A member of our travelling group was the victim of a pickpocket . Believing he had been hit by a big load of pigeon poop, a young couple, a man and woman, immediately went to his aid by pulling out baby wipes and "helping" him clean up.
The man, standing behind our friend, "helped" wipe off the back of his shirt and the woman, standing in front of him, was sympathetic and offered more baby wipes.
When our friend received an alert from his credit card company a couple hours later asking for verification on two large purchases made from Auxerre charged to his card he checked his wallet and found two credit cards and a lots of cash were missing.
Thinking back on the event, he remembered being bumped into by someone (who more than likely put the alleged pigeon poop (or something) on his shirt and also that the couple had specifically handed him back the dirty wipes for him to dispose of -- this would have kept him him from patting his back pocket.
So, be aware of this nasty little trick and keep your wallets in those zippered pants and money belts, friends!
Posted by
11570 posts
This scam is an old one. It was prevalent in Buenos Aires too when we were there.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10629 posts
When it happens even in Auxerre, a provincial department capital, it’s bad. Sorry this happened to you. My in-laws lived near there, so I know the area well. It’s sleepy, not targeted for tourist scams usually.
But back pocket!!! Puhleeze, that’s like waving a red cape in front of a bull. Thanks for sharing and I hope your companion learned from this. BTW, don’t count on zipper pants as recently someone had three zippers in a camera bag opened to get the cards during the pigeon poop trick in Paris. Money belt!!
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8972 posts
I think the general rule is to suspect an attempt is occurring whenever you get an unexpected bump or touch. The poop is just one kind of distraction that is used.
Posted by
Loire Valley
824 posts
I feel sorry for those back in the days when this scam was invented - back then they were wearing togas.
The amswer is not to carry a wallet. Keep your money and cards in a zipped up pocket on the interior of a xipped up bag.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33842 posts
Sorry for your friend's problem.
A thread here from 2 weeks ago: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/new-pick-pocket-scam-a-pigeon-pooped-on-you
And one from August 2018: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/paris-bird-poop-scam
Posted by
Paris
7304 posts
I am genuinely shocked that it happened in Auxerre, though. Far from the most touristy place... Bad luck, I feel sorry for the victim!
Posted by
Washington DC
28083 posts
I've spent over 20 months in Europe since spring of 2015, over half of it in Spain, France, Italy and the UK. A pair of pickpockets got me in...Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. There was also a serious attempt on a regional train running along the Riviera coast, which is a likelier place.
My takeway is that an inattentive visitor in Bulgaria (I was very careless) is more likely to be victimized than a careful visitor to Barcelona or Paris. But it's difficult to be fully attentive 100% of the time, even if you have read about the distraction techniques prior to your trip.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32352 posts
The incidents of theft by pickpockets seems to be increasing in parts of Canada now as well.....
Maybe I'll have to start wearing my Money Belt even here at home ;-)
Posted by
Loire Valley
824 posts
Posted by
Portland OR
65 posts
RE: this would have kept him him from patting his back pocket
That's the problem. Never keep wallet in back pocket.
Posted by
Portland, Maine
2916 posts
It’s sleepy, not targeted for tourist scams usually.
Yes, that was my thought about Auxerre.
As to comments about never keeping your wallet in your back pocket, I've been doing that for 40 years in Europe and the US (including NYC, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, etc.). I'm not sure I'll change.
Posted by
Portland, OR
89 posts
A friend of ours had something similar in Italy. They were walking and a drink was tossed on them from a upper story window. Passers by tried to "help" and by the time the commotion subsided my friends realized their backpack with camera and wallet in it were long gone.
Posted by
1 posts
I should have read this before. Exactly same thing happen to us today at La Basilique Notre Dame de Fourviere in Lyon, France. My wife was terrified once she thought she had bird poop everywhere in her shirt and hair, and I was also totally lost while helping her calming down. In the meantime, a man and a woman approached immediately and gave us wipes and seemingly very nicely helping us with wiping the dirts out. One hour later, I realized my credit card and cash was stolen. So anyone traveling around these area, be careful!
Jun
Posted by
Washington DC
28083 posts
This is the third bird-poop-scam report within a few weeks. This particular distraction technique has been around a long time, but it seems as if its practitioners are exceptionally busy at the moment.
Perhaps this is something RS should mention in a blog post or something like that?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
And, just for clarity and education --- Jyhong153 - just where were you carrying your credit card and cash???? And if you had been here earlier, you would have heard the drum beat for money belts and secure pockets. Sorry about your experience. Hope that the lesson was not too expensive.