4 replies to this topic

[bishoujo]

Tourists, especially those who travel free and easy, often make easy targets for thefts because they are less streetwise compared to the natives and probably have little notion about who to go for help when they run into trouble. And usually, because we are so preoccupied with getting round the country, we may become more careless and end up losing some possessions as a result, which can really ruin a holiday!

I compiled a list of tips from past experiences and friend's experiences. Hopefully they'll be helpful to travellers!

1. Get a large, obvious, unique luggage tag
You want to be able to spot your luggage quickly and grab the right one before something bad happens to it. A lot of luggage bags and laptop bags look similar. Someone could grab yours by mistake, or you could grab others' by mistake. Yet some others may even take your luggage on purpose on the grounds that they could probably get away with the excuse of carelessness if they do get caught. Alternatively, you can also use a coloured or patterned luggage to make it identifiable to you. Mine's hot pink

2. Use your hand carrier.
Put all your valuable items, your money, your most expensive cosmetics and gadgets, and medication into your hand carrier instead of your luggage.

3. Don't be too open with your laptop
When you're using your laptop on the plane, cafeteria or wherever, keep it for your eyes only. Especially if you're using your laptop to do some confidential stuff or fill up an online form, you'll be revealing a wealth of information to a sharp thief, such as your name, address, date of birth etc. Get a privacy filter that blocks the screen from anyone who's not sitting directly in front of it. Just imagine, if you were making a paypal transaction and someone sees it, he'll be able to use your credit card number to make purchases online.

4. Speak quietly in the hotel.
Just imagine, you check into the hotel and you tell the receptionist loudly about your name and room number. You have with you a gorgeous rose print luggage which you used because of tip no. 1. While you're gone, a stranger impersonates your friend, gives your particulars and room number to the receptionist and requests to go to your room because he left something in it. When the security guard volunteers to walk him to the room, he assures him, 'I'm really her friend. She has a rose print luggage bag, right?'. Spot on, because he noticed you checking into the hotel with that bag. The security guard lets him go hassle-free, or accepts a little bribe. And the next thing you know, you have to make a police report. This may not happen in 5 star hotels, but it is likely to happen in cheap hotels and motels. It happened to my friend. So be on your guard!

5. Don't return your room card key when you check out.
If you're staying in a hotel, and you use the card, it retains your personal information - name, address, credit card number etc... all the information used for booking the hotel. Don't even bother returning the card. Someone could easily steal your identity if they read the information off the card. Usually, the better hotels use cards, and they don't need it back.

6. Use the room safe.
As far as possible, don't leave your valuables in the hotel, but if you absolutely must because it's too cumbersome to carry around, put it into the safe. This is not just to safeguard against the hotel cleaning staff. These cleaning staff usually leave your room door wide open, even when they are not in your room. You wouldn't want other people darting in and stealing your stuff.

7. Keep your cash with you.
Pickpockets all over the world thrive on tourists. You may consider wearing a money belt under your clothes if you have a lot of cash on you. Always keep your wallet in your front pocket, not behind you or even at the side. Ladies, clutch your handbags tightly under your arm. If you use a swing bag, make sure the bag is in front of you.

8. Don't get too chummy with strangers.
Yes, you can make friends, but don't think everyone around you is in the vacation mood just because you are. If you're at the bar, don't accept drinks from strangers especially when you're alone. Don't even leave with someone you don't know. You could be robbed or worst, raped and killed.

Remember, travellers, constant vigilance!

[networker]

I think one of the best ways of not being ripped off
when traveling is to always travel light.Take as few
things as possible.
What do you need a laptop for? Your travelling in the real
world not a virtual one. There are internet cafes all over the place
to use.

Always keep identification and your money wallet,in the front pocket of
your pants,or inside the inside pocket of your jacket,next to your chest.
zipped up if possible. I see you allready mentioned this one!
Never pull out large amounts of cash in public!

Try to seem broke.
If you suspect thieves around you,complain that everything is
way too expensive,and how are you going to eat?
This will dissuade them.They will think you are broke and
they will look elsewhere.
If this fails, ask yourself out loud,if you can borrow a dollar or a
euro or a yen off somebody.
They will soon be discouraged.

Edited by networker, 21 January 2009 - 09:51 PM.

[Parubilla]

I'm sorry but the tip about not returning your card key when you check out from the hotel is crazy... I used to work in a hotel at the front desk and that's not true, you card key doesn't have any personal information so it's impossible for a person to stole your identity if someone gets your card key, in fact it doesn't have any information about you except from your room number and that's just a number not even a name. The hotel makes thousand of cards they are all the same, and when someone check in you just introduce the card on the machine insert the room number and that's it, you don't have to return it when you leave, you can take it as a souvenir or whatever, but if you left it, it doesn't matter because the hotel reuses the cards, you just save them some money, but nobody can steal anything from that card.

[Echo_of_thunder]

Parubilla, on Jan 21 2009, 07:32 PM, said:

I'm sorry but the tip about not returning your card key when you check out from the hotel is crazy... I used to work in a hotel at the front desk and that's not true, you card key doesn't have any personal information so it's impossible for a person to stole your identity if someone gets your card key, in fact it doesn't have any information about you except from your room number and that's just a number not even a name. The hotel makes thousand of cards they are all the same, and when someone check in you just introduce the card on the machine insert the room number and that's it, you don't have to return it when you leave, you can take it as a souvenir or whatever, but if you left it, it doesn't matter because the hotel reuses the cards, you just save them some money, but nobody can steal anything from that card.

this is true for the most part. But if your using your credit card to play for this room. Is it not true when your day expires so does that card? without a CC payment how would they know when your days are up? what about if you left a day sooner? They would have to reemburse your card for that. Also too, where you may have worked that may have been

Quote

there way

but in some of these smaller countries they just may use a CC number in a room card.

[Parubilla]

Echo_of_thunder, on Jan 21 2009, 06:44 PM, said:

this is true for the most part. But if your using your credit card to play for this room. Is it not true when your day expires so does that card? without a CC payment how would they know when your days are up? what about if you left a day sooner? They would have to reemburse your card for that. Also too, where you may have worked that may have been but in some of these smaller countries they just may use a CC number in a room card.

Yep what you are saying it's true, but the reason why that happens is because the machine where you program the card key room (that is barely connected to the power switch in the wall), when you introduce the room number you also put the days the card is going to be active, you just look at your computer and see how many days that person is going to be staying and put that number on the card, and voila it's done, if for any reason you want to stay more then the card needs to be programmed again.

The whole idea of your credit card number in a room key it's insane what if you lose it?, the CC number stays in the computer the room key is just that a room key. And your credit card doesn't get charged until you check out from the hotel, so if you leave a day early it depends on the hotel if they charge you for the day anyways or they charge you a special fee...