Let me start saying that I really like Brazil and have been there numerous times (15 to 20). I was mugged once (10 years ago) during Carnival in Salvador da Bahia (didn’t occur again this year) and have had a couple of other unsuccessful attempts.
In the past 6 weeks, I have had $800 stolen by housekeeping (three separate instances) and two credit cards cloned while in Brazil. A friend of mine got his cell phone stolen at 7AM the other Friday while walking in Sao Paulo.
1. US, Australian & Canadian dollars ($250 to $300 worth) and euros stolen from currency “wallet”
I keep leftover currencies from 20+ countries inside an expired password on a sidepocket of my Tumi computer bag and have done it for years. US dollars and Euros always come handy when paying for various VOA’s (Visa-on-arrival).
A US friend of mine needed some reais when on his way to the airport in Salvador da Bahia after the carnival and I exchanged $100 worth. This was at the Sheraton hotel in the city.
Ten days later when at the Renaissance in Sao Paulo, I realized that all the four mentioned currencies had disappeared from the bag. I did mention it to someone at the hotel. But as I wasn’t sure where it actually happened, didn’t push it.
2. Housekeeping at the Renaissance Sao Paulo helps him/herself for $100
As I was on my way to Buenos Aires, I had withdrawn some dollars from my account while in Montevideo (you can get $100 bills from the ATM).
I decided that I would count the notes every time before I leave the hotel and count them again when back.
Last Saturday, when I was out and about in Sao Paulo during the day, someone from the housekeeping had taken a $100 bill from the 15 I had in my bag. I was 100% sure about this as I had counted them before leaving.
I had the security come and read the lock to find out who had accesses the suite during the time. I spoke with someone from the hotel on Wednesday, after they had concluded the investigation, and only one person from the housekeeping had accessed it who had been with the hotel 15 or so years (long time employee).
I wasn’t expecting the employee to confess what had happened, but probably this is a deterrent for something similar happening in the future. If this person is the only one who accessed the suite, there is no other option than him/her taking the money. May be he/she thought that I wouldn’t note one note gone missing?
3. Housekeeping at the Sofitel Rio de Janeiro helps him/herself for $400
Well. I probably should have used to safe by now considering the two previous instances but I didn’t.
Went out and about in Rio from Monday afternoon to early evening. I was going to make couple of online payments and needed a security device from my bag. I realized at 11PM that someone had taken further $400. Again, I had counted the notes before leaving.
Called the manager and had the security to come read the lock.
Later, I found out that there had been four people accessing the room while I was gone for 6 hours. Housekeeping, housekeeping supervisor, someone had brought the Platinum amenity and then the turndown service. Some of them had used general master keys, so it took while for the hotel to find out exactly who had had access.
This time, however, I went to the tourist police station (next to the Shopping Leblon) and filed the report. The police told that they will get the tape, key card data and will interview the employees that accessed the room. I was surprised that they would even do something, as this was only a case of petty theft.
4. Visa card cloned
Then to the cloned credit cards. My DKB issued credit card suddenly stopped working, although I was well within the credit limit.
Called the number a couple of days later only to find out that someone had tried to use it at a Pilot (gas station chain) in Gretna (city in Louisiana in the other side of the Mississippi river from New Orleans).
I also went through the transaction on my last bill and found that someone had made three purchases for roughly 500 euros at an Extra store in Sao Paulo too.
5. MasterCard cloned
When I was checking in to the Park Tower last night, they couldn’t authorize my MasterCard.
Sent an email to the contact at the bank that issued it who informed me that there had been some “unusual activity” and was given a number to call.
Turns out that someone had tried to charge 4,000 euros at a fashion store in Sao Paulo (6 transactions with lowering amounts) and one 5,000 euro transaction with Lufthansa. These had been all declined.
Can it be a coincidence that this was card issued in Germany and someone then tried to use it to purchase Lufthansa ticket? Whoever cloned the card probably wrote down the name of the issuer as well.
Conclusion
When did South America and especially Brazil become such a heaven for fraud? All these instances happened over 6 week period.
Of course, I am not liable for any unauthorized purchases made using the cards, but it will take several weeks before I will get the replacement ones. Just a huge inconvenience. A good reminder that you should always carry number of cards with you (I do).
There is no way that I would always lock all my “valuables” when leaving the hotel room. This would mean entering and closing the safe more than thousand times a year.
Of course then last night coming back to the hotel, the taxi driver switched notes at the end of the trip claiming that I had given him 2 peso note instead of 10 peso one. The problem was that I only had 100’s, 20’s and 10’s in my wallet. Didn’t want to fight over this (roughly a buck).
Let’s see what else gets stolen or cloned before I leave for Middle East and Europe on Thursday.
I was thinking ‘why doesn’t he use a safe?’, then I read “There is no way that I would always lock all my “valuables” when leaving
the hotel room. This would mean entering and closing the safe more than
thousand times a year.” – do you really find it to be that much of an inconvenience? I find using the safe provides some peace of mind…
I would say after seeing first hand how easy it is for them to break into a safe (keypad wasn’t working once they had to manually open it with a key) – it gives me very little extra peace of mind. But, it is safer than leaving valuables in bags.
The safe is all about keeping your items hidden from view. In order to know what is in the safe, they would have to open it. Temptation is much easier when things are left lying around in the open.
As well, it would be reasonable to expect that housekeeping does not have a master code/key to open a safe (especially at a 4* or 5* property).
I have never had anyone break into a safe that I was using in a room at a hotel I stayed with. And, I have traveled all over the world over the past 30 years or so.
PErhaps I was lucky. But, it certainly beats leaving valuables in a drawer or bag lying in one’s room.
It’s amazing how many different hotel employees enter your room during the day – housekeeping, housekeeping supervisor, mini bar staff, someone bringing in fruits, someone restocking the bottles of water, turndown, laundry etc. I would get lazy and just put a “do not disturb” sign on my door when I left for the day (and yell “I’ll see you later” to an empty room so employees nearby thought there was someone still in the room) rather than lock my valuables in the safe. But there has been a number of times I have stayed inside my room during the day with the “do not disturb” sign on my door and was shocked how many staff still came to the door and knocked and entered (when I didn’t respond back). I have had some great experiences with housekeeping as well who have turned in valuable items I have forgotten in my room like an expensive watch (3 star hotel in Bangkok) and my iPhone (Toronto Hilton). I also always tip housekeeping each morning hoping that will keep them more honest.
Yes, tipping housekeeping is a must. I’ll do that long before I tip anyone else. And I don’t leave my rooms a mess either. So a tip and a relatively tidy room go a long way to not getting ripped off.
Tipping is a mostly (north) American thing – except tipping for restaurant waiters which is more global. I can’t speak to latin America but in Europe, I think few people would tip housekeepers. That said, nobody will refuse a tip (unless in Japan) and yes it may deter bad behaviour.
On the cash front, you really are “tempting the devil” by leaving it so accessible. When a 100$ bill is more than a week’s wages and there are 15 of them in front of them, it really makes it too easy. With Brazil’s petty crime rate and poverty levels so high, I would at the very least put it in a locked bag. I don’t see the safe as being a big inconvenience. When I get to the room I put the valuables I won’t need to have with me in them(passports, extra cash etc) and take them out when I check out. I usually lock my suitcase every time I leave the room for a while and I shove my laptop and other big valuable in there so they are out of easy reach/view. Housekeeping in most countries are usually poor and struggling. I wouldn’t want to make an otherwise honest (or desperate) person tempted by having 6 month’s worth a their salary “lying around” making it look like I had too much of it to care for it. I’m sorry if it sounds like victim shaming but you need to take precautions when in a situation where your perceived wealth is so much higher than the rest of the population.
I don’t believe when the cash is inside my computer bag that it is “accessible” per se. The housekeeping must go through your stuff.
Is the bag locked? Oris it easily opened?
I agree 100% and my experience in 30+ years is exactly the same as others who use hotel safe with no problems. Why leave temptation in reach of people who
probably struggle to put food on the table each month in brazil.Lets have sympathy for others. Also someitimes you can make a mistake and get some poor employee v fired for no reason
I do bother to lock the safe even when just having breakfast. To badly paid hotel workers the temtation is huge. Do not lead them into temtation! As regards credit card cloning in 25 years if travelling Brazil was the only country where this happened. It was at the airport HSBC ATM using a Canadian HSBC debit card. Yes, Brazil is a nice country, but it is crime ridden.
Do NOT use ATMs at Brazilian airports. They are notorious for card skimming.
You bothered to count the money. But won’t bother to lock up currency. BHOD. Locking the safe 1000 times is probably less time than dealing with security, police, and credit card issuers to resolve these various issues….
Agree. Obviously sorry that these things happen, but the author’s attitude doesn’t elicit much sympathy. Sounds almost as though he wanted it to happen. If 10 seconds opening and closing a safe is too much hassle for him, he obviously has much more money than sense.
Don’t want to be a hater but have to agree. After it happened the first time, instead of counting the money each time, surely putting it in the safe would make more sense and take less time? When I travel in less developed countries, I always use the safe if there is one. It is a pain but as far as I am concerned it is just something you have to do.
On the other hand, none of us are perfect and we all make mistakes. This article serves as a good reminder that theft by hotel staff, even in high level brands, is something that we need to be vigilent against.
You know, I’m sorry, but this story brings to mind “a fool and his money are soon parted.” I guess it’s great that you are so trusting, but you are visiting the 3rd World, where $100 is a tremendous sum of money. Why in the world would you leave hundreds of dollars unsecured? And counting it beforehand, to see if there’s a discrepancy in the future? That was an expensive, but unnecessary lesson. Don’t have so much cash on hand as you travel (use ATMs as needed). Don’t leave anything of value in your hotel room (and this includes expensive name-brand cosmetics and perfume as they get stolen too). Get (and use) a money belt for large sums of cash.
I don’t usually have this much dollars with me, but I was on my way to Argentina where you must exchange locally (Dolar Blu) and not to use ATMs or CCs.
Are you telling us that running around with a money belt in third world countries is safer and more convenient than leaving stuff at your hotel room?
John,
I usually see and take your side of things when your posts illicit negative responses, but I’ve got to go with a majority of the commenters here who are giving it to you for not at LEAST using the in-room safe when you leave the room for any amount of time.
If you are going through the hassle of counting your money twice (leaving and returning) you most certainly could drop your crap (passport, wallet, spare cash, VPN token, whatever) into the in room safe in less time. The hotel isn’t responsible for your goods if someone breaks open the in room safe (but they are if you use the hotel safe, but who does that?), but in the three decades I’ve been traveling internationally, I’ve never had anything go missing from said safe.
Remember – car door locks will not deter someone who wants to steal your car, they just keep the mostly honest people honest.
Its not just the staff…its the oportunists that see the hotel staff prop open the door and then make a quick grab whilst they’re not looking, e.g. Cleaning the bathroom, or getting fresh linen.
The safe is useful in this situation as it prevents these opportunists, even if the staff have master access to the safe.
Given the number of people/ customers at a hotel, it wouldn’t be hard for a criminal to loiter whilst pretending to be a customer.
I’ve had two such experiences of credit card fraud when traveling in Latin America, the first at CanCun where the Amex card I used for my room at the Holiday Inn started having unauthorized charges made on it to Spanish women’s wear shops. Second was when I used a Visa card at the Lion airport shuttle kiosk at EZE to buy my ticket. A few days later several video game purchases were charged to the card. Since those were the only places those cards were used on those trips, it is clear the clerics in each case committed the cloning and theft. Heading to Rio in August, so will be sure to use the room safe and be uber observant with my credit cards.
I always use the safe in the room if there’s one available – wallet, passport, laptop, phone, camera etc go in there every time I leave the room and at night. If there’s no safe I just lock it all up in a bag and tie it up with a telescopic padlock to somewhere it cannot be taken from (like a fixed table or the bathroom sink). Just a matter of keeping your valuables out of sight from the staff so that they don’t get tempted to steal anything. I do that everywhere I go, including South/ Central America. Never got anything stolen from my room.
I don’t use the room safe, these can be broken into by hotel staff ‘in the know’. I lock my stuff up into my suitcase.
When I’m out of the room i also leave the TV on, so it at least sounds like someone is in the room.
If its a resort hotel, never take a room on the ground floor. (the exception being direct pool access rooms!)
I always ensure i leave the room tidy, so its more obvious on my return if anything has been moved/removed.
And one last tip, don’t leave the toothbrush lying out, pack it into your washbag. Use your imagination as to why!
All this advice is based on the experiences of friends who are long haul cabin crew. I spend a lot of time in hotels – which is more reason for taking precaution, not less.
I wish I had not read your comment about the toothbrush.
Crikey – putting everything in a safe takes about 10 seconds. I don’t even like to leave out coins. Leaving $100 bills in one’s baggage seems to be the dopiest thing I’ve heard in years – especially after the first $100 was stolen…
I don’t expect the housekeeping staff to go through your bags in search of valuables that they could steal at these “five star” hotels.
I’m pretty sure the police in Rio was sarcastic with you. Believe me, I’m Brazilian.
As he said, he has done this numerous times during his trip and now it was first time when there was some serious crimes committed.
Makes you wonder, why now?
I’m guessing he has travelled 3rd world countries before, without any problem.
He’s been travelling around the globe for YEARS.
Maybe decades, I’m not sure.
It’s not a justification to steal that “the money was lying around”.. you have to be able to trust the people who are guarding your sleep and have access to your room.
If you start to doubt people around you all the time, where does it end?
Maybe the receptionist isn’t trustworthy either ? or the concierge? or the waiter on breakfast? Or the clerk in your bank, maybe they’ll try to slip couple of $50s into their pocket while handing you your money ?
In my opinion a bit of caution is needed, but becoming paranoid is not.
I sincerely hope all the cases John described get solved and the criminals get what’s coming to them. At least credit card stealths were in vain and that’s great.
I need to do a new countries that I have visited count but should be around 80 now and have lived at the hotels for more than 10 years.
Yeah. I am not paranoid and often go places that are not “recommended” etc.
I used the safe (not fool proof, and easy to break into) when staying at the Pullman in Sao Paulo. Even kept my electronics in there.
Petty crime is very very common in Brazil. I also had my cell phone setup in a wallet looking case with my US ID (not passport), credit card, room key, and a few hundred BRL, that way I could hand it over as set if mugged (luckily I was not, in the 3 weeks I was there)
A co-worker was mugged not even 3 blocks from our office, and another co-worker had both his personal and corporate AMEX cloned.
90% of stays, I lock my valuables in the safe, and I will certainly do that when I’m in South America.
Having said that, I’m shocked most commenters seem to fault the blogger and not the staff. Are you seriously saying someone with a low wage stealing cash during their daily *job* is shouldn’t be punished? In this scenario, imagine how many rooms are shaved off a few % of their poorly stored cash every day? And most don’t notice, right? This way they will easily tenfold their salaries and worst case, it might be systematic.
If I leave my wallet/iphone/deodorant in the backpocket of my trousers, is it really MY fault that it was taken?
Its not your fault if you are robbed and it is not right or justifiable behaviour when hotel staff steal. That said, we are not in the position of living in poverty and struggling to provide for out family – as presumably some hotel staff in less developed countries are. Good people give in to temptation and do bad things when in difficult circumstances, It is wrong but doesn’t make them evil. Better not to tempt them. ( Of course plenty of theft is by people who are not living in poverty and struggling to get by, so there is no sympathy for them.)
Especially the case with the Renaissance Sao Paulo. The staff member was probably sure that I wouldn’t notice the one bill gone. Yeah. Makes you wonder how much they steal weekly from guests.
I travel all over the place, and the only country where my credit has been cloned is.. Brazil. Last year, in Sao Paulo apparently, as there’s where the 2 purchases were made before the card stopped working. It was something like just 60 euros, but a big nuisance with all the bureaucracy involved in order to get the money back. It was a corporate card and I was asked to do it, no matter the cost of the hours I lost…
Same here. Had two cards cloned.
Unfortunately, cards are ease to clone and cards without chip are even easier. Normally cloning happens at the ATM, where a “chupa cabra”is installed at the card reader (look at You Tube), to copy the card data and the PIN code – this is the oldest type of scam, there’re others more “modern”. Preferred skimmed ATM’s are in Airports, Bus Stations, supermarkets or others places with lots of people passing by – as a former bank worker, I always check the ATM before using it in those places (even abroad); trying to pull the card reader off. ATM’s inside the banks are safer.
Cloning inside some store is not the most common, but of course can happen – in that case, gas stations are the main target.
Neither the Visa nor the MasterCard in question were used at the ATMs. The cloning must have happened at a store or restaurant/bar.
Wait, you took time to count your money before you left the room and after you returned, but you couldn’t be bothered to put it in the safe? That’s just perverse.
OTOH, I usually have problems with housekeeping refusing to take change or small bills I leave as tips, unless I leave a note with it. The idea of someone rifling through one of my bags is a little disconcerting.
I wasn’t sure where the theft happened in the first occurrence. Second and third time I knew for sure. These hotels have problem with their staff member(s).
I think I told you that when I went to Rio for New Year’s Eve 2015, I used my ATM card twice in Rio, both times at large banks with literally a dozen machines. Both times the bank lobbies were quite empty. When I returned home my card was rejected, saying “unauthorized card”. I went online and saw about $600 in purchases, amazingly enough WITH PIN. So they not only got my number but also the PIN number!
That is crazy. They must have had cameras recording the PIN, although how this would be possible on a bank lobby?
John, sorry about your loss. I hate fraud and theft and this can ruin your trip. I guess we all balance risks and convenience differently.
I think, theft is a crime of opportunity, and I try my best to limit the opportunity for anybody to steal from me: I put valuables into the room safe, lock my luggage before leaving and put the “Do not disturb” sign up, after the room is cleaned. The time it takes is worth the peace of mind to me…
To limit credit/ATM card fraud, I use pre-paid cards wherever I feel the risk of fraud is high. I know, many people have the AmEx Bluebird for manufactured spend, but I use it for peace of mind. With the “set-aside” feature, you can have as many funds available as you need, and still limit your loss to $200-300 or whatever your pain-treshold is, and pay no fx fee to boot (better than most AmEx cards! (I wrote in detail about it here: http://dreamtravelonpoints.com/2014/12/peace-of-mind-now-available-in-plastic/).
I also have a Kalixa MasterCard, available in the UK and Germany, which even has a chip & pin feature and as a MC is more accepted around the world!
I know, I will bring both on my next trip to Brazil and use them! Thanks for sharing the story – I’ve been to Brazil before, heard that it had gotten worse, but didn’t realize how bad and consider myself warned!
Use the room safe. That is why it is there.
Hotel rooms are not safe. I have entered (by mistake) hotel rooms numerous times when the room is still occupied. This is quite common, so assume that anyone can get access to your room and secure all your belongings.
It is easy to access hotel rooms when they are being cleaned too.
I have been given a room key to an occupied room at least once. Can happen.
I use the Do Not Disturb approach if I leave any valuables in the room. I also put out a tip, so if they do come in I’ll know it. You can always ask for service when you return, or as I do pick-up towels/soaps. I’ve had some hotels that drop a note if they do not clean – even had one give extra points if you opt out (and you can still get fresh towels). Only had them knocking on the door on check-out day. But 95% of my trips are CONUS.
One other strategy (when no safe) is to lock items in my suitcase. Since it is easy to open and reclose a locked zippered suitcase (see youtube videos) I then strategically put clothes on top that would have to be moved to open the suitcase (typically worn with underwear on top). I hope this keeps inquisiting eyes out (suitcase is always in closet).
I do worry not only for staff but anyone when the door is open. It is easy for anyone to walk by and grab something – I’ve seen many opportunities while transiting the hotel.
Have known people with items stolen – one instance was a ring of thieves on the maintenance team, caught when selling said items on e-bay. Hotel only acknowledged an issue on their end at that time (their employee).
My only question is if it is better to use the safe or not. Have heard of issues with master codes never being changed and staff access. if so, it becomes the first place to look. Maybe split items between the safe and a locked suitcase?
Been to Brazil once me and a friend. We both put our USD on the safe! As i counted i realize out of the 1000 i have 200 is missing. I alert my friend and he counted out of the 3000 400 is missing from the safe! We talked to the front office with a general response that we will investigate and heard from the local that even u report to police they will tell u they do everything but in fact they will leave the report aside and do nothing. But the local helped us to talk to the hotel everyday we stayed there and the hotel refunded us the money at the end of they stay but insists they have found nothing.
The hotel should be able to read the safe lock to find out when it was opened and closed. Not sure if these can be bypassed using master keys/codes.
John, I’m sorry but no excuse on your part in leaving your money laying around. I’ve known people who had their stuff placed in the room safe, and still it was napped!! I would only leave small coins/change on the table, just as a measure against housekeeping to see how they react to it. Never in Europe, something has gone missing!
When traveling, I do the following:
1) Lock stuff in my suitcase with valuables at bottom and crappy looking old t-shirt on top of pile if there isn’t a safe.
2) Turn on TV loud enough not to bother neighbors.
3) Put do not disturb sign up.
4) Hide extra cash in my shoe.
Only been mugged in China and not related to hotel. ATM fraud from China on every card I brought there. 2014
Mugged in China? As in physically robbed? That would be a first for me to hear about because the consequences for robbing someone (especially a foreigner) in China are rather drastic.
IF I dcided not to use the safe at least I would put any cash in a locked suitcase. That would be enough of a deterrent for most housekeeping staff.
Sorry about all the troubles, John. Inconvenience for someone like you who travel internationally to receive replacement cards in mail.
Do you purchase any travel accident insurance? If you file a police report, insurance companies cover stolen cash. Also, it is old school, but traveler’s checks may be handy for the case when cash gets stolen (but not sure if hotels or banks in Brazil exchange to U.S. $).
I had friends whose credit cards got cloned while visiting in Orlando, FL. FL is the worst of the states. Stay safe!
When I was once mugged in Salvador da Bahia and filed a police report, insurance company did cover the cash.
Hotel housekeeping in less developed countries in our experience is always very tempted by stacks of bills. They figure you are unlikely to notice just one missing.
While this ‘experiment’ was certainly pushing the envelope a bit at least it made for an interesting case and serves as a warning to be careful in these countries.
I had a brand new debit card compromised in Rio last week. I did NOT use ATM… I only used card to check out of the hotel (Sheraton Rio) The only thing that is possible is the man checking me out took the info somehow… or someone from Housekeeping when they do the turn down service swiped it when I was not in my room. I am so angry… going back next week and meeting with the hotel mgr. I have to stay there often due to work. Anyone know of any possibilities or how that 1 card could have been compromised? I’m thinking front desk clerk… but hate to accuse if housekeeping could have gotten it. (but other cards are fine)… hmmmmm..
They systems may be inflected with software that steals the card numbers. This has been going on with many chains recently. I wold not use a debit card in Latin American countries.
So, you left your debit card lying around in the hotel room; not in a safe? That is what this above article is all about. Why people should keep things under lock and key; not lying around.
Maybe you could cut down the inconvenience of opening a safe a thousand +- per year by only using them at hotels in South America. When in Asia and Europe you could just spend that time still counting your bundles of cash before and after each time you leave and come back to the room. You should even photograph all the security codes on the notes, sounds like fun, but you’d know exactly which note went walkies.