A co-worker last year told me that when we went backpacking, his debit card was stolen and his account cleaned out in 5 minutes. He had over $3000 stolen from him, or so he tells me.
What happened was:
He was taking out some money at an ATM in London and he felt a hand on his ass. Turn around, he say a gypsie guy putting money INTO his wallet. He's like "what the fuck are you doing" and the gypsie said he was "trying to make change". So my friend still has all his money in his wallet, and he quickly walks away from that weirdo.
A few minutes later he realises his debit card is missing. He calls the police and the bank, and before he knows it, his account is cleaned out. Apparently, the gypsies had someone in the bushes with binoculars looking at his PIN while the dude stole it.
Anyway...I thought it was a good story to share: protect your PIN and put withdrawal limits.
I just lowered my withdrawal limit to $300 CDN....if I didn't, the thief would clean out $1500 from my account per day.
__________________
Vincent: "So what you gonna do?"
Jules: "Well, basically, I'm just gonna walk the earth."
Vincent: "What you mean 'walk the earth'?"
Jules: "You know, like Kane in 'Kung Fu'...go places...meet people...get in adventures."
Trips (only counting recreational travel):
FIRST TRIP (2005): FIRST EUROTRIP EVER! UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland
SECOND TRIP (2007): First Solo Trip! Greece, Turkey, Syria, Spain
2008: China (Beijing, Shanghai, Yangshuo) ...right before the Olympics!
2009: Japan & HK, Southern Spain
[size=1]2010: All over Lebanon, Ibiza (Spain), Oktoberfest (Germany), Thailand.
2011: India (Goa), Jordan, Jerusalem, San Sebastian (Spain), Amsterdam (again), London, Driving from Vancouver to L.A. (stopping in Portland, Seattle, San Fran and all the little stops), Montpellier (France), Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland)
"Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it."
|