Travel Dispatch: How to Avoid Pickpockets and Scams
Plus: Pick up the local language before you go.
Travel Dispatch
November 12, 2025

One of the most rewarding reasons to travel is to immerse yourself in a totally foreign culture. The flip side of that experience is feeling like a fish out of water if you don’t know the basic language or customs, possibly even leaving yourself susceptible to those who might take advantage.

Here are some tips for preparing yourself before you go, both to better connect with locals respectfully, and to protect yourself from common traveler scams.

An illustration of two travelers showing a map to a smiling taxi driver in a street lined with signs in Chinese and Thai characters.

Weston Wei

How to pick up the local language before you go

An illustration of a woman paying for a purchase at a stand in a market. The merchant appears to be selling woven goods and is wearing a shirt that has woven symbols on it. There are other stands, mostly in shades of blue, in the background, many selling dishes and rugs. Other shoppers are browsing.

Weston Wei

How to haggle when there’s no set price

An illustration shows a traveler on a very crowded sidewalk in a European city, taking a selfie. She is wearing her backpack in front of her, instead of on her back. It is transparent, and inside it holds money, a passport, keys and other things.

Weston Wei

How to avoid pickpockets and street scams

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