When planning for a dive holiday, the last thing that might cross your mind is the fact that you might become the victim of an organized crime scam. Unfortunately, organized crime isn’t something that just happens on TV and in the movies – it happens in real life, too. Here, we’ll discuss some common organized crime scams and provide you with some helpful tips for preventing yourself from becoming a victim.
Travel Safety Tips - Not All Organized Crime Involves Big Money
In case you think you’re excluded from victimization simply because you’re not a super-wealthy target, think again. Not all organized crime involves victims with deep pockets; in fact, this type of crime is most prevalent in countries where poverty is rampant, and where local law enforcement offices are understaffed or poorly organized.
Organized crime is characterized by a high degree of sophistication and plenty of forethought on the part of the criminals involved. In many cases, these people operate gambling rings, prostitution networks, and even tour buses or cheap hotels. In all cases, they bring their victims close to themselves so that they can gain access to personal information or belongings.
In poor countries where people will stop at nothing to make the money they need to survive, families often run criminal enterprises together, with various family members playing different roles so tourists don’t suspect they’re being victimized. For example, taxi drivers often take people to destinations where they’ll meet a second person who seems completely unrelated. This second person will recommend the traveler visit another attraction, or go to a certain market to buy luxury goods at a discounted rate. They’ll often come up and speak to the taxi driver, telling him where to take you next. Once you arrive, you could find yourself being swindled in a variety of ways – through carnival games, through gambling, or even through a gem scam, antiques scam, or other scam involving items that people offer to package and mail home for you so you don’t have to pay customs fees.
Some types of organized crime involve street gangs that operate sophisticated pickpocket networks; these are commonly encountered in European countries. Others use direct violence to part tourists from their money, sometimes pretending to be stranded motorists in order to enact kidnappings. Once criminals have kidnapped someone, standard procedure includes forced ATM withdrawal or credit card theft. The lesson here is to be careful who you get close to, particularly when you are traveling alone or as part of a couple, and particularly when you are traveling through an unfamiliar area.
For the most part, travel is safe and fun. Just being cognizant of risks and knowing that organized crime groups operate sophisticated scams helps to cut your risk of becoming a victim. So does traveling in groups, socializing with people you know well, and using caution each time you take part in any kind of financial transaction. While you want to relax and enjoy yourself, you never want to let your guard down; plan every aspect of your trip beforehand, and know what to expect. While this might seem like overkill, it will protect you from crime while traveling abroad.