Safety, scams and precautions

Nobody wants to be the victim of crime, petty or not. Travellers are more vulnerable simply for the time they spend out and about and for the exposure they have to more people and places. Any type of assault, harassment, robbery or scam at minimum puts a damper on travel plans, spirit and your sense of confidence and security. It is therefore best to do everything you can to discourage perpetrators from seeing you as a target and to prevent crimes and scams.

You

Travellers can be at personal risk for a variety of reasons, as discussed in the section Is it Safe?. Some of these reasons stem from our behaviour, the choices we make and from who we are, while others are beyond our control and we simply need to be aware of them and act accordingly.

Before travelling, make yourself aware of local civil unrest in your destination. Problems brewing may be a reason to postpone your trip or choose another destination. If problems develop while you are there, work with your countries' embassy to decide whether or not you need to leave the area. Travelling and sightseeing is never worth the cost of life and limb. Be aware also of how the people of your destination view people of your age, appearance, gender, race, religion and origin. Current states of political and holy wars world-wide will need to be considered. Anonymity tends to increase safety; you will want to melt into local culture as much as you can, but sometimes this is not possible. If you will be a visible minority in the destination you choose, carry out a little research to assess how you might be viewed by local people. The time of your visit and your choice of destination should be influenced by this information.

On a different scale, one more likely to affect every person on every journey, travellers need to be aware of local crime rates and take precautions accordingly. The way a person dresses, bears their valuable belongings and generally behaves and carries his or herself will impact the way they are viewed by potential perpetrators. Increasing your perceived affluence makes you a target for personal robbery - a threat which often transcends security of items and becomes an issue of security of person. There are lots of things you can do to decrease your chance of becoming a victim.

Carrying the bulk of your money as well as credit cards, passports and tickets in money belts or pouches under your clothing is advised and the manner in which you access these items should be surreptitious (see the 'Keeping It' section of Money). Don't flaunt your relative wealth by wearing any type of flashy jewellery or by carrying cameras, cell phones, pagers, or portable music players in obvious places. Camouflage cameras in bags other than obvious camera totes. Dress and behave conservatively and courteously in consideration of local customs, traditions and religions - foreigners who are deemed rude, disrespectful or offensive are more likely to be targets for harassment and assault. Be aware of who is around you at all times and carry yourself with confidence. Walk with your head up and with a purpose. Familiarize yourself with local maps ahead of time so that you have a good idea of where you are going. If you look lost, timid, lonely or in need of help, you become more vulnerable. Even if you are lost, act like you know where you are going until you have the opportunity to check your map in a secure area. Being aware of your environment goes along way to giving you control over the situations you are in. Travelling in numbers is always safer; you can use guidebook-recommended hostels to meet fellow travellers. If you feel uncomfortable in any situation, move on.

Special considerations go out to women the world over. Women face further issues in the precautions they need to take and way they must dress and behave to maintain personal safety. Women must heed the advice in the above paragraph much more rigorously than men simply because women are more vulnerable targets to troublemakers. In addition, women should dress and act conservatively to avoid sexual harassment. This is especially the case when visiting countries where the Islam religion is practiced. You may wish (or need!) to consider adopting the way of dress of local women for the duration of your stay. Depending on where you are, bare legs, arms or shoulders, an uncovered head or any exposed skin at all can be offensive (and dangerous!). Research your destination well. In any case, if you are the victim of verbal harassment, ignore the perpetrator and avoid eye contact - wearing sunglasses can help with this.

When checking in to places of accommodation, check your room for holes in the walls or two-way mirrors through which you can be watched from the other side. Determine if a mirror is two-way by placing you finger nail against it. You should be able to see a gap between your nail and its reflection. If you can not, find another hotel room. Be careful opening doors to strangers - you can call the desk to see if a hotel staff is knocking. Use the locks provided as well as your own padlock if possible, as the hotel staff will have keys to your door. Remember, though, that whatever method you use to keep out bad guys will also keep out rescuers in the case of fire. Depending on your level of paranoia and the design of that personal alarm you should be carrying (hint! hint!), you might be able to rig it so that the alarm will trigger when the door is opened. If you need to leave you room in the night for any reason (say, to use a shared washroom), bring a flashlight with you and lock the door while you are gone. Essentially, you need to trust your instincts and if you don't feel safe and secure, you are likely not. Seek friends and move on.

Finally there is the danger inherent in your increased risk-taking nature during travel - you may choose to bungee jump or skydive, scuba dive or go canyoning, rafting, trekking, parasailing, or participate in some other crazy adventure. There are of course the risks associated with participating in sports your body may not prepared for, but there are further risks in terms of lower safety and security standards that may exist in many lesser developed countries. When you decide to participate in a sport or other adventure tour, make sure the host company has adequate safety standards and that they and the guides and operators they employ work by standards compliant with government regulations. In many cases, guides and operators should be licensed. You are also at risk during transport - many countries have� ahem� shall we say 'less refined' rules of the road. Not to mention that the term 'roadworthy' may be very loosely interpreted the world over. See the Transportation section for recommendations on maximizing your safety while on the go. You should also be aware of the possibility of lower medical and emergency care standards in some countries. It will be up to you and your travel mates to make the best informed decisions possible when the need arises.

Your stuff

It may just take a little skill to return home with all the possessions you intend to. Theft abounds in some parts of the world, by both local people and fellow travellers. You are at a higher risk as a traveller simply because you are out and about, distracted and exploring, and you are likely to be (and known likely to be) carrying relatively expensive cameras, passports, travel tickets and plenty of money. When possible, leave valuables in hotel safes and carry photocopies of important documents and only as much cash as you will need. Leave your flashy jewellery in hotel safes (or better yet, at home!). In high risk areas, you may wish to carry a 'dummy' wallet with a small amount of cash in order to appease a mugger - you may also wish to leave your multi-million dollar camera in secure conditions and carry a disposable one for the day. Primarily, you need to keep the possessions you are carrying with you in zippered pockets and bags which are somehow attached to your person by more than one simple shoulder strap.

In busy areas, be aware of pick pocketers - it is never a good idea to keep valuables in any pocket, let alone ones that are not zippered. In crowds of people, you may not even feel hands slipping into pockets. Same goes for waist pouches. If you choose to wear one, thread the strap through belt loops so that it can't be quickly removed if the strap is cut. Wear it on your front and keep a hand on it in crowded situations. You may also wish to wear your daypack on your front to reduce your risk of bag slashing where thieves slash a hole in your bag, reach in and take out whatever they fancy. You can also discourage roaming hands by using a mini-padlock on the zippers of your daypack. Be aware of the risk of being distracted by one person while their accomplice claims your possessions. Groups of children are renowned in some areas for coming up to you and shoving paper or cardboard at you to distract you from the fact that they are removing your waist pouch or rifling through your pockets.

When relaxing out in the open or patronizing a local eatery, it is a good idea to loop a strap of your bag or purse around your leg or the leg of your chair. This will discourage thieves from quickly snatching your stuff. Any item draped or slung over the chair back is out of sight and a target for thieves. Take care at tourist sites too where marauders are in wait of the careless traveller who sets their bag down for that not-to-be-missed photo opp.

Keep a close eye on your bags during travel - thieves wait and watch for travellers to set down bags while rifling for tickets or standing at counters. Never leave your baggage unattended. If you are travelling in a taxi or car with open windows, thieves can reach in and take valuables from your lap. Keep a hand on them or stow them elsewhere. Keep your bags closed and in sight while in transport. Locate yourself on a bus so that you can see where your bags may be taken from the roof or the storage bins under the bus. Minimize the chance of theft while you sleep on overnight trains and buses by keeping your bags under your feet and choosing window seats or upper bunks. It is also a good idea to use mini-padlocks on your bags, especially if you are leaving your luggage in the trust of baggage handlers. If you may need to leave your bag unattended or in a luggage storage area, you may wish to look into cable locks to attach your bag to an affixed item, or net locks which cover your entire pack with a wire mesh. These will act as deterrents to thieves.

Leaving your possessions in your hotel or hostel room while you are out should be safe, but be aware that staff have keys as well. Whether or not you are expecting your room to be cleaned in your absence, it is never a good idea to leave any valuables lying around, or even accessible. You can discourage entrance into your room by hanging a Do Not Disturb sign on the door, or enforce it further by using your own padlock. Many guesthouses and hotels also provide the option of leaving valuables at the desk or in safes. If you leave paperwork or money, do so in an envelope and sign your name across the seal so that you can later be assured that it has not been opened. Obtain a detailed receipt of all items (in an envelope or not) that you leave so you have proof of what you might be missing when you retrieve your stuff.

Travellers staying in dorm rooms need to be especially vigilant. Staying in dorms not only means that your possessions are accessible to other travellers inhabiting the room, but also that there is a much greater possibility of non-guests passing through your room. You may wish to use cable or net locks to secure your bag while you are gone or asleep, or even better, use your own padlock on provided lockers. Never leave valuables laying around, even while you use the washroom or step outside for a minute. Some travellers carry valuables in a plastic bag with them to the shower. While sleeping, secure your bags well; you may wish to sleep with valuables tucked in your sleeping bag.

If you are robbed, report the incident to the police and request a copy of official documentation of the report. This will assist you in making an insurance claim.

Your money

In terms of actually keeping your cold hard cash in your physical possession, see the 'Keeping It' section of Money. But there are others ways to part with your monetary possessions other than having it robbed from your person. They are called scams. Scams, like the people behind them, come in all shapes and sizes. Some are minor but none are fun. Scams are discussed throughout this on the road section, here is a quick recap.

Exercise caution when using private transportation. Agree on fees prior to travel and avoid being taken on side shopping trips or secluded or more expensive round about routes by specifying 'direct route' and following your travel with a map. Ensure meters work when they are to be used. Carry small change so that you can pay with the correct change. Insist on being taken to your desired location regardless of what your driver has to say about that destination (closed, burned down, full). Never assume a ride offered by a local is free. When purchasing discount airline tickets, beware that you don't get a ticket with someone else's name on it - the airline will likely not accept this.

Be aware of touts that direct you to certain places of accommodation, restaurants, shops or other services. Although their advice might sometimes be useful, they may cause you to be charged higher rates in order to fund their commission. Be aware of additional or hidden costs in places of accommodation (use of kitchen facilities, hot water, showers, compulsory meals), restaurants (included gratuities or charges for the bread or bottled water placed on your table) and sites, clubs or facilities charging entrance fees (it may cost extra to enter different parts).

When out and about be aware of people trying to get into your wallet in some way or another. Locals sporting elaborate costumes or wielding strange and exotic animals may lure you into taking their photograph and then charging you for it. Friendly conversation struck up at popular tourist sites may be the attempt of a local to act as a personal guide for you, a service for which they will later charge you. If you provide your name to a local wandering craftsperson, don't be surprised to see it appear on a piece of rice, a postcard sized piece of art or engraved into a wooden plaque - you will then be made to feel obliged to pay. Refusal to pay in any of these circumstances can create an ugly and embarrassing scene so it is best to avoid these situations.

Be careful when shopping. When using your credit card, keep an eye on it to make sure it is not double swiped. You may also want to request the carbon copies of your slip to take away with you. Keep receipts and if you arrange to have a vendor mail something home for you, maintain a paper trail and photographic record. Use discerning judgement when shopping for so-called 'valuable' jewellery, artwork and antiques. Quality is often not what vendors try to convince you of.

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