The crook always looks for foreigners!
While reading tips about how to take care when travelling in some places, I just remembered of scams attempts I’ve faced until now on my trips. I’m very suspicious, I don’t have too much patience and I avoid draw the attention; maybe the reason I’ve never been stolen in the streets (but I’ve already been stolen by roomates… some bucks!).
There’s neither a place 100% postive nor 100% negative, so, you have to be careful everywhere, wherever you go, wherever you are — regardless how likely are the chances to be stolen at a certain place.
As I heard from a driver I met in India, who usually guides foreigners in Jaipur: “The crook always looks for foreigners! In many cases, the tourist comes to stay 1 or 2 days, only wants to see a monument here and there and doesn’t notice that’s been cheated.”
It’s worth to repeat the phrase: The crook always looks for foreigners!
Either for good or bad reasons, foreigners usually draw the attention and in many places locals don’t go to those touristic sites listed on Lonely Planet and on Trip Advisor. Then, it’s not difficult to notice who’s the lost tourist in the area. Below, the scams I’ve been seeing more frequently until now as a foreigner.
India
In no other country I saw so many scams attempts as I used to face in India — almost everytime and everywhere — there’s no chance to be naive there! Everytime I had to argue to don’t be overcharged and cheated, to check the prices before bargain and to inspect the stuffs I used to buy. Plus people coming next to take money from you…
It’s not about pay USD 1 less or more, India is cheap, but to don’t pay for a 5 km autorickshaw ride the price of a 10 hours bus trip, do you get the point? Or pay for clothes and shoes that are useless 2 weeks later, pay 20 times more than the fair price for a plastic shoe thinking it’s leather, or pay for ordinary stones thinking that are jewelry. You can’t be naive!
Be always aware of the prices before buy something, because you have to bargain, inspect the materials with your hands and the products have to be packed in front of your eyes! Otherwise, you’ll see something different from what was promised…
Bang petition
While walking in Berlin, I was asked once by Gypsies teenagers (being clear, no prejudice against this ethnic group!) from Romania carrying bang petitions and asking for amounts like 10 euros, 20 euros and as much as possible. They were pretending to be deaf-mute and some minutes later, I could see them chattering. They’re used by mafias and human traficking schemes to take as much money as possible to send to some big boss in Romania or in Bulgaria, as I mentioned on this post about Romania.
Pretend to have diseases and bruises
I remember a man in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, who addressed me pretending to be with the bandaged arm, asking for money. These kind of people are usually next to bus/train stations, touristic sites. And why do they only address foreigners/outsiders?
Pickpockets
Famous for steal wallets and purses, always in crowded places, especially those full of tourists. They’re incredibly fast and skillful on stealing. Pay attention to strange people trying to get close to you carrying jackets or newspapers, trying to start a conversation while other one steals you. Never carry belongings and money on the back pockets. Avoid to carry purses when not necessary, as they draw the attention of pickpockets.
The restaurant/hotel/NGO/bar/etc from my friend/brother/cousin,etc.
This was one thing I used to see a lot in India and in Egypt: someone trying to start a conversation to convince me to go somewhere and take money, what else could be? And as always, they never make such offers to locals…
The playboy who knows everything
More common in those developing countries, where it’s kinda cool to be surrounded by foreigners. You see elite boys with all bullshits and show off telling to know everything and everywhere…
Well, let’s just remember where there’s social inequality, it’s not so common affluent people put their shoes in poor areas. In those countries with a colonial mindset, they usually don’t know anything outside their elitist world and about the local culture. They try to take to touristic sites where they’ve visited only on childhood (if they’ve already visited!) and even cheat their cool foreigner friends, although they don’t need to take such attitudes.
Some drugs in the drinks
More common in those conservative countries where foreigner women are noticed as “easy”, those places where local women can’t do any shit. Be careful with your drinks! A tip from mom for a teenager daughter: don’t accept drinks from strangers and pay attentiont your glass/bottle,etc!
Police
Wherever you travel to, search for information about the local police and if you have to be careful to avoid troubles with cops.
In Eastern Europe, for example, I usually carry copies of my passport, that’s valid as legal document. If the cops asks for the original document, what about call the Embassy now? That’s what I did to don’t pay bribes in Ukraine and in Poland. Have always the number of the Embassy and of locals, too.
Cabs
Alaways be informed previously if the cabs use the meter or not, if you have to negotiate the prices before with the drivers, what are the regularised companies to don’t take a clandestine cab. In case of language barrier, use the pen and papers, or the mobile to write the numbers while negotiating.
For women, in places where harassments are frequent, take pics and notes of the car number, show the driver you won’t let the case unnoticed.
In Belgrade, for example, the cab drivers used to use some buttons to turbinate the meter (and the price) when no one speaks Serbian. Needless to say, when take unecessary laps when they see you don’t know the place…
Women with umbrella
In Poland, I remember to see women with pink umbrellas trying to convince the men to get into the red light bars, foreigners are usually the most addressed. I don’t even imagine the size of the extorsion to let the naive guys get out of the bar…Needless to explain!
Gamblings in the street
Moreover the scams of the gamblings, there are always other “team members” of the gang walking around to steal those who stop curiously to watch.
Money exchange in the street
I hope I don’t need to explain deeply: the money is usually fake and the guys only address foreigners.
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