Don't Get Scammed in Firenze
Oct 13th, 2006, 06:58 AM
#1
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Don't Get Scammed in Firenze
This is the scam that got me last week in Florence. I'm sharing the info so hopefully you will not share my experience. If something is "splashed" on your luggage and someone helpfully points that out to you, keep moving. I was on my way to the train station. The "distinguished businessman" who noticed my dripping luggage in the piazza at Santa Maria Novella offered tissue to clean the mess. While he provided distraction and I cleaned up what looked like globs of baby food, his accomplice (whom I never even saw) disappeared with my shoulder bag. There are plenty of places to get advice on securing and watching your valuables, so use the advice. The authorities said this particular scam is on the rise so I wanted to warn others. This happened mid morning and the square was quiet. Italy is wonderful, but be careful.
Oct 13th, 2006, 07:15 AM
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"A nanosecond's thinking about it would show that you'd really have to be very, very stupid to take up such an unreliable way of making money when there are millions of easier ways of earning a dishonest crust."
opps!!
opps!!
Oct 13th, 2006, 07:27 AM
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That's precisely my point.
No-one's trying to steal your case. Obsessing about it - or even giving a monkey's about gloop on it - distracts you from what matters: looking after the valuables in your pocket or shoulder bag.
Italian thieves are a great deal brighter than most tourists. They're not going to waste valuable theiving time on targets with little reward potential.
No-one's trying to steal your case. Obsessing about it - or even giving a monkey's about gloop on it - distracts you from what matters: looking after the valuables in your pocket or shoulder bag.
Italian thieves are a great deal brighter than most tourists. They're not going to waste valuable theiving time on targets with little reward potential.
Oct 13th, 2006, 07:34 AM
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Unfortunately, tourists are easily identified. Luggage, cameras, clothes, appearance, etc. are dead giveaways.
I got an object lesson in scammery when I was a young man traveling alone in Europe.
I was on the train from London to Hamburg that involved an overnight boat ride from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. When I got off of the boat, a suitcase in each hand, a man in a dark uniform very much like that of a customs official stopped me and asked to see my passport. Being a little sleepy, I fell for the trick. I put both suitcases down to take out my passport. As soon as I did, he took off with my bags.
He was a porter looking for a tip and not a thief, but the point is that scams come from all angles.
I got an object lesson in scammery when I was a young man traveling alone in Europe.
I was on the train from London to Hamburg that involved an overnight boat ride from Harwich to the Hook of Holland. When I got off of the boat, a suitcase in each hand, a man in a dark uniform very much like that of a customs official stopped me and asked to see my passport. Being a little sleepy, I fell for the trick. I put both suitcases down to take out my passport. As soon as I did, he took off with my bags.
He was a porter looking for a tip and not a thief, but the point is that scams come from all angles.
Oct 13th, 2006, 07:41 AM
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Distraction is exactly the point, and that is why I posted the initial message. It is hard to overrule the "yuk factor" of glop dripping on your luggage and of course that gut reaction is exactly what they count on. They also count on the fact that we all are cautious of beggar and gypsy types and are less wary of a well-dressed business look. I figure the more people hear the details of various scams, the more they can be mentally prepared to react appropriately--which is exactly what I did not do.
Oct 13th, 2006, 09:18 AM
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Expecting the police to appear at every possible "scam location" is somewhat overly optimistic IMO.
Helping potential victims to become AWARE of the dangers and act accordingly may actually be more realistic.
Helping potential victims to become AWARE of the dangers and act accordingly may actually be more realistic.
Oct 13th, 2006, 09:32 AM
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When we were going through the turnstiles at the Metro on Paris, a gentleman bumped into me from behind and spilled a bit of coke on my shoulder. I was very aware of the "spilling drinks" means of diversion - I clutched my bag tightly and whipped around, giving him quite a look. Poor guy - he was so apologetic - I think he really did just bump into me and spill a bit of his drink!
Oct 13th, 2006, 09:35 AM
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I don;t mean to be critical - but this scam is as old as the hills. It is nothing new - and should not surprise anyone. We all need to be preapred - when traveling or at home - NOT to be distracted from our belongings - no matter what other people may do or say.
FYI - this scam is very popular in the US too and has nothing to do with Florence or with Italy. The predators just pick out the most confused looking touists - and start with them.
As with anyplace else - don;t look confused. Be prepared, be alert and watch your belongings. Then you won;t be making yourself a victim.
FYI - this scam is very popular in the US too and has nothing to do with Florence or with Italy. The predators just pick out the most confused looking touists - and start with them.
As with anyplace else - don;t look confused. Be prepared, be alert and watch your belongings. Then you won;t be making yourself a victim.
Oct 13th, 2006, 09:41 AM
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NYtraveler, I guess the scam has been around so long because I bet it works very well. No matter how savvy you are, if you are carrying things, and someone spills a huge quantity of hot coffee, or milk shake, or spaghetti, or whatever on you, the natural instinct is to stop where you are, put your things down, and try to clean up. I can't imagine anyone who would be able to just keep walking while covered with some messy liquid.
Oct 13th, 2006, 10:31 AM
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Years ago in the train station at either Luzern or Lausanne, DD went to the bathroom and I stood guard on our luggage. As I was pondering how to get it down the steep flight of stairs to our track, I turned around and saw a woman in her 60's, wearing a carcoat and a pair of hiking boots, walking away with my main suitcase.
I ran over the her and demanded to know what she was doing with my suitcase. Sooooo sweetly, she said "oh I was just going to help you carry it'. RIGHT - in the opposite direction of my track and without telling me!!
At that precise moment DD appeared and wanted to know why I was being so rude to this poor 'older' woman. The woman immediately dropped my suitcase and left. To this day, DD still doesn't believe that sweet old lady would do such a thing.
I am now that sweet 'old' lady's age and I know that I could never make a living, albeit even a meager one, by carrying off very heavy suitcases. Must be something in the water
A few weeks earlier, on that same trip, while walking to the termini in Rome with our luggage, four or five war orphany type of little girls surrounded me, one of them waving a rumbled magazine. Immediately DD saw her hand go into my jacket pocket and extract my case with my tiny caluculator. DD screamed THIEF, and I grabbed the case from her hand.
You try to be prepared, always paying attention to your surroundings, but in broad day light you may let down your guard - it is very difficult to stay ahead of them. That's their job and they do it well.
Next time the gold ring scam happens, ask if she has one in silver in size 6 - I know I will!
Nina
I ran over the her and demanded to know what she was doing with my suitcase. Sooooo sweetly, she said "oh I was just going to help you carry it'. RIGHT - in the opposite direction of my track and without telling me!!
At that precise moment DD appeared and wanted to know why I was being so rude to this poor 'older' woman. The woman immediately dropped my suitcase and left. To this day, DD still doesn't believe that sweet old lady would do such a thing.
I am now that sweet 'old' lady's age and I know that I could never make a living, albeit even a meager one, by carrying off very heavy suitcases. Must be something in the water
A few weeks earlier, on that same trip, while walking to the termini in Rome with our luggage, four or five war orphany type of little girls surrounded me, one of them waving a rumbled magazine. Immediately DD saw her hand go into my jacket pocket and extract my case with my tiny caluculator. DD screamed THIEF, and I grabbed the case from her hand.
You try to be prepared, always paying attention to your surroundings, but in broad day light you may let down your guard - it is very difficult to stay ahead of them. That's their job and they do it well.
Next time the gold ring scam happens, ask if she has one in silver in size 6 - I know I will!
Nina
Oct 13th, 2006, 01:29 PM
#16
Thanks for the tip. you have re-inforced my plan to get a cab from the station to our apartment - trapsing 4 of us plus luggage only a few blocks and dealing with this sort of thing as well is too much!
