Hello Everyone,
We will be in Barcelona soon, and are thinking of buying and bringing burner phones instead of our regular phones.
That way our personal information would not be at risk if the phones were stolen or lost.
We might even buy them at the airport (if sold there).
The other option would be to bring our regular phones, and lock them in the hotel safe, and carry the burners during the day.
Any thoughts on this?
Thanks in advance
J.
If your phone is locked when not in use, how is anyone else going to gain access to your personal information?
I would be more concerned with being forced to open the phone for ICE when you return to the U.S.
That is the persuasive argument for leaving your phones at home and using throwaway phones in Spain.
Also, you do realize that hotel maintenance employees can access the room safes with a key. They have to do it all the time when hotel guests are locked out of their own safes due to a malfunctioning lock.
Don't put your phone in your back pocket, or on a cafe table, for example.
I tether my phone to my crossbody bag, and have managed fine, including in Barcelona.
Just buy lanyards for your phones....and wear them. I like one that adjusts long enough to wear cross body for under a jacket. Never leave any phone (or anything) on a table top in a restaurant. Nor anything on your chair back.
Not every tourist in Barcelona is a victim. Anything to slow them down, or looking alert reduces your chances.
But if a burner phone helps you enjoy your trip more, then do what you feel is needed.
If I were concerned, I usually have one or two old phones around from upgrades, and would then just get a data only SIM. But I just use my regular phone with little concern, but do what you are comfortable with.
I do think about the possibility of losing a phone, in any way, given how critical it is to travel. The last time I traveled solo, I did pack an old phone as backup, loaded with the usual apps, but not activated. I figure I take back-up credit cards and Atm cards, so why not.
Thanks for your quick responses!
We have traveled to Europe about a dozen times, and have never had anything stolen. And I am conscious about my surroundings, etc, but I thought that having the prepaid phone might be wise this time. We'll give it more thought.
J. If "we" includes kids, even young adults, just drill into them, as mentioned above, leave NOTHING on a table: wallet, phone, sunglasses,... Or back of chair: purse, jacket...
It seems families and groups are more vulnerable since they are usually more focused on each other than on their stuff.
Come on, where do you think you are travelling to—the Wild West? This city has 1.7 million residents and gets over 15 million tourists every single year, that almost 10x. Sure, there are some phone thefts, but it’s just a matter of statistics, with that many people, of course, there’ll be some opportunists—locals and foreigners alike, yep we also import thieves :) —trying to take advantage, just like in any popular touristy city in Europe. But travelling with that anxiety? That’s gotta be seriously stressful. Honestly, the chances of getting your phone stolen are low, with basic precautions that is, much like visiting any other major city —just look at the numbers.
Anyhow, if you are adamant, rather than the complete set, here you can purchase a cheap phone at any store and then get a prepaid SIM card with no contract from any of the telecommunication companies -plenty of stores in the city!. Remember you need a passport to do so -since 2017 there are laws in place here in the EU regarding purchasing SIM cards to prevent money laundering and terrorism.
Oh yeah, just keep in mind that over the past 10 years there have been quite a few scandals in the press involving hotel chains around the world — including big names like Marriott in 2018 and Hilton in 2019 — where in-room safes were reported to be insecure. Sometimes it was because they weren’t physically strong enough, other times because their electronic systems got hacked. So, just don’t assume that whatever you leave in the hotel room safe — whether in Barcelona or anywhere else around the World — is 100% secure.
Not only the fact that the hotel safes can be hacked, but I'd be worried about forgetting that I left things in the safe, and not realize that I'd left behind my passport,, phone, etc, until I was at my next destination. Needless to say, I never use them. If I want to conceal something in my hotel room, I put it in my suitcase and use a lock. Of course someone "could" cut that lock, but I'm past worrying about things like that.
Me, I always carry my phone, wherever I am in Spain, or anywhere else.
If you have Verizon, their Global plan costs $100 a month in Spain.
Enric is right, burner phones feels like something out of a spy novel, a bit overkill imo. I think Americans perhaps have the image of the pickpocket deftly "picking pockets" without you noticing. These days in Barcelona, the tactics of the criminals are more smash and grab rather than smoke and mirrors.
They will just run up and yank anything you have out, no need to be stealthily for these new breed of thieves. I would just be logical and try not to have anything outside of you pocket (phone, camera, wallet, etc.) in the high traffic area like Las Ramblas that would make you a target. The best defense is having the low profile.
If you are worried about your personal information, you can be rest assured the typical modus operandi of the criminals in Barcelona is to wipe the data of the phone they stole and resell it on the secondary market. These people are not sophisticated cyber hackers, they just want the hardwear not really interested in the data.
If you have an iPhone (and probably similarly for Androids), simply make sure your phone is fully backed up and synchronized prior to your vacation. Make you have the optimal built-in security options enabled - more complex passcode, encryption, location "find my", etc. - and you should be pretty good to go.
If you are really worried, buy the insurance/replacement coverage most cell providers offer. And, if you're like me, keep your phone in your front pocket and it would be very unlikely for it to be accidentally lost or easily stolen.
IOW - your phone can get LOST or (far far less likely) stolen - and simply doing the up-front work on making sure any loss will be easily recovered from by getting a new phone and having it import your most recent back-up (hopefully near real time). I think, at most, you'd lose only the newest stuff - like photos - that you have created since you were last online. I know when I take a photo on my phone, it is only a short time before that is available on my iPad and Mac, but that requires an internet connection for the syncing.
Thank you all. We will beef up our security passwords, etc. (even though they're pretty strong now) and just maintain our normal vigilance.
I never take valuables on vacation, and like to keep it simple. so no worries about lost jewelry and such. I probably watched too many YouTube videos on this subject.
J
