Travel Boldly, Not Blindly

Imagine this - You’re standing in a picturesque plaza in Mexico, savoring a churro in one hand and your phone in the other while grinning at a stunning cathedral. You snap a selfie, enjoy your sweet treat, and wander off down the cobbled streets, completely unaware that your wallet is now on a journey of its own. Cue the dramatic music.

Let’s face facts. Nothing spoils vacation vibes faster than realizing you’ve been pickpocketed. It’s like getting a sunburn that hits your bank account instead. But here’s the silver lining: you can outsmart petty thieves without turning paranoid or stuffing valuables into a money belt that screams 90s tourist.

You Are Not the Problem

Before we dive into the practical tips, it’s essential to understand that if you’ve ever been pickpocketed or had items stolen while traveling, it is never your fault. Thieves are professionals; they’re not just opportunists but opportunity creators. They plan, practice, and excel at their craft. My goal here is to empower you with knowledge so that you can enjoy your travels while keeping your wallet safe – not to shame you!

Know the Playground

Pickpockets thrive in crowded spaces. Whether on public transit, at festivals, markets, or cafes, they are always lurking. Tourists, often distracted while soaking in new sights, become prime targets.

Thieves don’t hide in the shadows - they blend in seamlessly. The person who bumped into you when you were getting that aforementioned churro? Well, that could be a thief in action. The trick is to not give them the opportunity to create an opportunity.

Don’t Be Predictable

If your phone is always in your back pocket or your bag is always slung off the same shoulder, you’re a walking gift basket for thieves, so make unpredictability your travel superpower.

Switch pockets, move your bag to your front, and don’t carry everything with you. Leave backups at your accommodation safely locked up.

Ditch the Wallet

Let’s be honest: many of us carry around too much stuff. A bulging wallet with cards, receipts, IDs, that gym membership card from three countries ago. The more you have with you, the more you stand to lose.  Instead, consider these strategies:

• Take only what you need for the day

• Use a slim, RFID-blocking wallet

• Keep cards and cash separate (yes, really - spread them around)

• Leave one backup card hidden in your room safe or a secure bag

Instant Card Control Apps

Let’s say you do lose your card. Panic? Nope. That’s where banking apps with instant lock/unlock features come in. Think of them as a digital off switch for your cards.

You don’t have to rely on calling your bank at 3 AM while sobbing in a bus station anymore. Use your banking app! Apps let you block your card right after every use and unblock it before your next one. It takes two taps, and you’re done.

I actually do this on the daily as a precautionary measure, not just when traveling. Trip to the ATM? I unblock my previously blocked card, take out what I need, and I block it again. New shorts at the mall? I unblock my previously blocked card, make my purchase, and I block it again. I do this for every single thing I purchase, because no thief’s getting my hard-earned cash on my watch! It’s like carrying my money in a digital vault with a lock, and only I have the key.

Bag Smarts

Crossbody bags are your best friend. Bonus points if they’re slash-proof, have lockable zippers, and are always worn in front.

Ditch those shoulder strap purses, open-top totes, and cute backpacks with flappy buttons and zero security. If you can open it one-handed, so can they. Consider anti-theft daypacks with secret zipper compartments (usually against your back). They’re stealthy, stylish, and secure as hell.

The ‘One Earbud’ Rule

You’re walking alone down a crowded street, zoned out to your favorite podcast. It’s lovely - until someone zones in on your distracted state.

New rule: one earbud in, one earbud out. You’ll still enjoy your soundscape, but you’ll also hear the guy behind you who’s a little too close. Remember…awareness is everything.

Stay Snag-Proof

You’ve settled into a sunny terrace in Puerto Vallarta, and you sling your bag on the chair behind you and reach for your carajillo. This is what thieves dream about.

Instead, loop your bag strap around your leg or chair arm, keep it in your lap or between your feet, and always, always, always zip it up. For some extra security, you can even bring along a cheap carabiner clip. It won’t provide you with Fort Knox style security, but it will offer just enough resistance to make a thief move on.

Party Smartly

Pickpockets love the nightlife, and they love to boogie! People let their guard down when they’re out having fun and getting a little tipsy, and unfortunately, that means we’re more likely to set things down “just for a second.”

Be that person who carries a minimal, zipped bag or wallet chain. Never, ever, ever leave anything unattended, not even for the bathroom. You may not see someone watching you lose focus the more margaritas you have, but trust me - they’re watching!

Stay Sharp

Not all theft is sneaky. Some of it is wrapped in a smile.

Common scams to watch for include:

• Friendship bracelet trick: they tie one on, demand money, and you feel uncomfortable enough with the interaction to oblige in the hope that they go away.

• “Would you look at that? Someone squirted something on your back. Let me help you get that off” trick: Nope! We know you put it there to make us look away while your friend grabs our stuff!

• Fake petition trick: they tug on your heartstrings while someone else tugs on your bag.

• “Oops, you dropped this” trick: Even if you did drop “this,” hang onto your bag while retrieving it.

Basically, think about it like this - if it feels weird, it probably is. And if someone’s trying too hard to engage with you for no reason, keep your hands on your stuff and move on.

Something’s Missing

If you realize something’s missing, the first thing you want to do is use your app again and block everything! Maybe you lost it and you’ll get it back once found. If that’s the case, then blocking it allows you to make it unusable to anyone else without having to freeze your account.

Freezing would require new cards, and that can cause an entirely new nightmare if on a short trip, when you have to wait to receive cards in the mail! The bank can always be called later if the item is indeed lost forever.

Next, retrace your steps. I keep seeing people on Facebook groups posting that they lost something at a specific store, and when people ask if they’ve gone back, the answer is no. I don’t understand that!

People are kinder than we give them credit for, and a simple return to the scene of the crime or displacement may mean some lovely stranger has found your stuff and held onto it while awaiting your return.

Alert nearby business owners. Not a single business owner wants their business associated with a place where thefts occur, so helping them by alerting them means they may incorporate cameras for extra security. That may not help you in the moment, but you can pat yourself on the back for helping someone else down the road.

And finally, if the item has been lost forever, report it. Theft must be taken seriously, and you may need a police report number for your travel insurance company. Contact your bank if your card is gone. Contact the embassy or consulate if your passport has been swiped. Will contacting the police guarantee a return of your item(s)? No. No one can guarantee that. But - it will start the ball rolling for all the fiddly replacement steps that now await you.

Oh, and speaking of fiddly replacement steps, always keep digital and printed copies of your passport, credit card numbers (partial only), and emergency contacts.

One tip I like to share is about those bank cards and passport numbers. Mine are saved as contacts in my phone. Sounds crazy, I know, but trust me - it’s a lifesaver!

Most cards have 16 numbers. Well, that’s two eight-digit numbers to store. For example, I come up with two fictitious names. For the sake of this blog, let’s call them Mark Taylor and Samantha Cannon. Again, I don’t know either of those people. But my contact list does!

Both Mark and Samantha will now have eight-digit ‘phone numbers’ associated with them. No one who could swipe my phone would ever be able to decipher fact from fiction, so…

And all I have to do is remember (with the help of a notebook I never take out and about with me) two names. I do the same with all my important numbers - including my passport - and it’s served me remarkably well!

There’s something deeply human about wanting to explore the world. But part of being a great traveler is being a smart one. Not paranoid. Not guarded. Just aware. And ready.

Pickpockets rely on chaos, distraction, and routine. You don’t need ninja moves or iron pockets, but rather a few good habits and the right tech tools.

So, sling on that anti-theft bag, tap that app lock, and go find the world’s best churro. But maybe eat with one eye open – clutching your gizmo tight!