Dorothee
Germany
|
Already at the end of May “Aktenzeichen XY…ungelöst” the German equivalent of “America’s Most Wanted” had an episode about crimes vacationers have to expect to become a victim of. As Mexico is among the top 10 holiday destinations of Germans I figured this would be the perfect place to post this:
1.) Traders sometimes try to sell goods at a price much higher than they’re actually worth and they put you under pressure to buy these goods. Thus you should always inform yourself about the average price of something before actually buying something expensive. Also you shouldn’t let people force you into anything, but just say “No!” if you don’t want to buy this or that. Also you should know that these traders often just fake friendliness (sometimes even offering you cheap presents in addition to the good) or try to trigger your emotions with a sad, but not true story. For example there are traders who would tell you they need to get the money to buy some expensive medicine for this or that relative. 2.) If you consider someone you recently met – or until recently only knew by his Internet presence – your friend, think twice before letting him invite you to a trip of more than just one day. Not only are there people who use fake accounts to kidnap, rob or sexually assault people, but there are also people on the Internet who would invite you to a trip like this so you could unintentionally help them deal with drugs. For example they hide drugs in your luggage so you are the one transporting these drugs from one place to the other. Or they give you something in a very small box and tell you that the content is no big deal and you should carry the box in your luggage as in his luggage there is no place. So apart from checking your entire luggage as often as possible, not letting anyone near your luggage and refusing to transport anything of which you don’t know what it is, you better not be too trusting with the people you meet on vacation. Cases like these may not be that common, but they happen. 3.) Also your camping van or car may become the target of crimes. Always park your car or van in a way that makes it possible for you to get away quickly and anytime in case of emergency. Get informed how best to secure your van/ car. Always leave the glove compartment empty and open when you leave the car/ van. Never leave your car/ van completely ungarded. The best thing to do would be to park it somewhere where there are cameras. Bikes or anything else attached to the outside of the car/ van may end up stolen, so be sure to secure them. Take a photo of everything precious you bring along and be sure that you’ve got the purchase contract with you, so police officers may know what they are looking for when these things get stolen. 4.) Especially in the South of Europe there are people who would trick you by dressing up as police officers. They will tell you to get out of your car and when you do, they will rob you. Thus you should always ask them for aome evidence to prove they are real officers and then check this evidence carefully as it might be fake. Insist they control you not there, but at the police station. You should know both the number of your embassy in this country and the international emergency number which is 112. Don’t carry around too much money or too expensive jewelry. Copy your most important documents and don’t hide the copies in the same place as your original documents.
|