Cheated In Rome!!!
 

I know this discussion was going on a couple of weeks ago. I just got back from Rome. This was my experience. I was pickpocketed in the train station last Friday afternoon. My passport was in my wallet. When I went to the US Embassy on Monday to get a new one there was a line of people who were there for the same reason. Had a couple of restaurants overcharge on the bill--nothing big. We were staying at the Excelsior Hotel, which is one of the best supposedly. We had things go missing out of our room that we had bought to bring back to friends. Had to have been the hotel staff. So I have to say, I'm not real impressed with the Italians. I don't think I have to go back there for any reason.

so sad!!!

I've been to Italy several times and I've never been robbed or cheated or anything close. Sorry you had such bad luck!

So many are posting this same story these days, some parts of Spain are getting a bad name too. <BR>I've been to Italy twice & Spain innumerable times, I've only ever lost a tobacco pouch but watching a street in a tourist area for a few minutes quickly shows you the scams going on. <BR>Trouble is, if I can can see it before it happens why can't the police? <BR>I'm afraid they just don't seem interested....as long as only the tourists who get robbed it's not a problem, after all you don't have a vote there. <BR>If Fodor's (or some angry person) were to put up a page for reporting this we could see which cities are worst.Being No. 1 in Europe for tourist theft might just make the local politicans & police sit up. <BR>Perhaps inflight movies offering advice on popular scams might also increase the embarrassment factor. <BR>

Hi Sally and all, I think this is "an interesting thread", don't you Fodorites? I have not been pickpocketed in over the 10 European cities I have visited....but there is always a possibility of a first time,,,,Did you follow all the guidelines for avoidance techniques? We are usually hyper vigilant about such things...money belt, few credit cards,yada, yada, yada....So sorry Sally it spoiled your experience...would you do anything differantly, if given the chance?

Sally I am very sorry that you had such a negative experience. The only place we were ever cheated was Budapest and I am sorry to say I have to fight a terribly negative opinion of that city which many people love. However recently there have been many threads relating to Moneybelts and whether or not to wear them. You say your pass port was IN your wallet!!! Let all those people who consider wearing a money belt paranoid take note. Crime is, unfortunately EVERYWHERE! But lest we all think this is something new, I've studied medieval accounts of pilgrimage trips and even that many years ago, the most common complaints were theivery and pick pocketing... oh somethings never change. Again, I am sorry about your bad experience.

In many trips to Europe, never have we been pickpocket victims. Victims to the "slow count" ? Yes ! <BR> <BR>In New York City---that's where we lost our tickets....we think in a very crowded Hilton Tower elevator. But, not really sure.

Definately there are things I would do differently. Experience is always the best teacher isn't it. First I wouldn't go on the subway at the busiest time of the day. I had read this before I left, but of course didn't remember it at the time. Of course I didn't need my passport in my wallet, but I had just gotten there the day before and had not taken it out. I also didn't need both of my credit cards in my wallet, nor the travelers checks. I'm just thankful that I did not go to the ATM earlier in the day and get more cash, as I had thought about doing. <BR> <BR>As far as the police seeing it, there were none there at that very moment. However, they had just run a bunch of gypsies (I assume) out of the station. There was a local person who saw something going on. When the train came we were rushed and pushed from behind. The train was very crowded and we didn't get on but the girls who pushed us did. Then this local person said to me, check your purse and I did. Of course, my wallet was gone. So I was able to immediately cancel my credit cards since I knew about it. So I'm sure the police do see it at times. The interesting thing that happened with the police in my case was that when I contacted the American Embassy they told me I had to get a police report. The hotel personnel told us where the nearest police station was and we went there. No one spoke English there. They told us to go to the station that dealt with foreigners only and gave us the address and showed us how to get there on the map. So we walked there. All the other police stations were very well marked as far as I could tell. At least I saw alot of signs outside several locations. The location that was to deal with the foreigners was on a very obscure street and had no markings whatsoever. We had the street number and someone standing on the street told us where it was. <BR> <BR>I know there were several things that I could have done differently but I have now made about 5-6 trips to Europe and this has never happened before. Before I left it did seem that I read alot more warnings about pickpockets in Rome than I had read about in other locations. Maybe I have been just lucky before but of course I don't think I will ever truly believe that. I think it is just worse in Rome & maybe in Italy over all.