Money Belt Question
Hello. We have never gone on a trip and wore a money belt before so some of these questions might seem odd to some of you but hear me out, please.
so, i know you wear the money belt under your clothes. so, you go to the ATM get your money out and do you put it right in the money belt or ? There will possibly be others waiting to use the ATM?
Now, it's later and you have the money in the money belt and it's time to pay... do you still carry a wallet with some cash in or ?
I'd love to hear what you have done. Thanks so much... for not laughing. :)
Shelley
Ardrossan, Alberta Canada 12/23/12
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@Jo,
"They never show you how they got into your room in the first place."
You might find it interesting to have a look at THIS story from November 2012. I used to work as a Locksmith, and have seen numerous examples of supposedly secure locks that have been compromised.
The situation mentioned by Swan is another example of how rooms can be accessed. I've lost count of the number of times that I've come back to the Hotel to find my room wide open, with the staff working in another room at the far end of the hallway. The room can be open and completely accessible to anyone for half an hour or more. The Maids often have no idea who the proper tenant of that room is, and I've never been asked by them to prove that I was the legitimate tenant of that room. When leaving the room, I always lock my Netbook and other valuables inside the luggage, as that tends to prevent "opportunistic" theft.
Cheers!
@Roberto,
Given your background, you undoubtedly have a better idea of the pickpocket situation in Italy than most of us here. However, I still prefer to take reasonable precautions as I don't want to be one of those 58,000 victims. If that means wearing a Moneybelt, that's a reasonable precaution (IMO).
Most of the cases of Passport theft that I've heard about have involved having a Daypack, Messenger bag or Purse stolen when the owner hangs it on the back of a chair (or whatever), rather than having it taken off their person.
I did observe the aftermath of a group from the U.S. losing a number of Passports (and other valuables) while riding on the trains in the Cinque Terre a couple of years ago. Their Passports were not specifically targeted, but rather stolen with other items. Likely the thieves just "binned" the Passports. The hotel owner told me that type of incident is quite common, as professional thieves from Genoa or La Spezia routinely "work" the local trains as many people "let their guard down" when they get to the C.T.
I absolutely agree that crowded public transit is one of the most likely places to be victimized thieves. One of my former colleagues learned that "the hard way" while riding the Metro in Rome. He had placed a Wallet with a "substantial amount of cash" in a front zippered pocket, which was pinched at some point during the trip. I suppose he thought the zipper would provide some deterrence, but he didn't feel a thing when the wallet was stolen! I asked him how much money was involved, but he wouldn't tell me.
Losing cash is a minor problem, but losing a Passport or credit cards would be a major inconvenience, so it's something I'd rather not deal with on a holiday.
Cheers!
"...Pick pockets incidents are also rare outside of crowded buses/subways..."
That's ridiculous. Why are there so many signs at restaurants, shops, and museums within tourist zones warning warning visitors that "pickpockets are at work"? The owners of these places don't go through all the trouble and expense of printing and installing the signs if it's a rare occurrence.
I read this web site almost every day for years and years and have yet to read about anyone loosing anything carried in their money belt when worn properly and accessed properly. With that history, I wear a money belt with passport, credit card(s), ATM card, extra cash (not daily spending money), travel information including hotel and train and plane information and/or tickets. May sound like a lot but in over 10 years of following that routine, I do not feel it is awkward, too full, or sticks out uncomfortably.
I would rather have those things in my possession all the time I am in Europe (a month every summer), in fact, we put our money belts on with those items as soon as we pass thru "security!" in the US by going into a bathroom stall. I feel much safer this way especially when I read about other folks suffering losses when not wearing a money belt.
Do not wear a money belt if you are going through airport security. With the old machines, this was never an issue. The new total body scanners will see it and not know what it is. This happened to me in October. I didn't think about the different scanner. I had to go into the private area and undo my clothes to get it off while the agent watched to see for sure I wasn't about to pull a gun out or something. It was another man, so it didn't bother me, but it was a hassle. They then took the belt and put it through the scanner while I watched. I put it in by backpack for further scans with no problems. The agent told me that even a Kleenex in your pocket will set off a search.
If the 12000 murders by gun each year in America that James references is true then that is more than one an hour. I find it unlikely that James can be right about that, but if he is then you have better things to worry about than where to put your money-belt.
"...Pickpocket incidents are also rare outside of crowded buses/subways..."
Agree with Michael S., pickpockets are at work other places as well. I recently saw a TV program on MSNBC about pickpocketing. There was surveillance camera footage of a pickpocket in Harrod's in London, putting his hand down inside a woman's open-top purse while she was shopping. He slipped the wallet out and into the inside of his overcoat and was gone in 60 seconds.
Shopping venues that attract tourists are also the happy hunting ground of pickpockets, so watch your purse or backpack in London everywhere.
Some train stations in Europe have signs that remind tourists to "Check your valuables". This makes a tourist pat the pocket where their valuables are kept, so the thieves watching you as you board the train know exactly which pocket to pick. Resist the urge to touch the place your valuables are kept when you see such a sign.
Actually, they're going to try to pick any of your pockets they can get their hand into anyway, just don't give them the tip off of knowing WHICH pocket the goodies are in.
Also, don't forget to include famous, well touristed cathedrals where pickpockeing takes place. I remember seeing the warning sign in French, German and English (which surprised me) inside the famous cathedral (das Straßburger Münster) in Strasbourg.
I believe that 12,000 was the figure given on CNN.
"I find it unlikely that James can be right about that"
I found the most liberally biased website to find gun control statistics, so those of that ilk couldn't dispute the data. The number quoted is actually 11,583 a year.
http://bradycampaign.org/xshare/Facts/Gun_Death_and_Injury_Stat_Sheet_3-Year_Average_FINAL.pdf
Having read through most of this thread, I feel it might be worth pointing out one thing: while you are in the Schengen are you are obliged to carry a passport or national identity card. And while police, border guards and customs officials may accept other forms of ID, such as driving license or similar documents, they are not obliged to do so.
You should also be aware that countries do spot checks from time to time within the Schengen area in their search for illegal "guest" workers. If you are found not to have the correct paper work, then they are entitled to detain you until such time as they have established your identity. So far I've only experienced this once in Zurich HB. But once is enough to muck a holiday, so I'd suggest carrying that passport rather than leaving it in the hotel!
I don't carry a money belt in European Cities for the same reason I don't carry one in US cities - the chances that I'll be mugged are low and the chances that I'll continually be thinking of how uncomfortable my money belt is are high.
My brother was mugged in London - the robber grabbed him at knife point and made him go over to the ATM and make a large withdrawl. Money belt would not have helped him. What would have helped him (possibly) would have been to have put his wallet away BEFORE he left the store in the tourist area. He's also had his wallet stolen because he left in atop a bar in a US suburb. But if you try not to be stupid, you should be fine.
I have travelled throughout Europe and also to Colombia - which some might say is not the safest destination. I didn't carry a money belt there, but I also didn't take much cash with me and didn't take taxis except with Colombian natives (known for being a way tourists get abducted).
I use credit cards whenever possible (many places these days) and take only the cash I need for the day. I keep my passport inside my suitcase in the hotel or flat - I have had too many problems with safes, although I'll use them for laptops.
Also, be aware of your surroundings when you use an ATM.
My husband hates wearing a moneybelt. He says it's uncomfortable. Whiner. I tell him to put his big boy boxers on and do it. Some women don't like to wear them because they make a little pooch out on their tummies. I don't care. I wear the thing all the time anywhere we go. It is not stuffed with a ton of paperwork just the basics many others have mentioned here, so it's very flat. About 99% of the time, I can find a cash machine in a bank within a couple of blocks of where we are staying. I'm not shy about pulling out the money belt, getting money, and putting the belt back where it was, all right inside the bank. I feel very safe in those locations. That 1% of the time I need money and there's no bank nearby, I take the card out in a secure place, use the cash machine, secure the money and the card as best I can and try to find the closest toilet to make the exchange. In my experience, banks with safe ATM access are easier to find than toilets! When I'm traveling, I always wear pants or a skirt that I can stretch out far enough to pull the moneybelt out. I always wear shapewear on top which goes down to my hips. It is supposed to be worn under, not over, panties so the moneybelt goes between the panties and the shapewear. Shapewear panties help keep the moneybelt bulge flatter, but they can't go above the waist. I never carry a wallet. The money goes in a deep pocket or two or in a bag of some sort that never leaves me. Last year I used a Baggallini tote. It has an inside zipper pocket and a zippered pouch that hooks on a strap inside but can be removed. The whole thing can be zipped closed at the top. It worked for everything and was great for shopping.
Thank you one and all for all the advise... Much appreciated!
Hi Shelley,
I have to side with the "Wear a Money Belt", and the "Never, Ever, Leave Anything in Your Room Safe" crowd. The place I stayed in Paris last month, had a Trip Advisor review where 900 euros went missing from a room safe, while the people were out. (Londres Saint Honore). I still stayed there because it is clean and inexpensive, because of the Spiral Staircase of Death, and no elevator. (Working). I just hate not having my passport or money on me. My passport comes out of my moneybelt at customs, rail pass validation, buying something expensive, rental car, hotel front desk, etc, etc. I always have it with me if I can. Now that I live here I don't carry it, because I have German ID.
My wife and I once watched a gaggle of kids work the crowd over, at the Spanish Steps, and we sat there in utter amazement. They took wallets, cameras, opened purses, or opened fanny packs and removed items. It was had the precision of the Rockettes. Once they got something of value, they would hand it off to another person that took it away from the area.
One thing we always do, is one person uses the atm, the other person faces away from it, watching for anything unusual.
If done correctly, money and your important papers become one less thing to worry about.
Good Travels
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