NewbE

Nope.

StCirq

I was relieved of some garnet jewelry I'd bought in Prague at a hotel in Florence once. Probably an insider job, and it wasn't a big deal. And once on the metro in Rome I foiled a pickpocket attempt from my purse with a karate move to the Adam's apple, but other than that, no, not in decades of continual travel to Europe.

PalenQ

St-Cirq! You should try out for the WWE! Great move.

Overcharging at bars and restaurants can be endemic at times it seems as these establishments treat foreign tourists as one-time customers - this was especially true years ago in the Paris-TCF Joinville-le-Pont Camping restaurant/cafe - our trip members routinely were abused in this regard and never knew it at the time- then old French francs still circulated - the big 1 and 2 old franc coins from the Vichy Regime I think - they were worth 1 and 2 centimes in new Francs and our group people routinely got them in change for new franc bills and coins.

This was before the euro and we had gone thru several countries and currencies so it was hard to get a fix at first on the local currency- but anyway the scammed a lot of money - along with just short changing our folks not used to the new country's currency.

I hear stories - only stories but it is too good to not be true about Paris waiters having super-duper cork screws that could deftly get the cork out of a cheap bottle of wine and pouring the wine into an expensive bottle label and get that cork to go back in just right so it would 'pop' when opened at the table - again probably with foreigners who knew diddly about French or any wine. May be an urban legend but makes total sense to me.

I have been shortchanged numerous times over the years by cafes in the change coaster - other times the wait people just disappeared with the change - only to materialize when I asked about the change.

Caveat Emptor!

iris1745

Yes, one time in Paris on the Metro.

Five kids jumped on the Metro and it was packed.

I had to hold onto my wife and a pole.

The kids jumped off as the train started and a bit later I realized I was short 1400 FF, about $200 US at the time.

StCirq

PalenQ, I took 3 years of karate lessons. Was not a star by any means, but I did learn that an elbow to the Adams Apple and a knee to the groin could be extremely useful. And I wasn't ever hesitant to use them. I stay limber, even at my age, in case I need to use those moves. They're not hard.

My worst moment, though, was being mugged in broad daylight on Connecticut Avenue in DC. Surrounded by 5 guys who literally tore the backpack off my back and took everything of value in it (not much, but a hassle to replace bank cards, my driver's license, etc.). I couldn't do anything. That just does not happen in Europe IME.

PalenQ

That just does not happen in Europe IME.>

No you may be pickpocketed, scammed but rarely physically harmed as could have been the case (and was with my relative once long ago in Madrid when she - a slight women - was knocked to the curb and the guy tried to get her day pack off and she tried to get it off to give to him since she had nothing of value in it - ended up being bloodied and bruised) - but yes that is rare though you do hear of this at times in Madrid and Barcelona TMK.

suze

No never robbed in Europe. I was mugged once in Seattle though.

Dukey1

By the time I realized I had been pickpocketed on the Barcelona Metro the doors had closed and we were moving so all those Karate lessons I never got (but I DO know how to use a bayonet and believe me, THAT works even better than a knee to the throat, but I digress) would have been useless.

Because the doors <B>were</B> closed I couldn't even throw my cellphone (which as we are learning, seems to be good for everything since some people never, ever seem to put theirs down) at these people.

I continue to go to Barcelona and when we are there we still ride the Metro and we walk on Las Ramblas, too, with all the other people who don't <B>care</B> if they look like a tourist.

Nikki

My husband was pick pocketed getting onto the train to Pompeii at the Naples train station. A bunch of well dressed men got on just as he was getting on the train and blocked his way, crowded around him, and ran off just as the train doors were closing. His wallet was missing from his front pocket.

I had some things stolen from my checked luggage once, including a vintage wooden coffee grinder from the flea market in Paris. Presumed culprits were the baggage handlers in Paris, but who knows.

I have had would-be pickpockets run their hands along my purse but they didn't get into it, on an elevator in a Paris metro and getting onto a metro in Rome. That felt creepy.

Rich

Once on a tube in London when I lived there. Must have been either a beginner or drunk. I felt something at my side and looked down to see a hand part way in my pocket. I grabbed the wrist and bent one finger back until It broke . . You never heard so much howling in your life . . no one else knew what was going on!

scdreamer

I have traveled many times throughout Europe - have not been pickpocketed and only once have I had an actual attempt at robbery.

In Salamanca, Spain, about ten years ago - I was walking with my sister at dusk just outside the Plaza Mayor. There was a small group of scruffy twenty-somethings gathered just ahead of where we were going to cross an open area to go down some steps.

I just had a gut feeling that they were not up to any good, and right then a woman charged at us, shouting and grabbing at my purse. My sister, who spoke no Spanish, was terrified, but I think because I was pretty much anticipating what happened, I reacted by pushing right back at the young woman and shouting just as loud at her to get away from us.

She did.

PalenQ

Maybe a few karate lessons should be a de rigueur thing to learn if traveling anywhere. Mace is illegal in all of Europe TMK.

sundriedtopepo

We once got a credit card charge of 1000 euro from France 6 months after returning home. Visa covered it though.

In Alberobello, we picked up some items for a picnic, including a bottle of olive oil from the tourist kiosks. The owner asked if we wanted the bottle wrapped for travel. Well of course when we stopped for our picnic about an hour later, the oil turned out to be water. That was in 2010 and my husband is still mad that he had no oil for his bread.

nytraveler

Mace is illegal in many places in the US as well. And I think by the time you found it in your purse, the purse or wallet or whatever would be gone. Mace works for assaults - not pickpockets.

IMHO if there is a problem the best thing to do is scream police (or local equivalent) as loud as you can. Most pickpockets will run rather than risk facing the police.

sassy27

Yes I have. My ATM card was skimmed at the Edinburgh airport. I will explain how I know this. We had a horrible time getting to Edinburgh. My brother was going as well but on another flight with a connection in London. On the way over, my plane had to return due to engine failure. I arrived in Edinburgh 8 hours late and landlady for the flat wanted me to hurry. I was so tired as I had been traveling for longer hours than expected. We decided to use the ATM machine right at baggage claim before leaving the secure area. I did not cover the keypad when entering my pin. My brother did but my mom also did not.

I found out our cards were compromised a week and half later while we were out in the Outer Hebrides. My mom tried to withdraw cash when it said she had already exceeded her daily limit. I knew it was impossible as I was with her all day and she hadn't taken money out for a few days. Huge red flag went up as I had years ago a friend steal and use my card. When I checked her bank account, I saw transactions being made in Perth. We never were in Perth or other surrounding Edinburgh areas even that day. When I checked my account, the same exact thing.

I was able to track it back to that ATM by looking and comparing our bank statements. I had only used my ATM on arrive when the first fraud transaction appeared. I was enjoying a birthday lunch at 1:30 pm on the Royal Mile 3 days later so no where near the outside of Edinburgh. That was the only ATM machine that we both used. They got a couple of thousand dollars from us. The bank even called my dad but he didn't think anything of it.

I was so angry. I reported this to the airport when I got home after I got a time stamped transaction from the bank. A police officer contacted me to get how I knew, etc. When they went pulled the tape from the camera in that area of baggage claim, no surprise it was disconnected so nothing was taped. Ok what a perfect inside job. The police officer than asked for me to send my bank statement which I did and I have to hear back. This was last June. So I will never ever forget to cover my pin again and will only use an ATM inside of a bank so never at an airport again.

Drowden

Yep. Madrid. I was guiding a group of students from our hotel to our dinner restaurant. We took a subway during rush hour...so crowded we could barely move. I foolishly had my wallet in my backpack which I had on my back. When we arrived at our subway stop, my backpack's zipper was open and my wallet was gone (with $400 cash and both of my credit cards).

Lesson learned. In crowds, always carry a backpack or bag on your front with your hand on the zipper/pocket area.

annw

Many trips but only one crime, a small gold chain and celtic square that had slipped outside of my top and were grabbed off my neck by two punks outside of a Brussels train station.

After numerous trouble-free travels solo, this one time 6'3' DH was with me; we had tried to get a taxi, whose driver waved us off with "It's right up that street" (clearly wanting a better fare).

As we were heading toward our b&b, two young men passed us, then I noticed them a moment later after we had crossed the street; they had circled back after scoping us out and apparently seeing said chain.

DH was about 10 feet away, uncharacteristically ahead of me. I sense trouble when I recognized them but a quick grab and "You b@stards!" later they were off down a staircase presumably to a subway.

The joke was on them, though; it was only 9ct gold.

NewbE

I heard of someone once who was either robbed or burgled, somewhere, somehow, does that count for the purposes of this thread?

danon

No.
I don't carry a backpack, just a handbag ( with one CC and abou 100 euros inside).

I was ripped off by a taxi driver in Rome when I gave him 100.000 lira and he said I gave him 10.000.
I was too tired and jet-lagged to be sure or argue.

Once , some girl tried " is this your ring" on me in Paris.
All she got from me was a good laugh.

bvlenci

I know an English man who was very violently mugged in London.