The World’s Pickpocket Capitals

When we plan our holidays, we might imagine travelling to famous tourist attractions, wandering around iconic monuments, eating local delicacies or traversing markets. But not all trips end up like that; some tourists return home with unhappy tales. For tourists, safety matters just as much as culture, and knowing which cities are hotspots for scams, pickpockets, or petty crime can make all the difference.

To understand which places run the highest risk of pickpockets, scams and robberies, we analysed over 13,000 Google reviews mentioning theft to find out which cities leave visitors feeling secure, and which are best approached with a little caution. By scanning reviews for words including pickpocket, robbery, and fraud, we ranked cities around the world from most to least safe.

Key Findings:

Paris is the pickpocket capital of the world, accounting for 16.5% of all theft-related reviews analysed in the past year.
Rome (10.7%) and Barcelona (5.3%) followed closely as top pickpocket cities, showing that even some of Europe’s most famous tourist destinations come with their risks.
Common tourist scams in European cities include the “friendship bracelet” trick, fake charity petitions, distraction thefts, taxi overcharging, and currency exchange fraud.
Robbery is most common in Orlando (12.5%), while Delhi sees the highest use of fraud in reviews (7.9%).
On the other end of the scale, Mugla, Turkey, and Shanghai were some of the world’s safest cities with just 0.1% of theft-related reviews referring to these locations.

What types of theft are tourists at risk of?

Tourists can be targeted by criminals as they’re often distracted and they’re in unfamiliar surroundings. This makes them especially vulnerable to common types of crime. It’s estimated that in the last five years, 9.4 million tourists have experienced some kind of scam while on holiday. [1]

Pickpocketing often happens in crowded spaces where thieves use distractions or quick movements to steal items without being noticed. Robbery can be slightly more confrontational while fraud can cover anything from inflated prices and fake guides to misleading tours and payment scams, exploiting tourists’ lack of local knowledge. Some destinations emerged as clear hotspots for these different types of theft in our analysis.

World’s Top 10 Pickpocket Capitals

While many destinations offer visitors a sense of safety and ease, others present a more challenging environment for tourists. High footfall, dense historic centres, bustling public transport and opportunistic criminal behaviour can combine to create theft risks, particularly for those unfamiliar with local norms or common scams.

We’ve broken down the cities where travellers are most likely to encounter safety concerns, based on the proportion of reviews mentioning theft, fraud or other scam-related experiences.

1. Paris, France

Paris is the pickpocket capital of the world, with 16.5% of all theft-focused reviews from the last year, covering pickpocketing, fraud and related incidents, referring to the city.

Thanks to the Paris Olympics in 2024, the city boasts world-class infrastructure, including three international airports, high-speed rail, and an expanding metro system, meaning domestic and foreign tourists flock to the city. [2 ]

Tourist-heavy hotspots such as the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre mean opportunistic theft remains a persistent problem. Common scams include the “friendship bracelet” trick, fake charity or petition approaches, and distraction thefts such as the “dropped ring”. [3] While still beloved for its culture and cuisine, travellers need to stay vigilant and keep their valuables as secure as possible.

2. Rome, Italy

Rome follows with 10.7% of theft-related mentions, thanks to busy tourist streets and the historic city centre. The city generated €13.3 billion in tourism revenue in 2024 and often tops this thanks to sporting and cultural events alongside stunning ancient landmarks. [4 ]

Crowded piazzas, busy transport hubs, and hordes of tourists create opportunities for pickpockets and con artists alike. In 2024, the city reported a 68% increase in pickpocketing crimes since 2019, and a 23.2% increase in crime generally, meaning tourists visiting this city should be extra vigilant. [5] Luckily, knowledge is power, and tourists are able to protect themselves against these scams while still enjoying all the beautiful sights Rome has to offer.

3. Barcelona, Spain

Known for its lively streets and beautiful buildings, Barcelona is highlighted in 5.3% of theft-related reviews. Architectural wonders pulled in huge crowds. In 2023, for instance, the Sagrada Família received 4.7 million visitors, while Park Güell had 4.6 million [6].

Tourists often flock to beautiful sites such as Las Rambla, but this is a pickpocket hotspot. When travelling to these areas, it’s recommended to remain extra vigilant. [7]

The Most Common Types of Theft By City

Pickpocket: Paris

Based solely on the reviews that include the word pickpocket, 29.8% relate to incidents in Paris. And it’s easy to see why, in 2024, the Paris region welcomed 48.7 million visitors, making it one of the world’s busiest tourist hubs, [8] and these numbers are set to increase by millions since the opening of Notre-Dame last December. [9]

Robbery: Orlando

Orlando’s mix of major theme parks, crowded resorts and exciting exhibits makes it a tourist trap. In 2024, it welcomed 75.3  million visitors, [10] so it’s not surprising to see it’s the leading city for robbery mentions in our research (12.5%). Tourists should be mindful that even family-friendly, holiday‑centric destinations are not exempt from risks, especially when there are so many people, creating opportunities for criminals.

Fraud: Delhi

Delhi’s recovering tourism hub is attracting increasing numbers of international travellers, with 20 million international arrivals in 2024 alone. [11] Despite the push to revitalise the city as a draw for tourists, Delhi showed the highest proportion of fraud references in reviews (7.9%). Acting as not only the capital, but the entry point for many travellers, Delhi attracts a substantial share of foreign tourists, with dense markets, busy transport hubs and plenty of first‑time visitors, conditions often amplifying the risk of fraud, overcharging and scam‑related complaints.

World’s Lowest Pickpocket-Risk Cities

While some destinations require a heightened sense of awareness, others emerged from the data as safe havens for travellers. These cities recorded far fewer theft-related mentions, suggesting that visitors often feel more relaxed, secure, and are able to enjoy their surroundings without the constant need to watch their bags or pockets.

That doesn’t mean travellers should switch off completely, even in the safest places, petty crime does exist, but the contrast is clear. In these destinations, reviews paint a picture of smooth, stress-free trips that help visitors feel protected. These cities demonstrate that holidays and safety can go hand in hand.

Muğla, Turkey

Of all theft-related reviews analysed, only 0.1% referred to Muğla, making it a low-risk destination for travellers. But beyond this, the region’s tourism footprint supports this safe-haven perception. For example, in the first eight months of 2024, Muğla welcomed approximately 2.62 million foreign tourists. [12]

Tourists come largely for Muğla’s natural beauty, coastal towns, and resort-style holidays, ideal conditions for a low-conflict and relaxing experience rather than crowded, high-risk environments.

Shanghai, China

Shanghai is not only China’s largest city, but also a financial centre and recorded 6.7 million inbound tourist trips in 2024. [13] Its mix of cutting-edge modern and historic attractions makes it a popular tourist destination. The city is home to a modern transport system and is known for its futuristic skyscrapers.

Acting as a blend of modernity and history, Shanghai has been successful at creating a safe haven for tourists, with only 0.1% of all reviews analysed reporting theft in the last year.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi welcomed 25.3 million visitors in the first 11 months of 2024. [14] Despite these impressive visitor numbers, the city has been praised for general safety, with just 0.1% of theft mentions referring to this location. This combination of high traffic and relatively low theft-mention rates suggests that Hanoi offers a pleasant and generally secure travel experience.

Despite being known for its vibrant street life, which in other cities has been noted for scams, Hanoi has created a safe and welcoming environment for tourists.

Methodology

To identify which cities were most often praised or criticised for safety, we examined 13,293 theft-related Google reviews published between October 2024 and November 2025. Our analysis covered 100 cities from Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destinations Index, excluding Russia and Ukraine due to the ongoing full-scale invasion.

Reviews were analysed for mentions of theft-related phrases, including pickpocket, robbery, and fraud. Mentions were then categorised based on context, allowing each city to be assigned a percentage representing the proportion of reviews highlighting safety concerns.

To ensure accuracy:

Cities with fewer than 10 total reviews were excluded from the analysis.
False positives and negatives (for example, reviews mentioning “not a scam”) were manually removed.
Only English-language reviews were included to maintain consistency across all cities.