Stay Safe Abroad: Expert Tips to Prevent Travel Theft

Many online articles give great vacation security tips on how not to be robbed, what to do if the disaster happens, and separate ways with your possessions. Getting robbed is usually a quick act. Running abroad can quickly become a nightmare if you encounter pickpockets or fraudsters.

Traveling is a great way to experience the world and enrich your life. You could be robbed, attacked, or stuck in a war zone. To help you return from your travels with all your possessions, here are a few tips on avoiding getting robbed during the trip.

Use A Money Belt

Tourists stick out like a sore thumb. Pickpockets are plentiful in countries worldwide, and you’d be amazed at how quickly you can clean a handbag or backpack without realizing it. So, the best way to ensure your important documents are kept safe is to put them in a money belt.

Money belts are like a fanny pack but fit seamlessly under your clothes so that not only are they hidden, they aren’t uncomfortable either. Zip your passport, credit cards, and cash in, then slide it around your waist.

Buy A Suitcase Lock

Buying a TSA-approved security lock for your luggage is an easy way to prevent this. Available everywhere, including drug stores, the combo locks will hopefully be enough to ward off unappetizing people who are likely to move over to an unprotected bag.

The key here is to ensure your lock is TSA-approved so airport officials can enter it with a unique code if required. Suppose you’re one of those people who use the same password for everything. And you’re not sure you can remember a combination.

Beware of Pickpockets

Pickpockets like to target wealthy people because it’s a bigger payday. If you travel to an area known for pickpocketing, you shouldn’t do anything that shows your wealth. If you see a sign, be careful of pickpockets. Your first instinct might be to reach down and look for your wallet or credit card.

They also look at people who are unfamiliar with the area, which is why they are notorious for operating in popular tourist locations. If you’ve buried your head on a map or stuck to Google Maps, pickpockets will use your distraction and confusion to cross something out of you.

Appear Confident

This applies equally to women and men; be self-confident and walk with your head raised. Do not be sure where you are going or what you are doing because this is once again an invitation to the thieves. Robbers do not come after travelers who are sure and appear strong.

Talented thieves are less likely to target you if you know your location and destination, so don’t try to look lost, especially if you are. No robbery is a good start if you get a good look at the perpetrator and they know it.

Travel Light

Though you like to use your fancy gear, leaving behind your most expensive possessions will give you priceless security. If, instead, you choose to capture special moments with your phone or even a disposable camera, you still have images that you can cherish forever.

We all carry expensive things like cell phones and cameras when traveling. To avoid being robbed during the trip, the easiest thing to do is not to let the world know you have expensive items.