Of course, I take all reasonable precautions. I keep my cell phone tucked away in a fanny pack that’s hidden under my clothing. I never wear jewelry. If I have to use my phone to check directions or to get an Uber, I make sure I’m not standing by the curb, making myself a target for motorcycle snatching. My camera stays in my backpack unless it feels safe to bring it out. Some people have resorted to carrying a decoy non-functional phone to give up in case of mugging. We are encouraged to travel in groups, but the reality is that even a group is not immune to mugging. In the Salvador (Brazil) cruise terminal, a woman (from a different cruise ship) who was with a group of 4 (2 male, 2 female) got her jewelry yanked right off her neck, right in front of the terminal.

In Salvador, a couple of us Ubered to a nice birding spot in the city. Beautiful lake, in the middle of the city with a widely used pedestrian promenade and lots of people around. The minute we pulled out our cameras/cell phones to take bird pictures, at least 3 friendly locals approached us, urging us to put them away.

My old iPhone (I upgraded recently to replace an aging 10X model) has become part of a community lending library for people who lose their phones. We wipe all the data from an old phone and lend it to them so they at least have some limited functionality until they can get a replacement —which can sometimes take weeks or months, depending on where it happens.

Brazil is taking some steps to reduce phone theft but for now, I’m anxiously looking over my shoulder a lot.