I seriously do not understand the behavior that I see going on when I am traveling. It is absolutely not difficult at all to not get scammed, and almost every single time I have seen someone robbed abroad it has been entirely their fault for being completely stupid. I will continue to add to this as I watch more people get scammed.
- Do not talk to anyone near an ATM trying to help you ‘withdraw money right’
- Do not just keep wallets or phones in lil back pockets
- Have a bag or something safer idiot, European cities are notorious for pickpockets taking advantage of easy marks like this bc people think there’s not crime there or something
- Don’t take videos with your phone within a few inches (or god forbid stuck out of) the window bc it is so easy to snatch a phone and drive away
- If someone is walking way too close to you assume they are sketchy
- If someone starts off with asking how your day is do not even look at them bc they’re trying to trap you in a convo
- People who actually need help will lead off with the problem “hey so sorry to bother but can you point me in the right direction”
- If you feel nervous, go into a well lit restaurant and then solve your problem
- Do not accept free stuff from anyone ever
- And don’t look at ‘pictures of their kids’ on their phone bc it is not their kid and you are now distracted and emotionally invested
- Check if you are in a country/city/neighborhood where you simply always take an uber/ always take an uber after dark no matter how short the walk is.
- Do not think you can just walk the few blocks home at night tipsy and alone and obviously a tourist in Brazil or South Africa for example
- If you are lost, do not just stand there saying ‘wow I am so lost’ with your phone just loosely in your idiot hand
- Look confident and calm, walk into the nearest well lit store/restaurant, and then try to figure out where you are or call an uber to that store
- Do not just stand on a street googling where to go if anyone is looking at you at all
- I personally choose to say no to any uber driver’s request
- Can you pay me cash instead and cancel the ride? NO
- Can I stop to get money from the ATM? NO
- Can I stop to fill up on gas? NO (unless it is a long journey)
- Can you cancel the ride for me since it was my mistake to accept? NO (it will ruin your rider rating rather than their driver rating)
- Can you wait in the car while I…? NO
- Just say NO! When they accepted the ride on uber they agreed to the terms aka immediately picking you up and driving you DIRECTLY to your destination. Maybe I am rude but I don’t care at all
- Make sure your zippers are not broken and that they are staying zipped!
- So many friends just have stuff hanging out of open bags wtf are you thinking I am so serious
- Keep a hand resting on your purse when walking out and about
- Do not wear flashy jewelry (mainly necklaces and watches) in many places
- For example in Brazil someone will grab your idiot flashy gold chain and while you’re trying to not choke to death a different person will steal your wallet and run
- Pickpockets can very easily just take a necklace off you
- Watches are wealth signaling save them for your dinner reservation not sightseeing
- Google what the sketch neighborhoods are and just uber through them
- This one is for the men – stop being so fucking useless and learn your limits
- I stg I hate traveling with incompetent men especially ones from the US/Europe/Australia bc they seem to think they are invincible and so they put themselves in sketchier situations than necessary and endanger the group
- Also white men seem to all be under the impression they would win in a street fight like bro stfu so ladies check your man’s ego bc he will put you in danger
- Dealing with street vendors will get it’s own article bc they’re mostly not sketch
I hope this helps! For more duh stuff, check out this trip prep guide 🙂