World's Biggest Travel Scams

[@Monica17N]

When I arrived in Germany at Schonefeld airport, I had booked a hotel the night before and I knew it was close to the airport but I didn’t realize how close. I gave the address to the taxi driver and he said, “Oh! I don’t need to drive you, it’s just down that road. You walk!” It was an 8 minute walk. That driver could have easily just taken me for a ride the long way and ask me to pay. That’s what I have always admired about the Germans, especially since I grew up around them, very honest. That being said, I’ve learned a lot and of all places I was even super careful in Barcelona and I never even got approached. So grateful for your tips

[@davespicer7838]

World Culture Trip. Same thing happened to me in Amsterdam years ago at train station. Asked taxi driver to go to hotel and he said you can walk only couple of minutes away. Good bloke.

[@simonh6371]

@@davespicer7838 Not really, because he was waiting for a longer trip i.e. bigger fare after waiting to be first in the line. In fact there was a little bit of a scandal about this recently as it's illegal for taxi drivers to refuse to take a fare a short journey. But yeah maybe in your case it was to your mutual benefit.

[@michaelz.7140]

he would lose his position for a couple of euros, so it was in his best interest not to drive

[@grizwoldphantasia5005]

I once waved down a taxi in Tokyo and asked (in good-enough Japanese) to go to the nearest subway station. He stared at me in surprise and opened the door (they have a lever to open and close the opposite side rear door), my signal to get out. Happened with the next taxi too. Only then did I realize the subway was only a block away.

[@falconx8719]

Basically when you are abroad be as heartless as possible when they say they're poor because you're gonna be the poor one. Better heartless than robbed.

[@Whalewraith]

I had the children thing once in Thailand and a young girl literally wrapped herself around my leg, then when I pried the kid off, I was rounded on by fellow idiot travelers " your a disgrace blah blah "

[@icicestparismaxwell3794]

Yeah like I'm here to have fun, not to solve your problems, i'm also here on a budget, a traveler in most cases is someone who has money only for the trip, which means that his money is vital to him, just say go get money from the locals who can afford to give money because they live here they don't have to worry about plane tickets and hotel accommodation. lol.

[@timmmahhhh]

I've learned to do that in Chicago.

[@Drakeblood97]

Pickpocketing is not a scam it's just pure robbery.

[@jimmyshrimbe9361]

jaeden Drake yeah and baking isn't a hobby, it's just cooking.

[@CH-sl5eq]

Technically it's theft, not robbery. Robbery is its own separate thing.

[@Zekrom569]

Well yeah, this is this, but what the video means, is that some people use techniques to distract you and pickpocket what they can at a short time. This happens a lot in Athens, especially in the subway or other public transport, which is not limited to tourists, but also locals face the same issues with those "masterminds". A lot of these ring true here in Greece in general, the pickpocketing distraction techniques, the begging children, the bracelet scam, etc.

[@byronlin9982]

when traveling im always on alert mode. no one holds my things, i dont carry a lot of cash on me, i dont trust kids around me, i dont give money out to poor children, i keep my wallet or bag where i can see it at all times, and i dont make small talk with anyone i dont know.

[@lydiamusima5840]

Be careful also on their Metro services when it’s busy. I don’t like anyone standing too close behind me

[@ElliottStoddard]

In the North train station in Paris there were three young girls that wanted me to sign a petition to help blind people. They asked me in English, and the petition was in English, not French. I told them to go away. Then one of them saw a police officer, and they left quickly. Avoid being distracted, and avoid accepting anything handed to you on the street, or in a crowded public place.

[@losaccardo1]

Elliott Stoddard my uncle signed a petition to help african people in paris and left without paying it! I Love to remember the disappointed faces of the coups hahahah

[@namingisdifficult408]

losaccardo1 wow

[@lydiamusima5840]

Elliott Stoddard very good. I had someone trying to distract me with something in Spain 🇪🇸 and waved my hand down rejecting the offer and he got angry 😠 saying something negative 👎 and I said in English “thanks and I don’t care”

[@SuperSlimshady1]

@@lydiamusima5840 i think them getting angry is their last tool to see if you'll crack

[@deadkittens3]

Part of me wants to have a false wallet and inside would be monopoly money.

[@rebeccagutierrez1401]

Parts of me would like to have a false wallet and when they open it there's poop in it. Or maybe mustard. Hahaha.

[@MajorAddiction]

or mustard poop @@rebeccagutierrez1401

[@robertmasina4610]

me too. I would like to take an old wallet put pieces of a newspaper cut with scissors in the shape of dollar bills.

[@bdfunke]

One that explodes blue ink all over them.

[@itrthho]

That is what I do when traveling

[@MysticDonBlair]

I was a street magician in Chicago for many years and part of my routine was the 3 shell game and the 3 card monte. I never let anyone bet on these games I only accepted tips for entertaining them. So it is ok to watch or play just never ever bet money, you will lose. I'm a professional and I can't win the game unless it is my game that I am in charge of. So enjoy the street magicians, but avoid the gambling games.

[@namingisdifficult408]

Funk Daddy yeah

[@fivesquaredyt2521]

68 likes almost 69

[@nonexistant2]

Imma leave it at 69 likes

[@vainbow4632]

Ruined the 69

[@Jubafree]

Cool story bro

[@hellasforever6242]

I've learnt that you can't be afraid to be aggressive and cause a commotion. Coming from a conservative country such as australia, it's not normal to cause a scene, but it's saved my bacon numerous times in europe.

[@woltersworld]

Steve Stamopz I agree. I had to literally push/fight my way out of a circle of people trying to rob me on the Lisbon metro. you have to do something or else no one will do anything. Glad your bacon is OK now :)

[@slimyweasles4973]

woltersworld That sounds so scary!

[@totaltwit]

Yeh, I thought an Australian would turn a robber into "barbie" using barehands and a machette. I joke of course. Good tip though, make a fuss.

[@mlgprussian7115]

Turkey or pig?

[@bigverybadtom]

@A S Teer Some Australians would beg to differ.

[@poppyorangeflower]

Yep the child scam is definitely very, very prevalent in France. Lost 200 Euros. :(

[@woltersworld]

That sucks. Sorry at they got that much cash from you.

[@rebeccagutierrez1401]

And you know something not only in Europe when I was in Central America once, in Honduras, at the hotel a boy entered and try to take one of the purses one of the lady friends that was with me. Because I stopped the kid abruptly he slapped me on the butt on his way out and ran. We all laughed about it but it also was sad.

[@OttoMatieque]

are these French people pulling off these scams or diversity people?

[@KIM-JONG-UN-84]

Idiot

[@xx-mz2eg]

John P nougers and barabs

[@alexdeleon6751]

i went to italy for three weeks for the first time in my life this year. heard a lot about the pickpockets. i think my choice worked great. i only took pants and shorts purchased at a wilderness/hiking store. all pockets had zippers to avoid things falling out while hiking. keeping the zippers always closed prevents the 'quick bump' type pickpocketing. and even the slow style in a crowd is tough to pull off because you can feel the tug when the zipper starts to move. we were in a crowded subway and my travel partner got pickpocketed and i didn't he had normal pockets. i highly recommend zipper pockets

[@seniortraveller7188]

+alex deleon They don't need to unzip the zippers, they just cut the pockets. Sometimes even by a three year old kid, then he can cut a bag less than two feet above ground. Some ladies hold the strings of their handbags, but they cut cut from the bottom. Finally they find what they are holding are only strings.

[@SuperSlimshady1]

and u never felt someone trying to open one of ur zipper pockets?

[@stevenwestern8199]

Unless I missed it, you did not mention the ATM grab and dash thefts. Gypsy children make a fortune for their parents, using this, in Spain and France. Only use an ATM in a secure location, not on the street

[@woltersworld]

Steven Western true. there were some more I should have added.

[@iworkout6912]

@@woltersworld This applies in the US also. Be very careful of even bank ATM,s that are in quiet places behind the bank or on the side. I use only ATM's in busy places, and not the ones in convenience stores for sure. Someone can sneak up and grab the dollars right out of your hand, and be gone.

[@torefjelldal2248]

And use the ATM of a genuine local or national bank, not the companies only doing cash machines in many countries, and charging insanely fees.

[@Sarah-xb5ec]

Actually, the ATM on the street is preferred in Barcelona. An ATM inside a bank will often have a homeless person sleeping there, especially in winter, so people prefer to use the one outside the bank.

[@sweetpjeb23]

@@Sarah-xb5ec ...They let homeless people sleep inside banks? Wtf? Why?

[@kardaman5]

I don't trust any interaction with people.

[@powerofpizzazz]

Hi! So I was checking over my bank account bill for when I went to Europe, and I noticed that when I made three 2-4 minute phone calls from the big airport in Rome, each one was $50 so I ended up being charged $150 on my credit card. There were no prices on the phone booth, and it was the booths right next to the pickup area. There's hardly any information about this scam online so I thought it'd be good if you could put it in a video or a blog post or something, just get that info out there. Great video, as usual!

[@woltersworld]

Yeah, I need to do a video on phone issues while in Europe because I too have had one of those rip offs. It was $20 for about 2 minutes from Milan to the US (this was 10 or 15 years ago or so)

[@woltersworld]

And sorry to hear you got nailed like that. Sucks :(

[@OttoMatieque]

did you dispute the charge with the credit card company?

[@angelasenisi9168]

Wolters World, it’s the same thing in Cuba. Somehow the less than a five minute call home is very pricy. Same as buying wifi cards in hotels, you buy 30 min. time and you’re lucky to get ten minutes after the time it takes to connect on the computer and the incredibly slow speed. Usually you buy an hour to get fifteen minutes. If you have your own toys, you still pay too much. This is government run, like everything else.

[@chriswilliams6568]

pup girl - we do not use phones when abroad. Our costs in Canada are way too high.

[@Lord13289]

One pickpocket scam in Paris is where a dude will tie a thread around your finger to do a "magic trick", then someone pickpockets you while you're distracted.

[@woltersworld]

GreatJoFo yep, seen that one

[@slimyweasles4973]

They "Magically" steal all your money, lol

[@uadreamsreviewer3086]

+GreatJoFo more about protect oneself against scams at our channel

[@koolever3]

yup, they hang around Sacre Coeur pulling that scam.

[@renatedebruyn9612]

koolever3 n

[@JeSuisHulk]

In Rome they will spill coffee on you the guy that spilled it on you will offer you help and tissues meanwhile his friend pick pockets you.

[@sultanfahad]

Another scam I faced in Paris is the signing invitation. At most of the tourist places, specially Eiffel Tower, someone will come to you with a pen and a paper in his/her hands asking you to sign. At first glance you'll think of it like some kind of petition to sign for children, disabled persons, etc. But after you have signed you will be informed that you have to pay an amount for this, e.g. 10-50 euros. And they don't speak English.

[@sultanfahad]

Nice. I did the same. :)

[@tubadude905]

The Eiffel tower was rampant with this - its terrible (June 2019)...I knew about it (thanks to Welters World) and told them to get lost as the approached us.

[@Aussiemarco]

Scam #4. The taxi scam is rife all over Greece. It’s the law that on every taxi ride, the meter MUST be turned on. A “broken meter” is no excuse. And a receipt MUST be issued to the passenger. If the meter isn’t turned on, you don’t pay, that’s the law. Taxis in Athens are the cheapest in the EU. A typical taxi fare within the city centre should cost €3 to €6. I and my friends were charged €10 for a taxi ride of about 2kms. The meter wasn’t turned on, and the driver claimed the fare was €10. I told him we’re not paying as the meter wasn’t turned on. He got really aggressive, so I said “Ok, call the police.” He changed his attitude and drove away. So we actually saved about €3.50 😊

[@Ironlak1985]

Wolter, when you mentioned using sketchy wifi and how it can be compromised. What I always recommend to everyone who travel is to invest in using a VPN server. it doesnt matter if the wifi is compromised or not because the VPN will automatically run encrypted from the computer to the VPN server. This also applies for legit wifi also, since it is very easy to monitor everyone on the network since the hacker will most likely found a way to have access to the wifi in the hotel anyway.

[@Ironlak1985]

on a side note, as usual its a good idea to look for the right VPN for you that will give you all your security needs. On average I see them go for around 20 bucks for a year, you cant beat that when you want to have a fighting chance to protect your information

[@thisisadhdbyadultspositive220]

What VPN service do you use?

[@lauraz2896]

I use my work VPN

[@Sarah-xb5ec]

I live in Barcelona and I am very much in favour of tourists being more aware in big cities. I've been robbed, multiple times, and a group of my brother's friends had basically 80% of the group lose something over one weekend. Two things though. 1. It's absolutely not true that the police here won't help you. They do. They have many warnings for tourists on the metro, in busy areas they have English-speaking officers, and they will always try to recover your items. Laws here are more lax than other places on non-violent small-value pickpockets, which is our problem, sure, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't report any crime. 2. My brother's friends? They got robbed when they were very drunk and their natural defences were down. This is the biggest danger. Don't get so drunk you lose your senses. Thiefs around or not, that's always the best idea.

[@albedo0point39]

One top tip for backpacks or day bags: get a karabina and keep it attached to your bag. When you go sit at a table for lunch or a drink, clip your bag to the chair or the table leg (circle a strap around and clip into the karabina). Still don't let the bag out of your site... but this gives you extra insurance against bag snatchers.

[@woltersworld]

That is exactly what I do. Through the table or chair leg and I put my leg through the big loop too. It depends where we are traveling but.. yeah, great comment and helpful tip!

[@slimyweasles4973]

On trains in Italy, if I'm not holding onto my stuff, I chain my packpack to the bag rack (I loop the chain through the straps of my bag and around the railing and lock it up. It won't stop anyone with chain cutters or anything, but it stops casual, run-by thieves)

[@brianbarcus5853]

Wow, Mark! You got the opportunity to go to school, teach and live in Vienna. How wonderful. I would love to visit there. Thanks for the tips.

[@EHSBspotter]

I ran into similar things in Jerusalem a couple of times. Some person is being very nice to you and offers to show you around the nearby synagogues, and even when you don't follow them but you go your own way, they pretend that they guide you and end up asking for money. My personal solution was to keep standing next to a group of policemen that were on the spot, making the 'guide' go away.

[@lakishajenkins]

"The cops are not gonna help you. Barcelona, they will laugh at you." This is where I have to disagree, Walter. I had my backpack stolen in Barcelona, in the El Maresme Forum mall. Went down to the station to report it to the police, and in a few days they had located the bag, although my passport was missing. The police staff were very friendly and cordial. I have nothing but respect for the police of Barcelona!

[@lotstolearn5350]

That passport ended up in Athens or Istanbul where a new photo was put on it, but the Zurich airport Arrivals staff have been told to wave the migrant through.

[@slimyweasles4973]

In Italy, and in France, I had someone latch onto me and follow me around pestering me to sign something for a good cause. They kept doing this even when I repeatedly told them no, and spoke other languages to them (like German, or the little bit of Czech and Russian I know, a lot of which I admittedly made up) to try and make them go away. They stopped following me when I went into a church, but were waiting for me again when I left. Lots of other people walked by, some alone like I was, others in pairs, and many looked more tourist-y than I did, but they didn't even speak to them. In Paris, this woman waited for me and then grabbed me when I again told her "Nein". For a second I was really scared, because someone had just grabbed me, and then when I realized it was her, I got really angry and yelled at her really loudly in German. Then they stopped but glared at me the entire time I was walking away.

[@duartesilva7907]

In Portugal that doesn't happen :)

[@ltcajh]

+Slimy Weasles We got hit on at the Eiffel Tower by this one. The woman was mad when we wouldn't sign.

[@panzwes5993]

I had a similar experience in Berlin: walking along the street near Alexanderplatz and a young guy comes up and shoves a clipboard in my face. The paper says they are campaigning for disabled access to some important building like the Reichstag and you add your details. Followed me a few steps even after I declined. I was approached by 3 of these people (in different spots around the city centre) over 4 days, and noticed they only go up people who are alone.

[@karlpark8575]

Thanks Wolters for the upload. Your tips were big help when I went to Paris a couple of years ago. Just use your common sense, be alert and aware of your surroundings.

[@v1e1r1g1e1]

The best defences you can have when travelling overseas are these two qualities / responses: (1) Be paranoid. Do you know the person? No...? Be paranoid. Don't trust anyone. If you have to go to a hotel or restaurant that a travel agent or friend didn't recommend, make sure there's a set price on everything. Don't negotiate a price - it isn't worth it. Don't use a taxi that an airport or hotel official hasn't verified as reputable or reliable. Don't buy a ticket for anything from a person you don't personally know - unless it's from a machine at an airport. (2) Don't bother about being White-Middle-Class-Western-Polite to anyone who offers you a "deal" or a "bargain". Just say "No" and keep walking (with your hand well and truly around your wallet, passport, phone, & etc). The legitimate salespeople won't ever get this cold-shoulder from you, as you'll know them straight-up for being legitimate because their product for sale will be marked at a fair price. Anything not already marked ... well... get ready to have to haggle or give them the tough "NO!" By the way, I've travelled to 23 countries.... Americas, Europe & Asia.

[@vangrails]

You always need to negotiate about the price in many countries, for example South East Asian countries.

[@silviavol]

Very helpful video! Trying to keep these things in mind now when moving to Spain for a year:) Thanks!

[@woltersworld]

Spain, watch for the ladies putting things on you and pickpockets. The only place it is really kind of bad is in Barcelona. But it is still an amazing city. I warned my students when they went to Barcelona and even though I told them what to watch out for, they got pickpocketed :) have a great year abroad! Awesome!

[@Cambell777]

Another anoying thing, is when over-the-counter sellers of especially food products like say you want X balls of ice cream in a cup, and seller play "stupid", waiting for you to pick the extra selection, or at the bakery, putting one extra product in the paperbag, and place the extra charge on the label. If they at the beginning understand that you dont know their language well, they may push this "trick", as they know you might not bother trying to explain that you want less than what they suggest.

[@Zekrom569]

I see. I had a similar experience while in an exchange program to Baku/Azerbaijan, the cashier would have some products on the side of the checkout line and mix it with what you are actually purchasing. It is the predatory version of upselling basically.

[@smokeandquills]

The street carts/street vendors in Paris, bought an ice cream and a can of Fanta and they shortchanged me ridiculously! like a stupid amount, thinking I wouldn't notice... I corrected them and they tried to deny it and kept playing dumb - I am a petite Australian woman who looks way younger, get told I look like a young teen and maybe they weren't expecting me to check my change, probably thought I didn't understand the money or something, lol, as if paying with Euros is difficult! XD Anyway, don't think they expected me to start arguing with them and pointing to the other guy in the cart who tried it on and then walked off pretending nothing happened, kept pointing at him in a very animated way and making a bit of a scene trying to get my correct change, I think they got sick of me because whilst I was doing that no one else could order, so they finally relented and gave me the right money! Lol, no way were they getting away with that much! I had just arrived so didn't have any smaller notes/bills to use, but that's one they will try on, so don't be shortchanged when picking up a quick bite to eat or an ice cream on the street. And expect them to attempt to play dumb and suddenly not understand very basic English as soon as you need to correct something, when a minute earlier they were speaking the basics just fine! haha. Caught those shifty bastards!

[@rejaneroe9531]

Samething happened to my son in Prague and he complained and the vendor asked the money back and gave my son even less money back. Open your eyes in Prague everywhere.

[@SuperSlimshady1]

i see why hell is full now cuz of these disgusting people

[@SuperSlimshady1]

one happened to be in a strip club in new orleans gave the bar tender a $20 only got change back for a $10 drink was like $6 told him "I gave u a $20" without blinking an eye he wen to the register immediately gave me the right change amazing hmm like he kno he was tryna rip me off ig he was trying his luck to see wat money he could steal that night

[@meissoun]

Shoe shine scam (as seen in Istanbul): guy walks in front of you, drops one of his brushes. You (friendly person) pick it up and give it to him. "Oh thank you so much! Let me shine your shoes to show my gratitude," (and he doesn't care if you are wearing sneakers) Once he is done, he asks for money and makes a big scene if you refuse. Taxi scam: Driver pretends not to have change - even if you can hear the coins rattling in his pocket....

[@colormedubious4747]

A gang of children emptied your pockets? You must be in Rio!

[@looshkin66]

I hate to say it but to be safe any more it pays to be a jaded a-hole. its is a lame reality though, i wish it were not like that.

[@OnTheGoWithCarson]

Thanks for bringing these things to everyone's attention. A lot of people don't realize that these kind of things can happen anywhere while traveling!

[@woltersworld]

OnTheGoWithCarson thanks carson! have a tshirt for you by the way :)

[@OnTheGoWithCarson]

A tshirt for me? Omgsh! You shouldn't have! :)

[@woltersworld]

write me on my facebook page (just search wolters world on faceboo) then write me a post or private message and we can figure it out :)

[@barvdw]

Anywhere, indeed. Also at home. On your way to work, you can get pickpocketted just as easily on your way to work, when you're feeling a a little drowsy and you don't pay attention. But it is more of a problem because you're not aware of the correct procedures to report a theft, you don't know the language perfectly, and you're further away from your bank to get a new bank card, from your town hall to get a passport (or whatever instance is responsible for that), etc.

[@chriswilliams6568]

I am sorry, but to not know that there are thieves and beggars everywhere in this world, one has to be really stupid.

[@stuffnva]

Beware of people offering to change money. They'll likely pass you counterfeit.

[@timmmahhhh]

That was really common in the Communist countries back in the day, and not counterfeit but money from other countries sold to people who couldn't read the language. I was on a college trip in the USSR 1989 where you got far better exchange rates on the street than at the banks. A ruble = $1.60 officially but you could get 7 rubles for $1 on the street. One of the guys in the group didn't know Cyrillic and was proud to say he just got 10:1 exchange. I asked him to show me the money and it was from Yugoslavia, and I knew that one more from my childhood days of collecting stamps.

[@NyanSten]

Ad 4) If they don't turn the meter on, you don't have to pay

[@noanoa332]

i've been living in barcelona for 32 years, apparently it is world capital of pickpockers and i have never seen one of these things. not saying it doesn't happen, but i don't think is as common as people say. what i do see everyday is a bunch of tourists walking arround with their bags opened, with rolled cash in their hand or leaving their belongings unnatended to take a photo. really, everyday. some people are just asking to get robbed.

[@Stockholm_Syndrome]

1. My phone is old and I use "FindMyPhone" = take it and I will find it with GPS. 2. Always use Uber/Lyft instead of a taxi. 3. Don't carry so much cash. Use your debit card and have a seperate account with just a small amount of money on it.

[@ledbthand]

I'd add that, be aware of letting your guard down without meaning to, when you travel from one area or country, where you've been super safe then entire time, to a completely new country/area. Especially for example, going from somewhere extremely safe and friendly like Korea and Japan, to China. Honestly though, when/if you get scammed, don't let the emotional baggage of it ruin your trip. :)

[@mattcohen261]

People in China are very rude and they hate Americans.

[@psmith85channel5]

Another major scam: accosting you and trying to put a trained wild animal on you (eagle, falcon, large snake, monkey, etc.), and then allow you to take a selfie with the animal. Then demand large amount of money; can be very aggressive

[@gonefishing3644]

When traveling in Europe, never wear an expensive wrist watch or carry an expensive designer handbag. Wear a cheap plastic wrist watch and use a mass-produced handbag or tote bag. An never ever put anything in that handbag you are unwilling to lose. A handbag is a great place to carry hand sanitizer, facial tissues, a trail bar, a tourist map, a string market bag, a traveler's umbrella and a tube of sun screen. Never ever carry money, credit cards or passport in a handbag. Avoid those sidewalk restaurants in the main tourist areas unless you do not mind being over-charged for average quality food. Instead, go to local street markets or little stores and buy local bread, cheese, cold cuts, fresh fruit and bottled water or carbonated non-alcoholic drinks and have a picnic in your hotel room or a local park. Breakfast in your hotel, if it has a restaurant, can be a good value too if you do not mind a cold buffet of pastries, sliced bread, fruit, butter, cheese and cold cuts plus all the coffee you want to drink.

[@ToastedCigar]

Great video! I'm a nervous traveller. I'm always checking that all my luggage are still with me and I am counting them almost neurotically, so I've never been (so far, at least) robbed. However, once my dad got scammed in Paris by a "bird poop" guy and he took my dad's new camera.

[@woltersworld]

ToastedCigar I do the same :)

[@65denikat]

Do as many European men do. Don't put your money, passport etc in your pockets but use a men bag. You can hold your hand on your bag while walking around. It's much safer.

[@5winder]

+65denikat .. and gayer.

[@65denikat]

+5winder I don't know where you're from but in Europe most of the straight men use men bags. There is nothing gay about it... But of course if you have a problem with everything it's best to stay away....

[@bauer444]

65denikat Jack Bauer had a man bag he kept his guns and other weapons in there.

[@JPMJPM]

My French father-in-law is a retired Colonel in the military and uses a man bag - just like every other man in France.

[@SantomPh]

Nothing gay about being safe. These folk don't need guns and holsters to hide deep rooted insecurity like in the USA.

[@ZemplinTemplar]

Excellent and concise video.

[@woltersworld]

Thanks ZT! I appreciate it! and I hope you never get scammed while traveling! All the best!

[@Smithlandia]

For anyone traveling to Istanbul beware of the very friendly and generous locals that are willing to act as your tour guide at sights like the Blue Mosque. They can get you in past the line but at the end of the tour they will insist that you come to their rug shop and watch their rug sales pitch. The door will be locked behind you and you are stuck getting a very high pressure sales pitch of their full line of rugs without any way out. It can be very uncomfortable and a very big waste of time - at best.

[@jamessullivan5864]

There are people here in Ireland who will go up to random people and say that they really need money and will do their best to guilt you into giving them some ,I have seen these people in the same area of Dublin when I visit ,there is a street called Grafton street in Dublin that has a few,one always comes up to me whenever I am there.

[@okok72277]

I've never had that on Grafton street, but there's that lady with the hunch back and the cane on O'Connell Street, then there are the junkies who want a few quid "for the bus", but you can just say you don't have change and they'll move on

[@MjTink]

I feel like having training while I'm watching every single videos of Wolters World! Thank you so much 😺💜

[@knick2335]

just found your channel this afternoon and already watched like 20 of those videos. really good stuff! someone tried to scam me in romania. i was sitting alone in a busy park and a well dressed guy came up to me. he had a quite big stash of money and was playing in front of my eyes with it. saying he just has small bills and asked, if i could change it to bigger money. for me it was clear, that he was trying to scam me so i told him, to go away. which he didn t do. he tried to keep talking to me to get me to change some money. so at one point i just got off of the bench i was sitting on and walked away. later i saw that guy again with another guy walking in the park. then i realized the other guy was also there while he was talking to me, but just standing like 4 meters away, so i didn t pay attention to him. i guess he was trying to swap fake money or just way lesse than what i would have given to him and right away drop it off to the other guy who would have disappeared with it

[@Quarton]

I lived in a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the first time we had friends come down to visit, we had the mustard trick - yes, they "helped" us! They helped take away some purchases! Then we had it happen again, but this time we KNEW what was going on. They didn't get anything that time! It made us so angry, to get it on clothing and in the winter, on winter coats. That stuff stains! Just now, a few minutes ago, a friend in Virden, Illinois - small town! - was at the Family Dollar store, paid, and felt a hand reach in for his billfold! He caught her, but she just said, "sorry, I didn't mean to bump you." Yeah, right. . . ! So, thieves can be ANYWHERE, not just in the big cities, anymore.

[@trumbettier9252]

The best experience I've had was in Barcelona lining up to enter the Sagrada Famiglia cathedral. This withered old Gypsy was begging going up and down the line; her facial expression almost sobbing about to cry. That's when I noticed this "poor" woman was carrying a Gucci bag which would have cost hundreds of dollars and more. "Where did you get that bag, honey? Hang on, that's my wife's bag" I asked as I tugged at the shoulder strap. She became a spitting viper. Everyone burst out laughing.It wasn't my wife's bag but she got the message.

[@marleybrewster7780]

Love your videos.. My sister and I traveled through Europe. While in Paris a guy came up to her and tried to put a bracelet on her wrist, luckily our tour guide had warned us about the "friendship bracelet scam", we got away from him pretty quick. While visiting the Leaning tower of Pisa we were told not to buy anything from people who don't have a booth set up as they are selling illegally and the police will charge you for buying from them. We were on a tour bus and the second we got off the bus there were people hassling us in the parking lot. One guy opened his jacket and had different watches and stuff he was trying to sell. There was also a guy following us around there trying to sell us an umbrella even though it was a nice sunny day. My sister yelled at him to F**k off, I don't know if he knew English, but he finally got the hint and left us alone. Then while in Venice someone came up to my sister and gave her a bunch of roses then he said "now you pay" she literally opened her wallet in front of him and he made her give him money for the flowers. Before our trip we only knew about pickpocketers and kept our money safe, but we didn't know about the scams that happen. We were pretty young then, but we know better now then to take anything that someone is offering you.

[@romansUK]

Another taxi scam is when you pay with a note. The driver will swop it for a forgery then insist you take it back and pay with another note. I pay using small denominations. If you only have a large note take a foto of it.

[@woltersworld]

+romansUK or giving you change in another currency. I got that occasionally in Lithuania. Had to inform them that I lived there and knew what the currency looked like

[@NeverMetTheGuy]

A few years back a fake taxi in Rome got me at Termini station for €30. After almost 20 years of traveling solo, it's going to happen; stay frosty.

[@NordikFilm]

#Milan, Railway station, Italy: Someone stole my binoculars. #Paris, Tuilleries France: Gypsies tried to pull off the goldring trick twice. #Swinoujscie Harbour, Poland: Very helpfull "students" claiming to be tourist guides and windscreen cleaners demanding money for their sloppy services. #My hometown, Sweden (which is full of begging gypsies now): A guy in a Mercedes trying to sell fake Armani-suits. I have travelled extensively in Russia & the Baltics but I have never been robbed or scammed there.

[@ShoJ369]

They will have every tooth out of your head in Romania and Bulgaria, the gypsies along with the mafia run Bulgaria. Every Romanian child is an accomplished thief as well as an organ/violin player ........

[@user-nu2jv7gr5h]

Those Polish windscreen cleaners are annoying, my dad used to deal with them almost every day when he lived there. Just turn on your wipers and spray your windshield with water. Also, I think they're illegal now, but I'm not sure.

[@Farbar1955]

The petition scam is a good one. Someone sticks a sheet of paper in your face asking you to read it or sign it with a sob story that's rarely in English. You're distracted and you're robbed. The better variation of that scam is if you're sitting at a sidewalk cafe at your table and your phone or camera is on the table. Someone, usually kids, walk up with the petition paper and they shove it in front of you and it's usually over your phone/camera. While you're trying to shoo them away they are holding the paper in one hand and taking your phone/camera with the other. It almost happened to us in Paris and fortunately the cafe manager saw what was happening and scared them off. He told us about the scam and now my phone is never out of my sight when it's on a table (even here in the States) and I take it with me when I have to leave the table.

[@irenefuss8252]

Farbar1955 ok

[@CaptchaNeon]

*That's why you make a mixture of ghost chili pepper and Carolina reaper, spray the fuck out of them. The other thing is to carry a fake phone that's actually a taser. Make the scammers suffer for being criminals*

[@oscarpalacios7915]

WTF? babies pick pocketing wallets? What is this world coming to?

[@woltersworld]

Oscar Palacios tell me about it (well its a fake baby or the little kids are getting you)

[@andreatomassini202]

Oscar Palacios here in europe gypsy kids always did it. When I was young, some 30 years ago, I think it was even worse.

[@oscarpalacios7915]

Andrea Tomassini yeah i can see kids doing it but babys who can barely crawl? come on now

[@andreatomassini202]

Oscar Palacios ok, obviously not so young, but they start, I don't know, let's say about 6years old or less

[@seniortraveller7188]

+Andrea Tomassini No, as young as two to three years old. I really saw a little girl cut a bag from the bottom, very close to the ground. Then she gave the purse to another kid, then to another kid, then to another kid.... Very fast, I tried to help the victim but not successful. He only caught the kid with nothing in his hands. No evidence. My only advice 1. don't underestimate those people 2. don't feel bad about yourselves if you really get pocket pick 3. don't think the victims are stupid. It can happen to anybody.

[@Think-About-It]

Scammer: Hey! Let me show you a magic trick. Put out your hands, let me tie them; ohh and your feet too . Now close your eyes and count till 10.

[@Still_I_Rise]

I love your channel, just found you and Im learning so much, thank you for sharing 👍

[@AlastairjCarruthers]

I witnessed a theft in London where a guy walked up to two girls in a cafe and put a piece of paper down on their table, with something like "I'm homeless and don't speak English, can you help me with some money for food?" written on it. They said no, so he picked it up again and walked away. Next thing, one of the girls can't find her phone... Turns out it had been on the table, the guy had put the paper over it then lifted it when he left. Simple, but effective.

[@simonh6371]

Classic, that was a favourite scam in Amsterdam but they'd go to the cafe terrace with a map and cover the table with it to ask for directions, and swipe the phone.

[@dobbsy87]

Children robbing wallets. Oliver Twist sir. Got to pick a pocket or 2.

[@philipmcniel4908]

This video makes Rick Steves' trick sound even more attractive; he pointed out you can just put the pouch of your money belt inside your pants, between the pants and the underwear. They'd literally have to reach through your belt and your pants' waist that way;)

[@jturie]

BTW, Rick got nailed on the Metro (in Rome I think) recently. The old "bump" just as the doors were closing...

[@D4NKN3SS]

The WiFi Scam he referring to here is known as a "Man in the Middle Attack" in the technical world. They are extremely hard to spot because to your device it looks like any normal access point. There is no way to tell unless you have specialized software that can tell you what kind of hardware you're connecting to. This is essentially people intercepting your data and hi-jacking it to allow them to log into your banking websites, etc. The best way to avoid this is to NEVER do any kind of sensitive activities on an unsecured (no password protection) WiFi connection. Always use a password protected WiFi or your regular Mobile Network when checking personal websites.

[@etangdescygnes]

Huh, I forgot this incident! In the late 1990s I met an embarrassed young German in a paved square outside the Rosebank Shopping Mall, in Johannesburg, South Africa, on a Sunday morning. He was stark naked, and his face had little red nicks all over it. He told me he was 18 years old and had travelled from Germany alone. Having seen Cape Town, he had flown to Jo'burg's Oliver Tambo Airport, and boarded what he had assumed to be a minibus taxi. There was a driver and an accomplice. Instead of taking him into town, they drove him to a lonely spot in the countryside, and then at knifepoint told him to get off the minibus and strip naked. They then asked him to get on his knees and beg for his life. After having toyed with his face with the sharp end of the knife, inflicting all the tiny cuts I saw. they had bundled his clothes into the minibus and driven away, leaving him naked and stranded. Eventually a kind passerby picked him up, and managed to contact someone who worked at a branch of the German embassy in Jo'burg. This motorist drove him straight into Rosebank, where he was no waiting for the German official to arrive. He refused any help from me, as he didn't want to miss his appointment. Be extra careful at all South African airports, & railway and bus stations!

[@retiredminimalist1937]

When I travel in Europe, my first line of defense against petty crime is not bathing. Since most Europeans do not bath frequently, it usually takes several days sans soap and water to make any kind of impact. After several weeks of not washing up, most petty criminals steer clear thinking that someone so stinky has nothing of value to steal. I also wear shabby vintage 1970s polyester pants like bell-bottoms and beat-to-shit plastic beatle boots. When I am in a particularly nasty city like Naples I make sure I have a nice 3-4 day stubble and I mumble to myself as I walk down the street. Works like a charm!

[@yuriythebest]

that's genius

[@JPMJPM]

How do you get into good restaurants?

[@Lietuvis65]

Most europeans do not bath frequently? The hell? In which country?

[@jrvegeeta]

Saying that Europeans in general don’t bathe is rather ignorant, don’t you think?

[@b.chuchlucious5471]

Think I'd rather stay clean and give those grubby thieves a black eye that they so richly deserve.

[@CboettnerM91]

How about when I was in Venice, and these people force bird feed into your hand while in the square, getting swarmed by pigeons, while they ask/search for money.

[@Itsocrafty]

These are really great tips. And I watch Ur videos all the time because I'm planning a trip to paris and the last thing I want is to lose all my documents. Or be robbed!! So thanks again for sharing all this great info with us.. Safe traveling!!

[@woltersworld]

Yomaris Encarnacion have a great trip yomaris! all will be well! :)

[@vangrails]

Buy a moneybelt, put your passport , debit cards, credit cards and big money notes in your money belt. No more than 50 euros in your wallet (your daily expenses on food and admissions). Make copies of important documents and email those copies to yourself or put those copies in an internet cloud.

[@Itsocrafty]

Thanks sonkuch. E cause watching these videos make me a lil nervous a out going abroad all the way half way across the world to have to to thru a situation like that thanks very much.

[@stephaniecaza9636]

Thanks for the tips! I will be sharing this with my travel group :D

[@woltersworld]

Stephanie Caza THank you for sharing and I am glad I could share some good tips! all the best on your travels! Mark

[@ririmr4978]

The swarming children scam happened to some friends of mine while they were on vaca in Europe. They were overwhelmed with several children all at once, these children stole their camera and other small items, this was before cell phones, so it has been going on for a LONG time.

[@tombickel7954]

Good job Wolter! Thank you for this practical advice about how not to be ripped off while traveling.

[@woltersworld]

Tom Bickel Glad I can help (and I hope it does help) all the best on your travels!

[@AlastairjCarruthers]

A very common robbery tactic in London right now involves someone approaching you while you sit outside (or even inside) a bar or cafe and putting a map or piece of paper on the table in front of you, often while speaking fast in a foreign language. You think they're asking for directions or begging, but then when they're gone, so is your phone - they'd put the piece of paper on top of your stuff and sneakily picked it up as they left.

[@YasserHBarakat]

Great tips, love all your videos

[@A.N.A_youtube]

Thanks for the tips. ❤️ Happy traveling everyone!

[@beachbum4691]

This excellent Vid' is for newish travellers, Bottom line every group you meet as a traveller includes people who will try to rob you. It also includes people who are totally honest and are more than embarrassed by those in their city who rob....

[@Mus1c1luv]

Very helpful, Mark. Thank you

[@emilyjessica7379]

When I went to Rome a guy literally shoved a rose at me and event tried to put it in my bag and said ‘it’s for free, it’s for free’ then hung around for another few minutes and started to demand money! When I tried to give him the rose back he wouldn’t take it so I ended up leaving it on the side of the Spanish steps and walked away, and even then he tried to follow me

[@kat7939]

Jessica Clement Lol.... a gypsie kid did that to me in Greece!

[@Altair9678]

Might been good time to point out Not to wear things that scream, "I'm a Tourist!"

[@grahamt5924]

Have you ever tried the razor blades in the pocket trick. That's quite fun.

[@Meela234]

Lol

[@horseplop9]

man your Ruthless

[@dhoussen]

Just reading through the comments and see that you respond to every comment left here. That must be so time consuming. Your videos are awesome. I just got back from Paris.....and near the Eiffel Tower ,from what I understood, someone with the ball game wanted to give me money to play the ball/cup game. At that same time a guy behind him flipped over 1 of the 2 remaining cups, basically showing me where the ball "must be". I still turned down the opportunity to bet, on what looked like a sure bet.

[@Aragorn.Strider]

Something which also helps is wearing old and worn down clothes. People will think you are poor or a begger yourself. So they avoid you... Also on the street, have phones in an inside pocket of your jacket. That jacket can be flimsy when its warm. And well, just be careful. Great video btw

[@hauskalainen]

If you use a card to pay someone or use an ATM to get cash, a big scam is that ATM or card terminal may ask if you want your transaction in the local currency or in your home currency. This is a currency conversion scam. If you say your home currency (and most people do) the ATM/payment terminal will do the exchange and maybe charge a fee which is much worse than that which Visa or MasterCard might have charged. Avoid that by always choosing the local currency, even though that is less familiar to you.

[@solountipomas8616]

In Spain if they robbed you less than 400€, and they catch them, they will be back at streets in less than 2 hours About taxis, ALWAYS learn how much is it aproximatelly from the airport to downtown prior to your arival, and never ever ask HOW MUCH IT COSTS??? you will be telling them I DON´T KNOW, PLEASE CHEAT ME Just get in, show the adress and act as if you take a taxi every day there...

[@tkell31]

Got swarmed by kids in Paris. Haha, little monsters tried to take something from my friend, but I saw them trying and flipped. They ran, but it was common to see people getting swarmed by beggars or kids.

[@romeonijsse2359]

"duty free shopping" is also a big scam in my opinion. The airport may not be paying taxes, but the prices are still very high! (This is the case at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam)

[@larryweller7948]

This was very helpful. Thank you.

[@mnguyea]

Ah I had the baby scam! Luckily, I don't like kids and was like I'm not holding your baby. She was like but I need to get something from my pocket. I was like uh...there is a bench over there. She walked away huffing. LOL

[@SadieSteele1]

Even though we travel a lot and should have known better, we totally got scammed by a taxi driver in Budapest. Instead of calling for a known legit taxi (City Taxi is best), we jumped into the first one we came across because we were in a hurry. The driver claimed there was an accident on one of the bridges and took us the long way. Even the long route should have been under $10, but he charged us almost $30 (approx converted from Forint), cash only. He was a burly and unfriendly guy, we didn't feel safe challenging him. Anyway, we later learned to look for the permit and ask for a receipt, since this is a big problem in Budapest. The police were actually very apologetic and tried to follow up, but we didn't have any identifying information.

[@Dawn-zo2ny]

SadieSteele1 ~ How do you look for the permit...? You mean the permit to drive the taxi...?

[@sadiaa.j267]

Thank you so much, very useful tips.xx

[@jaysterling26]

Turn off your phone. Or if you're expecting an important call put it on vibrate. Wear the phone inside your shirt , on your arm or neck( there's holsters for this ).

[@rizalkartowisastro5829]

every country has its own scam, just be careful wherever you are. By the way, I really like your videos, I have a plan to go to Europe on July. Do Switzerland have these kind of scam ?

[@andreatomassini202]

rizal kartos I would say much less than, let's say, here in Italy. But don't let your guard down.

[@elizabethmatson5629]

I saw the mother/child bit a lot in Athens, Greece. Women would come up with an infant and say, "mama, feed the baby," and try to get you to hold the baby and feed it a bottle. I also saw tandem jobs where one person would either try to show you a trick or sell you a homemade item, and the other would try to sneak around the other side of you and get your bag. Luckily, I did not have any items stolen.

[@TheJoebarrett]

Great video, very helpful. This is what KZbin is supposed to be. Thx.

[@madiantin]

This makes me never want to travel anywhere again...

[@jesrmaxw]

madiantin that's just dumb. This stuff happens yes, but that doesn't mean never go anywhere, this stuff can happen in around the corner in your hometown, so it happens. Just be aware of what your doing, and who is around you and you will be fine. The world is so beautiful and so vast that it would be a shame to never travel because something that may happen to you.

[@madiantin]

*Eyeroll* Assumption much? I've lived in several different places in several different countries. I've visited countries that no longer exist. I get itchy feet if I live anywhere longer than three years. So please take your patronization and insults somewhere else.

[@jesrmaxw]

madiantin is this directed at me?

[@SantomPh]

Be careful, is all. And carry a machete.

[@marcelrobinson]

Just because these things happen that shouldn't scare you think traveling, just learn how to be a reasonable dick

[@Sanguinarioo-abc]

Great vídeo, do you happen to know about if this happens in Punta Cana, DR. Going down there in a few months and will love to know any info.. thanks

[@MrVikingsandra]

Getting robbed in Barcelona is a classic, sadly. The only time I was robbed it was in a bar in Raval a neighborhood in Bcn and my bag was gone. Just like that. I reported it to the police and they litetally laughed at me saying I looked like a tourist...😤 Also watch out on the beaches especially in Spain. The minute you leave your bag unattended, say to go for a swim, someone will come by and steel your bag within seconds! They are very fast and they observe you.

[@ajohnson153]

Always tug on the part of the ATM machine that you insert your card into. A common scam is to place a card skimmer over the legit card reader on an ATM machine. The skimmer will read the info off of your card and transmit it to the person that placed it there. They will also have a fake keypad or small camera to catch your pin number.

[@debraladams9140]

I leave all my jewelry at home. Zipped pockets on hiking pants are great. When out and about, I have a "sling" biking-style backback, that slides from your back to your front--works like a charm.

[@zsoltpapp3363]

Just look dangerous, work out, get tattoos - i am exaggerating. Thieves always go for the weak. I am living in Prague for 3 years i don't check my surroundings i stand in the crowd on the public transport and in the clubs and never had any affair. I had a female friend here, 5 ft 100 lbs she got robbed 2 times in 6 months and this same happened to her in London. Some people attract the criminals.

[@lydiamusima5840]

I’m in Barcelona at the moment and I’m very careful in keeping my backpack in front of me at all times. I don’t like people walking close behind or bumping into me. When people come up close I swerve to the side. Most of my clothing have no pockets so thieves have little chance

[@Dawn-zo2ny]

i'm not sure if someone mentioned this, and i don't think you mentioned this specifically, but i heard that in Portugal, taxi drivers will almost always charge you more, and one solution is to tell them you want a receipt before you get in the taxi...you could also ask later, but apparently the receipt will show the real price, so they can't rip you off...

[@Dawn-zo2ny]

Also, India has a lot of child scams / beggars i think...

[@TheKickingDonkey]

Really great advise!