Picture our happy family buying ice cream in Venice: the eight-year-old and six-year-old tug at Mom as they choose their flavors, the three-year-old changes his mind three times... Picture the jostling passers-by, and Dad watching happily, and my camcorder safe in its shoulder bag...
Then kiss that camcorder goodbye forever-- along with our video-ed memories.
Easy pickings
I can hardly think of a better target: a distracted Mom so used to tugging hands, she'd never notice the light touch of a thief.
This theft was so easy it didn't need any tricks or scams. Often, however, thieves work in pairs: one distracts you, while the other picks your pocket.
Anti-theft advice I should have followed...
Travel scams come in almost as many flavor as ice cream in Venice, and are certainly not confined to Europe. You can find yourself robbed in North America, too.
Yet it's particularly when we venture to foreign lands that we stand out as "tourists"; we also sightsee at predictable places, so thieves know where we'll be. Here are a few practices to especially watch out for, courtesy of Scam Watch.
"Mind if we re-decorate your wardrobe?"
You're sitting in a restaurant, your camera on the chair next to you... Suddenly a customer trips and spills a soft drink all over you. While Scam Artist #1 is profusely apologizing, Scam Artist #2 has nabbed the goods.
Scam Watch's advice is to protect that camera by attaching it to you-- wrapping the strap around your leg, for example. Hmmm, most parents of young kids don't sit still for long... Tie the strap to the stroller, maybe?
Also:
- don't keep valuables in your purse or camera case. Even budget hotels have a place for safekeeping.
- fanny packs are handy but essentially advertise "steal me! All the valuable stuff is here!"
- separate your documents: passport in one pocket, 1/3 of your money in another one...
- be sure you have adequate insurance: I could have insured my camcorder for only a few dollars; see insurance tips, on p.2. .
-More common travel scams; taxi scams; insurance tips--
continued on p. 2.
