Might be worth sewing an internal mounting loop to hang this on. Since internal, might even be possible by those not possessing the Sewing skill. Nice big rivet through an existing belt loop perhaps.
1 Like
Yes, some other method of attachment would be good, so that it doesn’t drop on floor when you use the bathroom 
Also, don’t forget to take this out of your pants before going through the TSA scanner, or you will get all sorts of extra attention.
1 Like
or perhaps they were very good at it? 
the best scam is the one you never know about.
2 Likes
I carry a tiny wallet, that holds an ID card, one credit card and enough cash for the day. I don’t bother with money belts; I need something I can access easy, all day.
I always keep a spare credit card, my passport and my debit card separately in a secure place at the flat or hotel. I never carry my passport on my person, unless it’s a transfer day.
(I am a dual citizen, so in transfer days; I carry one passport on my person, the other in my suitcase. If one is lost, I have a backup. I realize this is something I’m privledged to do).
I’ve worked as a tour guide in Europe for 15 years, spending most my time in the busiest, popular tourist zones: La Rambla, Leicester Sq, Fontana di Trevi, Louvre, you name it. I consider it a minor miracle I’ve never been pickpocketed.
My guard goes way up whenever a stranger intitiates conversation. I put my hand in my pocket, over my wallet for the duration of the exchange; but I do not shy away from these interactions, as most are benign (asking directions, etc), some are rewarding and it’s I can suss quickly when they are going to be unreasonable.
1 Like
Could you explain what you mean by “hobo pockets”? It’s not a term I’m familiar with, and my Google-fu failed me, turning up only campfire recipes and satchels that don’t seem likely to be what you’re talking about.
3 Likes
Learn the phrases for “Do not touch me. Get away from me!” and shout it loudly at the bracelet guys and the clothing guy.
Ring? Smile, say “No” and either drop it in the ground or throw it into the crowd.
Sign anything. Just say “no” and keep on walking.
3 Likes
You tell them to go to their country’s embassy. They have a fund for that sort of thing.
4 Likes
That does tell them where it is, allowing a gang to set up a more elaborate distraction to target it.
You’re skipping a Don’t here, do you?
“Sign anything” sounds like an advise followed by the Trump campaign. Those confidence tricksters are apparently projecting that strongly that their scam is The GREATEST. They would sell Paris the Eiffel tower as a true American marvel of steelwork, since it was constructed by the same guy who did That Famous Statue in NYC. Yeah, just put your signature here, and we’re in a HUGE bilateral agreement about that Eiffel thing. You can wear it as a bracelet if you like!
2 Likes
You can also buy (or make) a wallet with a chain to attach to your pants. Also a good idea to carry any valuables (phone, wallet, keys) in your front pockets in high-risk areas and it doesn’t hurt to have something obstructing them that has to be removed first.
It’s also a distraction while their partner tries to pick your pocket. The less time spent interacting with thieves, the fewer their opportunities.
Nature and time have gifted me with the ability to look particularly uninviting, but I recognize not everyone has that privilege. If strangers do approach me, I have no qualms about being rude or feigning anger if they persist. The problem with traveling abroad is that I can’t always have my pocket knife or blackjack on me, though I can usually wear my sap cap (I made my own out of an old baseball cap because all the ones for sale have that moronic “tactical” look that is precisely what I don’t want), though I prefer not to because I mostly dislike wearing hats. Mind you, the only time I really feel a need to be armed is in the US, since I stay out of the parts of foreign cities where I might be mugged, and frankly there are few countries as dangerous as the US that I’d have any reason to visit. Scammers just want an easy mark.
Edited for typo.
3 Likes
The variation of this technique that was used on me in Madrid as I was walking away from the main train terminal was for one person to walk up behind with a bottle of some kind of mayo mixture which he squirted on my shoulder. Then he politely showed me that a bird had shit on me as he pointed to the trees above. Another group of 2 or 3 joined us as they all started to wipe the substance off in a helpful way. It all happened so fast that I never noticed the theft in the confusion.
It was attempted again on the subway by squirting something on my leg. I started hollering and pushing and the 2 guys quickly moved away and exited at the first stop. Unfortunately tourists are fairly obvious marks, and are in unfamiliar surroundings. It pays to be wary.
3 Likes
Seattle has “Buddhist monks” that will approach you and either pop a beaded bracelet on your wrist or offer you some other small trinket and then aggressively block your path until you give them money. They show up a lot around the convention center, but we’ve also occasionally had to throw them out of the lobby of the museum I work at.
I think I prefer the fake monks to the CD-selling guys though, because the monks don’t scream obscenities at you if you ignore them. I guess that’d blow their cover.
5 Likes
I don’t know if it is just a brand name or not, but you can buy zippered pockets to sew inside of your pants. The pockets are meant to be tugged entirely out of your pants and flipped over to access the zipper (as opposed to you stuffing your hands down your pants). So the pockets are pickpocket proof - the zipper is facing away from your body when the pocket is inside your pants, so pickpockets can’t somehow stuff their hands down your pants and get into the pocket they way they can with travel pants that have a “secret pocket”. And the hobo pockets can’t accidentally fall off the way a money belt could if the catch were to fail.
You can make these yourself with basic sewing skills or you can buy them on-line. One brand is sold by an itinerant dude who (based on his smattering of YouTube videos) seems to live a very hobo life. The items are sold on Amazon which does the fulfillment. His “hobo pockets” are kind of gargantuan and sold in ridiculous bundles of 10 when he knows full well most people don’t need or want anywhere near that many. And they only come in white, which he claims is so they don’t bleed color when you wash your pants.
One thing I have considered for security is adding a huge pieces of velcro to close some of my pockets - practiced pickpockets can open zippers easily and silently, but velcro has to be tugged, and it can be noisy. Even so, the velcro might not be sufficient against swarms since they really don’t care that they are being obvious.
4 Likes
That makes me angry and sad.
Stop believing the Trumpites. The vast majority of people in Chicago are kind, decent, law-abiding citizens, and Midwestern to the bone. We are happy to help you if we see you’re lost. We’re not looking for anything.
If someone maintains a reasonable distance and is trying to help you, you’re safe. If they try to broach your personal space and keep pushing when you’ve indicated you’re not interested, then yeah, avoid that person. As you would anywhere else in the world.
5 Likes
This is my method when I go to a place where I suspect pickpockets may operate:
- Transfer my wallet from the back pocket of my jeans to the front pocket.
- Every half an hour or so, check back pocket, discover that is empty, and panic for a fraction of a second until I remember that the wallet is not supposed to be there.
It works pretty well, easy peasy.
10 Likes
Yeah, Toronto has had something similar. Some actively scammed tourists. Others just harassed people in the street (including me). Judging from a quick Google search, this was a widespread thing.
2 Likes
My brother lived in Chicago for eight or nine years. I visited him several times, and each time I was impressed with how friendly Chicagoans are, no matter where in the city I was.
On one of my earlier visits, I’d arrived downtown, short on sleep, and with only a dumbphone. Twice within the span of five minutes, someone smiled and approached me asking if I needed help finding my way around.
For a city its size, Chicago has an abberantly high friendliness per capita.
5 Likes
One pick pocket trick is to warn people about pick pockets, so that people check to see if they have their valuables, thus giving away the locations. Funny to think that might not work on you as you check your back pocket out of habit 
3 Likes
Ah, don’t sell yourself short, there’s some skill involved too! 
I’m a friendly and reasonably attractive female, but radiate a strong DO NOT DARE TOUCH ME vibe, without really trying, having grown up in NYC. And really, most strangers leave me the fuck alone (including canvassers who aren’t scammers at all).
As an earlier NY commentator noted, it is just not ok to come into physical contact with strangers in NYC (or at least such was the case in my formative years, nowadays things are different). My father slugged a guy in the street when I was a kid because he made the mistake of putting his hand on my shoulder. I’m not sure what I do exactly, but it certainly puts people off approaching me.
4 Likes
I can look friendly when I try. But I have what I call resting grim face, and that’s when I’m not even trying to glower, which I can do pretty darn well. Being tall with broad shoulders and dark hair/eyes doesn’t hurt either. Maybe it’s a result of having simply lived my whole life as me, but I like that my default vibe discourages casual interaction and don’t mind a modest effort I have to put in to turn on gregarious body-language.
It’s not that I dislike people. I’ve actually become more of a people person as I’ve aged. But I like setting and enforcing boundaries. Especially since I live by the adage that trust is earned and I don’t default to trust anyone. I’ve visited New York quite a few times for work and pleasure, but it’s also probably partially a side-effect of being a city kid regardless of which city.
6 Likes
