Tag Archives: tourists

Westerners visiting developing countries can often have life-changing experiences. Unfortunately, tourists can also find themselves as targets of crime or scams. These travel safety tips for visiting developing or third-world countries can help you have a safer experience.

Locals know that you have more money and valuables than they do. They also know you have less recourse if you are victimized. Consider these travel safety tips when visiting developing countries and investigate your destination before you travel.

Common Scams in Developing Countries

Fake police. People who own a police badge and even a uniform may be crooks in disguise. Be suspicious of anybody who asks you to show them your money or passport. Ask to be taken to the nearest police station before they search you or your belongings.
Drugged food/drinks. Don’t accept food or drinks offered to you on a bus/train/etc. They may drug you and leave you vulnerable to robbery.
Money changers. In most countries of the world, you don’t need to look for black market rates. Sometimes you are approached by people who volunteer to change dollars at very good rates. They will show you a roll of banknotes, then switch it with another roll of worthless notes while they take your dollars.

Advice for Avoiding Scams Against Tourists

Avoid crowds where you have to slow down. Every time you slow down while walking in a street you become an easier target.
Be suspicious if somebody slows you down (eg, falls in front of you, his clothes get stuck in something, etc): it may be a pretext to facilitate an accomplice who is behind you.
Be aware of who is behind you. If the same person is behind you for a few minutes, be suspicious.
A decoy wallet may help distract the thief. The thief will target your very visible wallet, while your money is somewhere else (eg, in another pocket). Carry your passport and money in a hidden waist wallet.

Waist wallet stays hidden under clothing and out of reach of pickpockets

Avoid traveling with big luggage. The bigger the luggage, the more visible you are, and the harder it is for you to defend yourself, chase a thief, etc. Backpacks can be easily opened even while you are walking. Travel with an Anti-theft backpack or bag.

Anti-theft backpack has locking zippers to keep out thieves

Always ask for receipts at hotels when they make you pay in advance.
Always bargain the price of a taxi before entering it, even if it has a meter. Always use taxis that are recommended and referred by the hotel you are staying in. Always be wary of taxis you hail on the street.
In most countries of the world, it is inappropriate to approach strangers (especially women). Anybody who approaches you (no matter how big his smile) should make you a little suspicious. Keep your guard up and be careful when talking to strangers.
Anybody who speaks English well and approaches you is suspicious by definition. I am aware of many occasions that person will turn out to be somebody who wants to make money out of you, either by being your guide or by selling you souvenirs or worse. If you refuse, they will turn nasty.
Again, be cautious of strangers. Once they force you to behave friendly, they have the upper hand psychologically. They know that you were raised to be nice to people who are nice to you.
In most countries of the world women never respond to strangers, not even if they like the stranger. For a foreign woman, it is never a good idea to respond to men who approach her. The appropriate behavior is cold silence and indifference. Even a “no” is viewed as beginning a conversation. A smile is the worse course of action (in some cultures means “I am saying no but I mean yes”).

Advice for Reducing Your Victim Potential

Walk fast all the time. Every time you stop (to browse in a shop, to write a postcard, to take a picture), you become an easy target.
Don’t wear expensive clothes/watch. Your watch might be someone’s 6-month salary.
Try to dress as much as the natives (give the impression you “live” in the country, or at least try to blend in).
Dress as humbly as possible.

If Robbed

If you were robbed of something unusual happened in front or around you, don’t chase the thief, follow the person who generated the commotion: s/he is probably an accomplice. Don’t try to stop her/him until there is police nearby. If s/he is an accomplice, police will probably recognize her/him right away. Accomplices are often women and children.

If Attacked

Use violence only if the attacker is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Otherwise, you may be risking your life: he has obviously more experience than you.
In most countries, theft is an accident of life and police will not even make an effort to investigate, but murder, especially of a foreigner, is a major event. From the point of view of a thief, that means that he has no interest in hurting you: if he doesn’t hurt you, he’s likely to get away with his crime, but if he hurts you the entire police force of the nation will be after him. Unless you do something really weird, most of the time a thief who is after your wallet or luggage has no interest in hurting you, they want your money or valuables.

When Driving

The below does not apply solely to Third World countries but also here domestically.

Make sure your luggage does not show from the trunk.
If you are lost in an unsafe neighborhood, do not show that you are lost. Do not stop, keep driving and look at the map while driving.
Don’t rely on public telephones: if you are in a bad neighborhood, they are unlikely to be working.
The best protection is prevention: make familiar with the topography of the city before you start driving. If you get lost, you should at least be able to guess (without asking) in which direction you have to steer.
Get a map app on your phone.
Have an emergency number (can be a friend or local hotel) to call for help or advice.
Just don’t look like a tourist who is lost, helpless, and desperate. Look like somebody who lives around there and is about his business.

Additional Advice for Visiting Developing Countries

1. Get Medical Insurance
  Medical care in developing countries is not up to the standards of care you will find here in the US. If you are injured or fall ill you need an insurance policy that will evacuate you out of the country.
2. Do Cultural Research
  Before visiting developing countries do some research about customs, traditions, and language. Include religious beliefs and if they impact women traveling alone.
3. Understand Personal Earning Levels
  Be aware of what locals earn. Err on the side of generosity if tipping or bargaining. The money means more to them than it does to you.
4. Visit US Government Advisory Websites
  Travel safety tips for visiting developing countries keep evolving, so start your trip by doing your research before you travel.
  Visit US travel advisory website.
  Enroll in the Smart traveler program
5. Visit a doctor specializing in travel medicine

Don’t Be A Victim of Pickpockets in Vietnam

Here’s how the crime occurs. Members of the gang are assigned different tasks in order to steal from male tourists. The victims are typically targeted by thieves driving motorbikes looking for foreign travelers who look drunk after coming out of restaurants and bars. When the thieves find a potential victim, they let off a female member from the back of the bike. The female walks up to the victim, pretending to be a street peddler, or interested in him and engage him in conversation.

The female starts coming on sexually by rubbing the male victim’s thigh or crotch area while using her “free hand” to remove the victim’s wallet or mobile phone from their pocket. You will see in the video that once the wallet/phone has been taken, the female pickpocket passes it off to a male member of the gang who is standing behind the unsuspecting victim. The two thieves then quickly leave by speeding off on a motorbike.

How the Pickpockets Work

In one of these thefts, the victim catches the thieves in the act and is able to get his mobile phone back that was stolen from his back pocket. According to the police, the pickpocket team would gather in areas of Ho Chi Minh City where young tourists congregate. These areas include Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham, and Tran Hung Dao.

While Ho Chi Minh Police have said that they have shut down this gang by arresting around 30 suspects related to this group of pickpocketing thieves, the video is a good reminder for men to keep their guard up especially when it comes to pretty young local women in tourist areas.

Video of Female Pickpockets Targeting Male Tourists in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam

Here is another video of a traveler to Vietnam who fell victim to a child pickpocket

Secret Hidden Sliding Belt Loop Wallet

Being targeted by a pickpocket gang can happen anywhere in the world, counter being a victim by never putting your wallet or cell phone in your back pocket. The back pocket is the “sucker pocket”. As you saw in this pickpocket video, a skilled female pickpocket was even able to remove the victim’s phone right out of his front pocket due to the “distraction.”

For even greater security, consider using one of the several pickpocket prevention wallets that can provide an additional layer of security. Here are two to consider. This one is the Discreet Secret Sliding Belt Loop Wallet attaches to your belt and drops down inside of your pants.

Coversafe 125 Anti-Pickpocket Wallet with Steel Wire Protection

Here is another anti-pickpocket product that can help protect your wallet and/or mobile phone. The Pacsafe Coversafe 125 Travel Belt Wallet features a steel cable wire that is embedded into the hidden belt loop that secures the wallet to your belt. The steel wire is used to provide extra snatch and grab protection for your wallet in case the thief was able to get her (or his) hand in the front of your pants somehow – which is pretty easy as you saw in the above video.

This type of belt money wallet is easy to use. Simply take off your belt and when you put it back on, slide your belt thru the security belt loop. You then tuck the wallet into the front of your pants. When you need to get to your phone or money, simply pull the wallet out from your waistband, and unzip the pocket to get to what you need.

The nice thing about this security wallet it that it stays secured to your belt – with the extra protection of the embedded steel wire.
.

Tips to Avoid Scams and From Being Ripped Off in Vietnam

Bag snatching by motorbike bandits–
Most frequently in larger cities like in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Nha Trang are on the increase. Injuries can occur when travelers attempt to hold onto their bags. If this happens to you while you’re crossing the road, let the bag go. Your safety is more important than your belongings. This also underscores why you should carry valuables like your passport and credit cards in a money belt or body pouch and on your person. If you must carry a backpack, carry an anti-theft backpack to thwart pickpockets and thieves.

Currency switching –
In Vietnam, prices can be quoted in the local currency which is the Vietnamese Dong yet many prices for food, hotels, and transportation are quoted in US dollars this is particularly true in popular areas with tourists. Make sure you confirm what currency a price is in before you buy. Know if a street vendor tells you that something is “eight” they might mean 8,000 dongs (approx 35 cents), or 8 US dollars, big difference. Read more travel tips for Vietnam.

In Paris Don’t Fall for the – Fake Petition Scam

The fake petition scam has been going on in France, Italy, and Spain for years because it is so successful. It’s a scam many first time visitors fall for because it starts out as what appears to be a legitimate conversation with a friendly local. You will usually find con-artists with clipboards at many of the larger metropolitan tourist destinations.

How the Fake Petition Scam Works

The con-artists target single travelers, couples, and small groups of tourists. If you are or see that you are about to be approached by clipboard-wielding young man or woman who greets you with a smile and genuine interest – know that you are very possibly being set up for any number of scams to relieve you of your money. After you sign the petition (and there are many compelling reasons or causes to sign) they pester you sometimes to the point of intimidation to make a “donation” now that you signed the form.

Fake Petition Scam

Victimized travelers have many different variations of how they fell victim to a scammer who targeted them with the “fake petition” scam – with some of the interactions being very unpleasant. The best advice is to avoid the fake petition scam in the first place. If anyone approaches you holding a clipboard, or holding a piece of paper that may even remotely look like a petition, do not let them engage you in conversation. Simply say firmly “non merci” and walk away. If necessary be rude, and do not let them engage you in conversation, because if you do, you might end up like the man in the video below.

The scam works this way. Once you sign what you think is a petition, the scammer will insist that you make a donation to whatever cause the petition is for. If you don’t give a “donation” the scammer will point to the paper you signed that says you have agreed to give a donation. If you still don’t give a donation, the scammer comes up with another trick, they will tell you that if you don’t give a donation they (the scammer – or as they may call themselves “petitioner” will have to personally give the pledge money to the cause you signed for. If you resist, other youths may come to their aid as a way to pressure you to pay. The scene can escalate from there in various manners, including the use of other thieves who may try to steal your bag as you are distracted by the argument.

How Fake Petitioners Operate to Rip Off Unsuspecting Travelers

Another variation is that the scammer targets unsuspecting tourists who are sitting down at a café table. The scammer looks specifically for someone who may have a cell phone or camera on the table and uses the fake petition scam as a distraction to steal it. The thief’s job is that when they walk up to your table, they need to engage you in conversation while they put their clipboard or papers on top of your phone or camera. The thief tries to do this in a way that you won’t notice what they are doing – again facilitated by engaging you in a verbal conversation.

After a short conversation, and with the hope that you were also able to get you to “donate” to there scam cause, the thief walks away, with your cell phone or camera under their clipboard or other paperwork. Most times these thieves are so skilled that it takes victims some time to even realize they have been ripped off. Lesson learned here is to keep your guard up against overly friendly strangers and always be aware of your possessions when they are sitting on a table. A defensive strategy for travel is to always place your phone or wallet while sitting a table into an anti-theft waist pack. You can reach for it easily, but no one else can.