Watch Out for European Scam Artists' Tricks
 

This article aims to sensitize about a growing problem. If you have been the victim of a scam while a tourist in Europe feel free to describe the scam (make it concise, please...)

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/trave...ams/index.html

Interesting read. Don't know if it is a growing problem, but count me in as a "slightly" paranoid traveller. And yet, I've been scammed a couple of times, which I will blame on being tired :)

Another reason to look like a local? haha.

>>a growing problem<<

Big cities have had pickpockets and the like since - well, I'd hesitate to be authoritative, but I'm assuming since before Sodom and Gomorrah.

So one caveman says to him, I've got this nice piece of mastodon that comes from the best herd, if you buy now I can let you have it for...

The gold ring scam is actually mentioned in Dickens "Our mutual friend".
I bet that one has been around for centuries

I was in London in May and this guy came up, said he was Hindu, and could help predict what was on my mind and the future. He then rolled up a tiny piece of paper and told me to hold it. He then asked me some questions..and at the end, had me, with some hoopla, unroll the paper and my answers were there. I had landed tha morning, so I was jet lagged so I had him do more...still could not figure out how he did it..I'm an idiot :)

I got pickpocketed by a sales lady in a Portuguesse store. While she showed me linens by spreading them in front of me and making a big to-do about it, she was picking my coat pockets where I happened to place some money for the purchase. Beware.

Also, if your car is loaded with suitcases/packages and you are stucked in heavy traffic, make sure ALL doors are locked. A youngster jumped off a moped driving in the opposite direction, tried to open the back door to grabbed our suitcases. Since the door was locked, he went around and opened mine and went for my purse. Fortunartely, less than a minute earlier I had moved my purse from my lap to the floor and this gave me the added seconds I needed to pushed him away. Very scary.

Most scams in Europe are team efforts; while you are been distracted, his/her partner is robbing you blind.