1) if you buy alcohol (bottle) make sure it is sealed and completely full. On two occasions now I have purchased half empty bottles of Vodka.
2) if you attend a festival or large gathering do not carry your wallet or purse with you. If you must, then don't carry every credit card you have. That way if you lose it you aren't without a backup card. Minimize your losses.
3) try use a credit/debit card for every purchase unless you must use cash. Your card carries the same protection as it does in the United States.
Carry a "throw-away" wallet with a small amount of cash (under R$50) and photocopies (authenticated) of your documents. They'll be good enough in most transactions.
ReplyDeleteIf someone wants to rob you then you won't need to hesitate one second to turn it over to them without reacting. Keep your calm, talk quietly to the person, explain exactly what you're going to do, "vou tirar a minha carteira do bolso" and don't make any quick or sudden moves. Give up the wallet without any resistance and try not to laugh too hard when they run off with a few bucks and a bunch of useless photocopies.
This could just be a lifesaver at some point!
Cheers