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Pickpocket Warning - Pier 3 Central

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  1. #31

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    While in Bangkok at a mall, four ladies surrounded my wife as she was shopping at a bakery. They synchronized with her movements and when I walked into the store and saw this strange sight, they dispersed. We realized a few seconds later that they had pulled back the zipper to her handbag and did have hold of her wallet. Apparently I arrived just in time. It was a strange sight to see them surrounding her and moving alone with her. Amazing Thailand!


  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by justjoe86:
    The one I got in Barcelona was a group of women waving a newspaper in front of me to distract me, because I'd stupidly left my wallet on the cafe table. Fortunately I realised and slammed my hand down on the wallet.

    They tutted and walked off in disgust that I had the audacity to keep hold of my own wallet!
    something similar happened to me in London, a group of gipsy came inside the bar waving newspaper, acting like they wanted to sell it, when all they did was to cover the table to steal other stuff. I noticed that and called the waiter who kicked them out straight. I'm always suspicious when someone I don't know approach me, I just avoid any contact. I do the same in HK, last time there was this guy - around the ferry pier, he would just walk across and say something like : you are very lucky sir, you are bless blah blah blah - wanting to shake my hand. I just avoided him, then I heard similar story with a friend, he would basically saying he read their palms and then ask for money in Exchange.

  3. #33

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    Similar to plutark

    Was in Leicester square say outside and some gypsy kids put a cardboard sign over the table.
    It blocked my view of my phone on the table, I quickly realised and grabbed my phone and they Apologised and walked off


  4. #34

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    Had a phone nicked off the table - strangely enough, in Burger King in Leicester Square - at least 10 years ago using exactly this scam. Couple of kids put a map on my table, yammered away for a minute, I told them to go away, they went... with my phone.

    Apart from that, I've had a phone taken out of my pocket in Shenzhen, a few years ago, and an MP3 player possibly/probably taken in SZ a few years before that.

    Personally, I blame the Mainlanders.


  5. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by Trebor:
    I always walk down the left side of escalators, mainly because i'm impatient but could also be used as an avoidance measure.
    Same here. Always with my bag in front of me with an elbow firmly over. Unfortunately, pickpocketing is not just for those areas such as at the ferry and in Mong Kok etc...i become suspicious when tourists try to press up against me in the register queues in Taste Tung Chung, or in the outlets at Citygate and have no qualms in telling them to back off.

    I am sorry to hear about your wallet, Fiona. Had my purse stolen years ago, when as a teen in a Brisbane nightclub. Such a hassle to replace your cards et al.

    Actually, just before Christmas, someone on the Mui Wo to Tai O families FB forum reported that muggers were operating around Star Ferry area as her son was followed by some Indian dude and mugged at knifepoint at the ATM.
    Last edited by Natfixit; 29-12-2014 at 01:31 PM.

  6. #36

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    Also beware of cashiers leaving credit cards on the counter.

    I had a cashier do this and two men suddenly appeared on either side of me, staring at my card. I realised they were reading the numbers/name and I slammed my hand down to cover it. The two men immediately moved away. The cashier went to continue with the transaction but I kept hold of my card. I explained what happened and the cashier dismissed my concerns, actually saying that the men were just interesting in seeing a credit card (this was not long after '97). Yeah, right...

    I decided my money would be better spent elsewhere, and my time better spent cancelling my card.

    Always, always be aware of your surroundings.


  7. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by Claire ex-ax:
    Also beware of cashiers leaving credit cards on the counter.

    I had a cashier do this and two men suddenly appeared on either side of me, staring at my card. I realised they were reading the numbers/name and I slammed my hand down to cover it. The two men immediately moved away. The cashier went to continue with the transaction but I kept hold of my card. I explained what happened and the cashier dismissed my concerns, actually saying that the men were just interesting in seeing a credit card (this was not long after '97). Yeah, right...

    I decided my money would be better spent elsewhere, and my time better spent cancelling my card.

    Always, always be aware of your surroundings.
    Alone this note, never let your credit card out of sight during a transaction. My best friend came to HK for a holiday about 10 years ago, bought something by credit card in MK, was out of sight for a few seconds and it got cloned. He only realised when he got back to the UK and saw the statements.

  8. #38

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    I think in HK you feel so safe you don't expect these kinds of things to happen to you. So you're not so aware of what's going on around. When I went to Paris, Barcelona, Madrid etc.. I would make sure I don't leave anything on the table.

    Here people don't care. I was in Starbucks last weekend and this guy left his Macbook on the table and went to give a phone call outside. You do that somewhere else and you can say bye to your laptop!


  9. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by Plutark:
    ... I do the same in HK, last time there was this guy - around the ferry pier, he would just walk across and say something like : you are very lucky sir, you are bless blah blah blah - wanting to shake my hand. I just avoided him, then I heard similar story with a friend, he would basically saying he read their palms and then ask for money in Exchange.
    Yeah theres gangs of them roam Central, Wan Chai and TST on a regular basis, the other favorite lines are "I can tell you you name" and "You have a very luck face" the same stock phrases have been used by them for years, different guys every time so I guess they have a school for it.

    Usually I ignore them but the one (for some reason wearing a clergymans outfit) that walked up to me saying "I can tell you your name" I told him thanks but I already know it.
    shri and Fiona in HKG like this.

  10. #40

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    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    Alone this note, never let your credit card out of sight during a transaction. My best friend came to HK for a holiday about 10 years ago, bought something by credit card in MK, was out of sight for a few seconds and it got cloned. He only realised when he got back to the UK and saw the statements.
    Quite. I'm the person carrying my credit card to the cashier in department stores et al, not the sales assistant. I've had a few who've been a little pissed off, but most understand.