Haley Boyd and Alix Maltitheux
8 minutes ago
CHICAGO (WGN Radio) – A woman who falls in a crowded place may not be so helpless, travel experts warn. The scam may be part of a scam that travelers encounter at airports, train stations and tourist attractions.
Travel blogger and influencer Johnny Jett says, “If there's a crowd, if something's pushing you, if someone spills ketchup, if there's a commotion, thieves are trying to distract you. ” he explained.
Jett said one such scam involves someone pretending to fall down an escalator, sometimes dressed as an older woman. When bystanders rushed to help, their pockets were emptied of their cell phones and wallets, which were handed to an accomplice who was riding an escalator in the opposite direction.
If you witness someone falling on an escalator, stairs, or other location, you don't have to be completely ruthless to avoid being scammed. Before you take action, make sure you know where your belongings are.
“Stand back, protect your valuables, and come to the rescue cautiously,” Jett echoed the advice of travel writer Rick Steves.
You can listen to the full interview with Johnny Jett on WGN Radio in the audio player below.
“Unfortunately, there are so many scams out there that it's honestly hard to keep up,” Jett said.
Another common scam targeting tourists is the “friendship bracelet” scam, according to Rick Steves. A vendor will come and start tying the bracelet while talking to you, then ask you to pay for the product. It's difficult to remove the bracelet from your wrist, so you might be tempted to pay just to get out of this situation.
Another incident is that Johnny Jett once admitted to cheating on him and a group of friends during a visit to Budapest, Hungary, where he was invited out for drinks by some good-looking locals. It happens sometimes. The fraud in this case is provided with the invoice. A drink costs hundreds of dollars, and muscular bouncers will blackmail you into paying.
