Paris Security Safety Tips

Travel in Paris safely & securely by being aware of common scams run on tourists & travelers. This Paris safety & security guide focuses on scams run by pickpockets and thieves in and around Paris Metro (subway), Paris RER, and intercity trains and Paris train stations.

If you have a story you’d like to share to help others avoid the same scam, please contact ben@parisbytrain.com.

Scam: Ticket purchase help

Where: At Metro / RER ticket vending machines, especially at Gare du Nord train station

How: Scam artist offers to help you purchase tickets using his bank card/credit card claiming that foreign cards do not work (true in some cases). After purchasing the tickets he asks you to pay him in cash for the tickets, but at an amount demanded is much higher than face value. Variations include purchasing a carnet (booklet of 10) of single use Metro or RER tickets and offering you only 1-2 tickets for the price of an entire booklet, claiming they are good for multiple use or something similar.  Scam is commonly run at Gare du Nord due to high tourist traffic coming from RER B trains from CDG Airport and Eurostar London – Paris trains, with plenty of first-time travelers to Paris.

Avoidance:

• buy tickets from a ticket window
• buy Metro/RER train tickets from ticket machines using your own bank/credit card
  • bank & credit cards with a chip, taking 4 digit PIN numbers from most countries will work fine
• politely refuse help from apparently good samaritan locals

Scam: Pick pocket teams

Where: Train car doors

How: Two-man team. One is a decoy attempting to expose your wallet.  He stays on train.  Partner picks pocket & gets off train as doors close.  I had this attempted on me on the Barcelona Metro, but the method works anywhere.  One member waits to get on train at a 45º angle in front of you (keeping you in his peripheral view).  When the train arrives and doors open, passengers exit train, then you and pickpocket move to door, he enters just ahead of you and drops something on the floor of train.  A mobile phone in pieces, coins, etc.  The point is to get your help to bend over and pick up the pieces with him, exposing your back pocket & your wallet.  His partner then picks your pocket while leaving train and walks off.  After picking up pieces, the original pickpocket stays on train and plays innocent, offering himself to be searched for your wallet.

Avoidance:

• Don’t help to pick up items dropped.
• Keep your wallet in front pants pocket.

Scam: Unregistered Taxi / Limousine Rides

Where: Near train station & airport passenger pickup stands for taxis, limousines, etc.

How: Illegal taxi or limousine offers you a ride to destination of your choice at discount or flat rate because their reserved passenger has been delayed.  After driving begins the car takes you to an unsafe neighbourhood and demands extra fee or they will eject you into the unsafe area.

Avoidance:

• Take taxis from designated taxi stand areas at train stations and airports.
• Only take taxis from reputable/recommended companies which includes:
  • Taxi G7
  • G7 Horizon
  • Alpha Taxis
  • Les Taxis Bleus
  • ABC Taxis 93

Scam: Bag Placement & Pickup

Where: Anywhere you put your hand bag down

How: When you put your handbag on floor at your feet, thief puts their bag down beside yours, stops, bends over and ties her shoes.  When done, she picks up her bag and yours and walks off.

Avoidance: when you put your purse down, put bag between your feet, not on your left or right sides of your feet.

Scam: Mobile phone theft with closing doors

Where: near train doors as they’re closing

How: As you talk or text on your mobile phone, holding it up near your face in plain view with a weak grip, the thief will wait until train is about to depart and doors are about to close.  He will grab your mobile phone from your hands and escape through the closing doors and run out of the station.

Avoidance:

• Use your mobile phone after the train doors are closed and train car is in motion (no escape route).
• Don’t text or talk on phone when the train doors are about to open or close.
• Don’t sit immediately in front of doors (minimizes distance to escape route).
• Hold onto your mobile phone like an orange (hand wrapped around it), not like a Christmas card (holding bottom edges, exposing phone, easy to grab).

Final Thoughts

Simply go about your business of arriving and leaving this station in an efficient manner and you’ll be fine.

Enjoy your trip and stay safe!

(If you have a story you’d like to share to help others avoid the same scam, please contact ben@parisbytrain.com).

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