Whenever you travel by commercial flights, buses or trains, you have to go through either an airport, bus station, or train station. This could present a problem for unsuspecting people who are on holiday or vacation because these places are where thieves and pickpockets love to operate. There are a number of things you can do to avoid becoming a victim when traveling on vacations and holidays, most of which are common sense. Here are some of them.

Whenever you travel by commercial flights, buses or trains, you have to go through either an airport, bus station, or train station. This could present a problem for unsuspecting people who are on holiday or vacation because these places are where thieves and pickpockets love to operate. There are a number of things you can do to avoid becoming a victim when traveling on vacations and holidays, most of which are common sense. Here are some of them.

Do not wear jewelry or an expensive looking watch as that is just an invitation to be robbed.

Wear a money belt under you shirt or blouse to help foil pickpockets or robbers. It is a good idea to put your things in a Ziploc bag and then put the bag in your money belt. The reason for this is that the money belt and the items in it will get soaked from your perspiration, especially in hot climates, and this will keep them dry. Do not open up your money belt in public to take out cash, traveler's checks, or credit cards.

Before leaving on a vacation or holiday, it may be worth it to sew a few pockets on the inside of your slacks, skirts, or underclothing where you can hide some spare cash when you are out and about for the day. If you are carrying traveler's checks, cash, or credit cards on your person, divide them up and put them in different pockets. That way if any pickpocket is successful, he or she won't get everything. It also makes sense to use a safety pin to make each pocket opening smaller so that a pickpocket will have difficulty pulling anything out of your pockets without you feeling it.

If a number of children gather around you in the street and cause a commotion, you are likely being targeted by pickpockets who are using the children to distract you. If a couple of locals start a yelling and shoving match near you, they could be a distraction for pickpockets. Another method of distraction is to have someone collapse and fall down in front of you. When you bend over to help them, the pickpocket goes into action. A variation involves two thieves working together, one gently dropping some ice cream, ketchup or mustard on one of your shoulders and then distracting you by pointing to the mess and helping to wipe it off. The other pickpocket will then go into action.

Pickpockets prefer to target men with their wallets temptingly exposed in their back pockets, as well as obese people because they are less likely to feel their pockets being picked. You must be especially vigilant in airports, bus and railroad stations and watch your luggage, camera, and laptop like a hawk as they can disappear in second. Keep in mind that pickpockets love tourists, especially when they are in large crowds.

Always be alert when you wear a backpack. A thief could slash the bottom of it, spilling the contents all over the street where he and his partners quickly grab your possessions and run away in different directions.

Usually most muggings occur at night and not in a busy, bustling area of the city. If you are held up by an armed robber, do not argue or resist. Just give them what they want and be thankful that you don't get hurt. Whatever they take can be replaced and is not worth risking your life over.

When reading Bob Arno's book on how people can avoid street scams, thefts, and cons, we felt that it would be an informative book for anyone who goes on vacation, or travels for business, to also read. It is chuck full of information and photos showing you how numerous scams work. There is no limit to what criminals can conspire to think of to steal and rip-off from unsuspecting tourists.

Bob is one of the world's foremost experts on scams, street scams, and identity theft. If you would you like to learn more on how to protect yourself as well as your family when on holidays and vacations and also in the city or town where you reside, you may want to read his book, "Travel Advisory! How to Avoid Thefts, Cons, and Street Scams While Traveling". It may be at your local library.

He has been interviewed on MSNBC, CNN, ABC's 20/20, The Travel Channel, The Learning Channel, Discovery Channel, and has articles written about him in The New York Times, USA Today, National Geographic Traveler, Fortune Magazine, and Time Magazine.

His book is full of humor, true stories, as well as many photos of street scam artists and pickpockets in action. In our opinion, his book is great resource, and a must-read for anyone who would like to know how to protect themselves and their family when traveling, as well as in their own home town.

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