through and my travel partner yelling "NO F*CK OFF GET THE F*CK AWAY FROM US!" And the pickpockets started swearing at us in Italian (So my travel partner yelled "DON'T YOU SAY THAT TO ME! I WAS MARRIED TO AN ITALIAN FOR YEARS SO I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS!" before proceeding to swear at him in Italian as we marched away. They were left speechless)
And here I've been watching all these videos about how safe Japan is. Foreigners move there and they can't believe people leave their cars with keys in the ignition while they're in the 7-11, leave phones and bags at restaurant tables while they go to the bathroom, etc. If you lose something, you can actually go to the lost and found and find your missing items. Sounds like a different world from European and North American metropolises.
Peregrination I even heard a story of a taxi driver in japan trying to find the owner of a cell phone left in his car. He used the whole day to track them down on his dime. From what I hear japan is utopia.
Mostly true. Japan's low crime rate is a luxury. Now it's less common to see people leave their cars unattended & running. Lost items, even cash, are usually turned in to police stations & efforts made to find owners. Though sometimes the finder takes cash, leaves all cards. I dropped a point card in a parking lot; it was turned in to the store, who tracked me down & I picked it up from a police station. Dropped gloves, small items are usually put on a nearby fencepost so the owner sees it when they come by again.
That's my family's joke whenever I discover something neat and unusual in the modern world about Japan. Heck, even New Zealand. Strict immigration laws and geographic isolation promotes a greater sense of unification and community it seems.
I've traveled to Europe many times and have never been bothered by pickpockets. The best ways to avoid pickpockets are: 1. Try to dress like a local and look like you know where you're going. They're less likely to bother you if you look like a local. The downside is that people may ask you for directions in the native language. For some reason this happens to me everywhere. 2. Carry a shoulder bag rather than a backpack. When you're in a crowd move the bag around in front of you and put a hand on it. 3. Don't carry a wallet but rather just some cash in your front pocket. 4. Travel in the off-season. There will be smaller crowds and fewer pickpockets. 5. Just be aware of your surroundings and you should be fine.
I was in Paris in July. And it was also during Euro 2016 so the place was packed full of people. I knew I had to be vigilant, so I bought metro tickets from a French woman behind a ticket desk. I was with my girlfriend as well and we were always careful on the Metro and that. The next day when we wanted to go up the Eiffel Tower I must have had 6 ladies try and come up to me with the petition scam to take my stuff, they stopped my girlfriend got right in her face, so I took her hand and pulled her away and they shouted stuff after that. All was going so well, until on the last day we arrived back at the train station to go back to the UK, and a French man came up to my girlfriend and started distracting her, and next thing a minute later I was paying for her food and train home from London because he'd taken her bank card. Luckily she was able to cancel her card a few minutes later. The only reason we were careful is because days before I left I was looking for videos like this and found you. Thanks for all the information! I will be travelling to the USA in December.
+Sonny Bailey that sucks for your friend. It's so tough because there are so many scams and they are always looking for someone who isn't paying attention for a moment. They got my wife once and it was so silly but it's true. Don't pay attention and it can happen. Glad you all weren't hurt. Big travel hug to you all
If anyone gets close to you even on a train station just put your hand out and say go away in whatever language/country your in as it gets alot of attention from passersby or near you.I've seen LookLooky guys and girls following drunk tourists in Spain NOT to rob them as they know not to do it in cetain areas also we were watching them.....anyway they followed the drunk lads to see if they drop any money or phone.There are big African ladies who force wrist bands on you which is way too tight to take off and say 10 Euro! You pay You pay and i've seen people who refuse and kick off trying to get the bands off but they all gather towards you in aggression forcing you to pay the pickpocket you! lol KEEP YOUR HANDS AND PURSE CLOSE TO YOU WHEN PASSING DODGY PEOPLE.
This is why everything important I have, (wallet, passport, pocketwatch, cellphone,) is attached to a metal chain connected to my belt. I'd like to see them try and take my trousers.
If you are at an ATM and you are with your friend/spouse... one of you faces the ATM and the other stands back-to-back with you with their head on swivel mode. Look everyone in the eye and sweep your eyes up and down... as though you are making a mental note of their clothing and face. On the Metro... keep your head up and sweep your eyes/head back and forth while you stand back-to-back with your partner. Learn the local words for "NO, STOP, HELP" We ran into a "rose seller" in Rome who was a little too aggressive for my liking. I yelled those three words at him and my wife immediately put her back to mine. He immediately moved away from us...
GM: "Enemy of the State" or "Territorial Pissings": either way, nice reference, bucko! BTW, you were never a serious threat to Nixon, Watergate was a hoax, and he was never out to get you.
A good no nonsense response if you notice a stranger's hand in your pocket or bag: *instantly* strike in that direction. Swing or kick before any other movement.
When you are on public transportation, PLEASE carry your backpacks and other things on your front. Not just to prevent getting slashed, but it's annoying and also considered rude if you keep your backpack on your back and bump into everyone who is standing behind and around you. Not ok.
A blind person bumped into my girlfriend one time. And I was like "wait, blind people actually dont bump into anything since they use their stick to move around." I asked my gf to check her belongings at the same time tracking the "blind" person. That same person bumped into someone else right away and I saw her hand move into the other persons jacket. Really sad that people fake disabilities to steal.
Being blind, I am more prone to be a pick pocket target in my day to day life in general. I have found that using a small fanny pack or cross body purse placed on the front of my body helpful. While using my cane, I keep my wrist centered in front of me. This would require a pickpocketer to dodge my moving wrist. Also, I try to be very self-aware. I also wear a whistle on my other wrist to blow if someone tries to hurt or steel from me. Besides, I think that many people would think twice about trying to steel from a girl with a four foot long stick.
The bird poop one was attempted on my yesterday in Amsterdam. Only, instead of bird poop, it was makeup. But, I remember watching this video on my way home from work back in Chicago a few months ago. As soon as the thief tapped my shoulder to indicate that there was a stain on my jacket, I took off. The two thieves were dumbfounded that their scheme did not work.
Yeah, after they told me that I told them there is bird poo on you to leave me the flock alone. Damn, I should become a thief. These guys get everything for their daily survival without getting a damn job. Hell, they would steal from their too.
Excellent video. These tips need to be reiterated often because the dangers are real and actually can be avoided. My personal list of most notorious places where pickpockets 100% guaranteed are always hanging out: -La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain -Spanish Steps, Rome, Italy -Tram 28, Lisbon, Portugal -Astronomical Clock, Prague, Czech Republic -Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA USA
The whole time he was talking, I was checking off in my head how many of these tricks are used on tourists in New Orleans. Of course, getting scammed or pickpocketed is one thing, getting robbed at knife or gunpoint is another. There are still ways to protect yourself though! I should make a video on that ....
Thank you for this info! ❤ I've never been pick pocketed- I'm a loudmouth! *GET* *AWAY* *FROM* *ME!!!* usually keeps unwanted people away. Yes, I look crazy- but the idea is to stay safe, so crazy works! 🤣
Hearing stuff like this makes me thankful that even in a city of 4 million people pickpocketing in Melbourne is unheard of. Cheers Mark, love your videos.
however all over Australia just as all over the world people get ripped off every day by not making their atm/credit cards RFID protected. People with card scanners in their pockets easily skim your cards information digitally and then make copies within an hour to use on the other side of the world in shops as they don’t need your cvv number from the back.
Our group (30 people) was in Paris on a tour. While we were listening a tour guide, one random guy got mixed up in our group. He pretended listening, acted like he was a part of our group but at the same time he was standing behind one of the ladies in our group and slowly stated removing a wallet from her bag. She felt that something was wrong and caught the guy. That was terrifying. Guys, be careful out there.
Come and visit us up here in Northern Norway. I've been living here for over 50 years, and I haven't heard about as much as a single incident of pickpocketing in the whole region :)
I have my money in a bag around my waist when visiting London from abroad. Therefore, it does look like I am pregnant and when entering a crowded tube train, someone gets up and offers me a seat.
It still happens from time to time, The equal opportunist or feminist has caused many men to discard the chivalrous behavior of old and simply abandon all decorum.
Before traveling, my parents gave me a tip they use to put sensitive things like passports, phone and big bank notes in a secure place, which is sewing a pocket on the top of your shorts or pants but from the inside, that way you are sure that no one can reach them except you
Money belts are easier and also contain RFID protection that a homemade pocket won't. Most people wear them wrong, though. Wear them INSIDE your pants.
NYC i never been robbed othe then a homeless guy trying to grab my bag off me...the thing is,,,half the people in the city walk around with an i phone sticking out of the back pocket..so thiefs...they dont really need to get into peoples pockets...they can get 30 phones an hour if they want to...but we have a police state environment..you wont last long doing that in nyc. you cant make a career out of it the police will get you enough times and run you out of town.
when I was in France this petition lady got mad at me and starting getting in my face because I said no and told her to go away 😂 like go get a real job
I saw a lot of this when I was in Paris- none in England. When I walked into the Paris train station for the first time, a woman with hoop earrings was on her phone just STARING at me, and not a minute later, a guy from the same ethnic group made his way right for me while I was standing in the middle of an empty hallway- so close, despite the space around me. So I just spun on an axis as soon as he got close :). Some kids tried the "survey trick" next to Notre Dame, but I wasn't going to take my hand out of my pocket to sign anything- I had my phone, wallet AND passport in the same front pocket, with my hand "trained" to always be there. Though I get suspicious of anyone whose first statement is "do you speak English?" Like, how would they know what when I'm IN PARIS? Another time, a guy slipped and fell on the stairs in a subway terminal. I stopped, looked all around me to see if anyone was close by, and then offered the minimum of help. That may have been legitimate, though, so I might have come off like a jerk :).
I can apply all that you said just where I live.. In Chicago you get people who walk up to you and offer "Free Advice" on safety, they ask for a little money.. The said mark will reach into his pocket and pull out his wallet.. The guy instantly looks inside to see what you have.. You give him what you think is fair, the door opens he grabs your wallet and runs, OR he follows you and either picks your pocket or catches you at an ATM and THEN robs you.. When on the go I do not carry my wallet where I would normally.. I also in some occasions carry 2 wallets, one for petty cash the other for ID and don't keep them in the same place.. On Transit I put my earphones on and sunglasses on, and if anyone were to approach me.. I just Ignore them but keep my eye on my surroundings either in front or back.. Hell if I tie my shoe on the street I always put my back to the wall.. I guess I'm a little too paranoid, but I have been robbed too many times and I don't trust anything..
I do not trust safes in hotels either. As there must be a master key or over ride code to gain access if customer loses key, is ill etc. I was on Malta and customers purchased a key to use on a wall security box / safe. Another couple we chatted too informed us when they moved room and asked about another safe key. Hotel informed them not to worry as the keys ate all the same ! I actually lock all my belongings inside my suit casewhich has a travel steel cable that wraps around and then I chain it to radiator, pipes, the bed, any that can not be moved out of the room. I trust no one with my valuables , sad I know,....
We arrived in Europe a couple of weeks ago and we were aware that pickpocketing is common but didn''t know exactly what ruses were common. Good to know what to look out for. Thanks as always for the helpful tips!
While in Paris a guy tried to steal my watch. Oddly, he didn't even care to use any of the more discreet methods mentioned in the video, he just attempted to flat-out grab the watch and break it free by pulling. He probably thought it would be a fraction of a second deal but the wristband didn't break and found himself stuck by his fingers to the wristband. For a moment, he just looked at me not really knowing what to do as he tried to free his hand. My first reaction was to hit him very hard on the wrist, probably hard enough to break it (shouldn't have done that). He surely wasn't expecting it, screamed in pain and took off. I still have the watch - and today yes, I do know better: confrontation with those guys is *always* the worst choice. It is best to just conceal valuables (or leave them home altogether) and carry just enough money for the day's tour in the pant's front pocket.
I always wear an inexpensive-looking watch when traveling and leave the valuable watches/jewelry/etc.locked down at home. I've heard one or two snide remarks from other tourists decked out in designer items, but frankly I don't care-I'd prefer not to get mugged. Thieves are more likely to make a beeline for them and bypass me. Actually, traveling can be hard on clothing and jewelry, so I never take anything I'd be upset about if it happened to get damaged or lost.
good for you man. they did similar thing to me but it was 6 people at once on me, i couldnt keep them off. they nearly killed me. nobodys laid their hands on me my entire life before that.
you forgot the "hugger mugger"; when you're pissed up, and a mugger will come up to dance and hug you, whilst relieving you of your possessions. it happened to me in Berlin, I was wise to it and pushed him of quickly. he managed to take my phone and disappear into the crowded Street. I found him (and his mates) after 10 minutes of searching, and (stupidly) physically confronted him (reverse mugging lol!), then the fucker pepper sprayed me!!!! IRONY! at least it wasn't a knife to the jugular!
There are some really smart big pockets in the markets of Moscow. They have hang out the sign literally saying "beware of pickpockets!" At the entrance. So that people coming subconsciously touched the places where valuables were and they had known where exactly to sneak in. Brilliant, isn't it?
I live in Romania, a country notorious for pick-pocketing as well as exporting thieves in other countries in Europe. I have therefore quite a bit of experience in preventing and identifying both pickpockets and risky situations. I'm not saying your list is wrong, but it is quite long and hard to stick to. It's easier to reduce it to a couple of simpler ones. 1. Attention focusing--- Firstly all money and important papers go into your wallet and your wallet goes into your front pocket. Phone goes in the other one. Protect your front pockets, don't get distracted. You cannot pay attention to all of your pockets and to the performer in front of you and the backpack. You cannot protect backpacks. stop trying. You can protect a shoulder bag by rotating it in front of you in a crowded bus , but you should limit your area of protection directly in front of you. In fact it's considered rude to have your backpack on your back in crowded buses and trains. you can easily hit someone or prevent them from moving freely in the bus. Your phone should do decent photos. Wanna carry an expensive DSLR? Focus your atention to it then and don't carry anything else. Put it around your neck and dedicate your time to those photos 2. Deter attempts - Stop trying to be nice to strangers. If someone comes to close, "dude, give me some space" is expected and normal. It's not rude, it's punishing unacceptable behavior. If someone asks you a question on the streets don't just say, "I'm so sorry, but I don't know the area" with a big smile on your face. Doing that you're just telling them "I'm to shy to react if you're slowly creeping close to distract me and steal my phone". Point them towards a shop and say: "dunno, ask that shopkeeper" and look at them as if you have no idea why the hell they'd ask someone on the street who might as well be from Australia. There are a lot of salesmen, shop guards and generally working people doing their jobs you can ask for directions who are guaranteed to know the area since they work there. Why would anyone ask a tourist for directions? And believe me, pickpockets can smell a tourist. 3. Pass as a local (or at least someone who knows well what he's doing)- If you're wearing clothes you wouldn't be able to wear at work, you won't pass as a local. Don't wear shorts unless you're 16 yo. Don't carry backpacks. You're not in a fucking desert. There are food and drinks at any corner. Leave your belongings at a hotel.
This comment is great and to the point! Especially “keep your wallet and phone in front pockets.” That was the first really obvious lesson that I learned when traveling to foreign countries. Only carry enough cash that you will spend in a day or night. One that many people might not think of especially in third world countries is watch where you’re walking at all times! I’ve seen sidewalks in Jakarta, Indonesia that had holes in them with raw sewage pouring underneath. Talk about a nasty infection waiting to happen! I was also in Bangkok Thailand and just stepped out of a 5 star hotel and was nearly mowed down by a motorcycle on the sidewalk running just a foot or two away from the door! The bottom line is “watch your own ass at all times and take care of your own business!”
Great video thanks for sharing your knowledge! I was pick pocketed on a train in Italy and was sooo bummed I fell for it. Thing is the thief was actually rather clumsy and obvious now that I look back on it (wallet was in my zippered front pants pocket, which I thought was a good spot, now it’s ALWAYS tethered even in my home town ), but as it was happening I had NO CLUE. He distracted me with his weirdness but I want to say that AT THAT MOMENT I just had no clue. These thiefs are fast and practiced and you may think it can’t happen to you so yes, really watch out and if ANYTHING is “off” it might be happening to you right at that moment. The key like you say early on, is their quick get-away: when you realize it’s happening they’ve already gone. With your stuff.
A lady tried to get me at the Termini Metro station. She had a "baby" in a front carrier covered in a blank. It's was CROWDED, and I felt a tug on my purse. I have street smarts so, I grabbed the pole on the train & I usually hold my purse w/the other. Low n behold I grabbed her hand,not my purse strap!!!! She had the wallet but I twisted her hand so she dropped it back in my bag. We had only been there 15mins l! Right off the plane! Could've financially ruined our trip
2107aka should’ve kissed her right on the lips... stole her love. Take her out for a nice dinner, say you had a great time.. ect. Then never call her again. The perfect crime
@@lauraz2896 Yes, and if you're going to Europe you just plain can't. There's a pattern on Euro notes (as well as some other currencies) that all printers are designed to recognise and to not allow that thing to be printed.
Get a cheap wallet from the dollar store and fill it with Monopoly money and fake cards. So when they pull it out of your back pocket they feel like they got something. They'll find out later what happened
Because of this video I didn't get robbed yesterday on the Saint Denis station and in Paris. To make it short, lots of people I let my wife first in the train, second my son and when it was my turn 2 guys pushed me extremeley hard into the train at the same time two other guys were going thru pockets I felt them right away and one of them got a hold of my wallet his hand was still in my pocket holding the wallet when I quickly reached and grabbed his wrist and squeezed while twisting until he let go and yelled "merde!", all this happened in seconds, once inside the train I signaled my son to be alert, when we arrived to Gare du Nord they were still watching us and decided to wait until rhey were gone.
I was with a group of guys in Prague a couple years ago and two men walked up to us and started making small talk. Appeared very friendly and they were asking my friends where we were from, where we are staying, how long we will be in Prague, etc. I had a strong feeling we were being conned but couldn't figure it out. Then they said can exchange our Euros for Czech Kronas at a better rate than the exchange houses. I was dead against it but my friends thought it wasn't a bad idea. These two guys said if you don't trust us, we will give you the Kronas first and if you're convinced it's real, we can hand over our Euros. I took the bills they handed us and inspected them. It looked legit and had watermarks and everything. It looked like Russian writing so it looked legit. So after they exchanged about 400 Euros,we went to spend our Kronas on some lunch and when we went to pay, lo and behold the cashier told us the cash we had were not Kronas!! After I did some googling, it turned out we were indeed given real money but it wasn't Czech Kronas but Belarusian Rubles (basically 13500 for 1 EUR - probably cheaper than toilet paper!). So were pissed for an hour but shook it off to enjoy the rest of our trip. Just wanted to share this in case it saves even one person!
As an elderly woman, I have travelled to numerous overseas places during the last 10 years. One experience in Venice scared me witless. We were making our way along the waterfront looking for our hotel and, of course, there are numerous overpasses up and over smaller canals. So there we are, two oldies (ladies) struggling with suitcases up and down stairs and we had to have a rest after each lot of steps. Suddenly 2 young men raced passed us and literally tore the bags out of our hands and raced full gallop ahead! We were devastated and ran as fast (very slow) as we could after them. Two bridges later there they were sitting on the bottom of the steps chiding us (in broken English) for being so slow. What hotel are you staying at they asked and before we could obtain our suitcases, off they raced again. We got to the hotel and joy oh joy there were our suitcases - everything was inside, nothing touched or stolen, and 2 young guys sitting waiting for a tip which was well worth it.
Saw a horde of girls (some pregnant) at a park outside notre dame. They said "Do you speak English?" and had clipboards. Then the military police patrol comes around and they start heading off in the other direction. Pretty funny stuff.
Great tips. I've travelled alone in France, Spain, Italy etc and have had no problems. The biggest thing is for you to be vigilant. I downloaded my maps offline and just zipped my phone in a inside pocket with one earphone in the ear . As far as people were concerned I was walking around listening to music like the other "youngsters". Try and plan at least some of your route ahead of time so as not to have to refer to often to your maps. Again just remain vigilant but enjoy the trip
@@glenc6287 good! thats what I want!!! Some people want to b victims some people stand up. The world needs both. What would all the thieves do If there were no victims?
Very interesting video! With #5, I literally was someone helping tourists - so sometimes it IS a friendly local. That being said, please, PLEASE, people, still pay attention to your things. I had an English speaking tourist ask me at a bank how to draw money from an ATM, and of course helped her, but I could have seen her typing in her code if I had wanted to (I had turned away, because of course I wouldn't look at that OR her bank account balance), because she literally wanted to keep me close to help explain things, even though I already helped her change the language (and no, she was not a grandma). After she had withdrawn her money, she thanked me, but I remined her that she should really be much more careful in the future, even though I live in a pretty safe country, even I have suffered pickpocketing as a teen.
My mom had her purse straps cut in NYC but she had a good grip on the bag and didn't lose it. I had my purse stolen from a hospice room in a hospital. It was later found by security in a store room that only staff had access to. Thieves everywhere.
I was pickpocketted in St. Petersburg, Russia, and what you're saying is exactly what happened to me. I had just arrived by train from Moscow and was taking the metro to my hotel right at rush hour and a group of four or five guys crowded me. They did the sandwich technique, lifted my wallet, and pried open the doors right away. Before I knew it, they were gone and I was robbed. By the time I got to my hotel to call my credit card companies I found out they attempted to charge over $2,000 worth of jewelry and luggage. It was a real pain but it made me a smarter traveller in the long run
I have lived for many years in Chicago. I had my wallet stolen in the federal immigration building in a turnpike door, the day I became a US citizen when I was leaving thje building. It was before all the security involved nowadays. I had it stolen again in a turnpike door buying St. Patrick day cards, and a third time on the Metra in Chicago chitchatting with an elegant gentleman who had told me he was a professor at the University of Chicago. I have learnt a lot from these experiences. My point pickpockets are not reserved for Europe but also the US and all over the World.
A trick I do is wear a small crossbody inside of my coat so it's closer to my body and not accessible to anyone else or also for the men they can put their things in the inner pockets of their coats exclusively
Problem is some people just don't pay attention....they may be wearing a crossbody bags (men & women), but hten they will put the bag itself behind them, so it defeats the purpose of having that kind of bag.
Barcelona was terrible. My host gave me directions to his house by Metro. I was literally attacked on the Metro. And then it was flagrant pick pocketing attempts--one after the next. I'm hoping to avoid this in London.
Khanh Ho Spain was pretty bad with my taxi driver experience. My fare was 20euro. By the time we arrived at the hotel the driver pressed the metre machine and it went to 38euro. We gave him 100 euro and he took off without giving us the change. Biggest thieves ever. Watch out for the taxi drivers in Spain and ask to see the metre working.
When I went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, I grabbed my wallet and put it inside my bra. I didn't care about how weird I looked, at least my wallet was safe ❤
I have studied this for years. I leave a separate ATM and totally different Credit card with a different bank and the bulk of any cash back in the hotel room. I use a bankers bag, which has a lock on it and will fit in the room safe. I also place medications and passport in this. If someone is pilfering hotel safes for some cash and copying credit card numbers, this method stops them. I also put a asset tracker Tile secretly tucked under the lock so you can potential track it if stolen. I never carry (ever) a common fat fold wallet. I use a money clip for cash. My credit card, one atm card and ID are in a front pocket micro wallet. Never use back pockets for anything. If I were to be held up on the street, I have the at my own risk option of taking out the money clip and flinging it to one side as I exit the opposite way. They want the cash and not a confrontation. If it’s at gun point, or they are hyped up, I would just give them everything. Hotels also offer guests safes at the front desk. Don’t use luggage as a safe. I lock my computer down in the room with a cable lock and often loop the cable through luggage handles. It’s best that the cable run through furniture if available. My computer is backed up in the cloud, I use a long password and encrypt the drive. All sensitive data is also password encrypted such as Word and Excel docs. Only carry what you absolutely need. Backpacks are people carrying a lot of unnecessary items, except for a simple hoodie, etc. NO valuables. Have redundancy back at the hotel. Never engage with strangers unless you initiate it. Stay 3 feet (1meter) away from others and avoid being in funnels of people. If someone gets too close slap your hand down on your wallet pocket and if you are suspicious say NO directly at them. If you must engage in a conversation don’t let anyone behind you get close. The biggest problem in Europe is the lack of law-enforcement penalties for pickpockets. They really don’t lock these people up much and they’re out of the street again and again. A three strikes rule would probably go along way. A three strikes rule means that you go to jail for a specific period of time minimum such as of six months or a year. Btw, this was a good video. There’s a good videos to look at especially right before I leave for a trip because you’ll get the pointers back that you probably forgot, Always be on your guard because that’s the number one thing that people don’t want to confront. If you’re using your cell phone or your texting a lot you’re probably going to be a victim. It’s all at your own risk.
You have to be aware of your surrounding but you don't need to be scare or stressed out. If you are you will probably only attract predators by looking weird. It's always better to look confident. Another thing is: a lot of predators will approach you but not all the people approaching you are predators. What I mean is: don't cut yourself from the people, spending some time with the locals can be the best experience of your trip.
I had #11 happen to me in Pisa a few months ago. As I was exporting the streets a few guys in the street were standing around talking to people passing by. One of them approached my and asked me to sign a petition against drugs. I tried to decline but he kept pressing and asking why I didn't want to support being against drugs and I told him that I use drugs myself just so he could leave me alone.
fjuiz34 lol that’s what I do to those losers too! Except I actually support opiates and the legalization and use of them for certain people like myself who need them to function.
Choice of bag also helps in this situation. Like a lot of people have been saying, a fanny pack is smart and safe. I have a shoulder bag with a long flap that hangs over the zipper and I always carry it flap towards my body in public so it would very difficult for a passerby to reach into my bag. The cutting method is crazy though. And it’s scary these people work in teams.
This was an absolutely excellent video. The two biggest mistakes that people make, is that they overestimate the honesty of people around them (not listening to one's gut) and they don't pay attention to what's happening around them. Watch, make eye contact with anyone looking at you, don't look like prey (posture). Thanks for this man.
Anytime someone (or some people) is causing unnecessary crowding, look out. Like, there's a subway car with plenty of empty seats and space, but the person in the front of the line, while boarding, takes his sweet time and stands by the door, causing those behind to unnecessarily crowd against him. Normal people go straight in and find a seat or a spot that's out of the way of others.
I love you man. You’re such a good dude. We need more guys like you in this world. So many youtubers make their channels making life shittier but you make it better with all your videos. I just wish I had the means to travel as much as you. But if I did, I’d check in with your channel for advice every time.
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Denell L. Bennett Survivor/Warrior Travelon bags are also very good and have the slash proof feature as well as RFID protection for your credit cards and passport, and locking zippers.
My mother travelled in Europe and she told me to always carry two wallets. One that is accessible to the thief and the other well hidden. Put in a few dollars (or local currency) in the “fake” wallet to satisfy the thief.
A tip also that i heard of on mainland Europe, this would happen on a stop train at many halts. Two would work as a team, If you sit by a window that can open then the trap is set. First one would sit near you and see what bags you have and would have a newspaper, while a second is not too far from you, at the next stop the one sitting near you would go out of the train and leave the newspaper on the seat, once outside he would knock the window and ask you to pass his newspaper out and as you are reaching out to give the newspaper the second would take a bag from you and hurry out the other door.
I remember years ago a guy I spoke to said he was in France, and pickpockets swarmed around him. He had an old wallet in his other pocket away from his real wallet, which he kept his hand over. When he was robbed, he managed to see who did it and the look on their face because he filled an old dummy wallet with old faded monopoly money folded in two and some worthless cards that were well out of date and had the names removed, plus a small card with 'Better Luck Next Time 😆' written on it.
