Watch Out For These Scams While Traveling

There are numerous scams that criminals use to trick tourists and expats.

Although many may sound like things that you would never fall for, people do so everyday. Many victims lose lots of money and valueables because they fall for these tricks.

Here are a couple that I’ve heard of criminals using overseas.

Some are tricks related to travel scams, money scams, real estate scams, telephone scams and others are tricks to steal your money, passport, clothing, or other belongings.

Criminals frequent public transportation because they are a target rich environment. Plus they make good places to pull off quick scams for money.

One trick is to find someone standing up on a bus, train, or metro rail who is carrying a bag or purse over their shoulder. The criminal takes a very sharp knife, cuts the bottom of the bag, and steals the items that drop out.

Most victims never realize that they have been robbed until a much later time. To prevent this from happening to you, I suggest using slash proof bags.

These are bags designed with many security features. One of which is an extra strong material that the bag is made of that prevents it from being slashed with a small knife.

Another trick used on buses is where a victim holding a bag sits down beside a person and then suddenly another person outside beside the bus yells to get the victim’s attention.

When the victim turns to respond, the person who was sitting beside the victim suddenly snatches their bag, jumps off the bus, and flees the scene.

Yet, another involves a victim with a bag or purse where a woman with a baby asks for a seat beside the victim. When the victim agrees the woman sits her child on top of the bag.

During the ride the baby continuously moves and the woman seems to adjust the baby’s position; however, she is actually rifling through the purse or bag.

A suggestion I have to prevent falling victim to these tricks is for travelers to use money belts.

These are belts with a secret pouch inside the seam to store your money. This prevents the need to keep your cash in a bag which can be stolen or pilfered.

Another thing to watch out for is called the mustard trick. A criminal will stomp on a mustard packet pre-positioned on the ground as a victim passes by, squirting the victim’s legs. He/she will then apologize to the victim and assist with wiping off the mustard while an accomplice snatches the victim’s bag.

Tricks used a lot in Russia on against foreigners take place in clip joints. These are bars where after a long night of drinking the foreigner is presented with a bill for amount $200 to $300 USD more than the costs of the drinks. If he refuse to pay then he is approached by a large bouncer working for the club and the money is extorted from him.

Russian bride scams are other tricks used by Russian criminals against foreigners. This involves a victim looking for companionship via the internet. Unfortunately, victims rarely find love and are scammed out of thousands of dollars.

Online scams victimize many travelers and expats abroad. What are some of these top internet fraud scams?

Be sure to check your bill and ensure that you have not been overcharged while abroad. It is common in Cuba for wait staff to "accidentally" add additional items to the bills of foreigners.

Be aware that credit card fraud occurs often abroad.

Be sure to follow ATM safety rules when using an ATM machine abroad because they are often targeted by criminals for robbery and scams. For instance, here in Ecuador there is a problem with foreigners receiving charges on their accounts from health supplement companies after using ATMs.

Vehicles driven by woman should be wary of street performers and vendors while stopped at a red light. Many times they are accomplices of criminal waiting at the next red light who smash the window and steal the victim’s purse.

A trick used a lot here in Ecuador to rob male drivers is to have a very attractive woman walk in front of a slow moving vehicle, causing the driver to come to a stop.

When the male victim stops the vehicle and focuses his attention on the attractive woman, her criminal accomplices surround the vehicle with weapons and rob the driver and sometimes steal the vehicle.

Yet another involves someone throwing mud on your windshield while your are driving. When you are forced to pull over to clean the windshield, criminals rob you.

Travelers and expats using their laptops abroad should also be aware of Nigerian email scams. Criminals from Nigeria are very good at using scams, such as 419 scams, and computers to trick victims out of their money.

So how do they do it?

There are so many ways but one of the most common involves the victim receiving an email stating that a company charges too much for a recent order and wants to reimburse you up to a million dollars. "But I didn't order anything," the victim thinks. Who cares the company wants to give you a million dollars, right? The victim replies to the email and is informed that he/she most pay taxes on the refund before receiving the money. In order to do this, the victim must send their bank account and/or credit card numbers to the company. After receiving the information the company promises to transfer all the money to the victim's account. Yeah right. Be aware of this scam.

If you are a victim of emails scams like the one mentioned here then reporting internet scams is a must. Do feel embarrassed, report the incident to the local authorities in your home country who investigate these crimes. In the United States, the U.S. Secret Service investigates these type crimes. Therefore, any American victims should report these cases to prevent others from falling for the same scams.

often victimize expats living abroad. For example, in Ecuador, cell minutes need to be re-charged by purchasing calling cards and entering the number into the cell phone. Often victims receive a text message asking them to re-enter their calling number. Once they do so, a criminal intercepts the number and uses the phone minutes for his/her phone instead.

Female travelers should read our travel advice for women and also beware of modeling scams. Usually a lone female is approached whille in a foreign country and complimented on her looks. What woman doesn't appreaciate this, right ladies? Next she is asked if she has ever modeled or thought of modeling.

She is given a card with a location, time, and date to appear for a "photo shoot." After arriving, the victim is either robbed or sexually assaulted. However, sometimes the victim shows up, has some photos taken, and then is asked for money to get her pictures promoted.

After paying this "promotion fee," the victim never hears from the photographer again and the photos are never published.

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