Barcelona SCAMS: Tips For Avoiding Crime and Pickpockets in Spain. 

when i went to barcelona a guy approached me in the metro and asked for a lighter. i found the fact that he was smoking in a non smoking zone quite interesting so i innocently decided to hand him the lighter. he then proceeded to thank me with a hug and a little dance. luckily, a guy that was walking next to us at the same time came closer and said “he took your phone”. i ran like crazy shouting “police, police” and got to a bifurcation. heard someone saying he had taken the right path and instinctively followed it but then i heard dissonant voices saying the opposite. in less than a second my mind actually processed that the one person saying to go to the right was probably with the thief and when i came back to the second corridor the filthy thief was coming back running in my direction. thankfully i was able to grab him by the coat and get my phone back, but only because i was extremely lucky

As an experienced traveller I would add one more advice: if you don't look wealthy, you will not be targeted by the scammers and pickpockets. It works for us every time. ;)

As a former security officer in Barcelona subway I must say that you just delivered a quite good tips. It's all about applying common sense, being cautious and trust no one. Be careful with having too much alcohol (lose control) specially in areas with hookers around mainly in Ramblas area at night. Golden rule: Never confront anyone in case somebody is trying to assault you or something worse and call the police (dial 112). In case is inevitable, defend yourself, run to a safe place and dial 112. That's it, same rules I used when I went to the States and worked good for me. Enjoy your time in Barcelona, such a wonderful place to visit.

Id like to add one more from a personal experience. I was waiting for a train (not Metro) from BCN to Sitges. There were only a few people on the entire platform and i saw 3 people who were standing/sitting quite apart from one another. 2 were wearing plain street clothes and 1 was wearing a suit. But something was telling me these 3 people were a group. When the train arrived and the doors opened, there were these 2 British guys getting on the train and those 3 guys, with all the door they could choose, decided to follow the 2 guys, rushing and pushing them onto the train. I went and followed them and sure enough I saw one of them sneaked his hand into one of the guy's jacket pocket and took out his wallet. I quickly yelled at the guy and the Brit turned around and snatched his wallet back off of the pickpocket's hand. The trio stayed on the train and got off in the next stop but were giving me the dirty look the whole time. I accidentally bumped into the 2 guys later that night at a pub and they bought me a beer as a thank you. lol

I’ve been to Barcelona many times and everything he’s saying is true to the last word

I currently live in Barcelona.. everything he was saying is true, foreigners get treated like money magnets here.

When we were in Europe my husband turned down every offer one of these scammers. he threw roses, wrist straps, light up balls, and other items on the ground when they wouldn't take their "free" gifts " back. They would curse in a foreign language but who cares. When they would come up to us he would yell " go away" That worked a lot.

In regards to "overly friendly" people approaching me, I have been approached in a similar manner in New York City numerous times. When asked where I am from, I usually say "West Chickenbutt Nebraska USA" or "Juba, South Sudan" and let them try to relate to me.

What I hate most about scammers, is that they ruin genuine human contact. Like, I'd love it if some dude jumped in a picture and we had this quick, spontaneous back n forth and went on our merry way. But now, I would have to block it from happening - regardless of their motive.

If you really want to avoid any of these problems the best thing you can do is come to visit Japan instead. I personally have dropped my wallet with over $2,500 and it was actually taken to a police station, money untouched. I know, unbelievable to some... but true!

My wife and have been to Europe many times. Spain Italy France Germany and UK. His advice is pure gold. We have many attempts with most of these scams and never been taken. Have learned through experience. Exactly as he explains. This video should be a training video for anyone visiting anywhere in Europe for the first time.

A few years ago, my wife and I went to Barcelona. It’s an amazing city with great architecture, art and amazing food! That said, pickpockets and shady people are everywhere and no matter what you do, they know you’re a tourist. We were followed by a couple of teenagers for several metro stations and were only able to lose them by pretending to go out of the train just to jump back in when the doors were closing. I would add to the video’s advices to split your cash into different pockets and always be aware of your surroundings.

I’ve been all my life living in Barcelona, and as a citizen, I can give you some tips: -Watch your things, but don’t overprotect them. Just be aware where they are, but don’t stand on the underground hugging your backpack like you are carrying a million dollars with you. -Most of the robberies are committed in the underground or railway. Casually watch your bag or backpack when you are traveling, but don’t try too hard -Don’t be scared of street performers that have real talent. They are just musicians or artists trying to show their work. Anyway it’s a great tip to still watch your belongings. -Enjoy this city, and try to know as many citizens as you can. Have fun and talk to a lot of people. Everyone here is helpful and nice. Just make sure that if you meet someone you don’t know go to a very busy place. Finally, don’t be afraid to travel. Time is limited and live is short. Last but not least, you will always be welcomed in our city!

Never bring the passport with you an the streets. You will perhaps never need to show an ID, but if you need so, just bring a photocopy with you. Also have a photocopy of your credit card AND have with you the phone number to call to block it. And keep everything in a quality belt bag with a thick solid strap to it, purses are at risk, they can cut through them from behind. NEVER stop to talk/argue/help/answer/greet with anyone unless you want to talk with someone of our choice.

I live in Barcelona, and I can confirm the scam related to “I’m lost, I need to use your phone”. This way stopped me, started to talk really fast to me in a perfect English, making up a story that didn’t make sense, and at the end asked to use my phone. I told him several time to go to an hotel or a bar and use their phones but, not surprisingly, he ignored me. I use my phone for work, in no scenario I will give my phone to a stranger 😌.

I’m super drunk and have absolutely zero intention on visiting Europe. This video is amazing! Thank you!

And when you're in the metro wear your backpack back to front, meaning backpack is resting on your chest. 🤣👍

I was in barcelona at a irish bar off of la rambla . Outside smoking and someone came up to me trying to hand out flyers for a concert . He gave me a flyer for the show and gave me a hug . I went back inside the bar and ordered a drink, that’s when I noticed my wallet had been taken !!!! Boom it was that easy

This is brilliant thank you for making us aware. When you’re innocently wandering around you’re vulnerable 👍🏻🥰🙋🏻‍♀️ thanks again ❤

This is is such an informative video, thankyou! Going to Barcelona in 2 weeks, I thought I was clued up on the Barcelona scams but there were a few I didn’t know about! Thanks!

I'm very tempted to just put a snake in bag and let them pickpocket me.

I love how he screams "Don't buy a thing at Las Ramblas" standing in the center of crowded Las Ramblas

Regarding la Rambla, the reason it is so popular is simply because it actually was a very popular spot amongst the locals. Having some relatives living there, I have been going to Barcelona since the 1990's, and we used to walk from Plaça Catalunya all the way to the harbour all the time. We usually bought a newspaper there and sometimes stopped at la Boqueria to get some ham or cheese. Unfortunately, since the 2010's decade, la Rambla has become very "Disneylandified" i would say. Walking there isn't particularly pleasant now. There is however one thing that IS actually worthy in la Rambla, and that's the Carrefour supermarket located on the upper side. It is a very convenient way to get groceries whilst in the city centre - and although it is more catered to tourists, they still have the decency to have the same prices as in any other Carrefour Market (yes, I did check for some products). But yes, aside from this - definitely shop and eat somewhere else.

When I visited Barcelona, it was still in locked down period. I asked a person to take my pic and that person told me dont give your mobile to anyone there are so many thieves.

I grew up in London and most of this is common sense to me, but this video should be compulsory viewing for anyone visiting a European city! Don't get me wrong, Europe is generally very safe, but scam artists are very common. I am always shocked by how some visitors behave; having all their valuables on show, phones sticking out of their pockets, wallets in the back pocket, backpacks with valuables clearly accessible via zipped pockets. Great video! Thanks for making this.

“Ok let’s take a look at one of these pasty punks in action” Destroyed me 😂😂💀

Thank you so much for these scam tips. I love visiting Europe and can use the heads up 👍🏾

Travelling soon to Barcelona and found your video. Loved it! Thanks for the heads up.

True story..I was at the traffic lights near the famous church. This guy came up and was eyeing up my bag. He attempted to get it and I grabbed it, flung the bag off my shoulder and offered it to him..screaming...take the f..king bag. He was so shocked that he ran away. Other than that, I had a very nice day.

Literally such good tips!! I’m currently travelling in Barcelona and I was almost the victim of a pickpocket team of two men trying to shove flyers in my face on a side street near Las Ramblas. Thanks for the tips and all the great travel content 😊👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Heading to Barcelona tomorrow. Will be my first time traveling in Europe alone! Feeling excited and anxious. Your video helps a lot. Thanks!

Thanks for this video mate. Next week I am travelling to Barcelona and this video was very helpful to be aware of..

One could always place a string of fish hooks inside an open knapsack worn on your back.. wait for the screams

Well, you've described 95% of my city's obscure side. Well done there. We need to clean this city from those Scammers.

Thanks for the tips! Always nice to know some specifics before traveling

Just back from Barcelona and I can confirm all of the information in this video is 100% correct. Stay the hell away from the main street of La Rambles. It's awful, keep on the side streets. Research places to eat, look for where the locals eat. It's a city full of thieves. Trust nobody

" Las Ramblas should be avoided at all cost " Absolutely 100% true !!!! I was born in BCN . . . believe me, I know THAT far too well . Thanks so much for your valuable insight and great video !!!

I got off a bus coming from France, went in a metro with my luggage to recharge a bus card. Girls buying tickets a the machine next to me must have been watching where I kept my money. As soon as I was done I went to escalators to go back to ground level, a girl that was waiting next to escalators hopped in front of me thus blocking me from going up faster, I was so lucky because my camera bag has very noisy anti theft Velcro opening. As soon as I heard it I turned around and saw one of the earlier 2 girls buying tickets pulling her arm back . In that bag was all my cash and credit cards ( that wasn't smart). Without that noise I would have been a bum with no money less than an hour after getting there.

I have just spent a week in Barcelona city and even though this video is 2yrs ago! I’m pleased I watched this and took advice! Nothing has changed the exact scammers are still there! This video kept me safe and alert to the disgusting cruel scammers! I was more aware and sorted the scammers before they got me! Many thanks for your valuable advice. xxx

Xlnt informative (if not concerning) video... We go for out first visit next week, this video has helped greatly, thank you.

When I go on holiday if any scammers try and talk to me I just pretend to speak Russian. It works every time and they leave me alone 😂😂

Wow, that was an eye-opener! Nice to know these things.

This guy knows his business! absolutely great advice for tourists !

Thanks for this video man. I’m studying abroad in Barcelona soon so this really helped :)

Do not ignore this: thieves will also cut your backpack (cut the bottom, the sides...) to get to your belongings, so do not think only at outside pockets.

I've been to BCN twice, once with a male friend and once with a female friend. I felt safe and nothing bad happened. This was over 5 years ago, so things might have changed. Travelled everywhere on the metro, went to all the tourist sites etc. Best tip I can give is, if you feel uncomfortable, do not hesitate in getting visibly annoyed and telling them to back off. Other tourists will notice and often step in to help, if not the local residents and legitimate business owners. All else fails, just call the police, that will make them run!

Thanak you for alerting the public in general. There are scams everywhere.

Great advice. Once you start to lookouts for these things it becomes much more obvious to spot. I noticed a lot of people looking us up and down when walking around. I find it helps if they see you make direct eye contact with them. In close quarters i always kept my hand on my phone and i had a cross body bag for anything else

I lived in Barca for several months. Some of the sports we participated in was pickpocket fishing. We would wave our empty wallets about and pretend we were lost 😄to see how many would flock towards us. Avoid las ramblas, best place is the old town off princessa. They mostly Moroccans, Algerians. Rarely Spanish or Catalan. The police doesn't look into theft below €3-400, so theft is big business.

Me who will most likely never leave the house in my entire life: Also me: *Hmm interesting*

Thanks!! for the heads up. We will be therer by first week of May. Hopefully it's gonna be a fun vacation coming off cruise.

I'll be in Barcelona next week, very valuable info, took close atention to your advice, thank's for sharing!

First video of you I watched and clicked subscribe afterwards. You have such friendly vibe to you. And thanks for the info too!

Oh, yeah the one with "Where are you from?" "Oh I got a cousin living there, very nice country, nice people." "How long you stay?" etc... Then there comes the scam...

Thanks for the helpful tips Brent. I was in Paris a few years ago and I thought that I was prepared. I let my guard down when I went to Paris Disneyland thinking it would be safe. That was when I got my mobile phone stolen. I have an upcoming trip to Barcelona and I'm trying to out how to prepare and ran across your useful video. Great job!

This is quite helpful to know. I am a first time visitor and these are some of the important tips for me. Thanks!

Geez, I'd be soooo busy watching out for scammers my holiday would be over and I'd not have an actual vacation....

funny how in Japan or Hong Kong, the metros can get very packed, but no one will worry a slight bit about being pickpocketed...

i love this guy's vibe, he seems so friendly and well spoken!

Thanks for you recommendations! I'm going to Barcelona with friends in June. I'm sharing this with them and on my social media. You have a LOT of energy and you keep us laughing too. Gracias!

I wish I have seen this video earlier, our passports got stolen ( the only time we kept them In the bag) along with our camera and other stuffs . Most traumatising experience for us . I was being over smart thinking it’s Europe, how bad it’s gonna be but was I so wrong! All of the things you said were absolutely right. Thanks for making the video and spreading awareness ❤️

Great advice, thank you. Im excited to visit there in a month!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Great advice! 🙏🏽😇🤓🙋🏽‍♀️

Thank you very much for very useful information. I am going to there this month. It's very helpful for me to prepare myself.

I’ve made long visits to Barcelona twice and it’s my favorite city in the world. But it is rife with pickpocketers! Nearly every trip on the metro, after exiting the train, either I or one of my companions found an outer pocket zipper on one of our bags unzipped. Needless to say, we already knew the drill and kept those pockets empty. Couple of other tips ... don’t leave your phone or wallet out on the table in a restaurant, and don’t hang your bag over the back of your chair. Even though Barcelona feels very safe, it’s not necessarily a good idea to walk back to your hotel alone past two in the morning. Buses and the metro run very late most nights and are easy to use, so use them, and if it’s after those hours, get a cab. Another idea is to wear your backpack on the front instead of on the back. Yes, it looks silly, but at least you don’t have to worry about what’s going on behind you! Enjoy beautiful Barcelona when you can travel there again, and don’t be scared. Just take precautions and be aware.

Dude I’m from Istanbul I thought we had scams and thieves but Barcelona definitely takes the prize home. It’s sad the government has accepted the loss

Great video, you helped so many people who travel to Barcelona and get easily distracted by everything, while scammers and thieves get advantage and do their dirty work.

Incredibly useful! Very well explained. Thanks for sharing

Excellent educational advice based on experience. Thanks for your time efforts and sincerity.

Thank you for the tip on the ATM. I started using local bank ones when I've visited the country. Still, my heart is with Spain!

Excellent video! Honestly everyone travelling to Europe in general should watch this video just to make sure your eyes are opened before it's too late😉

Thanks for sharing this video and helpful tips! Taking notes. 😊😊

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to Barcelona in a few weeks and will be total alert to prevent from these scams. Great job!

Thanks for all your help, your video was very informative and will help fellow travelers. You have done a great service.

Hello everyone, I just wanted to say to whoever is reading this, please trust and follow Brent's guide fully. He's done an amazing job explaining so much in this video. I recently came back from Spain, and this video was amazingly accurate, not only about the types of scams, but we actually saw the EXACT same people from this video. In Las Rambla, we saw the EXACT same two people that you can see in this video, they approached us and we immediately shut them down and at the park we sat and watched the coconut man bother tourist after tourist, demanding money and getting angry at them, over and over again, it's unbelievable. People, please do NOT fall for such scams, and as Brent says, why would you take food, that's not packaged and being held in the sun all day from a stranger. I felt sorry for the people we did see taking that coconut. I would like to say a huge thank you to Brent, if it wasn't for him and this very very informative video, then we wouldn't of known about these people that sadly ruin these beautiful locations. Also for people that are worried and scared about being pickpocketed in a crowded place ( which in Barcelona, you will find yourself in such places very often ), don't worry. Anyone with half decent logic, is safe. Travel with minimal items, always have your stuff in front pockets or in bags with inside zippers, and honestly, just be aware of your surroundings and you'll be fine. In 3 days we travelled so much, visited most of the major sightseeing locations and overall had a fantastic time. Again, thank you so much Brent, I hope you see this, you helped me and probaly thousands, if not millions of other travellers that just want to have a pleasant experience! Much love!

Very helpful and concise. Still, the surprise disarms many, even informed ones.

I’m only two minutes into your video and this is already one of the greatest produced awareness videos I’ve seen virtually all of them

I found your educational video super good, and should actually be shown by every airline in order to mislead tourists. Your educational video is super well done. These scammers now believe they have the right to cheat unsuspecting tourists where, when, and how.

Omg,,, Thanks for all the great info. Have a blessed Friday Jan 19, 2023

Going to barcelona this weekend. Thx for all the tips!

There was a really cool series I watched called "Scam City" where dude went to popular main cities to expose and inform about the scams. All the ones shown in your video were on it, I especially remember the dancing paper characters.

Great review and great sound advice, not just for any country, for all travels

Thanks for this, useful video! I won’t be stopping anywhere on Las Ramblas

I live just outside Barcelona and I agree with everything he's saying. Though he does kind of paint a picture of there being swarms of pickpockets in all the hot tourist zones as well as the metro. They are simply their favourite places as its easy to carry out their thefts, disappear in the crowds and select their next victim. In the bigger metro stations there are special police teams dedicated to identifying pickpockets and, in fact, there are some civilians who have their own methods for loudly pointing out the known offenders to the general public. The best advice is to just use common sense - when you're out and about take only what's necessary, be careful where you go flaunting your phone and just say "NO, GRACIAS!" to people who approach you.

You should come patrol with us. 💪🏻

Some very useful tips here. Most of them also apply to a visit to any foreign/tourist location. For example, the girl wanting to learn English scam in China is known as the "teahouse scam". Victim is lured to a tea house and hit with an extortionate bill, followed up by threats for non-payment. Maybe, if you think anyone is trying to scam you, don't be afraid to shout, get angry, be confrontational, if it is safe to do so. That worked for me with a taxi driver who tried to drive me to a rip-off jewellery shop, instead of my hotel. It might not be behaviour that you would do at home but when you're faced by a potential scammer, do it - it draws attention, which is not what they want. I must admit that I've eaten in a few tourist trap restaurants myself. I'm going to try to avoid them in future trips that I take, as Covid (hopefully) starts to ease. Stay safe, everyone and happy travels!

Great video my wife and I have a trip planned soon, thanks for the heads up and tips

Child you are soooo right in every respect ….very informative…I live in a big city and know the drill. Stay safe and watch your back …I see folks watching you from behind on every street you have been on (especially Rambas the main drag)in this video. Don’t for a minute disregard the fact that they may know who you are as a You Tuber “doing the tell on them”!

Nice, Nice, Nice! Why are you not at 1 million subs?? I've experienced similar scams but dealing with "free" bracelets while vlogging in Rome, Italy JUST recently. Thanks @SnackChat Live for pointing out these types of scams and going in depth. Keep up the great work. 👍🏽

“Vermin” lol 😝 🤣🤣.. you’re awesome!

The whistling reminds me of the communication used by those on La Gomera in the Canary Islands, perhaps it was influenced by that, unfortunately, in a bad way. Glad you have informed us of these scammers. There is always someone looking to get what someone has worked for instead of actually getting legitimate work. Keep the videos coming, you do well with the presentation.

Used to live in Barcelona, and have been back many times!! This guy is 100% Spot On! Keep your valuables safe and you head on a Swivel !! I still consider Barcelona to be my Home Away from Home!😍😍

I’m going to go with my family in January I think and this helped me a lot! Hope these scams GO AWAY SOON!

I love this video. It's great to see for people who are traveling abroad. When I was in Spain, there was a gypsy scam where they would come up to you in a group and give you a coin or a branch of herbs as a persent. Then they would demand money. At times they would simply demand money and when you would pull out a few euros all you has left in your hand was those few euros and your wallet went running with down the street. I actually saw it happening.

Thanks so much for these tips. 🙏🏼🙌🏼

Excellent advices. Thank you for what you are doing.

Social distancing pickpockets have all gone out of business lol

Great advice!!! Thank you!

Thanks for the tips. I am heading to Barcelona soon and they will help me stay safe.

As a Barcelonian thanks for letting tourists know that. Crooks are all over the tourists paths.