Ever Been Ripped Off In Spain?

[Brian]

Traditional advice certainly teaches you to guard your purse/wallet/pocketbook at all times. When you're a giri, it's easy to let your guard down, especially at touristy places when you're engrossed with the scenery. Or perhaps you have an unguarded moment while making a purchase, and someone snatches your wallet out of your hand. Or you become victim to a team of professional pickpockets who carefully design a crime.

Anybody here brave enough to admit that they've been ripped off while on the beautiful Iberian Peninsula? Or that they had a face-to-face encounter with a street criminal?

My only experience was in 1989 in Madrid. Walking through a very, very crowded street market, I had just enough sense to put my wallet in my front pocket. Sure enough, I felt a hand reach into my back pocket. I turned around, and an old guy tried to look away from me, knowing that I had caught him red-handed. He tried to get away immediately, but there were too many people for him to move in any direction. At first I just glared at him, but soon felt the humor of the situation. He wanted to get away, and was now at my mercy, as I was tempted to yell, "Ladrón." But I resisted my urge, and he got away without anything.

As another side, I had a second less-confrontational experience with a gitano child in the Valencian train station. Here I was, the giri sitting with his bags, waiting for the train. At the other end of the station, I saw an older man surrounded by about 4-5 children. He pointed at me, sending one of the lads, about 6 years old, up to me. The frightened child opened his hands, as if asking for money. I told the young man to beat it- "Véte, niño." He seemed relieved, and walked away, much to the ire of the older man who was training the child for a life of begging.

[Chiny]

As a frequent visitor to Spain, I am very concious of looking a tourist target and try and blend in as much as my pale-skinned Englishness will allow. This means wearing Spain-bought clothes, concealing of my small camera, not being in an English crowd, amongst other efforts.

It must partly work - on my recent trip to Valencia, a French girl asked directions in dodgy Castilian. She was somewhat surprised when my wife replied in French :cool:

--
Chiny

[Marina]

Keep an eye on taxi drivers, specially in the airports. Make sure that they always turn on the taximeter, otherwise they will charge whatever they want. (I've heard that sometimes up to 80 Euros for a 20-25 Euros journey). If they don't turn it on tell them to stop, get off and change taxi. Sometimes at the end of the jouney they add up some extras; for train station, airports and so on. If you are not sure check the information that must be always displayed, sually a sticker in one of the back windows and both in English and Spanish.

Always check the bill in restaurnats, sometimes a there is a "listo" waiter that adds some drinks that you haven't had to earn a few more euros.

Needless to say that I've been ripped off a few times, but usually I don't let them:hammer:

[Brian]

Needless to say that I've been ripped off a few times, but usually I don't let them:hammer:

I suppose that a little "cara dura" goes a long, long way to let these guys know that you won't be suckered by them.

[Ben]

Needless to say that I've been ripped off a few times, but usually I don't let them:hammer:
Brian, I think there might be some British/US English confusion here, for me at least. In the US can ripped off also mean conned/financially scammed (which is what it means in the UK), or does it only involve straight physical theft?

[Jimmy]

Ooooo yes my friends - whilst walking down La Rambla in Barcelona (yes yes, I should have seen it coming) - my wife was smooth-talked by your quintessential old spanish suave, smooth (I have Antonio Bandera's pheromones) type, who brought us into his restaurant for tapas - only hmmm four plates later and $90 (back in 1998)......

Not really robbed - but smoothly taken..........:smug:

[Alan]

Yeah, the primary definition in America seems to be theft, but I don't think that's even a definition at all in the UK. Here, to rip-off means to con, as Ben says. This is only a secondary definition in the US.

[Marina]

Thank god you're there UK-guys, I hadn't notice there was a misunderstanding.:rolleyes:

[ValenciaSon]

Ripped off in the US means any way shape or form that one has had their money inappropriately removed either physically or through some form of deception. It can also be used to describe an excessively priced item.

[richardksa]

Being a guy I have pockets and don't have to advertise where I keep my valuables in a handbag. I take only as much money as I need and distribute that through all my pockets. There's a cash card for emergencies, but I'm not saying where I carry that!!!!!!

I see many touristas wearing a small pouch on a neck rope or an obvious money belt. I usually hang out near them on the grounds that they'll get robbed and not me. (Broma, pero tras cada burla acecha una verdad... (http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=105384)) My approach to walking strange streets is to make myself look as if I'm not worth robbing. Easy when you are as scruffy as I usually am!!

[Brian]

Ripped off in the US means any way shape or form that one has had their money inappropriately removed either physically or through some form of deception. It can also be used to describe an excessively priced item.

What ValenciaSon said!

[JamesW]

Down a backstreet of Barcelona in 1999 a couple of cocky locals opened our boot (trunk? - while we're on the subject of American/English) and helped themselves to our bags, as we sat in the car! An accomplice tried to distract us by pretending to direct traffic. We gave chase and they dropped our bags. That was less than six hours after arriving in Spain for the first time, so not the best first impression!

[Alan]

No, but these people exist in every country. It's just a shame that it was the first thing to happen! At least they didn't get away with anything :)

[greytop]

Beware the shoe shine men in Granada! I would not let him touch mine but it
cost my friend 20€ for a shine whilst sitting at a cafe in a square.
All part of life's rich pattern eh?

[gary]

Ooooo yes my friends - whilst walking down La Rambla in Barcelona (yes yes, I should have seen it coming) - my wife was smooth-talked by your quintessential old spanish suave, smooth (I have Antonio Bandera's pheromones) type, who brought us into his restaurant for tapas - only hmmm four plates later and $90 (back in 1998)......

Not really robbed - but smoothly taken..........:smug:

Yup been there done that, The tapas bar was at the top of Las Rambla on the left near McDonalds - food was good but price was high £40 in 2003

Beware when waiters ask English? Large Beer? on las Ramblas you could get 1.5 litres of lager - better to say una caña.

[Mark]

Yes, Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona, of all places. I was only about the 50th that day... the police station there is a very busy place and happens to be in a neighbourhood where it's likely you'll get done again! It's not just the extranjeros though, I met quite a few locals there who seemed to be more concerned about apologising for what happened to us than for their own loss.

I was there again a few months later for a conference in the large centre to the north of the city, I forget what the area is called. On the second day of the conference security was 10 times what it had been on the first day, due to the number of thefts that had taken place.

It's sad, but Barcelona in particular is full of people either selling crap or stealing. Avoid La Rambla de Catalunya altogether, it's tacky and from the Plaza to the waterfront is probably the place you're most likely to get done.

[gary]

Yes, Plaza de Catalunya in Barcelona, of all places. I was only about the 50th that day... the police station there is a very busy place and happens to be in a neighbourhood where it's likely you'll get done again! It's not just the extranjeros though, I met quite a few locals there who seemed to be more concerned about apologising for what happened to us than for their own loss.

I was there again a few months later for a conference in the large centre to the north of the city, I forget what the area is called. On the second day of the conference security was 10 times what it had been on the first day, due to the number of thefts that had taken place.

It's sad, but Barcelona in particular is full of people either selling crap or stealing. Avoid La Rambla de Catalunya altogether, it's tacky and from the Plaza to the waterfront is probably the place you're most likely to get done.

so what happened?

[Edith]

Traditional advice certainly teaches you to guard your purse/wallet/pocketbook at all times.

I do this in my own country too, especially when I visit crowded places. It's just a matter of common sense. Never leave your mobile phone or camera on the table either when you're having a drink etc. Wherever the crowds are, there will be pickpockets and bag-snatchers too.

[Brian]

Beware when waiters ask English? Large Beer? on las Ramblas you could get 1.5 litres of lager - better to say una caña.

Thanks for the tip! I'm sure that there are tourist traps everywhere, and seasoned professionals certainly seem to know how to take advantage of giris.

[Brian]

Keep an eye on taxi drivers, specially in the airports. Make sure that they always turn on the taximeter, otherwise they will charge whatever they want. (I've heard that sometimes up to 80 Euros for a 20-25 Euros journey). If they don't turn it on tell them to stop, get off and change taxi. Sometimes at the end of the jouney they add up some extras; for train station, airports and so on. If you are not sure check the information that must be always displayed, sually a sticker in one of the back windows and both in English and Spanish.

Thank you for the tips, Marina!

I'm usually sure to engage in conversation with the taxi driver just to let him know that I'm not just another unsuspecting non-Spanish speaking American on holiday. Although I'm an easy mark as a foreigner, I haven't been taken yet by a taxi driver. With the metro lines, buses, and other forms of economic transportation reaching airports and the like, now, taxi drivers have a little more competion than they used to, which in my opinion builds in a bit of accountability.

[Mark]

"so what happened".... Wallet was snatched from my hand.

[Brian]

"so what happened".... Wallet was snatched from my hand.

did you chase after the thief? Tackle him/her in broad daylight? Yell, "ladrón?" Details, man, details! :confused:

[ValenciaSon]

After having lived in Valencia fior a year and making several visits, I've never been robbed. I'll keep my fingers crossed as I tentaively plan a trip for the summer of 2008.