LarryJ

I am an American and I live in Paris 6.5 months each year. Recently the gypsies have been doing an atm thing that tourists especially unaccompanied ladies should be aware of. At many bank you can go inside the foyer to use the atm instead of using one on the street. 2 or 3 gypsies youths will watch for a lady to enter the foyer to make a withdrawal. They will go in behind her and wait until she has inserted her card and entered her pin. Then one will grab her while the other enters an amount to withdraw and takes the money.

A friend of mine had this happen this past Monday at an atm near the Opera. She informed the bank and the police but did not find a lot of sympathy from either. I told her to speak to the bank manager tomorrow as today is a holiday and demand that they view the security camera footage and give it to the police and they should reimburse her for her loss as they should install locks on the foyer door for customer safety.

Be careful.

adrienne

I never use one of those inside ATM machines unless I have someone else with me.

I thought you needed an ATM card to get access inside the bank which would serve as a locking mechanism.

flpab

This happens even in Florida. A mom turned her own son in since his picture from the security camera was flashed all across the news. He had the women in a chokehold. I usually try and go with my husband to withdraw from an atm these days. Nothing is safe anymore. I also thought you needed an atm card to get access inside the bank foyer where the machine was.

Ackislander

Oh, sandra, you had been doing so well lately. Go take a nap and start your day over again!

colduphere

This is why I start the trip carrying all the cash I will need for 3-4 weeks.

Dukey1

This apparently can happen in places besides Paris and whenever people decide to use a certain type of ATM.

nytraveler

Agree that indoor bank ATMs in the US (outside of regular opening hours) can only be opened with an aTM card in the door. If not that way in europe - I wouldn't use in indoor ATM solo.

If ever in doubt I use an ATM in a 24 hour drug store, deli or supermarket to avoid potential problems.

Southam

Assuming that any thief in Paris is a "gypsy" is stereotyping to the point of bigotry.

sandralist

Thanks, Southam That obviously need to be said.

Ackislander,

If your definition of "doing well" is not confronting this kind of rank bigotry on a business-driven travel website, then I don't want to play by your rules. There are more than 10 million Roma citizens of Europe, and they deserve defense from these ignorant, idiotic slurs that in the end only serve to threaten their lives -- and that is not an exaggeration if you knew anything, really, about Europe.

I have already "triangled" the OPs post for the offense that it is and if it is not taken down, don't worry, you will never, ever see me here again in any form or under name. I just will not stoop to hanging around with people like that or be associated with a business like Fodor's if they don't see a problem with what has been posted.

KTtravel

I don't see this as a a message stating any thief in Paris is a gypsy or that all gypsies are thieves although it probably could have been better worded. I see this as reporting that a group of gypsy youths have robbed some people recently at ATMs and that everyone should be careful about thieves (from any background) at enclosed ATMs.

I have been robbed by gypsy youths and non-gypsy youths. I am an equal opportunity victim.

Christina

The OP's post is not remotely offensive. The term "Roma" is kind of made up and the term gypsy is actually used by many of them and was not historically meant as any kind of slur, actually. It was just a descriptive term to refer to them as a group because originally they were though to originate in Egypt. There are people of that community who use the term themselves. I think it is often people who have the problem who think certain terms of derogatory when there is nothing intrinsically derogatory about them, nor did they originate to be derogatory. Know anything about the community in Spain, flamenco, etc?

And really, this is a good warning to many tourists who are clueless and I'm sure this is mainly a problem in the central areas (around Opera, doesn't surprise me). Where I stay, this isn't a problem and there are not actually many ATMs inside banks where I stay.

Robert2533

How did she know they were Gypies (Romans)? They could have been any street urchin. It's Paris after all, the international city.

kerouac

Shouldn't the title of the post have been "Caution at ATMs anywhere in the world" ?

NewbE

<if it is not taken down, don't worry, you will never, ever see me here again in any form or under name.>
For which, oh, be joyful!

<I just will not stoop to hanging around with people like that >
Don't! Don't stoop, please don't stoop!

Sign me,
Initially amused by, but now sick of the trolling

Michael

<i>Shouldn't the title of the post have been "Caution at ATMs anywhere in the world" ?</i>

It happened in Paris, let the reader generalize the meaning.

kerouac

But did it even happen? Read the original post. It sounds like a fantasy in paragraph one and then in paragraph two it "happened."

The story is a strange jumble. But yes, there is a risk for anybody using an ATM anywhere.

suec1

Well IMO gypsies do have a look and I am wary every time I see a group of them. I will say that the time I was pick pocketed on the Barcelona metro, there was not a gypsy in sight or they have taken to dressing like business people before they block the metro door - could be, they are professionals of sorts.

I am sure that not all gypsies (or even a small percentage of them) are ne'er do wells but some are.

OK, triangle me.

LarryJ

I post on Fodors maybe 1 or 2 times a year for exactly the reasons displayed in the above comments. I live in Paris and my only interest is in warning fellow Americans and anyone interested in the dangers tourists can encounter here. If anyone is not interested in my warning...ignore it. If you don't like it .....ignore it. It is a true incident that happened at an atm near the Opera. If you don't believe it.....ignore it. I really don't care. Do you think I have something to gain by this post?

About the accessibility of the doors to the bank foyers in Paris: most open as you approach the door automatically while others can be opened using an atm or debit card from any bank on the planet.

As for how to spot a gypsy in Paris; if they wore a neon sign around their neck it could not be easier. Anybody living in Paris can easily identify one. If you think I am a bigot ....that's fine with me but profiling makes sense in this case because the streets are full of gypsies in the touristy areas of the city robbing tourists like you in a number of ways or ripping you off with their phony scams. The police occasionally round them up and send them back to eastern Europe but they return again and again. It is a massive problem here.

I try to help people on this forum but it seems the majority of posters here are just here to try to ridicule and show off and have never been to Europe in their miserable lives. Many thanks to Christina, a good member who actually travels in Europe.

colduphere

Well they took out a comment. Not the one requested though.

justineparis

Larry I wonder, that is not " new" news , this has been happening for years.

I visit solo and go to the machines alone. I have never been mugged.

It does happen though.

Millions of tourist go to Paris and are not pickpocketed either.

However it DOES happen.

One does have to be self aware.