Take My Money, Please
Hubby and I are going away to Spain and Portugal in October. Bored at work, I was researching how safe the cities we will be visiting are. I came across a site dedicated to scams used on tourists to rob them, solely in Barcelona. We are not going to Barcelona, but I am sure these tactics are fairly universal to any major tourist city. I found some of them to be amusing, and clever, but also can understand how devastating it must be to fall victim to such a crime.
Some of the scenes involve getting squirt with any substance, and then the person who points it out seems to want to help you clean yourself off, only to walk away with your wallet. Or they'll slash your tires, point it out and offer assistance only to have an accomplice make off with your bags. Typical distraction techniques... waving things in front of you, like maps, asking for directions, even stooping so low as to flash their breasts while a friend steals the money from the gape-jawed man. Stopping short in front of you on an escalator to pick up something they dropped while their friend who happens to be behind you gets your wallet. Things like that. Not exactly dangerous, but definitely will put a damper on ones vacation when you are missing your credit cards and a bit of cash.
I've come close to being a victim twice (once on the subway, a person kept bumping into my backpack, a kind man told me to watch my bag, so I took it off of my back only to find the zipper had been opened, but nothing stolen; the next time in an empty bar, a couple came and stood very close to me (there was plenty of room!), discussing the menu loudly, and kept knocking my stool with my bag - when I finally figured something was up and moved my bag to my lap, the failed thieves yelled at me, calling me a racist b/c I moved my purse and they were black. The bartender said he's seen them before and he called the cops) but have never actually been robbed and have lived in NYC for 10+ years. But I don't think that this city would be so lenient on bands of gypsies running amok, robbing every tourist that crosses their path. Giuliani would have had them shipped out of town along with the prostitutes on 42nd street and the homeless. I have never seen groups of petty criminals like the ones I have read about, and wonder if other parts of America do have the same sort of thievery that seems to abound in major European tourist cities. If not, maybe that is why we fall so easily into the traps that are set. Or maybe it is just because Americans stand out so blatantly with their fanny packs, shorts and sneakers.
Regardless, I always bring my NY attitude and learn how to say "GET AWAY YOU DIRTY RAT!" in the language of the country I am visiting. (So, if you are reading this and happen to speak fluent Spanish or Portuguese, helpful, local, colorful phrases would be most welcome.)
Some of the scenes involve getting squirt with any substance, and then the person who points it out seems to want to help you clean yourself off, only to walk away with your wallet. Or they'll slash your tires, point it out and offer assistance only to have an accomplice make off with your bags. Typical distraction techniques... waving things in front of you, like maps, asking for directions, even stooping so low as to flash their breasts while a friend steals the money from the gape-jawed man. Stopping short in front of you on an escalator to pick up something they dropped while their friend who happens to be behind you gets your wallet. Things like that. Not exactly dangerous, but definitely will put a damper on ones vacation when you are missing your credit cards and a bit of cash.
I've come close to being a victim twice (once on the subway, a person kept bumping into my backpack, a kind man told me to watch my bag, so I took it off of my back only to find the zipper had been opened, but nothing stolen; the next time in an empty bar, a couple came and stood very close to me (there was plenty of room!), discussing the menu loudly, and kept knocking my stool with my bag - when I finally figured something was up and moved my bag to my lap, the failed thieves yelled at me, calling me a racist b/c I moved my purse and they were black. The bartender said he's seen them before and he called the cops) but have never actually been robbed and have lived in NYC for 10+ years. But I don't think that this city would be so lenient on bands of gypsies running amok, robbing every tourist that crosses their path. Giuliani would have had them shipped out of town along with the prostitutes on 42nd street and the homeless. I have never seen groups of petty criminals like the ones I have read about, and wonder if other parts of America do have the same sort of thievery that seems to abound in major European tourist cities. If not, maybe that is why we fall so easily into the traps that are set. Or maybe it is just because Americans stand out so blatantly with their fanny packs, shorts and sneakers.
Regardless, I always bring my NY attitude and learn how to say "GET AWAY YOU DIRTY RAT!" in the language of the country I am visiting. (So, if you are reading this and happen to speak fluent Spanish or Portuguese, helpful, local, colorful phrases would be most welcome.)
posted by Tracy at 7:57 AM
1 Comments:
A knee to the groin speaks all languages ~lol~
Wish I could help you out but I still have yet to get that Spanish language program I've been meaning to...but those lonely planet guidebooks have some great stuff in them :)
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