I have come to terms with the fact that I am an obvious target. Just take on the street what you will need. Leave your passport, and a credit card, and that huge wad of cash in the hotel safe. So if you lose everything you could go to the Internet, access your Gmail, cancel your cards, and report your passport number to the consulate.Ĩ. Take pictures of your credit cards (front and back for the phone number!) And your passport and store it in the cloud. Distribute cards and cash to several different places so if you do get hit you’ll have a back up.ħ. Wallets and valuables in the front pockets, zipped pockets. Stay together in a tight formation when going through metro doors or turnstiles. Kids are often tasked to rob people as they can’t be charged under 16 years of age in France.Ĥ. If approached, yell at them and vigorously swing your trekking poles (or assault rifle) to avert close approach. Beware of groups of teens and kids that could be a “Swarm “(see number three above). Luckily, our traveling companions despise crowds as well. Unfortunately this is usually not possible and thieves will congregate at tourist hotspots. These people already know that you’re an American and will assume you have an assault rifle.Ģ. Or yell, be rude, and don’t let anyone touch you. If you recognize one of the scams above, or a variant, get out of there. Educate yourself by reading a fine travel blog just like this one. Well, Criminy, FAF, you say indignantly, Pray tell, how can these dastardly scams be avoided? FAF’s Security Measuresġ. The train speeds off as you see his partners leafing through your wallet and fanning themselves with euros. People are pushing from behind, the train is leaving! Finally, with a monumental push you squirt past the ruffian (who doesn’t even get on the train!). You try to edge by but he moves over effortlessly in your way, blocking you from Mama FAF, who is now starting to beat the forklift over the head and shoulders with a water bottle. Mama FAF leaps nimbly (like a gazelle!) onto the train but, just as you’re about to follow, a frenchman the size of a forklift steps in front of you.
For Old FAF, a lame gypsy grandmother carrying a accordion could probably make a clean getaway.Īfter much hand gesturing and talking loudly in English you manage to buy a MetroCard and are about to ride the subway for the first time. Or it could be, perhaps, a seriously fast runner.
#Pickpocket proof pants how to#
They really know how to ride bikes in France. Suddenly a cyclist zooms by out of nowhere, scoops the phone from your hand, and is gone. You are eating at a beautiful Parisian street café, tapping your foot to the music and occasionally snapping a picture of the Eiffel tower with your new iPhone 13. It’s only then you realize that your luggage is missing. You pat her on the head and shake your head smiling, your faith in humanity restored. being dexterously spirited away.Īs you finish trustfully putting your personal information down on the survey, the social justice advocates melt into the background as you root around frantically in your pockets for your lost items.Ī crowd of teenage girls and children surround you, get in front of you, in between your legs, etc.Ī small waif gives you a flower and a shy smile. You may be jostled from behind during this encounter and may (or, more likely, may not!) feel your wallet, purse, etc.
In this scam, earnest and beautiful people will thrust a survey in front of your face and ask you to sign it to “Save the whales, children, justice, ice cream, etc.” The ring bearer spins a tale of heart wrenching woe and asks for a “donation” or for you to purchase the ring. While your attention is diverted by the ring, your wallet is being lifted. In this time-honored gem, someone tugs at your sleeve and holds up a ring of “purest gold“. If you find yourself involved in one of these, or a variant thereof, you’re about to get robbed. But trouble sometimes seems to come looking for the innocent and unsuspecting here. Now fret not, gentle reader, FAF and Mama FAF don’t intend to cruise the seamy, rancid underbelly of the City of Lights looking for trouble. Perhaps some vigilance is in order.“ Photo by Flo Dahm on You’re big, dim-witted, slow moving, obviously American, and bristling with cargo pockets. No worse than any other big city…īut after page 3 of the comments I start to think to myself… “FAF, you should probably take this seriously. Tourists who are obviously American or Asian seem to be the prime targets -especially in places like the airport, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre and Sacré Coeur, and, of course, the dreaded Metro.īah! I thought. Looking at this, you’d think there was an entire cottage industry dedicated to separating unsuspecting visitors from their newly exchanged euros. When planning a trip to Paris it’s hard to escape warnings of thieves and pickpockets, like this one. (Prior proper preparation prevents piss poor performance!)
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