This article covers only pickpockets, not the various other crimes that may be committed against travellers. See Common scams for some of them.
Traditional open air markets, especially those selling handicrafts in developing countries, combine many of the above risk factors and are often infested with pickpockets. A more modern place is round ATM's. Someone coming from them has money and an observer can watch here the money is put away.
Psychological experiments have shown that we tend to overestimate our ability to know if we are being pickpocketed. True, if someone approaches you from in front and reaches for your pocket, you can avoid them, but our awareness threshold is usually much lower. In a crowd, for instance, your tolerance for being jostled will go up automatically and you will literally not feel it if someone reaches into your pocket. It is possible to deliberately cultivate alertness to counteract this, but it takes a real effort. If you are in a high-risk area and are not feeling somewhat jumpy, you probably are not trying hard enough.
Ridiculously easy targets are '''away from the body''' where the victim will not feel a thief's touch:
Other easy targets are pockets that are '''easy to get at''' and '''out of the victim's field of vision''':
Most pickpockets employ some element of '''distraction''':
Use common sense if you are confronted with a distraction. For example, children anywhere do not typically approach strangers—unless they've been coached to do so by an adult. Fights and arguments are best avoided anywhere. And a person who finds or drops money on the street isn't going to offer it to you!
Pickpockets are not always subtle. Often pickpockets use an element of physical force. For example, a pickpocket might walk straight at and barge past the person they are stealing from, using physical contact as a distraction to take a purse or similar valuable item.
Also, pickpockets love to use magic as a way to get close to you. If a street magician, or a random stranger, comes up to you and asks if you want to see a trick, just say no thank you and keep walking. His only trick will be making your valuables disappear.
Pickpockets everywhere routinely carry '''razors''' for slitting pockets. These may also be used to quickly cut the strap on a purse, shoulder bag, or camera. In some places they may even be for armed robbery. Check the country listings for your destinations.
Thieves commonly carry fairly long '''tongs''' for reaching into purses or pockets. These are not as large and noticeable as a hand reaching for the goods.
Some pickpockets utilize '''ketchup or mustard''' or any other unwanted substance. Typically, a child or teenager squirts ketchup on you as you pass by. Next a "helpful" stranger - often an older lady - appears with a damp cloth ready to help clean you up. The damp cloth provides cover for prying hands and the ketchup is a great excuse for her to pat down obvious places on your body for money. If you are sprayed with anything while walking down a street in Latin America, don't stop -- keep right on going and shoo away any offers of assistance.
More brazen pickpocket teams will work with 4 people who swarm from different directions to momentarily block you. The person behind you then suddenly bumps or jostles you - while reaching into your pocket and handing off what he finds to another person. If you sense this happening soon enough, jumping and/or turning back in the opposite direction may get you out of the "block".
Above all, do not flash your valuables around unnecessarily. An expensive watch on your wrist or fancy camera around your neck is quite a temptation to someone whose annual income may be less than its price.
Learn "Thief!" in the language of your destination and be prepared to yell it if you notice a pickpocket at work. When confronted, most pickpockets will fling their booty to the ground and attempt to make their escape — it's probably best to let them go, as they may be armed and you don't want to get charged with assault or harassment yourself.
In most cases in a crowded environment, the people around will co-operate with you to at least attempt to catch the thief and report the loss to police and act as a witness. In some places the crowd may take justice into their own hands, often with brutal results.
In countries with notoriously corrupt police, avoiding confrontation with a thief is ''strongly'' advised. He knows the language, the system, and probably the cops, much better than you do. He may be part of a gang with connections you cannot fight. Just let it go.
Separate your money. Carry a small-change purse, or keep a small amount of money in a pants pocket, for small transactions like buying a bus-ticket or an ice cream. Put larger bills somewhere else. Many travellers have 3 to 5 wallets with their money split so that if one or two get stolen it does not cause too much trouble.
Many urban outfitter or mountaneering type shops sell a '''money belt''' that you wear '''under your pants'''. These are typically nylon and have many pockets, so you can have cash, travellers cheques and passport separated. This is probably your '''most secure option''' since it is hard for a thief to reach and is in a sensitive area of the body; you are quite likely to notice someone touching you there. The only disadvantage is that some people find them inconvenient to access. The luxury versions of money belts have straps with sewn in wires (or the whole belt is made of this material) and all connections are made of steel and are not easy to open. So it's not possible to cut these straps or snatch away the belt. However, you may want to avoid models that contain metal parts, since they will cause problems at security checkpoints.
Another type of '''money belt''' is just a zipper sewn onto the '''inside surface of an ordinary belt'''. These are OK for money, but not passports. They can be bought in some travel-oriented shops, or are easily made. Use a nylon zipper; metal will cause problems at airport security.
Many travellers use a '''passport pouch''' which hangs under their shirt. Again, this is a sensitive area of the body; you will likely notice activity there. Make sure it has a secure strap and be careful not to wear it on the outside of your clothing, where it would be an easy snatch-and-run target. Some pouches have a second strap that goes around your chest; with these it's not possible for the thief to snatch-and-run. Some travelers find the presence of anything around their neck to be a danger in itself, however.
Others use a '''leg pouch''', worn under the pants or sometimes on the upper arm under a shirt.
In Africa it is quite common for women to store money and even cell phones in their bras. Again, you will certainly notice someone touching you in this area, and it's directly in your line of sight as well.
Some travellers use a drawstring shoe bag. These are cheap and are difficult for a thief to get into if the string is drawn tight. Also, the drawstring can be tied around your wrist when at a table to protect against snatch-and-run theives. Some contain inner pockets, so even if the bag is slashed, your valuables will be protected.
If you sew, or can afford to hire a tailor (can you afford ''not'' to?), there are many ways to make clothing somewhat pickpocket-resistant.
Hong Kong tailors routinely put an extra pocket in a pair of pants, built into the waistband.
Simply adding fasteners - velcro, buttons or zippers - makes picking the pocket harder.
You can have additional pockets sewn into garments in odd places. Some possibilities are
Some travellers have one garment they use for travelling, a jacket for a businessman or a denim vest for a budget traveller, which has extra pockets and which they almost never remove.
For the ladies, a cleverly hidden pocket sewn into a wrap-skirt can work well. It is fairly easy to add a secure pocket to a pair of bike shorts or boxer-brief type underthings also.
It is best to leave a small reserve of money (for example, a $100 note) in the unlikeliest of places, in case the worst happens. This money could then be used to cover a hotel room, or transport, or phone calls to your embassy. Suggestions include inside your sock or your shoe, your bra, paperclipped to your belt, or somewhere equally obscure. Be cautious about money inside a shoe -- after a few months of trekking, paper money can disintegrate.
Leave a credit card at home. Scan both sides of it and leave the information with an emergency contact (emailing credit card information, especially to webmail accounts, is not safe). Then if you are stuck you can go to an internet cafe and western union yourself money.