Comments on: 24 Classic Travel Scams, and How to Avoid Them

By: Nora

Nora — Sat, 04 May 2019 17:52:36 +0000

In reply to Theo Deed. Hi Theo, Good thing your pockets were empty!

By: Theo Deed

Theo Deed — Thu, 02 May 2019 04:59:45 +0000

When on a bus, someone talked to me. I said that their was another trying to pickpocket me, but I had nothing in my pocket. They quickly left the bus together.

By: Nora

Nora — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:51:15 +0000

In reply to Arnette.

Hi Arnette,
So true – it can happen anywhere!
And it’s unfortunate, because when I’m in my home town (Toronto), I’m the most confident and least vigilant about my stuff.

By: Arnette

Arnette — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 03:56:13 +0000

I was pickpocketed on my daily bus ride to work when I still lived in Vancouver. It can happen anywhere. The bus was packed and I thought the guy was being a perv. Didn’t realize he took my wallet out of my tote bag.

By: Nora

Nora — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 16:38:41 +0000

In reply to Gary.

Hi Gary,
I find it very difficult to resist when I’m being told a bad-luck-story by a local; it feels heartless to just walk away! And….they’re counting on it.

I refuse to give to strangers however (especially in developing countries), because when I was researching for an article I wrote about Responsible Travel (https://www.creditwalk.ca/how-to-be-a-responsible-traveller-5-unexpected-pitfalls/), I learned just how badly tourists can affect the entire economy of a country by doing so.
And that’s aside from the whole travel scam aspect to it!

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 13:15:19 +0000

A good reminder, it can happen anywhere. I was targeted with a petition and then by a volunteer street guide in front of the cathedral in Porto, Portugal. I don’t recall what the petition was allegedly about, but not being a citizen of any EU country, I declined the petition as none of my business. It was surprising to me how insistent the petitioners were. As you note, perhaps they would have been hounding me for a contribution to their cause, had I signed.

The street guide had a tale of woe about her four children who had no food. I did feel a pang of sympathy, but resisted because I was sure she was trying to work a scam. I suggested she ask for help from the church, since we were right there in front of one. There was no rest for a foreigner at that point at the cathedral, so I left.