Pickpockets and all the scams.
 

I went to Italy last year,I took chains to attach my luggage,locks, security belts belts with hidden compartments,cans that looked liked shaving cream, locks upon locks.I traveled nearly a month in just about every region, and I must say not even once was I approached by any scammers .Do you think people are being way to skeptical?

One reason might be because you DID take all those things and remained very aware of your surroundings.

How about this idea:

next time you go, don;t take ANY "unnecessary" precautions and no locks upon locks, no fake shaving cream cans, no chains, etc.

Are you willing to do this? (I didn't think so, either).

Dukey , I admit that is logical thinking , and I was very alert ,I left my luggage on the train and sat 20 feet away I had the chain hidden I was going from Naples to Rome that is a area people recommended to stay on guard.The train was loaded alot of confusion and noise no one even went near my luggage.Please don't get me wrong I was very pleasently surprised ,I just expected much worse.

Dukey is right about being on guard. Pickpockets are there and they are smooth criminals. Consider yourself lucky and know that the danger is definitely there. Coming from someone who has been robbed 3 times, I can tell you that it is definitely a truth.

Coming from someone who has been to Europe about fifteen times and never robbed or scammed(maybe I'm just lucky?)I think a lot of the focus here on pickpockets is a bit much.

The most important deterrents to avoid scams/pickpockets are:

Remain aware of your surroundings at all times

Be assertive - always look as if you know exactly where you're going and what you're doing (no opening maps or guidebooks in the middle of the train station or center of crowds of tourists)

Be sensible about your belongings - never let go of them, put them down or trust them to anyone (and don;t use backpacks or fanny packs or anything behind you that you can't see)

Have folowed just those rules (no money belts or hanging bags or special locks or ???) and had no problems in 60+ trips to europe.

These people are like lions - they pick the weakest out of the herd - make sure you look strong and competent and they'll choose someone else.

Wow!60 plus trips to Europe!

I'm with NYT..we've been at least 50 times and have never had a problem..just maybe 3 close calls which we were aware of and avoided.We don't do backpacks, dress conservatively,know where we are going,don't lift our skirts to get to money belts and were aware of our surroundings.

Funny thing in Paris last Feb, someone came up to us on the street and said he'd found this "gold" ring and did we want to buy it for 10 €..RIGHT! My DH said .."oh no count this as your lucky day". Later that day we met up with some friends who had been out with Michael Osman and the same thing happened to them..we all got a good laugh out of it!

I think a lot of people are just a wee bit paranoid. The same thing souldhappen to you in any city..but I'll bet if you went to chicago, SFO or NYC, youwouldn't worry so much

It is always better to be safe than sorry. Just because it hasn't happened to you, doesn't mean precautions aren't necessary.

I think there's so many people that don't take any care (and I mean no care at all sometimes) that pickpockets are too busy with them and don't bother to try with a person they know wouldn't be easy. Nobody wants "to work" more than needed. And most of the time, they are professionals..they know if your're an easy victim or not :)

It seems that there will always be two groups with disparate takes on this issue.

Those who have been fortunate enough to never have been pickpocketed are sure it won't ever happen to them.

Those who have been pickpocketed are sure they never want it to happen to them again.

I guess you gotta choose sides. ;-)

Ps. I was in Italy a few times with my mother who had huge chunks of cash in her purse (didn't believe in ATMs, traveler's checks, or anything but cash) and she didn't pay much attention to her surroundings. I found her asleep on a bench in San Gimignano and asleep leaning on a pillar in Piazza Signoria in Firenze! No one took her money.

I have had young girls shove their hands in my empty pockets on trains in Italy twice. Go figure.

massagediva,

in my world, that would be blessed, not lucky.
:)

I have been to Europe 4 times and never had any trouble. I am always on alert and would never leave my luggage unattended.

I use a small cable lock on the train. I have traveled solo and felt safe leaving it when I went to the ladies room.

It can happen anywhere. The only time I had a problem was at my local supermarket two blocks from where I live. I was careless and someone (pretty sure it was the cashier) took my credit card I had stupidly laid on the counter while signing the receipt.

I am very careful on trips but obviously got to relaxed at "home". I learned my lesson.