Joanne34

My husband and I have just returned from a weekend in Paris and were really horrified at the number of scam artists working the station.

We needed to travel on the metro to our hotel, literally three stops away, and whilst trying to make sense of the ticket machine were accosted by a man trying to show us what to do. He then asked us how long we were in Paris for and when I said three days he insisted we buy a three day travel card. I said no and he got quite angry and showed us it would cost us thirteen euros for the tickets. My husband then asked where the ticket office was and was told that it was closed.We literally had to push the man away and walked to the ticket office where we purchased our tickets for just over two euros for the trip.

The following day we bumped into a South African couple who had been descending an escalator at the station when a man in front of them leant back a little, turned around and faced the South African male and started talking very excitedly in French. Naturally the SA concentrated on what he was trying to say and suddenly felt the man tugging at his money belt, the zip of which was faulty, thereby averting the theft. At the same time a man behind them tried to get into his wife's handbag but she managed to hold onto her things.

Their son who frequents Paris on a regular basis explained the con with the tickets. Apparenly the thief tells you he will buy you a three day ticket shows you the price on the machine, you hand him the money and he hands you a ticket for... suprise suprise a one day trip. He pockets the differance!

I really don't know why the authorities just don't clamp down and chase these guys out as they are all over tourists and after all a large number arrive there via Eurostar.

Anyone had any similar experiences?

dumas1870

All too often I've seen exactly what you are talking about. I wonder if the French could stop or at least greatly reduce this activity, but just lack the will to act forcefully? Or is it a "culture or values" situation and the french have learned to accept petty crime as long as most of the victims are not French? In some cases, police pay-offs might also be involved since many of the thieves and scam artists are so obvious a cop would have to be blind not to see what is going on. Until it gets bad enough to have a major impact on tourism, things will most likely remain the same. It seems a shame since taking action wouldn't require that many personnel or security resources.

irishdame

I didn't have a similar experience but arrived and departed Paris via the Gare Du Nord during the first week in May.
I found it to be a well laid out, easy to use station. I didn't run into anyone trying to rip me off or get into my bags. Went to the ticket office to buy a carnet of tickets and a museum pass, to the Tabac store for a phone card and had no problems at all.

tada

When we were there a month ago, a man approached us speaking French as I attempted to use an automatic ticket machine to by a 10 carnet metro book. I didn't understand him well, but he was trying to offer me help. I read about scam artists here on Fodors and told him no (non) and he went away. I was very wary the whole time I was in the station.

LarryJ

Using just a tiny bit of common sense anyone can avoid falling prey to travel related scam artists and pick-pockets. I much prefer the police of Paris, Rome and all big cities concentrate their efforts on much more important things to protect me such as fighting terrorism. I spend a lot of time traveling around Europe and this sort of petty crime is the very least of my concerns. I am sure nobody on this forum fits the description but I've seen lots and lots of tourists who by their behavior just beg to be made a victim.

Larry J

bettyk

To insinuate that it is one's own fault if they are victimized by scam artists is unfair. It is never easy when traveling to unfamiliar places, especially large air or train terminals where signs are in a foreign language. It is very easy to get distracted. It is well and good to say "pay attention to your surroundings" etc., but even seasoned travellers can fall prey to some of these slick con artists!

Jumbo

So typical of posters to this site to get defensive and deny crime problems because it never happened to them, or blame the victims to whom it did.

Bitter

Last year I was surprised by the number of beggars, typically young women often with babies, that operated within the station.

Hee_hee_hee

Scams at Gare du Nord are nothing new. The scammers prey on the new arrivals to the station who look a bit disoriented or unfamiliar with their surroundings. Just scream "Au secours" (oh sick coors) really loud and the bum will move on.

dumas1870

RE: LarryJ

I'm sure most of us are like you - not very concerned about crime until we become a victim. Get robbed, tricked or assaulted (or almost have it happen to you) and then your outlook changes right quick. If only it was as simple as "using a little common sense". Most of these thieves and scam artists are young, strong, quick and very practiced at thier evil deeds. Its no wonder jetlagged, weary, confused and languaged-challenged travelers often get taken; especially the elderly and folks unfamiliar with an urban environment.

nocinonut

Just because it didn't happen to you doesn't mean it is not a problem. These criminals prey on tourists as a way of life, they are skilled and practiced in their chosen field of trickery.
The only thing you can do is to be aware and wary at times.
Be aware of people that are not fulltime thieves but just opportunists too. For example a teenage girl waiting in line for a restroom just couldnt resist the temptation to reach into my friend's shopping bag. She didn't know we were together until I slapped her hand away, and then she glared at me and mumbled something in French.

LarryJ

Re: Dumas 1870

Violent crime in Paris is rare. Pick-pockets and scams aimed at tourists resulting in no physical injury is frequent as it is in all large tourist centers throughout Europe. My point is that if you use some common sense such as wearing a money belt that is worn under your clothes there is no way you will get your pocket picked. You should keep your passport, credit cards and large sums of money in that money belt or personal vault. In your front pocket where you can constantly feel it with your hand you should keep enough spending money for the day. Maybe 50 euros and your Metro pass. It is extremely difficult for a pickpocket to get in your front pocket particularly if you wear jeans though not impossible, trust me I know. Any one who follows a forum such as this or reads any decent travel guide (a la Rick Steves) will be told this over and over and over. Despite this common advice how often do you see a tourist carrying his wallet in his back pocket with dog eared euro bills sticking out on a crowded Metro, going up Metro steps or escalators etc. An easy target for two hoods working together. One in front, one behind the dummy, hood # 1 stops suddenly, stupid tourist and hood #2 collide, tourist now has no wallet, credit cards, etc. No common sense. Use the money belt etc described above and pickpockets are now eliminated from your worries. If you travel much you may very well have witnessed age old scams such as this.

As for scams aimed at tourists. Wear your ridiculous bermuda shorts with front mounted exterior money purse, white Reeboks, Yankee cap, NYPD T-shirt, a camera with strap around your neck and every hood in Paris knows your an American tourist and a potential payday. Petty street thieves are not slick they just know enough to prey on human greed and stupidity. A tourist who would buy Metro tickets, concert tickets, sports tickets, jewelry, hand bags or designer clothes from a stranger on the street is no better than the scam artist since he too is guilty of trying to get something for nothing and profit from other's misfortunes hoping that the item is genuine but stolen. For this reason many petty crime victims are in fact to blame for their own misfortunes.

Seeing evidence of scams at Gare du Nord or any train station, Metro, or busy tourist area should not come as a shock to anyone unless you've never been out of Hazard County. It's a way of life for many. I have in fact seen the same scam artist last month in front of the "Lido" on avenue Champs Elysees who also worked the "Trevi Fountain" in Rome last October.

Sorry if my previous post offended anyone but the majority of scam victims deserve what they get due to human greed, not preparing for international travel beforehand and stupidity. I specifically stated in my post that I did not believe anyone on this forum fell into such a category.

Larry J

dumas1870

Larry J

Agree that all should be alert and take action to protect themselves and valuables. Disagree that it comes easy or naturally to many people; especially folks who have not ventured overseas much. Also think not enough action is taken to catch and punish the thieves and scam artists. You say you keep seeing the same ones over and over again - I ask why are they not in jail or deported? Why are they allowed to make a career out of petty crime in the same locations?

doctor_lorenzo

Last year, I saw a program on theft in the London metro. The police were very well aware of the problem - just like in the U.S., they kept arresting the same people over and over again. Apparently, a large number were juveniles, and the penalties for even hundreds of thefts was minimal.

The police made periodic sweeps through the same metro stations.

I think that this forum can be very helpful in risk minimization. Since travellers read about the dangers at the ticket machines, they will much more careful there, and more reluctant to accept "assistance". They might also look online for description of the ticket options (in the local language), so they know before hand exactly which option to select. I also think a "buddy" system is a good idea. While one person buys the tickets, the other person, instead of helping with the ticket machine, essentially "rides shotgun" and watches out for dubious chracters lurking with nefarious intent.

Last year China warned its citizens that Asians were being specifically targeted by criminals in Paris. If you think that YOU stand out by wearing untrendy clothing, how much more an Asian person, who can not blend in merely by haute couture. They have an even greater language difficulty, and are even more disoriented by the long trip. Unfortunately, this means that they are more frequently bothered.

francophile03

Lots of thieves hang around the train stations and metro stations as there are alot of people there. We had no problems at the train stations because we do our best to be wary but we did see some beggars. Some come up and ask for money. If you don't have eye contact they leave you alone.
However, a few years back in the metro station, Cite, we saw a couple gettng off from one car and getting into another and that looked strange but didn't think anything of it. Little did I know they were pickpockets: the guy stood closely behind me as the train had no seats left while the girl disracted me by asking what time it was-in English. I did not think it was odd at the time but got a bit suspicious after a few minutes, got off at the next stop because I had to and luckily too. Afterwards, I noticed that my bag was unzipped but the guy did not have enough time to take anything. Well, I learned my lesson very well.

BTilke

There were many similar problems in the Brussels Gare du Midi (used by the Thalys and Eurostar trains). More than 30 people were being pickpocketed every day--those were the reported numbers--if you count unreported thefts and attempted thefts that didn't come off for some reason, the figure was much higher.
Nothing significant was done until an increasing number of European diplomats and businessmen became victims (Larry J, how does that fit in with your theories? These people were savvy *Europeans*, not clueless, baseball cap wearing Hazard County hicks). They put up a fuss and finally things have changed--the station is patrolled much more thoroughly now and tolerance for petty theft (not so petty when you're the victim) has gone out the window.
The best things you can do are stay alert and do everything you can to minimize your personal risk. But if you become a victim, do NOT blame yourself! Report the theft to the authorities. When you return home, write to the French consulate nearest you and *politely* explain that the lack of interest by French authorities about controlling such criminals has led you to consider telling your friends and family to avoid visiting France in general and Paris in particular.

Sue_xx_yy

I agree that the police likely feel they have to marshall their resources carefully and stick to more serious (read: violent or very large-scale theft) crimes, leaving the public to Whether this ought to be so is moot; that it seems to be so is important for the traveller to know.

However, I don't think we can presume that the South African couple Joanne34 described were targeted because they were wearing bermuda shorts, NY tee shirts, and the like. On the other hand, thieves might reasonably be expected to know that travellers are unfamiliar with the area and tired. Thieves likely also know that travellers, being travellers, use both railways and airports (the Gare du Nord being on the RER line to CDG). And that tourists, being tourists, frequent tourist sites. As in real estate, the scam artist's mantra is: location, location, location....

AllyPally

Sorry, but I agree with Larry. I'm an American, live in London & have just been out on Regent St to get my lunch. Already, you can spot the North American tourists (because some of them ARE Canadian and, even worse, they insist on putting the flags on their backpacks!). Everytime I see these tourists wearing bright pink t-shirts, shorts, cameras around their necks, etc. I think they are needlessly advertising the fact that they are not locals. Obviously, you shouldn't have to severely modify your wardrobe in order to protect yourself against crime. But if you are going to stick to the standard tourist dress, you are flagging yourself as a non-local. Best to use a messenger bag with a strap that crosses over your body. That way, you can also keep an eye on the zip.

The fact of the matter is that the police in London/Paris/Rome and most other major cities in the world have much greater crimes on their books to deal with. They don't have the resources to protect tourists from falling victim to pickpockets and petty crime. It is the reality of today's consumer driven world. We travel, therefore we place ourselves at risk in places that are unfamiliar to us. I would prefer that the police in London (which, incidentally, is the world's most heavily surveillanced city. Cameras are watching you EVERYWHERE) focus on preventing a major terrorist disaster from occurring than protecting silly tourists who are just being lazy about their own personal protection.

I have lived in London for 10 years. I have NEVER been pickpocketed. This doesn't mean to say it won't happen to me. In fact, I always assume i'm going to be pickpocketed. Why is probably why I haven't been so far.

Bitter

The allocation of police and judicial resources is often cited in the US (and, likely, in Europe) for not actively pursuing or punishing property crimes. The irony (call it elitist, but truthful) is that most taxpayers will more likely be a victim of a property crime than a violent crime. Yet, even affluent taxpayers who are paying significant taxes, are almost ignored when they are a victim of a property crime. Yes, resources need to be directed to violent crime, but I get tired of hearing how property crimes (still crimes under the laws of all states) are not a priority. I'm sure it is much easier to vent on this than it is to fix the problem, but.....

Jumbo

AllyPally - I live in New York and I see plenty of European tourists dressed in shorts, dark socks, and sandals walking through Times Square staring straight up in the air at skyscrapers and in Bloomingdales, wallets out and U.S. $ spread out on the counter. From now on I am going to grab their cameras and cash and run. After all they deserve it.