Tourist Scams: 2003
Tourists are targeted by scam and rip-off artists everywhere in Europe. If you know the games (spilling the mustard, bus 64 in Rome, and so on), you're less likely to be a victim. By sharing the latest scams (and learning from each others' mistakes) we'll all travel more safely. What cons and scams have you encountered?
Credit Card Scam
Used my credit card to purchase items at the Hard Rock Cafe in London. Months
later a fraudulent charge showed up on my card. Guessing an employee went through
prior records and used cc #'s to run charges through then probably pocketed $
when company was paid. Beware and be aware. Always check your monthly bills carefully.
Diana <email>
Las Vegas, NV USA 06/29/03
No pickpocketing
I just returned from a trip to Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan. I did not see
any suspicious pick-pocket type of behavior. As far as I'm concerned (especially
in Rome), the thieving appears to occur right out in the open with extra items
on the restaurant bill and extortionate prices in snack bars and cafes. However,
if you look hard enough, you can find fair prices and Italy more than makes up
for these experiences. As does the gelati.
Lisa
New York, NY USA 06/28/03
Make Eye Contact to Avoid Pick Pockets
If you are in a crowded area or feel threatened - make eye contact. There are
signs all over the place at the Tour Eiffel, but you still need to be on guard
once you leave the area. My traveling companion and I left the Tour Eiffel and
we crossing the seine back to the Trocadero area. There were alot of tourists
crossing the street. As we stopped to cross, my traveling companion said she
thinks someone tried to pick her back pocket. At first she thought someone got
too close, then realized someone was feeling for a pocket and got her! (She had
no pockets in those pants!) And I both turned around and made eye contact with
the guy. We then let him go infront of us as we all crossed the street and wanted
up a hill. This guy then tried to hit up three other groups of people - he kept
looking around to see if anyone was watching - and we were, so he went back to
the bridge to stalk the next batch on tourists. Being alert and making eye contact
with everyone not only helps you - but helps other tourist around you from becoming
victims as well.
Diane <email>
Arlington, VA USA 06/27/03
watch the credit card receipts
Check your credit card bill when it is presented to you for signing. I was buying
the ubiquitous Guinness glasses at Carrolls Irish Gift shop and when I got back
to the hotel I noticed they used THEIR exchange rate to dollars and then put
the charge thru. Needless to say it was an extremely poor rate and well off a
credit card. BTW, the Tourist offices had the best prices for trinkets.
Tim <email>
wi USA 06/25/03
Morocco Carpets and Madrid Taxis
I second one of the previous posters. The Morocco tour recommended in Rick's
book (Ceuta-Tetuan-Tangier) was a great experience and a good value. I am very
glad I went (2 days after the bombings). Be prepared, however, in Tetuan for
a high pressure carpet sale. I did NOT want a carpet but had to endure some unpleasant
pressure. The sales people split you up from your group and really put on the
sales pitch. They started at $2700, but after numerous N0's from me they got
down to $100--still NO. Anyway, go--but be prepared. Also, we got overcharged
by a Madrid taxi driver. Get the Taxi information guide at the Tourist Information
stands and insist as you get into the cab on a "recibo oficial". This makes them
fill out paper work that keeps them honest. The taxi trip we took from the airport
to Puerto del Sol cost us 34 euro because we fell for some scam charges. Once
we got the taxi info sheet and asked for the recibo oficial, the same trip back
to the airport was 14 euro! We left a nice tip.
Richard <email>
Bellingham, WA USA 06/24/03
Cover charges in Italy
Reading Steve's book on Italy, we learned that restaurants may add and cover
charge and "gratuity" to the bill. While in Florence, we found that by law, restaurants
have to post a sign with their hours and whether there is a cover charge. We
found that small neighborhood restaurants did not. We also found that restaurants
on the popular piazzas charged substantial covers for dinner but not always charged
at lunch. It has to be on the menu too! Knowing this saved us considerable money.
Jeff Wilson <email>
Grass Valley, CA USA 06/24/03
Tours
I don't know if this is the place to put this, but we had a terrible expereience
with Vastours in Rome. They are the people that EnjoyRome uses for bus tours.
We booked a day long out of town tour with them and they never showed up at our
hotel. They said that they had been by to pick us up, but we stood in front of
the hotel for an hour waiting. When your time is brief and your schedule tight
these things matter. I'll be more careful dealing with enjoy Rome as well.
David <email>
Philadelphia, pa USA 06/23/03
Rome Pickpocket
The pickpocket situation on the Metro in Rome is worse than ever and getting
hostile and menacing. I had to pull someone's hand out of my pocket and then
he got quite angry when I did. We're over 50 travelers and experienced, but it's
never been worse. I saw the same thing several times when found out the pickpockets
are not going quietly away but raising a scene. Very disconcerting. We are staying
out of the Metro this time around.
David <email>
Philadelphia, pa USA 06/23/03
Leather Jacket Scam
After seeing my husband and me ask a pedestrian for directions near the V&A in
London, an Italian man in a nice car pulled up and asked us for directions. When
we couldn't help him, he began a conversation saying he was a manufacturer of
Valentino suede jackets, had just been to a fashion show and wanted to give us
a jacket as a gift. He also asked where we were staying and for how long. (He
would be in the States soon and would appreciate our hospitality). I felt something
was wrong...he had seen us ask for directions, knowing we were tourists. When
we declined his gift (he did not want to take "no"), he pulled away in anger,
wheels screeching....to his next victim(s).
Betty <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 06/23/03
Taxi service in Athens
Some cab drivers in Athens are getting greedy and ripping off tourists. They
will either charge you the wrong rate, often doubling the charge, or give you
a "set" price that is double what it should be. These cabbies won't pick up Athenians
because the Greeks complain and argue about it. If flying in the 93 bus goes
to the port near the metro station. Your bus ticket is also good for metro rides
and any city bus rides for 24 hours. Its easier, and cheeper to take the bus
and metro into Athens. That way you don't fall for these cabs.
John
Berkeley, , CA USA 06/23/03
PICKPOCKETS IN ROME
ROME TAVELERS: Beware "MIDDLE EASTERN LOOKING" PICK POCKET couples with babies
in SUBWAYS. The Italian police call them "gypsies". Male talks in English to
you while his wife...presses THE BABY UP AGAINST YOU and reaching her hand up
under your sweater, shirt, takes the cash out of your money belt...I got hit
for $210 realized what had happened when a friend on the trip was brushed by
them and "probed" under his jacket....slapping the woman's hand..while they were
jumping off at the next station.
S Potter <email>
Fort Worth, TX USA 06/23/03
Pane e Coperto Charge
The fee for pane e coperto is normal in most restaurants in Italy. Consider it
a cover charge. And no, they don't waive it if you're Italian. Not every cultural
difference between Europe and America involving money is a scam. If you do your
research before you go overseas next time you'll be able to spare yourself the
embarrassment of sounding ill-informed.
jonez
USA 06/23/03
Caution in Pisa
When you are entering the center of Pisa, don't be fooled by the calm and safe
first impression of the city. This is because the place is swarming with gypsies.
After enjoying the town's main attractions, I decided to leave town through one
of its main entrances. As I was walking on a sidewalk, I felt someone reaching
for my wallet in my back pocket. When I turned around, a gypsy woman and her
little girl were the ones trying to steal my wallet. Fortunately, they ran away
almost instantly. A final word about gypsies in Europe: I have noted that these
people are mostly adult women often carrying a baby or accompanied by a young
child. This is because the children are taught to steal from tourists.
Angel V.
San Juan, PR USA 06/21/03
"Pane fee" in Iraly?
A cover charge called the 'coperto' is customary in the vast majority of Italian
restaurants. It used to range from 2000-6000 lira, and should be between 1 and
3 euros in the new currency. The only places I can remember without a coperto
are cafeterials and Hamburger joints.
Don S <email>
London, UK 06/21/03
Eating - when in Rome
Re the 50euro lunch near the Vatican Museum... There is a halfway decent cafeteria
restaurant in the Vatican Museum which is much better value! There are plenty
of restaurants in Rome that scam the tourists with warmed over pasta at sky high
prices and who add mysterious extra charges. A "refreshing" change from this
is a lovely old establishment between the Plazza Venezia and the Trevi Fountain.
It is called L'Antica Birreria Peroni (the old Peroni Beerhall) on Via S. Marcello.
As well as serving the famous beer their food is excellent and very good value.
Try the Filetti di baccala (fried cod in batter). The staff are friendly and
helpful - get there early to avoid disappointment!
Denis Howe <email>
Winchester, UK 06/21/03
ATM
I never use an ATM machine in Europe until I see someone immediately in front
of me use it. Typically, if there is no one at the machine, I wait a few moments
and defer to the next arriving person(s), hopefully another American/Canadian
tourist. This gives me time to get more alert/comfortable, and help to avoid
a machine that will "eat" my card.
Sylvia Grant <email>
Osceola, WI USA 06/19/03
Foreign CC usage
To BJ and others. Most credit/debit card companies have security protocols that
reject foreign charges unless cleared in advance. We just returned from three
weeks in Europe with no problems with any of our credit cards or debit cards.
BUT, the week prior each credit/debit card company was called and a specific
request was made to speak with the Security Department. They asked for the dates
and countries we would be visiting. It took some time because this request is
not on the phone tree options and you have to talk with live people.
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 06/18/03
Paris Metro
I see a pattern here, mostly because it happened to me too. Keith, below 6/17/03,
and Gail, posting on 5\2\03, have both said that the pickpocket in the Paris
metro tried to slip though the exit gate with them. This also happened to me
at the Invalides station, a man tried to come through the exit gate with me (a
tight fit), he did not make it; but, a few minutes later I turned to find his
hand opening the zipper of my roller bag. So, as travelers look for "keys" to
be suspicious of, be especially aware of someone trying to get through the exit
turnstile at the same time as you.
Larry <email>
Florence, KY USA 06/18/03
Fraud filters on credit/debit cards
My husband and I took 2 different VISA cards (handled by Citibank) and 1 debit
card (from a local bank) to Italy and England. It was embarrassing to us that
the card authorizations were declined at several shops, and we sometimes had
to pay cash or say try another card . Only 1 card worked at the ATM. Upon returning
yesterday, we had several voicemails from different banks that fraud flags had
been put on our accounts because large purchases (such as hotel) were being made
to the account. We had both called the banks to let them know we would be traveling
overseas with a card, but the customer service people and the bank s or 3rd
party s fraud division and the fraud filter software are 3 different things
that don t talk to each other. My advice is to bring several cards with you.
We had to call each bank to ask them to take off the fraud flag so that we could
use the cards locally.
BJ
Denver, Co USA 06/18/03
Pane fee at restaurants in Rome
My friend and I are still in Rome. We noticed today that there is an extra charge
at some restaurants (usually 1 or 2 euros) and they label it "Pane" on the bill.
At first we thought it was for bread but when it happened a second time and we
didn't eat bread we asked the waiter. He told us it was a charge for each of
us to "sit at the table"! The weird thing was that both times it was a nice restaurant
(no take out available). So we thought that was quite a scam since if we wanted
to eat there we HAD to sit down! The good news is that it's not at all restaurants
and it is usually listed on the menu. We figured it must be for the more upscale
places, but we wonder if they wave the fee if you're Italian.
Amy & Janice <email>
Bordentown, NJ USA 06/18/03
Vaporettos
That was not a "scam" on the vaporetto. The posted rules say very clearly that
persons traveling without a ticket are subject to a hefty fine. The rule makes
sense, given that they only do random ticket checks, and people would otherwise
be tempted to go without tickets. So what do you do if there's no ticket seller
at the vaporetto stop? Again, the posted rules tell you what to do: Inform the
staff AS YOU BOARD that you have no ticket---say "sensa biglietti"---or say it
in English, but be sure you say it. Then, they will sell you a ticket. But if
you don't tell them when boarding, and you get caught---they are supposed to
fine you.
Lura
Seattle, WA USA 06/18/03
Attempted theft in Paris metro
Last fall in Paris, two young men tried to give me the bum's rush in the Metro.
As I inserted my ticket in the turnstile, both pushed in at the same time against
me. Maybe they were just trying to get on the Metro for free - nah. Being bumped,
I pushed against the door too quickly and it did not open. I immediately turned
around and pushed hard against the first man, shouting "No!" Surprised, both
backed off and I moved quickly to an open spot. Instinctively, I guess, I had
grabbed the straps on my shoulder bag and camera. Looking down, the snap clip
on the bag was undone. With a small push, I would have been through the gate
and the pickpocket would have had my bag on the outside. Both men made protestations
but quickly disappeared. Incidently, this was after rush hour and the station
was almost empty. Same old moral to the story, be aware of what and who is around
you.
Keith
Lawrence , KS USA 06/17/03
Venice beware of fines!!
Beware in Venice!! Be careful while in Venice, we had a near disaster while taking
the public water transportation. I believe it is called the vaporetto. We were
going to be fined 75.00 Euros. When we arrived at the booth, no one was in it,
so when the boat came we jumped on, some man started to get quite nasty with
my husband and said that we were going to be fined for not buying tickets, we
thought they would sell them once on board. We were so upset, the man threatened
to take us to the police if we didn't pay the fine, which was nearly $100.00
USD. We made a mistake and should have never got on without a ticket. So beware
and be careful getting around Venice, never get on any transport without a ticket,
you may face a hefty fine. I felt we were targeted because we were tourists.
It nearly ruined our entire day. The man finally let us off without paying the
fine, but not until I shed many tears.
Wendy Hessinger <email>
Saint Petersburg, FL USA 06/17/03
Pickpocket in Paris airport
Just returned from a solo trip to Rome and Paris. As a single woman traveler
I found the people in both cities to be (thankfully) quite helpful in directions,etc.
I would urge everyone to take a compass with them, as orienting to different
sites by reading a map is sometimes difficult. Also, check with different persons
as I know I was scammed a few different times by people intentionally misdirecting
me. The heat in Rome was horrific (unseasonal for June). I wore black, but would
wear light cotton next time. The main problem I had was in CDG airport in Paris.
I had a moneybelt on, but also a fanny back which I would guard on my front.
Having to use the ladies room, I asked at the TI office where the closest one
was. He directed me down one level in the elevator just opposite the TI office.
There was a great looking guy in the "lift" holding the door open. When I went
in, another guy and a girl joined us. I was facing the back of the lift, with
my airport trolly loaded with a backpack and small bag. The two must have been
holding the door from opening. When I turned around to see what the problem was,
they stood in front of the door, as if to hold the door open. Then, as I exited,
the good looking guy (in a nano-second) unzipped the fanny pack and took the
credit card case with a small amount of Euros. Before the door closed completely,
I put my arm in the door to open it again, and grabbed it back. Everything was
still there, but it was enough to make me feel violated. I went to the police,
who had probably 40 pictures on the wall of thieves, but he was not one of them.
Be aware when asking directions at a Tourist booth or when entering an elevator
already occupied that you are a target. Happy travels.
Jeannine Lehman <email>
Sarasota, FL USA 06/16/03
Restaurant Drifters
My husband and I just returned from a 2-week trip to Italy. We had a fabulous
time and felt very safe the entire trip (no pickpockets) but there was one thing
I wanted to pass on. Twice, while eating dinner in Florence, we were approached
by "drifters." These people wander into restaurants and place items (rose, cigarette
lighters) on your table and then wait for money. On one occasion, two men wandered
into a restaurant with guitars and started singing, and then went table to table
hustling the patrons for money. At both restaurants, the waiters and management
seemed strangely undisturbed by these strangers entering their restaurant and
hustling their customers. Of course, this didn't happen everywhere and other
people we spoke to had not encountered this problem, but we were caught off guard
(and definitely annoyed) so I felt it was worth mentioning.
Elizabeth
Dallas, TX USA 06/15/03
Morocco Carpet Scams
We took Ricks advice and didn't do Tangiers in a day but took the circular trip
to Ceuta, Tetuan, Tangiers and back to Ceuta. We went the day after the bombing
and there were road blocks everywhere. The tour was great, good value for money
and being with a guide the beggers etc avoided us. Unfortunately we were not
prepared for the high presure carpet sales. After a great roof view of the City
of Tetuan we were ushered seperately into a room and shown numerous carpets.
The 2 we liked started at 2800 Euros. Thinking they were $200 to $300 each in
Canada we asked about one of the carpets. He said 1500 euros. I said 300 and
he came down to 1100. Not really wanting the carpet I made a last offer of 350
euros and to my surprise I bought it. I was worried about the shipping but the
carpet actually arrived before we got home. My point is be careful and stand
firm if you are not interested. Rick maybe you should add this caution in your
book. Also be prepared for a postcard to take 4 weeks to arrive in North America.
Clive Richards <email>
Richmond Hill, on Canada 06/14/03
Prague Hotels
Just returned from Prague. Booked into the Comfort Hotel-Prague Airport because
of an early flight home. Turned out hotel was no where near airport and an exorbitant
cab ride away. Weather was very warm so window was wide open. Was awakened by
a sound near midnight to find a man coming into room through window. Turned on
lights and with a lot of yelling managed to scare off intruder. Room was on 3rd
floor but intruder managed to scale balconies outside rooms. Moral -- No matter
how hot the weather and no matter the lack of A/C, better to keep window locked
and sweat than become another crime statistic. My calls to the desk, incidentally,
produced little or no interest in calling police or searching for intruder.
S.T. Chambers <email>
New Bern, NC USA 06/14/03
Drugged and robbed in Cz Rep
Recently my son was traveling in the Czech Republic. He went out with a friend,
they each had a beer with dinner. My son's drink was drugged; the last thing
he remembers is saying good-bye to his dinner companion, and taking a last drink
of his beer....he was awakened 9 hours later on a park bench by the local police.
His pack, credit cards, student ID, and passport, cell phone and some cash were
all gone. Fortunately he was otherwise unharmed and there were wonderful people
at the hostel who helped him. He's getting a blood test done to be sure there
were not lasting effects from the knock out drops. So, if you get a drink, keep
you hands on it at all times and try to buddy up with people you know you can
trust, watch out for each other!
<email>
MO USA 06/14/03
Scams
I shared a taxi cab on the way to the airport in Paris - the other persons terminal
was prior to mine and I did not make it a point to be present as he paid the
cab driver his share of the fare while getting his luggage out of the trunk (even
tho we had discussed the amount). When the driver took me to the short way to
my terminal he demanded almost the entire fare from me. So live and learn, being
from LA, I never take a cap and didnt even think about this being an issue. Also,
I did not wear a money belt on my 3 week trip to France, Italy and Switzerland,
but instead carried a purse that locked, with the key on a chain around my neck.
I purchased this purse from Spiegel catalog. I realize if someone wanted to grab
my purse this would not have been a deterent, but I felt very safe from pick
pockets. I ran into another "Rick Steve's" traveler in Florence and explained
that I felt a little bit embarassed at times, having to unlock my purse, but
she explained that it could be no worse than having to dig in your pants!!! Thought
that was hilarious!!
Carla Lares <email>
La Habra, CA USA 06/14/03
06/13/03
Pickpockets in Barcelona
Had 3 great weeks in Spain & Portugal. Followed all of Ricks recomendations and
they were great. Met many other poeple carrying Rick's books...while in Barcelona,
Cataluna plaza, 3 young women approached and shoved the newspaper in my face
speaking Spanish. I recognized this right away as a scam and pushed her arm away
and my wife was covering my back scared them off. All rick's hotel and restuarant
suggestions were great and the walking tours were fun. Loved the coffee bar in
the Barcelona market and the Pension Amare in Salema Portugal was the best. Thankyou
Rick and gang.
Richard and Nancy Bush <email>
Bellevue, Wa USA 06/13/03
VAT
Granted, the following may not apply for most ETBD-type travelers, but a heads
up: When a shop clerk tells you that the VAT (Value Added Tax) official at the
airport MAY want to see your purchases in order to return the tax to you, err
on the side of taking the items with you on the plane. At the airport in Milan
a few of my fellow travelers who decided to risk it and packed their items in
their checked bag were assessed a "fee" in order to obtain their tax refund.
The "fee" was collected after the official had closed his office door and it
went promptly into his pocket.
Chris <email>
Fairport, NY USA 06/12/03
Swiss police scam?
I would not call police being efficient a scam. The truth of the matter is that
the laws in Europe are very different then the US. When you are driving in Europe
you are expected to know every aspect of the law. Not knowing a law is not an
excuse for them. Driving is privilege and not a right for Europeans. For the
most part the police in Europe are vary tolerant of Americans because they understand
that we don't know how to drive. (That may sound funny, but after living in Europe
for a while you understand that it is true. You should see the requirements to
get a German driving permit.) In Germany, giving another driver the finger is
about a 1000 Euro fine, calling an officer an idiot is about a 1500 Euro fine,
that is if he doesn't just knock you teeth out. (Which, by the way they could
do with little or no repercussions.) Unlike the US, police are taken very serious
over here. The chances are you will not even see the police in Germany unless
something is happening. They don't "patrol" like the ones in the states. You
will see them at plane, train, and bus terminals more then in the states. That
being said, driving in Europe is fun and relatively easy if you do a little reading
before you get here and take it easy the first few days until you get the feel
for it. Even then I would not recommend you trying to out drive the locals on
the Autobahn. :) Here is a site with some info on driving in Europe: http://www.ideamerge.com/motoeuropa/index.html
Richard <email>
Tuzla, Bosnia, USA 06/11/03
credit card fraud
Recently I traveled to Los Angeles and while there I used my credit card two
times, at a restaurant and at a hotel where I stayed five nights. After being
back home for less than two weeks, I tried to use my credit card, and it was
declined. After calling Visa, I learned that someone had stolen my c.c. #, not
the card, and had made purchases in some way. Visa realized that something weird
was going on, and "froze" the card. I don't know what a person can do to protect
onesself from this type of fraud.
Martha Ferguson <email>
Mena, AR USA 06/10/03
Don't trust employees either
My mother and I took the train from Verona to Venice and shared a coach cab with
a family we met from TX. I never carry much with me and at the time had a very
small handbag/backpack that both clipped and drawstringed shut. I only kept my
camcorder and some maps in it. Never got pickpocketed but had accidentially left
it on the seat of our coach in the train. We had been the last people off the
train and only conductors had been going cab to cab at that point after the long
ride. I realized only moments away that I had forgotten it and when I got back
it was gone. When I asked the conductor for help, he pretended not to understand
English, so I asked him in Italian and he began frantically gesturing and making
bad comments about tourists and hurriedly walked the other way. I pricey mistake
on my behalf, but just remember, you can't even trust the uniformed workers anywhere
either. Everyone's out to make a buck. To this day I am more upset at the video
I lost (of all our previous days in Italy) than the camcorder itself.
Vikki <email>
Nutley, NJ USA 06/10/03
Passport
Last week on my final night in Madrid I stopped in the Puerta del Sol to take
a picture of the bear statue. While I was walking across the street a few minutes
later, a man walking behind me tried to get my attention. I looked and saw that
he had my passport! He gave it back, but then started shouting that he should
get a reward. I said no and he eventually gave up. I'm not absolutely sure that
it was a scam. On the one hand I didn't notice anyone close enough to get a passport,
and he did return it. On the other hand, the passport was in my front pant pocket
and it's real unlikely that it fell upwards out of the pocket. While there are
cultural differences, an honest person wouldn't be adamant about getting a reward.
I believe that trying to get an award was an attempt to get me to pull out my
wallet. I had a copy of the passport stashed away, but it sure would have been
a hassle getting a replacement the night before my return flight.
LLEINAWEAV <email>
Alexandria, VA USA 06/10/03
USA 06/09/03
Official Police Scams in Switzerland
These are more official scams, brutally administerd by the Swiss police. I parked
my car in a "5 minute unloading/loading zone" in downtown Zurich. I put my flashers
on to indicate that I was temporarily stopped. (I have done this in the US, UK,
Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, Poland, Greece ,etc) I ran up to my hotel
room to get a guide book and return in LESS than 5 minutes. When I got back to
my car, I had a ticket. I saw the 'cop and asked him why I received the ticket.
He told me that in Switzerland the flashing lights mean that the car is broken
down! 40Sfr (c.$30US) I told him that I had NEVER heard of such a thing and asked
if he could null the ticket. He threatened to write another one for me asking
him. Be very careful driving in Switzerland as the police run the traffic duty
as a money making business. There are speed cameras everywhere in German Switzerland.
Zurich has anti-redlight running cameras as virtually every intersection. There
are more mobile cameras mounted in the back of station wagons and vans, as well
as stationary on the side of the road. You will be expected to pay in cash if
stopped. The scam, of course, is simply the overbearing enforcement and presumption
of guilt. Swiss police are also overly concerned with horn blowing, motorcyles
placing the slightest bit of their tires on the white line while cornering, parking
too far from the kerb (they carry rulers to measure!), random unprovoked stops,
etc. There is also a bill that would require motorcycles to never exceed 80 kmh
even on the autobahn where the normal limit is 120 kmh. BTW The tolerance for
speeding is 5kmh (3mph). Anything more that 30kmh over, and you can go to court
or jail. My advice? Stick to Italy where you can drive as fast and dramatically
as your skills allow!
Jack W.
Zurich and New York, NY USA 06/09/03
Tourist Scam Alert
When we arrived at the train station in Rome last week, we got into a cab that
looked official. The driver took us to the correct neighborhood but dumped us
a few blocks from the hotel and demanded 26 Euros, then tried to shortchange
me. It was my own fault really, when I reread the taxi section of Rick Steves
Rome book, there's a specific warning about fake cabs at train station.
Dianne <email>
San Antonio, TX USA 06/09/03
06/09/03
06/08/03
06/08/03
Soho sex ripoffs
Further to Alan Bishop's note, the London Soho 'red light' district is disgraceful,
and should be avoided at all costs unless you will enjoy being a victim of extortion
and threats of physical violence appeals to you. I'm skeptical about the point
of complaining to the authorities, this kind of thing can only go on if the authorities
let it. I've enjoyed the sex trade from Vancouver to D.C. to Trier (that's in
Germany :)) to Korea etc. for 20 years. Soho's the most pathetic place I've ever
encountered.
Kris Watson <email>
Vancouver, USA 06/08/03
Tips for Italy
My husband and I just returned safely from a 2-week trip to Italy. We had no
problems while we were there, but I noticed some things that others should be
aware of. First, at a gelateria in Florence, the cashier shortchanged me by 5
euro and went on to help the next customer. I stopped and counted, then asked
and waited for the rest of my change. The place was busy but it/he seemed weird
to me. Coincidentally, I noticed that it was the first time that I had given
a gelateria a large bill versus exact change for a cone/cup. Secondly, while
walking to the first class section of our train from Naples to Milan, a man showed
us the way to our car and offered to help my husband with our suitcase. I had
been eyeing him as we walked and noticed that he wasn't in a uniform, but was
dressed in blue (like the workers) with a baseball cap. I told him no thanks,
and stood between him and my husband, then he walked away like we did something
wrong by not accepting his help (whatever!). I remembered Rick's comment about
there not being any porters in the train station, but potential thieves. Thirdly,
I was blown away at how many tourists insist on wearing purses, fanny packs,
etc., especially with the pickpocketing that goes on there. I met a couple of
people, who were inconvenienced on their trip because a thief got their hands
inside and took their wallets on a crowded commuter train. Wear a money belt!
It doesn't make you look as tempting to thieves, which will free you up to enjoy
your trip. Walk confidently, keep your eyes open and look as though you are not
someone to be messed with.
LWC <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 06/07/03
Scams
Please allow me to re-emphasize one of Rick's old warnings about resturant charges
being very different for those who sit down versus those who stand or take out
their food. I was caught off guard in Rome just West of the Vatican Museum. After
an extended visit to the museum, we purposely wandered a few blocks off the beaten
path in an attempt to find a lower priced resturant. We found Alexander's Snack
Bar on Via Santamaura where there were no posted prices for their sandwiches
or drinks. We paid 50 Euros for a very light lunch with a few canned drinks.
When I complained about the 4 Euro Coca Colas, the manager smiled and said, "That's
the price". Beware of this and other places where the price differential between
sitting and take out is huge.
Johnny Johnson <email>
Birmingham, AL USA 06/07/03
Italy: Rome and Florence
One can neveer be too watchful. I'd never leave any personal belinging on a bench
while tending to my clothing in a laundromat, or anywhere else, for that matter.
Americans are too trustful. Witness our tendency to leave our cars parked, door
unlocked and windows rolled down. When in Rome and Florence, I made sure my wife's
handbag was slung across her body and always on the side away from the curb (to
foil would be purse snatchers on Vespa scooters). Going one better, I try to
make sure I am on the curbside and she is away from the curb while walking. In
Venice, I saw a man in our crowded vaporetto behaving very suspiciously and I
kept eyeing him. The person standing in front of him had a shopping bag that
was open at the top and presented an invitation to thievish thoughts. When traveling
anywhere, always be aware of your surroundings and be alert to pickpockets and
scammers.
USA 06/06/03
Pickpockets, Rental Cars and a Private Guide
While waiting on the train platform in Rapallo, Italy one of our tour members
caught a pickpocket in the act of reaching into his hip pocket. There's not much
one can do, since, as tourists, we don't want the hassle of apprehending the
thief until a policeman is summoned, plus all the delays in one's tour schedule.
In Rome, gypsy women (easily spotted because of their clothing) frequent the
metro train stations and one was seen riding the subway train begging from other
riders. I suspect that if she found an unwitting victim she would put her pickpocket
skills to practice. And if caught, I'm sure these people have some standard reaction
of indignation to shift the attention from herself, like the gypsy in France
who is mentioned in this similar lthread.
dennis <email>
Santa Rosa, CA USA 06/06/03
Scam in Madrid and Barcelona's bag snatchers
Walking from the Prado to the Retiro in broad daylight at high noon, my husband
and I were approached by a young man with an open map and very bad English. He
asked us to show him on his map where we all were. While we trying to help, a
much older man stepped up and flashed a "Policia" card. He demanded to see everybody's
passports. Since my husband and I leave our passports in our hotel safe, we made
no move to get them. Instead, I asked to see the "badge" again -- and then realized
even that was ridiculous. I said to my husband: "This is a set up" and we hurried
away. Also, someone tried to violently wrestle my travel bag away from me in
an alley in Barcelona in the middle of the afternoon. After that, I carried a
little plastic drug store bag with only a comb and my camera in it, and left
everything else in my hotel safe. And I avoided the narrow alleys in the Barri
Gotic at all hours of the day.
sprockets <email>
USA 06/06/03
Pickpockets, Rental Cars & a Private Guide
Just back from two weeks in France, and had a teenage gypsy girl try to sneak
her hand into my bag while boarding the metro (no money in there anyway, but
she didn't know that). The shawl she had draped over her arm was like a neon
sign screaming I AM A THIEF. I never noticed her while waiting on the platform,
but as we were probably very easily identified as Americans, I'm sure she had
us picked out. As we were boarding, I looked down, and saw her arm reaching for
my bag. I grabbed her arm and she became a little nasty, insulting me in French
and then she got off at the next stop. On another note, after reading the numerous
warning posts on the graffiti wall about renting a car from Avis in Europe subsequent
charging your credit card for damage not incurred by the driver seems like the
most popular scam they run) we rented with KEMWEL, a European company. They were
less expensive than the American rental car companies, also! We had no problems
with them, and every time I called up to change our car arrangements (3 times!)
they were efficient and friendly and I would definately rent with them again.
In his PARIS 2003 book, Rick recommends tour guide Arnaud Servignat for anyone
wishing a private guide in Paris. I must comment on how incredibly helpful he
was to us while we were in Paris. He saved us not once but twice. The first time
was when he picked us up at our hotel for our tour of Malmaison in his own private
car because the transit workers were on strike that day. He certainly didn't
have to do that, and he saved our outing from disaster. Two days later, we scheduled
with him to take us out to tour Fontainebleau...and when we arrived, the Chateau
workers had spontaneously decided to join the transit workers on strike, and
the Chateau was closed. So Arnaud took us instead to visit the nearby Chateau
Vaux-le-Vicomte (which is a privately owned Chateau, with no public workers,
so it was open when Fontainbleau was not). Arnaud gave us a wonderful tour of
that beautiful Chateau and he knew all about it. I was just amazed he could give
us such a detailed tour of a Chateau he hadn't even known we were going to be
visiting. I can't say enough how we appreciated him saving our time in Paris
like he did. We had only four days in Paris, and if it hadn't been for Arnaud,
two of them would have been wrecked. He was also very nice and friendly in his
emails to me and answered all my numerous beforehand questions. His email address
is in Rick's Paris 2003 book on page 27. It is arnotour@noos.fr We had no negative
comments from any French people regarding Anti-American sentiment and met some
really nice people on our trip.
Judith Anderson <email>
Tempe, AZ USA 06/03/03
Heads up on Joops Hotel in Haarlem.
This was not our first visit to Haarlem and we typically stay at Amadeus, although
this time we decided to try the new Joops Hotel. There are pluses and minuses.
Nowhere on any website are you advised the hotel is under construction! Forget
about sleeping in or coming back to your room in the afternoon. Too much noise.
Looking at the amount of work to be done and the number of contractors on site,
it will take a v-e-r-y long time before the hotel is completed. Oh -- and you're
charged full rate for the room. Breakfast is an additional 9 euros (Amadeus includes
it in the room rate). There is parking out front and the hotel is conveniently
located directly behind the Grote Kert in the Market Square. The front desk staff
seemed ill at ease and too formal - perhaps they were new. The room we had was
a nice size, however there was nowhere to hang clothes! An open hole, complete
with hanging wires, in the wall behind the bed indicated the potential for a
phone someday. A tv was there and it worked well. The bathroom was a large room.
And I do mean room! The toilet shared one corner with a teensy tiny trashcan,
the sink occupied a second corner and a shower head the third corner. The fourth
corner held a towel rack. The shower head is located approximately 7' up the
wall. There is a shaving mirror which, unless you are taller than 6', will promise
you a very stiff neck when used! Water pressure in the shower wasn't very strong.
There is no shower curtain, nor is there a rim or ridge of any kind to contain
the shower spray. Water goes all over the floor of the bathroom. The worst part
is that there is no evidence of any ventilation. The water from a morning shower
remains on the floor until evening. I washed a pair of slacks that typically
are dry the following morning. Not so in this bathroom. I had to hang the slacks
off the window to dry! Most hotels do not have a/c in Europe and we're quite
familiar with that. The humidity from the shower permeated the room, although
we kept the single window open constantly. (There's no screen on the window and
it is easily accessible to anyone from the outside, which doesn't make for safe
sleeping). One evening I slipped in the bathroom on the wet floor. There is nothing
to grab onto (SENIORS BEWARE!) There were no grab bars of any kind. I fell straight
down on my knee, using my wrist to brace myself. It's a week later and my kneecap
is still a gothic black and blue. Maid service consists of towel replacement
and emptying the teensy tiny trashcan. The hotel advertises a taxi special 28.50
Euros from the hotel to the Schipol airport. While they did book the taxi, the
driver was unaware of any 'special rate' and seemed quite confused, although
she agreed to take our 28.50 euros. The room was new and clean and large. The
bathroom is going to be a pain - especially in the summer months. The biggest
PLUS is they have an elevator!
Cindy <email>
Philadelphia, PA USA 06/01/03
Pickpockets
I just returned from a wonderful week in Paris and London and wanted to pass
on some advice regarding pickpockets in London. I witnessed a poorly coordinated
attempt by two men who tried to get several tourists. What gave them away was
that they both put on baseball caps just before they tried to box the family
in prior to getting on the subway car. This may sound unusual, but in the past
year, due to the widespread use close circuit cameras in England, criminals have
taken to wearing baseball caps and sweatshirt hoods to conceal their faces. This
has apparently been going on for about a year according to the police. What made
it obvious was that they were intently scrutinizing tourists on the platform
by walking near each group of tourists and nodding to each other as they passed
on the platform. When they simultaneously put on their caps, while shielding
their faces from the platform cameras, it made it pretty obvious what they were
up to. They didn't follow through with their attempt, because I was looking right
at them, trying not to laugh too hard. This created too much attention for them
and they drifted off. Now I want everyone to know that not every person wearing
a baseball cap or hood is someone to worry about, but just wanted to inform everybody
that the thieves are using a new tactic to avoid being caught.
Bill <email>
Woodbridge, VA USA 05/31/03
Prague
I would like to report that after spending 6 days in Prague and the surrounding
area, plus an overnight train to Frankfurt, my travelling companion and I did
not experience any problems with pickpockets or thieves, although we did get
ripped off by a taxi driver our first night. We weren't upset though, because
when you arrive in a strange city at 11pm with no small change to call a legit
cab - this was the quickest way to get to our destination, despite the $30 CDN
bill. As for pickpockets, I didn't notice any, but we also played it very safe
by wearing our money belts at all times and keeping an eye on our backpacks.
I'm not going to say that Prague is completely safe, but with common sense like
not carrying a wallet in your back pocket and being aware of your surroundings,
I think people will do fine in Prague.
Christie
Saskatoon, SK CANADA 05/28/03
taxi drivers overcharging in Warsaw/poland
Be cautious when taking a taxi in Warsaw/Poland from one of the tourist/transportation
points. a lot of taxi drivers overcharge. I took a taxi from the busstation to
the railway station (about 1-2 miles at the most) and he charged like 20 Dollars!
(I was told that the official rate is less than 5 Dollars). Always order a taxi
by phone from one of the official taxi enterprises. Unfortunately, the taxis
of the taxi mafia look offical too. I have heard that those taxis are usually
offical, which have a telephone number written on and also which have advertisement
at the doors.. but you never can be sure.
danny <email>
munich, bavaria germany 05/26/03
Barcelona - beautiful city full of theives
I was in Barcelona last weekend for four days and three nights. The first night
someone tried to steal my wallet (fortunately I was using a money belt) on the
subway. The second night someone tried to mug me and steal my camera. Watch out,
this is a city of theives.
Scott Jewett <email>
London, UK 05/26/03
Trying to overcharge for taxi in Budapest, Hungary
A taxi driver in Budapest-Hungary wanted to cheat my husband. He wanted to charge
us double (once he heard my husband speaking American) the price the receptionist
told us that we were going to pay. But, of course we didn't want to pay double.
When we didn't want to pay double the young taxi driver wanted to steal from
me a camera and a video camera. When he couldn't do it, he started fighting with
my husband, hitting him and me. We tried to call police, but nobody reacted to
it. Ewa
Ewa <email>
Edison, NJ USA 05/26/03
Stolen luggage in rental car.
My husband and I were traveling in Italy on a EuroPass for 3 months a couple
of years ago. When we arrived in Milan, our friends joined us and we all
rented a car from Hertz by the train station. We wanted to do some sightseeing
before leaving the city and asked if we could please store our luggage there,
remembering that Rick suggests never leaving valuables in the trunk of a
rented car. They refused saying it would be safe if we parked in a crowded
Piazza. Against our better judgement we went on our way, locked the car in
a very busy place, and walked off to the Cathedral. When we returned an hour
later, the two husbands opened the trunk and to our amazement all four carry-on
suitcases and 2 backpacks were gone. The cupboard was bare. The lock had
been jimmied. We spent the rest of the day in the Milan police department
filling out forms. The next few days found us at a local K-Mart type store
buying underware, toothbrushes, suitcases and whatever else we needed to
get by. We were dreading the next 4 weeks of our trip with no clothes.
Two days later, on a call to our reserved hotel in Siena, they informed
us that our luggage had been found. We needed to get back to Milan as
soon as possible. We got everything back except a camera which was the
only valuable we carried. Fortunately, our film from the previous 2 months
was saved. We believe someone followed us to our parking spot from the
Hertz storefront. It's a no-brainer to cleaver thieves to pick on obvious
tourists leaving a rental car agency. When in doubt, check your bags
at the train station locker.
Paula DiVerde
Vista, CA USA 05/26/03
there are theives in Florence
I was in Rome and did not see many pickpockets either, but Florence was swarming
with them. The only one that actually tried to pick my pocket was a boy of about
8 years old, but he wasnt too smooth about it and we saw him. The only time I
lost money to a scammer was in Florence when 2 disheveled women with babies came
up to me begging when i was on the payphone and one pressed the coin return button
on the phone and stole my Euro coin! I was pissed, but it was only 1 euro, so
i got over it.
M
Chicago, IL USA 05/25/03
Kiev wallet scam
The "Kiev" lost wallet scam is popular outside of Kiev as well, particularly
in the other former Soviet republics (Russia, Belarus, etc.). A friend of mine,
a native Russian speaker, nearly fell for it a couple of years ago. I can't remember
the exact details now, but it sounds very much like the scam described below.
When he refused to show his money to the scammers (by that point, he realized
he was being had), they threatened him with physical violence. He's a big, burly
guy, so he basically told them to bring it on, and they vanished rather than
seek further trouble. However, it's not the course of action I would recommend--especially
not in that corner of the world, where human life is worth very little. Rather,
practice common sense and remember that anything out of the ordinary (someone
showing you a lost wallet full of US$ on the street certaily qualifies!) is likely
to be a scam. Better to be safe and cynical.
USA 05/24/03
No sign of pickpockets in Italy
Like Rick's recent memo, I did not see any signs of pickpockets in Italy this
April and May. This covered the Cinque Terra, Pisa, Florence, Siena, Acquapendente,
and Rome. Maybe they have more subtle techniques now, or maybe the cops are cracking
down.
Edward Flaherty <email>
Tallahassee, FL USA 05/24/03
Customs and Frieght Fees
We travel to Europe often, yearly to Italy, and have many times had items shipped
home. Usually by FedEx, DHL or local custom/shipping brokers. We have always
received our purchases and had excellent cooperation from the seller in helping
us with any problems. We ALWAYS purchase the item to be shipped CUSTOMS GUARANTEED.
None the less, we have several times received calls from the US shipping broker
that we had to pay a "container opening fee", a delivery fee, a "special customs" fee.
I tell them I have a contract that says the seller paid for that so if they have
another fee to contact the seller. They talk, struggle, threaten, and finally
say they will send it back. I have one answer, "Fine, go ahead and send it. But
you will pay the freight back. I have already paid all legal and reasonable fees
and will not pay another dime." They always ship it to me.
Charles M. Luther
Katy, TX USA 05/23/03
How not to have your purse stolen!
My purse was stolen in a restaurant in Madrid. I stupidly put in on the back
of my chair, and my chair faced the aisle. I would recommend women don't put
your purse on the back of a chair but if you can always sit on the inside of
the table (not on the aisle) and your purse will be a lot safer.
B
Chicago, IL USA 05/23/03
Internet cafe theft
At an internet cafe just by the Centrale train station in Milan, my backpack
was stolen while I was intently checking my e-mail. My stupidity-I had it at
my feet but not hooked around my leg. The clerks could do nothing but shrug and
send me to the police staion in the train station. Thankfully, everything important
was in a money belt but my camera and glasses and my journal were lost. Keep
your backpack attached to you!
Kathy GallagheR
USA 05/22/03
Duty-Free is not Customs-Free
This may or may not be a scam per se, but it's certainly something to be aware
of. While waiting for our flight out of Madrid's Barajas airport, we were of
course tempted into the duty-free stores. I decided -- stupidly, I'm sure --
to buy a few packages of Spanish sausage. I was assured by both a salesperson
and the cashier that it was safe to take to Canada. Arriving in Toronto, I declared
the sausage. My reward was to be taken over to the customs inspection area, have
the sausage taken away, and all my luggage searched. According to the inspector
(who was very understanding, if not terribly lenient) it would have been a $200
fine if I'd not declared it, as any sort of animal products entering the country
are prohibited. He also mentioned that he saw this sort of thing all the time,
and that the people at the duty-free store back in Madrid were "happily counting
their money." Obvious advice: take careful note of what you're allowed to bring
back with you. Don't listen to advice from salespeople; they want a sale, and
could care less if it means trouble for you down the line.
Mike
Canada, USA 05/22/03
Funny shipping charges
Not a con or scam per se, but something to be aware of... My wife and I just
returned from a wonderful trip to Italy (beautiful country!). My wife bought
some pottery in Positano that was too heavy to lug around for the rest of the
trip, so we had it shipped home. We asked the cost of shipping and were assured
it would be 60 euros. To our surprise, the shipping company here in the States
says we owe them $140. Apparently, there are "security" fees we have to pay that
go above and beyond the shipping charges. The point is to be aware of any and
all charges that could accompany your shipped packages.
Bill <email>
Hoboken, NJ USA 05/22/03
Madrid Metro pickpocket
This is probably pretty obvious, but in case there was any doubt: be careful
on the Madrid Metro. My girlfriend and I were going from Atocha to Bilbao stations
intending to transfer to the Aeropuerto line. Shortly after getting on to a packed
train -- looking extraordinarily touristy with our enormous backpacks, complete
with ill-advised Canada flag patches -- my girlfriend noticed a young, well-dressed
man seemed to be going out of his way to be pushed up against her. She had a
travel purse clipped shut, but he actually managed to unclip it and get the zipper
open before she noticed anything was happening. Fortunately, she caught it just
before he could get anything. While she was busy trying to figure out what had
just happened (at first thought she'd maybe accidentally left the purse open)
the guy actually had the gall to then slip behind me and try to get into my pack
before jumping off at the next station. Foiled again -- I'd padlocked everything.
Mike
Canada 05/22/03
Amsterdam Houseboat Break Ins
If you are staying in a houseboat in Amsterdam (our specific problem was w/ the
Klaziena, on the Amstel, rented from Amsterdam House): make sure you use the
safe, if provided, to keep valueables protected. Our houseboat was broken into
TWICE during our week-long stay. I woke up at 6:00 am Saturday morning to find
these two men in the living room. They quickly walked out, before I'd come to
my senses enough to realize what was happening, even. They got a watch & some
American money from my husband's wallet. From then on, we always put bottles
against the front door every night so that we'd hear if someone came in. The
next Saturday at about the same time, the bottles crashed but by the time we
got outta bed, they were gone, of course. Amsterdam House's Irene Visser was
not shocked to hear our story the first time. She insisted the locks had just
been changed & so it's IMPOSSIBLE that someone could get in. The second time
we reported a break-in, she repeated that until we were almost shouting, "It
ain't about a key -- someone's PICKING THE LOCK!!" hehehehe Anyway, we figure
the bad guys figured out which houseboats are rentals & they know will have cash & cameras & stuff...
and are likely to be jetlagged weekend mornings, and probably sleeping soundly
at 6:00 am. Anyway, if you're renting a houseboat, be careful. Keep stuff stowed & use
some kinda barricade or alarm, maybe.... Stay safe! Carolyn
Carolyn <email>
Lincolnton, GA USA 05/18/03
Roma Taxi
The taxi "scam" is common in Roma (and elsewhere). Take the train from either
airport in Roma to Termini. Walk straight out the station and look to your right.
There is a covered walkway, usually with a short (?) line. The taxis will have
Commune de Roma medallion on the door. Take those, the are honest and have to
adhere to customer complaint regulations. By the way, trips to and from the airports
by taxi are equally fraught with scams. Why take them when a train trip is $8.50?
Charles M. Luther
Katy, Tx USA 05/16/03
Rome taxi "magic"
We flew into Rome last week and took the Easyjet shuttle bus in from Ciampino
airport to the Termini station in the centre of Rome. Here we were pounced upon
by a taxi driver. He took us to our hotel near the Trevi fountain and - surprise,
surprise - magically during the ride the meter suddenly started showing a very
large fare - at the end of our 10 minute ride 45 euros was displayed.
I protested that this was far too much and he "agreed" to reduce it to 28 (still about twice as much as the "real" fare). However he was not going to be cheated out of the 45 euros! I gave him a 20 note, went to my wallet to get another 10 and suddenly the 20 that I had given him had magically turned into a 5 euro note. "Hey, you've only given me five euros." I take back the 5 and give him (another) 20 and a 10. He gives me a "2 euro" coin as change and drives off. On checking my money, it is clear that I HAD given him 20 in the first place and even the 2 euro coin was a dud (an old 500 lira coin). Bottom line is that I paid 45 euros ($US 50) for a short taxi ride!
Caveat emptor! Being wise after the event, it is far better for YOU to choose the taxi and to always agree on the price before you or your luggage are inside the taxi. Avoiding the magical "switch" is more difficult - maybe give money in one "go" and say something like "here is 30 euros" - but I guess that a really smooth magician will always be able to dupe the punter!
On a positive note, the Easyjet shuttle bus is a great way to get in from Ciampino airport. This leaves from just outside the terminal and costs 12.50 euros per person round trip (pay on board the bus). The return trip leaves the Termini two hours before the scheduled departure of an Easyjet flight.
In Rome, buses and the subway are easy to use. A day ticket currently costs 3.10 euros and can be used on both. Tickets can be bought from corner tobacco shops and must be validated in the machine on the bus the first time that they are used.
PS: I threw the 500lira coin into the Trevi fountain and made a wish! I wonder
if anything nasty has happend to the taxi driver yet?
Denis Howe <email>
Winchester, UK 05/14/03
Backpack knifing
I just came across a backpack today that takes care of one problem. After reading
below about the occasional problem of packs being knifed from the bottom and
the contents then spilling out, I found a pack with a compartment on the bottom
that can be zippered shut. It's a good size, cheap ($17), lightweight, available
through Totes. It also comes with a nylon-encased piece of cardboard for the
bottom, which is something I have seen in other bags.
Amanda Finley <email>
St. Louis, MO USA 05/11/03
Italy: Rome & Florence
Minivan scam in Rome: Our hotel talked us into taking a private minivan to the
airport instead of a taxi. They must be getting a kickback. The van was 40 minutes
late and then picked up other customers at another hotel. He then drove past
our hotel again 1 hour after our original reservation, the trip took 45 minutes
instead of the promised 30, he nearly caused a freeway pile-up with us in the
middle, and if it hadn't been for the alertness and efficiency of American Airlines
personnel we would have missed our flight. We learned that a taxi ride would
have cost much less money, the taxi stand was only 3 blocks away and we could
have gotten a taxi when we needed one!
My camera (and passport) were stolen from a laundromat in Firenze. I was the only one in there and it was on the bench near me but in the few seconds it took for me to move my clothes from the washer to the dryer, it disappeared. Duh...
We use moneybelts for major cash and credit cards, and then a coin purse with
a clip for the days cash only. We clip it inside our pants waistband, making
it easy to get to, it's relatively safe and if lost, it's not the end of the
trip!
Janet <email>
Boise, ID USA 05/10/03
Train ticket scam?
Because I am stationed in Germany, I have a excellent opportunity to go on weekend
trips when I have time off. On one of my trips I was in the Stuttgart Banhof.
A little girl came up to me and said that I had her ticket. It was then that
I realised that I was carrying my train ticket in plain view. She said in perfect
English that the ticket was hers, and that I had 'stolen' it. I know a little
French, so I replied "I don't speak German"... but I said this in French. She
looked confused and repeated herself in English. I said a few more French phrases
that I knew and she left with a confused expression on her face. To this day
I don't know if she was trying to scam me or not, but I am sure that she pegged
me as an American and I know that I gave her a suprise with my French.
Greg Avarbuch <email>
Bamberg, AE GE 05/10/03
Thalys Train Luggage Theft
I took a Thalys train from Koln (Cologne) Germany to Paris on May 1st, returning
to Koln on May 4. At the midpoint of the journey, about 2 hours from Koln, the
train stopped for disembarking passngers. Four gentlemen walked to the middle
of the car and removed some large suitcases (one each) from the above racks,
leaving the train. Just as we started to leave, a distraught woman asked what
happened to her belongings? The men left the train in the time it took to board
and step off. I now keep an eye on my stuff, and don't leave it to go to the
refreshments car.
Doug
USA 05/09/03
Fake Leather Jacket scam in Holland
I fell prey to what I now recognise to be the Leather Jacket scam recently in
Amsterdam. I had just visited the British Consulate and was getting in my car,
when a nice car parked and a man came out asking if I spoke Italian. I said no.
He claimed to be just coming from a fashion show and offered me six 'leather'
and suede jackets. It felt weird. He then asked if I could help him with some
money to pay for his car rental and something for his driver. I obliged with
500 euros. He offered me his business card, which I later discovered to be fake!
Beware...
Martin <email>
Leiden, Holland 05/08/03
Found Wallet Scam - Ukraine
This is now a famous scam of tourists visiting Kiev, Ukraine. I visit Kiev many
times and stay with relatives. I dress down and never carry lots of money. I
always carry local currency and leave my wallet and dollars back in a safe place
at home. I know Kiev very well and like to walk to most places.
However on a recent visit, whilst walking along the street near a well known local store (very few tourists in this area), I saw a man in front of me quickly pick up a wallet from the ground. I walk passed him thinking, to myself that it was his lucky day. Immediately he asked if I spoke English and said he had just found this wallet. He asked me what to do. Naturally I said take it to the police. He started to show me the contents, which contained large amounts of US dollars and Euros, I noticed that the wallet did not contain any ID. It would be impossible to find the owner. He then placed the wallet in his coat pocket, immediately as another man arrived on the scene, claiming to have lost his wallet and that he had seen us looking at a wallet. He then looks away, while the finder of the wallet, gestures to me with his finger across his lips to keep silent about the finding of the wallet.
The new guy asks the finder if he can see his money? The finder takes out another large plastic see-through wallet containing a lot of US dollars and the new guy starts handling the money and checking if it 'belongs to him'. He then asks me to show him MY money. Luckily by this time, I am well ahead of the process. I am an ex-cop and can smell a sting. I proceed to show him the small amount of local currency I am carrying but it firmly remains in my hands from a distance. The other guy (the finder) then gives the wallet back to the 'loser'. And the new guy thanks us for being so honest. They obviously realise I am no good for the picking. We all go our separate ways.
The rest of the day I keep thinking about this, trying to convince myself it was not a scam but the guy genuinely lost his wallet and the other guy was honest enough to give it back to him. Plus I don't look like a tourist! I think?
Well, this is a well-known scam in Kiev. A few days later I read a report
in a local English language magazine that said the scam had worked on other
tourists. So the moral is: even when you think you are not being watched, you
are. The problem is I still don't know how the scam really works!
GB <email>
England, UK 05/07/03
Train station theft, Zurich
In over 10 trips to Europe, including 3 to Italy, the ONLY trouble either I or
my companions have had was one incident at the Zurich train station. An "older" woman
in our group had her wallet stolen from a waist pouch with a zipper on top. We
had just arrived on a flight from the States, and she used an ATM at Zurich airport
to get 500 Swiss francs. Looking back, we think this is when he "marked" her.
We (a group of 14 friends) caught the train from airport to the main Bahnhof,
and then caught another train to our destination. The station was a mad-house---it
was the day of their "Love Parade." As we boarded the train, a man dressed in
an official-looking shirt (with an insignia) partially blocked the door, forcing
each of us to squeeze past him. We all thought he was just being rude, but now
we know this is when he lifted her wallet. He left, the train pulled out, and
our friend discovered the theft. We were unable to report it until we arrived
at our destination. The Swiss police were very sympathetic, but of course there
was nothing they could do. Moral? It doesn't matter what country you are in---be
wary in train stations, watch out for crowded situations and pseudo-uniforms,---and
UYMB!!! (Use your money belt).
USA 05/06/03
Online banking scam
The following scam has surfaced in Australia; I don't know if it's shown up in
Europe yet, but there's no reason to think it won't. Many travelers use the Internet
to conduct basic banking tasks while traveling (transferring money, checking
card balances, paying bills, etc.) But now there's a new scam targeting online
banking. Some internet café patrons are downloading and installing software that
records all subsequent keystrokes, then returning to the terminals to retrieve
account numbers, passwords, etc. so they can clean out bank accounts belonging
to unsuspecting web surfers. Solutions: Try to find an internet café that refreshes
the disk image after each user (there are a few that do this, particularly gaming-oriented
ones) and/or that disallows executable files. Better yet, use a trusted friend's
connection. And if it's an operation that can be done by telephone, consider
using the phone instead... make sure you have the regular (non-800) numbers for
all your banks and credit card companies.
Peter <email>
Brussels, Belgium 05/05/03
pickpockets can be fun
In Italy, a group of young women with a baby and a piece of cardboard, surrounded
us, begging. They made cooing sounds at the baby and held the cardboard up to
keep me from looking below as their hands went into my pockets. Wow! Talk about
friendliness! Luckily, I had all my valuables in a money pouch around my neck
and under my shirt, so I could enjoy the groping. I don't think they understood
the joke when I told them, "You have exactly ten minutes to remove your hand
from my pocket." But they ran away empty-handed when they heard us laughing.
Eric
NM USA 05/05/03
First trip to Europe
I just got back from my first trip to Europe. I traveled France, Germany, Italy,
Austria, Switzerland. The only place I felt unsafe was Italy. I felt the pickpockets
swarming everywhere. At the shops, cafes, I constantly felt like I was being
taken advantage of, though I couldn't quite put my finger on what made me feel
that way. Maybe I felt a little anti American attitude...I'm not sure. I did
have a photographers backpack (since that was the point of the trip!) But it
is a complex system of multiple zippered pockets and buckles. It was fairly inaccessible,
even to me! Besides if they did manage to reach in they might be able to quickly
grab a lens cloth and a filtering lens! I carried little cash and yes I had a
money belt. I got money as I went along at ATM's. They were never hard to find.
My mother (70 plus years old) joined me for part of the trip. She lost her wallet
in a schlocky souvenier shop in Lichtenstein. When she realized what had happened
she retraced her steps and the clerk had it. She was young girl who said that
she had seen a teenager drop it in the store. It was obviously a ladies wallet
and when she saw it on the floor and looked at him..he took off. The wallet had
nothing important in it but a small amount of cash but I'm amazed not a bit was
missing. I loved Europe and I will be going back soon but I will do things a
little differently. I was travel even lighter and carry a dummy wallet with a
few Euros.
Beth <email>
Chillicothe, Ohio USA 05/05/03
Foiled thief's plan
A would-be thief gave up due to my persistent glares! I watched a girl try to
slip through a Paris Metro turnstile right behind my friend. We think she was
probably targeting my friend as she appeared to be the typical gray-headed woman
unaware of her surroundings. Once we were on the platform, this girl seemed to
shadow us. We were ready to enter the train and chose a door further down. She
moved and came in behind us. She seemed so obvious in her attempts to NOT look
at us that I kept my guard up by constantly giving her the stare-down. She finally
got off at the next stop. Was she a thief? I'll never know for sure but I didn't
give her the chance!
Gail <email>
NL 05/02/03
Street Vendors
Another plus of "dressing like the locals" is that around the typical tourist
attractions the "street vendors" don't hassle you.
Connie
Atlanta, USA 05/02/03
Car Door Reminder!
My husband and I just returned from nearly a month in the south of France and
Italy and did not encounter any problems at all, save one. Driving through Nice,
we pulled over to the side of the road on a busy street with lots of traffic
and pedestrians, to look at a map and get our bearings. In the States remember
that a lot of cars have doors that lock automatically when the car exceeds 15
mph; of course our rental car doors did not. I hand locked my door, and noticed
that the passenger door behind me was still unlocked and suggested to my husband
that he hit the power locks to lock all the doors, including his. He looked up
from his new GPS toy and did so immediately.
I am grateful he did. Not 20 seconds later a young guy approached our car from the side/rear and attempted to open the back passenger door, where my purse, camera and travel bag were in plain view. His Vespa scooter was running nearby and he was able to make a quick getaway, but thankfully without any of our things!
Also, beware: as a result of this, we learned that when our rental car doors
were not locked, the trunk of the car could be accessed by anyone who pushed
the trunk key button, even without a key! I know it sounds simple, but keep
your car doors locked at all times, make sure your trunk is not accessible,
and keep your valuables on the front seat floor of the car!
Katie <email>
Birmingham, MI USA 04/30/03
dressing to avoid pickpockets and other hassles
I know everyone wants to be comfortable when travelling, and so do I, but dressing
up a bit in European cities is one of the best ways I know to avoid hassles.
I've been living in Paris for 3 years, ride the Metro every day, and have never
been pickpocketed or bothered. I also travel extensively with just my children
without problems. Many of my guests and friends have had some trouble, though,
and it's almost invariably the people who insist on dressing in classic American
tourist style: t-shirt or sweatshirt, tennis shoes, and fanny pack, with a camera
around the neck for added emphasis. This is simply screaming to be pickpocketed.
Look around you at the Parisians who ride the Metro every day and just imitate them a bit. They don't wear moneybelts and backpacks and you don't need to either. Swap the sweatshirt for a wrinkle-proof blazer. Lose the logo t-shirt and swap the tennies for comfortable dark-leather shoes (unless you're a teenager or college student). Go ahead and wear a purse, just drape it across your chest, turn the openings inward, zip money into an interior compartment and not in a separate, easy-to-remove wallet, and keep your hands around your purse in a crowd. Backpacks are not necessarily no-no's, but there are options. I often carry a black cloth bag and lots of the locals simply carry recycled plastic shopping bags to tote the extras. Keep your camera in a bag out of sight. With any bags or backpacks, pull them around to your front and hang on if you find yourself in a thick crowd. Lower your voice (Americans are far and away the loudest tourists) and walk confidently.
Again, the idea is to blend in. If you need to check the map, step aside and
stay aware of your immediate area. Wandering aimlessly with your map in front
of you is asking to be pickpocketed. In Paris, the most common pickpocketing
scams are simple sticky fingers in a rush hour crowd or the two-person routine
where the first person stops on the stairway or escalator setting up the "mark" behind
him to be pickpocketed by a second person working the scam. If someone ahead
of you seems to drop something or turns inexplicably against the flow of the
crowd, hang onto your stuff and be vocal if they still go for you. You can
head this one off if you stay alert.
Tamara <email>
Dallas, TX USA 04/30/03
[Editor's note: We still recommend travelers wear a moneybelt on their person, under their clothes. Travelers are usually carrying more cash, credit/ATM cards, plane tickets, and valuable documents such as passports than the average commuter, and it's more of a hassle to replace these things abroad. Also, while the tips for those who use a purse while traveling are good, anything that is not securely attached to your body has a higher risk of being lost or stolen.]
London hotel website
Do not use the YourStay.Com web site to book lodging. Our experience during a
March 2003 stay in London showed the web site to be totally inaccurate in their
description of both the lodging and services.
Luft Gekuhlt <email>
USA 04/28/03
Pickpocketeers
Pickpocketing teams in Praha train station use cellphones to coordinate movements.They
tried it on us, but yelling scared them off. Keep both hands free. Outside, a
dog rolling a ball down a hill onto a sidewalk was another one. Watched as some
people bent down to toss the ball back, and the owner "bumped" them. Didn't see
anything taken, just awkward attempts. In Paris station, going thru turnstile
into metro with my backpack on, found a hand in my rear pocket and grabbed it,
holding it up and shouting. Had my moneybelt on, and they didn't get anything
either time.
Bob and Ingrid Krajicek <email>
New Paltz, NY USA 04/26/03
Was I being Scammed?
This was a weird one I've been wondering about for a couple of years now ...
I was in Germany on the train from going down the Mosel Valley from Trier to
Koln. It was mid morning, and I was I was the only person in the train car, or
at least that section. So this guy comes into the train car, and in sort of broken
English, asks to see my train ticket. It seemed kind of funny, because the guy
didn't seem to be German: I'm not sure what nationality he was, perhaps Italian.
But he definately wasn't wearing a uniform so he didn't wasn't any employee of
the train system. So I tell him, no, he can't look at my train ticket. Which
seemed to surprise and embarrass him, so he left. So I've always wondered about
... perhaps he was just trying to be helpful in some way ... I was sitting in
train seats that were "reserved", and eventually I'd have to move someplace else
when those passengers came aboard. But then, he might have been trying to get
a hold of my German Train pass?
J.S. Watson <email>
CA USA 04/25/03
Italy
We have had several trips to Italy and have never encountered any problems other
than a little short change that is easily corrected by counting out loud. However,
it is my firm believe that we often, not always, cause our own problems with
our behavior and/or dress. We have nearly 150 days under our money belt and have
never encountered a pickpocket or any other scam. Maybe we're just lucky. We'll
see what happens during our next trip in May.
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 04/25/03
Newspapers
I'm afraid the opinion about people carrying newspapers is just not correct.
Most major cities have 'evening edition' newspapers, e.g. The London Evening
Standard. This applies to most of the major European capital cities and quite
a lot of smaller cities. If you see me aproaching with a copy of the Nottingham
Evening Post please don't feel that I'm out to pick your pocket - I'm only reading
the news.
Al Bishop <email>
Nottingham, UK 04/25/03
Newspapers
Just a general word of advice. Anyone carrying a newspaper after 5 PM is probably
out to pick your pockets. Think about it. When does the paper arrive at home
or work? First thing in the morning! By 9 pm when you're strolling to dinner,
that guy over your shoulder with the paper is carrying news over a day old. The
newspaper is merely a cover for slippery fingers. While we were never pickpocketed
while in Europe, I did spot and scare off pickpockets several times (particularly
on the crowded, narrow streets of Venice).
Scott Beach <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 04/24/03
Paris Metro Pickpockets
My wife and I boarded Metro line #8 at Concorde. The Metro was busy and pretty
crowded. Two young females and a young male (all about 25 years old) boarded
immediately behind us. I noticed that they all smelled bad. The male stood on
my left. The females seemed to be positioning themselves in front of me as if
to pin me in, one facing me, the other facing away. Next the male bumped me rather
hard and then spoke to me in another language, as if to apologize. When I told
him it was okay, he tried to keep my attention with further conversation. I'm
sure that this was when one of the females made her move. Oddly enough, I thought
I felt a slight touch near my right front pocket. The female facing me had a
coat draped over her arm and was standing so close to me that it impaired my
vision of my pocket. I reached under her coat and caught her with her hand in
my pocket!
I knocked her hand away and she stepped back. I looked down and saw my spending money hanging out of the top of my pocket. I grabbed the young lady by the arm and asked her if she wanted to go see the police. Of course, she played dumb, as if she did not understand me. At this time the male said, "talk to me." I told him that I knew that they were thieves and how dare they put their hands in my pocket. I made sure to say my piece loud enough so that nearby passengers could hear what had just happened. Most of the other passengers looked mortified, and seemed to feel genuinely bad about what had just happened. Of course, the thieves hastily exited the car at the next stop.
At least I was wearing a money belt. The thieves would have gotten about 50
Euros but it would not have ruined my trip! The moral is, WEAR A MONEY BELT!
Aside from this incident, we had a lovely trip. We travel a lot, and consider
this to be yet another travel experience, of the learning kind. Don't let this
kind of thing keep you from enjoying travel, simply prepare yourself .
Michael C. Davis <email>
Cincinnati, Oh USA 04/24/03
Rome Cheats
We are experienced travellers yet somehow we fell victim to overcharges while
in Rome in April 03. Airport Taxi, fancy restaurant, even gelato in a cafe. It's
incredible that surrounded by so much religion there are so many unscrupulous
individuals. When the taxi driver put his arm across the back of the passenger
seat, blocking the meter from my view, I thought it was odd. Then when we arrived
at the the airport the fare was double from what it was a few minutes before.
Caveat Emptor!
E.DeJulio <email>
Chicago, Il USA 04/19/03
theft
Just left Rome, where I was robbed in my hotel while taking a shower. I forgot
to take my money pouch into the bathroom with me. Someone came in and took 500
dollars in traveler's checks. I got new ones the next day. This happened at the
Hotel Del Corso, near the Spanish steps.
Debbie <email>
In USA 04/16/03
Credit card scam alert
After reading several alerts, I want to share this w/everyone. Last year I made
reservations for a one-week stay in London using the Internet. When I got my
info, I noticed the reservation location was in Tel-Aviv. I did not think anyting
of it. Then almost one year to the date, I was notified by my credit card company
that someone had used my CC to purchase $4,000 worth of jewelry in a samll town
in northern France. The CC company had already stopped my card knowing this was
not a legal purchase. I was furious that someone would spend that much and at
a jewelry store (since it's not the type of purchase I would make). I told the
CC agent that I could not imagine what someone would want to spend that much
for. The agent said that they probably bought jewelry to sell for cash. I had
not thought of this at all. There is no way to find out exactly where my CC #
was stolen but according to the investigation, it was probably from the Internet
company I used to book my London hotel stay. My advice is to always carry 2 different
CC cards w/you while you travel in case this happens while traveling (and you
are left w/no CC). I try to use only one card when traveling abroad and then
change the number when I return. It's a hassle but what else can you do!
JVG
CA USA 04/13/03
Restaurants
Just returned from Florence and Venice and didn't have any problems except for
some extra items added to one of our lunches which were quickly removed once
they were pointed out. Watch your restaurant bills! Sometimes what may appear
as a scam is just a mistake.
Tim
Columbus, OH USA 04/12/03
ATM usage
CSR's experience with an ATM on a Sunday is one reason I strongly recommend that
you ALWAYS try to use a ATM in front of bank during busisness hours so that you
can walk into that bank if there is a problem. We have used ATMs for nearly ten
years without any of the reported problems on this site. But we do avoid out
of the way ATMS.
Frank P. <email>
Centennial, CO USA 04/11/03
Rental cars, Frankfurt
Had similar experience with Budget/Sixt at Frankfurt. A month after returning
home I received a letter stating that the car we rented had damage on the front
left fender. Fortunately, my travel partner had taken pictures of the car at
the dropoff point in the airport (featuring their employee logging the car).
This was mainly for the scrapbook but served well when I disputed their claim.
Never heard from them again! Now I do it every trip, even in the States.
K <email>
Sacramento, CA USA 04/10/03
Velcro can save the day
Before one trip my wife put a small strip of velcro on every pocket it was reasonable
to sew it into. In Paris those kids with the newspapers came at us. Well, I heard
the sound of velcro opening and I knew what was going on. I spun around and startled
the kids who left without anything.
Bob Chancer
Piscataway, NJ USA 04/10/03
ATM Receipts...check them carefully!
Be sure and check your ATM receipts! I just returned from Italy and on my last
day (Sunday) in Rome decided I'd better get a few more Euro's for the taxi, etc.
I asked for 100 Euro's, which I received, but the receipt indicated I was given
150!! Of course being a Sunday evening you don't have a lot of recourse. I did
notify my bank however they have told me there isn't anything they can do....kind
of like my word against a receipt!!!
CSR
Atlanta, USA 04/09/03
gypsy scam
I continue to read of reports of the gypsys in Rome and the scams they pull.
I was in Rome a couple of weeks ago and encountered them as I was boarding the
train to Florence. I looked like a tourist, pulling a suitcase behind me and
also with a backpack on my back. Several of these children surrounded me as I
boarded the train and began pulling on my suitcase. As I was struggling with
them, another was behind me rifling through my backpack. It was only seconds
before I realized what was going on and grabbed the child behind me, while still
holding onto my suitcase. I did not loose anything in the encounter because I
had nothing of value in my backpack. (Suitcase either, for that matter.) My lunch,
water bottle, and a tour book. They wern't interested in those, or I am sure
they would have been gone. This was my third encounter with these people in as
many years. I continue to think that I will see it coming, but am consistently
surprised when they seem to appear out of nowhere. The best defense against them
remains to not have anything valuable that is easily accessible, and to remain
on your guard.
Mary Ellen
WI USA 04/02/03
ATMs at Rome airport
My friend and I had the same experience at the ATM at Fiumicino Airport as AC
did (below). She put her card in and attempted to withdraw 200 euros. Got the
message the transaction was cancelled and could not get any more money from any
machine we tried in Rome that day. An email to her bank confirmed that the account
had been debited $211, even though she received no money. Her bank filed a form
for her and it took about 2 weeks, but the account was credited.
Mary Ellen
WI USA 04/02/03
Turkish exchange rates
I had the chance to make several visits to Europe. Visited France, Germany, Italy,
and Spain, with absolutely no problems, despite looking every bit the tourist.
A warning about currency in Turkey. Because of the exchange rate (1.5 million
Turkish lira to the U.S. dollar), you'll find yourself with currency with lots
of zeroes on it. We took a cab ride that cost 7 million lira. I gave the driver
a 5 million lira note and three 1 million lira notes. After I was out of the
cab, he called me back to tell me that I had given him a 500,000 lira bill, instead
of a 5,000,000 bill. Since this was our first day in Istanbul, I knew that I
hadn't gotten any change smaller than 1 million. I refused to pay, told him that
if he was unhappy he could call the police, and walked away. Be very careful
to use the money with the right denomination, and count it out in front of the
person you are paying.
John <email>
St. Louis, MO USA 04/02/03
Getting money at the wrong place is almost as bad as some scams
Exchange-rate profiteering probably generates total damages to travelers far
greater than all scams together. Buying foreign currency at many change booths,
or worse, paying with or changing dollars in an apparently obliging bar, usually
delivers a terrible exchange rate. The change booths at Heathrow wanted a dime
more for a pound than some of the banks downtown, which themselves were two cents
worse than the rates with my credit and debit cards. This works out to $12 more
at the Heathrow booths (Heathrow ATM's were okay) for buying a hundred pounds.
Of course some card-issuing banks tack on extra percentages and transaction charges,
so shop around here before you travel. For foreign currency, my credit union
charges nothing extra on credit cards and only 50 cents per ATM transaction.
Henry <email>
La Crosse, WI USA 03/30/03
Getting Stiffed in Arles
We loved Arles, but have this warning: Be careful if you decide to partake of
food/drink at Le Cafe La Nuit. That's the yellow cafe made famous in one of Van
Gogh's paintings. It's been painted to look like he did it in the painting. We
stopped in one night for an after-dinner drink, and all three of us ordered Hennessy
cognacs. The guy charged us $12 apiece for them! I guess they figured they could
get away with it. On the other hand, my friend stopped in there one morning for
a cup of coffee and was charged a normal amount. So just be sure and ask the
charge before you order a drink.
Mary <email>
Nashville, TN USA 03/30/03
Pickpocketing in Prague
I am an american who has lived in Prague for two and a half years. I have never
used a money belt or worried about pickpockets. If you look local, you're less
interesting of a target.Today I was on the metro and watched as a tourist couple
got on the train, carrying a guidebook that loudly proclaimed "Prague" in several
colors on the cover. A tall man got on after them and proceeded to try and get
into the woman's purse (she was carrying a leather purse over one shoulder at
her side). He failed, then tried to get into the back pocket of the man in front
of him. He failed at that, too. He and his acomplis got off at the next station
as did I, and from their arguing I could tell they hadn't been successful. My
advise is to carry money in your front pocket or in a money-belt. Be wary of
people who seem to lose balance for no reason on public transport. And if you
want to keep from being a target, don't loudly proclaim yourself one with a map
and guide book displayed like a bulls' eye to thieves.
mus
Prague, Czech Republic 03/26/03
Beware Rome's ATMs
Not necessarily a scam but good to know about. I am an American citizen and have
been living and working in Rome for two months. I tried to withdraw 250 euros
(the max my American bank allows per day) from one of the Bancomats at Fiumicino
Airport. The machine crunched and sputtered a little and then a message said
the transaction had been cancelled. Got my card back but no receipt. Went to
another ATM in another part of the airport. Received a message from the ATM machine
saying my bank did not allow the transaction. This caused me a little concern
because the only other times I have gotten this message are when I have tried
to withdraw more than my daily limit. It made me think that the first transaction
had resulted in a debit against my account without having dispensed any cash.
A few hours later, I managed to log on to my account from an Internet station
and saw that there was indeed a debit for those funds that I never received.
I have now filed an ATM dispute form with my bank.
AC
Rome, Italy 03/24/03
Police Imposters - Paris too
Colleagues attending an international conference had the same scam happen to
them on avenue Kleber near Arc de la Triomphe (Feb 2003): men identified themselves
as police and asked to see identification of colleagues, who passed over their
wallets. They discovered later they were out hundreds of dollars.
Anonymous <email>
Ottawa, ON Canada 03/23/03
Spain police scam
So glad we read about watching out for "fake police" in Spain. We locked up our
passports (carried copies) and credit cards at the hotel. My husband had the
extra money in his money belt. We were approached by a man waving a map, asking
about a hotel. I immediatedly stepped away from my husband and looked around;
two men in navy suits ran up flashing billfolds with badges, asking for passports.
I said they were at the hotel and asked them to accompany us to our hotel. One
warned that perhaps the map guy had stolen our money and asked or demanded to
see my husbands billfold; my husband showed the billfold containing only a few
dollars. At the same time I asked the second "policia" if they really were police?
At that, they warned us that we were lucky and hurried off down the street. I
think not having our actual passports on us and producing so little money were
what saved us. The hotel said the police will always be in complete uniform,
hat, gun etc. They said asking them to come back to our hotel was good as well.
Dorothy <email>
Overland park, Ks USA 03/20/03
Pickpockets at the Eiffel Tower
I was shocked to see how openly the pickpockets worked the Eiffel Tower metro
stop at Champ Du Mars. At the street crossing just outside the metro stop, teams
of young boys (8-12 yrs old?) would wait for the light to change and then cross
the street. There were crowds of people, crossing the street going both ways.
The boys would pass a women going the opposite way with an open handbag over
her shoulder; the pickpocket would then turn around in the middle of the street
and immediately follow her and stick his hands into the back of her open bag.
She couldn't see because the back end of her bag was under and behind her arm.
We never saw a thief take anything and as soon as they saw us watching, they
left. Their operation was neither stealthy nor skillful. I'm sure if they'd grabbed
something, they would have taken it and run away. We were at this metro stop
several times to visit the tower and to take a river tour, and the little pickpockets
were always there -- just different boys.
Also, once on the metro (at a different stop) a women jumped on the train just before the doors closed and brushed rudely up against my wife. The train was crowded at rush hour and we were standing right next to the door. Before my wife could react, the woman jumped off again just as the doors closed. Luckily, my wife kept a tiny purse slung over her shoulder and kept it zipped tight. Nothing was missing. In hindsight, the women was clearly a pickpocket. She stood outside the door without getting on until the last minute and was dressed only in a blouse and pants even though it was winter. The lesson is that you should keep a tight grip on your valuables when you stand next to the door on the metro.
This was my first trip to Paris and it occurred just as war tensions were
heating up (Jan-Feb). Every waiter and service person I met in Paris was extremely
polite and helpful. No rudeness at all. I loved Paris and can't wait to get
back. Stayed at the Hotel du Pantheon (wonderful hotel, great location) and
visited the Place du Contrascarpe based on Rick's book. I could have searched
for 20 years and not found a place so completely fitting my dream of what Paris
would be like: narrow cobblestone streets, lots of cafes, and lots of Parisians
day and night. Thanks, Rick! The Latin Quarter was also great. The Champs Elysees
was horrible: nothing but international mega franchises and touristy shops.
My wife hadn't seen it since the 1970s and her first reaction was "How could
they (Paris) let this happen?
john <email>
salt lake city, ut USA 03/18/03
Combating Pickpockets
I've always wanted to carry around a backpack of mousetraps in the hopes that
some young punk tries to pick the contents. I've also thought of putting razors
in a fake wallet for the same effect. Has anyone ever done this? Just curious...It
would serve 'em right!
Rob Johnson <email>
woodland, ca USA 03/17/03
Police imposters
I make almost yearly trips to Europe and particularly Spain, as we lived there
from 1969-72. As a consequence of this, I am familiar with most traveler scams
and take the usual precautions. On a recent visit to Spain in March, 2003, I
had an unnerving incident with police imposters which I feel I must make other
travelers aware of since it is hard to shrug off someone who flashes a badge
at you and says they are policia.
My 26 year old son and I were walking a street in downtown Madrid near the Puerta del Sol at 7 PM. We were approached from behind by a young man asking for directions to Sol. No sooner had we stopped to help him, when two heavyset men in street clothes came out of nowhere and flashed badges, claimed they were policia, demanded to see our passports, and kept saying "marijuana", "hashish", "counterfeit money", and "american dollars."
One is first taken aback by the rapid fire questioning, the normal assumption that they are, in fact, police, and the thought that they were really after the young man, who may have been trying to sell us drugs or was engaging in some other illegal activity since we were doing nothing the least bit suspicious. They kept demanding for us to open our wallets, which were threaded onto our belts, and search our pockets. When they started grabbing for my wallet to ostensibly look through it for counterfeit money, I said "no" and demanded to see their badges again. I kept saying "no" and repeated my demand. Quickly their demeaner changed, they became less insistent and said we were "free to go."
As a result of this encounter, I will no longer believe anyone who says they
are police unless they are in uniform and present a photo-ID. I intend to ignore
them and keep walking to an area where there are many other people (it just
happened that the block we were in was narrow and had no other people in it).
I consider this a new and dangerous step criminals have taken to fleece the
unsuspecting traveler.
Ken <email>
Fairfax Station, VA USA 03/17/03
travel safety and scams
Be VERY careful when taking a taxi from Rome aiport into the city. We ended up
paying 80 euro, way above the going rate of 40. Make sure the meter is on. We
later learned that it's easy to use the train from Rome Termini Station to the
airport. We encountered the usual: pickpockets, women w/children, and quick change
street vendors. Always be careful and know that some things just happen.
Also, there are gangs of young men working the metro stops in Paris. If you're
observant, you can actually see them as they work. Be alert and aware of your
surroundings. I see too many Americans who seem to be totally oblivious to
what is going on and are too much of an easy mark. Do NOT, under any circumstances,
go without using a money belt. I have travelled with people who think this
is "too nerdy" to use one (and I wouldn't in the US) but I really worry so
much less during the whole trip. I'ave made many trips to Europe and I've never
really had a problem. Also, please know that if you are wearing a baseball
cap, athletic shoes (trainers), and a windbreaker from your hometown sports
team you will be more of a target.
Mary
Fort Collins, CO USA 03/14/03
travel scams
In Amsterdam, my husband fell asleep at a tram stop and never saw our daypack
again, but it only had our glasses and camera in it. Our money belt must work
cause we have never lost our money and have been crushed in a crowd many times.
I found that there is a simple cure for people who come up to you for a scam.
Usually it's pretty obvious. Just learn a few swear words, with a good accent
in the lanuage of the country and don't be afarid to use them. One scruffy man
came up to us to beg and then complained about how my husband couldn't protect
me. I just told him to "rot op," sounding mean in my best nederlands accent and
he moved on and so did I. Yes, it means what it sounds like. In mexico and roma
I use words more sutible for the begging children. They instantly think you are
a local traveler and leave you alone.
Janet Tarver <email>
Eugene, OR USA 03/11/03
London Taxis
Since Red Ken Livingston has become mayor of London, he has raised the taxis
fares. The legitimate drivers can now make their personal quota before dark and
head home to put their feet up and watch TV. They are being replaced on the street
by gypsy cabs who do not have meters and do not know the city. During the day,
find a driver in a legitimate taxi rank and request a business card. Then later,
you can call that company and get a legit cab instead of asking your waiter,
for instance, to call a taxi and getting a gypsy cab driven by his or her friend.
John Wilkerson <email>
Cambridge, UK 03/09/03
ATM Scam
While several versions of the following email have been floating around the internet
for awhile, the warning is a good one and is based on actual events. For more
information, go to www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/atmtheft.htm
Be careful at ATMs, both at home and abroad. Thieves are putting thin,
clear, rigid plastic "sleeves" into the card slot. When you insert your
card, the machine cannot read it. Meanwhile, someone behind you watches
as you enter and re-enter your PIN. This "helpful bystander" may even
give you advice about contacting the bank when they reopen, etc. Eventually
you give up and walk away, thinking the machine has eaten your card.
The thieves then remove the plastic sleeve, complete with card, and empty
your account using your PIN. The way to avoid this is to run your finger
along the card slot before you put your card in. The sleeve has a couple
of tiny prongs that the thieves need to get it out of the slot, and you
will be able to feel them. Also, always be aware of someone seeing you
enter your PIN over your shoulder and use your other hand as a shield.
ETBD Staff
USA 03/03/03
one incident in Italy.....
I was in Italy (Rome, Florence, Siena, and Venice) from 2/4--2/13, and had only
one incident during our trip. In Florence, my husband and I were in a pizzeria
on one of the side streets between the Duomo and the Uffizi. An old woman came
in, holding a fabric-wrapped bundle (pretending it was a baby), and started talking
to us, saying "feed the bambino, feed the baby." We ignored her and kept eating,
but i kept a firm grip on my daybag. I think she thought I was considering giving
her $, because she kept whining for about 10-15 minutes. She finally left, but
i was surprised that the pizzeria employee didn't shoo her away (this was my
ONLY peeve--in America, a panhandler would have been kicked out of the store).
Also in Florence, there were a lot of street markets/guys with fake designer
goods set up, but we never stopped to check them out (they seemed shady to me,
and once you take your wallet out in the open, you take a chance--common sense!).
In Rome, we were at the Trevi Fountain around 10 pm and the rose sellers were there, trying to force them on us. We kept saying NO, and suddenly they were gone in a flash--the police had shown up! The fountain was relaxing and pleasant after that!
We didn't have any problems with money--nobody tried the slow-change on us. Twice at cafes, I dropped extra money onto the counter, and the cafe employees were VERY nice and just handed it back to me.
Keep your wits about you and exercise common sense to protect yourself/your
companions/your belongings. If you need practice before going to Europe,
do a few days in New York (my mother was pickpocketed in Penn Station).
I think it also helped to travel in the off-season (we barely saw another
American tourist--there were some Asian tour groups, but that was it),
so museums were empty, and it was COLD outside.
Jen
Princeton, NJ USA 02/25/03
No Problems
I went on a two month trip to 14 Western European countries. I am male, 38, and
I went alone. It was my first trip to Europe. I never had any problems but I
always remained alert, looked alert, always aware if I was being followed, and
used two zipped "under the trousers" money bags: one for my cash and credit cards
and the other for my passport, plane ticket home and big money. Read these scam
boards but don't get paranoid. Before I left for my trip I was almost scared
out of my wits by reading this board. Every where I went people were completely
friendly and very kind and helpful. Happy travels.
Tim <email>
Los Angeles, Ca USA 02/21/03
Pants with zipper pockets
Wear pants that have zippered pockets. It isn't fool-proof, but it will take
a bit more effort for a pick-pocket. Wal-Mart has some very comfy windpants with
these pockets (great for travel) for about $15.
Amanda Filney <email>
St. Louis, MO USA 02/20/03
Robbery in Barcelona
I was just in Barcelona. All was well till I was on my way to the airport. A
guy came up to me on the metro and acted like a long lost pal. Tried to put his
arm around me and his hand in my pocket. I grabbed his arm, twisted it, and snarled
viscously. He was rather frightened and surprised. I turned him over to the cops,
but couldn't stay to make a report. My advice is to guard your personal space,
don't be afraid to be mean, and act ready to defend yourself. Above all WEAR
A MONEYBELT.
Also be aware that the US is unpopular with some Europeans nowadays. I ran
into anti-American protests. No one did anything to me personally, however
I did have some interesting arguments. I made no secret of my citizenship.
Europeans have no real idea of how 9/11 has affected us. If anything this means
we should not curtail travel over there. Go, just be aware, listen, and also
inform them of our point of view.
Jim
ND USA 02/19/03
Par