Travel Scams Revealed: The Dropped Baby

While we don't want to be alarmist, we do believe that is better to be forewarned about scams that travellers come across on a regular basis so that you can avoid being caught out.

Where?

It has been reported in Madrid, Rome, Barcelona, and many other places throughout Europe.

What is it?

It's a scam that involves two people, although you are unlikely to be able to spot this. It's a scam that takes advantage of your natural instincts to protect a baby. The usual setup is a railway carriage where a mother with a baby sits down opposite you.

The baby will be particularly well wrapped up so that you can't see its face, but the mother will no doubt appear to be the perfect doting mother. She will somehow get your attention, perhaps with a smile or by engaging you in conversation. Then, just as you are pulling into a station, the mother will get up and drop the baby just in front of you.

Your natural instinct, of course, is to rush to catch the baby before it reaches the ground. However, when you straighten up to deliver the safe baby back, you find that the mother has disappeared and so has your baggage, which her accomplice managed to grab unnoticed by you as you played the role of rescuer.

There are other versions of this: it may not be your whole luggage disappearing but just your wallet, or a woman may throw the baby at you whilst you are walking down a crowded street to distract you while her colleagues get to work. These colleagues may even be children or elderly people, so don't be fooled!

What you can do:

Avoid. Look the other way and keep your hands on your baggage.

On train trips tie your baggage to you.

Keep all important documents out of pockets that are easily pick pocketed. Look for pockets with zips and buttons as some kind of deterrent, but also consider a money belt of some sort. Clever travel companion clothing offers clothing with secret pockets. Some travellers swear by keeping money sewn into a pocket in their bra, or carrying their credit card in their sock.

The 'babies' are usually swaddled and silent, so do be suspicious of anyone with a tightly bundled baby.

f you find yourself in what might be a suspicious situation, just quietly move away and into the next carriage.

Always be vigilant, listen to your gut instinct and be sure to spread the word amongst other travellers.