🔒 15 ways to protect yourself from pickpockets while traveling

On the streets, in the subway, in shops – absolutely everywhere and absolutely anyone can become a victim of a pickpocket. Theft is becoming more and more common, affecting people all over the world. But, of course, tourists are at greatest risk. Before you enjoy the city's attractions, it is important to make sure that your belongings return home safe and sound. Let ‘s look at several ways to achieve this.

Protect your belongings

Store your wallet, cell phone, and other valuables in the inside pocket of your jacket, jacket, or bag. If you're the owner of a more practical backpack, it doesn't hurt to double-check that it's fully zipped. The best option is zippers hidden behind the fabric, located in non-obvious places, for example, near the back. Experienced travelers do not spare money on special backpacks with protection against cuts, reading credit card data, with numerous secret pockets and even a combination lock.

Be careful in public places

Banal advice, but for some reason many people forget about it. Do not sit near open windows or doors – this is an excellent opportunity for a thief to reach out and quickly snatch your bag. In a restaurant or cafe, you can use a small life hack: if you wrap the strap of your bag around the leg of a table or chair, a thief will not be able to quickly grab it and run away. In addition, you should not leave your smartphone or tablet on the table while eating. This will only make it easier for the thief to steal things.

Walk lightly

Try not to carry too much money with you and do not store it in one place. It's better to distribute your cash among several wallets or pockets. In general, you won't need many things at all while sightseeing. It will be much safer to leave valuables and important documents in your hotel room. In general, it is better not to take jewelry with you on a trip, and not to display it on the street, in transport or other public places . This is very important, because otherwise you risk becoming the desired target of a thief.

Avoid large crowds

Be especially careful in crowds, such as on the subway, at a market, or at a concert. When walking along a busy street, keep your hands in your pockets – this little life hack prevents thieves from profiting not only from cash, but also from your mobile phone. The best thing to do is to get into the habit of not putting your smartphone in your outerwear, jeans or trouser pockets, especially in the back.

Be sure to pull the straps of your backpack or bag as close to your shoulders or arms as possible. In case of attempted theft, this will help you notice the thief faster. In addition, this way it is much more difficult to snatch the bag from your hands.

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Leave your passport at the hotel

Every traveler knows that the worst thing to do abroad is to lose your passport. That is why it is believed that you need to carry it with you everywhere. Better – next to money, keys and credit cards. To always be at hand, right? In fact, this is a big misconception. 

By carrying all your things in one pocket or one bag, you are more likely to be left without everything in the event of theft. And being in a foreign country without such an important document as a passport threatens the unlucky tourist with a ruined vacation and fairly frayed nerves. To avoid this, it is better to leave your passport at the hotel (provided that its staff can be trusted). For greater security, we recommend making photocopies and placing them in different bags and pockets.

Be careful with strangers

Thieves often work in groups. This makes it much easier to get close to the victim: one distracts attention, the other rummages through his pockets. That's why it's best to avoid beggars and other strangers trying to approach you. Most likely, they know that you are a tourist, which means you have something to profit from.

When withdrawing cash from an ATM, it is better not to ask strangers for help to avoid fraud. For the same purpose, it is safer to cover the keyboard with your free hand when entering the PIN code – this way there is less chance of peeking at it. 

Also, check for skimmers on the front of the ATM—these devices are capable of reading credit card information when swiped or inserted into the machine. The ideal option is to withdraw cash at the nearest bank branch. By the way, this advice is relevant not only for tourists – skimmers are used by scammers all over the world.

And the main advice: do not be afraid to ask for help. If something does happen, do not be embarrassed or afraid of the police and security officers. The embassy will help with the restoration of documents, and if you lose your credit card, the first thing to do is call the bank and block the card.