Research is Scary

Whether you research your trip though official Tourist Information sites or use the numerous travel forums, you will inevitably see the "bad" stuff of where you are visiting.  Personal safety is a valid concern, as well as robbery, mugging and the host of other crimes against persons we are all too familiar with in the Untied States.

Violent crimes are uncommon in Europe.  However, pickpockets and scams are very common.  After reading though several websites. blogs, travel forums and official Tourist Information sites here is what I have learned.

 Beware the Pickpocket

While pickpocketing is common, the true pickpocket is a rarity.  The true pickpocket will be in and out of your pockets, purse, backpack and long gone before you realize you had anything taken.  More commonly, you will experience the diversion style of pickpocketing.  You should be on the lookout for groups of children, they will encircle you and basically cause chaos around you.  While you're distracted they will be picking through everything they can.  There are also reports of women walking up to tourists and literally tossing a baby into your arms, often the "baby" is just a doll wrapped in a blanket.  Naturally you will catch the child, can't have the poor thing dropped to the ground like a fumbled football, while you're arms are busy holding the baby the woman begins making a scene and starts tugging at your clothes.  She is really picking through anything she can get hold of.

The best defense for these situations is to be aware of your surroundings, which you should be anyway.  But, in today's "have to be connected to everyone all the time" world, it is very easy to find someone distracted by their phones.  The constant phone calls, texts, pics and videos coupled with being in a wonderfully new enriching environment makes distracting someone almost too easy.  So, be aware of where you are and who is around you.  Search YouTube for a few examples of pickpockets in action.  While pickpocketing is common in Europe, you are more likely to encounter the scam artists  that make the major tourist sites their home.

There are several scams running in Europe, quite a few have been documented to 100 years ago, or more.  From what I have read, most of these are harmless and rely on you, the tourist, not having done any research.  Here are just a few.

The Petition

 According to what I have read on several travel forums as well as in different travel books, the petition scam could possibly be the first scam you encounter.  Apparently, youngsters will approach you and try to get you to sign their petition.  Often they pretend to be deaf and mute. Once you sign the petition they turn it over and show they need a 10 € donation.  Of course they are just asking for the donation, you're not obligated to give them anything.  Although, if you do not give them the donation they will follow you and harass you in an attempt to wear you down.  The best defense, don't even acknowledge their existence when they approach you.

The Gold Ring

 In this scam, someone will "find" a gold wedding band and return it to you.  They will insist you dropped it and it is only through their kindness you get to have it again.  They will then walk away only to confront you again moments later to remind you of their kindness and ask for a reward.  Trying to give the ring back apparently doesn't work as they keep insisting the ring is yours.  They may tell you they are short of money and he, or she, is hungry and also needs to feed their family.  Offering food doesn't work either as they will deftly change the need to clothing, shoes or whatever they can think of at the time.  Once again, you are not obligated to give them anything for their "kindness" but if you don't, be prepared to be followed, harassed and interfered with until either you give them something or they give up, which I understand is very unlikely.  The best way to avoid them, keep walking and ignore them.


The Friendship Bracelet

 This scam is supposedly very prevalent at Sacre Couer in Paris.  You will be approached by someone (usually an African male if my research is correct) who will tell you a very nice story of his country while tying a friendship bracelet on your wrist.  Once again, when he is done he will ask for a donation.  And once again, if you don't give him a donation he will follow you and try to make your life hell for the several minutes.  The best defense once again, ignore him when he approaches you and keep walking.


You may be asking yourself at this point if this is so common why aren't the police cracking down on it.  The answer is simple.  A true pickpocket is very difficult to catch and the distraction type of pickpocketing occurs so fast you may not realize it happened until they are scattered making them difficult to catch as well.  As for the scams, begging is not illegal in Paris.  Since they are not strictly requiring you to pay them, what they are doing is legal if not very annoying.

You may also be wondering why you would want to visit any country where this occurs.  As a matter of fact, on the Trip Advisor Forums one Paris resident stated after reading all the forum posts about the numerous scams and pickpockets, he was scared to go outside ... and he lives there.  Of course, he was joking.  To keep all this in perspective, remember, millions of people travel to different countries every year, a small percentage will actually experience the "bad" stuff.  Unfortunately, it is that small percentage that is the most vocal about how terrible their trip was because they got "ripped off". 

If only they had done a little research before they left, they could have avoided the scams and had positive memories.  So, be aware of you surroundings and ignore the scam artists and you should be fine.  Maybe we're being naive but that's the way Betty and I plan to approach our trip.