At the ATM    

     As for ATMs, on the back of your card should be a group of symbols. Match those to the ones on the ATM and you can use it. However, different banks in Russia have different charges for using them. Some charge 1% or 2%, other charge a flat rate of $1to $3, others charge both. And your own bank may add a charge as well. Talk to your bank and see if the can tell you more about that.

     I never use "stand alone" ATMs (those which are not built into a bank) because of the potential for skimming or other frauds.  But I do prefer to use ATMs over carrying a wad of cash around.

     I've only had one attempted robbery (knock on wood) which I fought off, believing the druggies were going to kill me anyway. Since then I stay out of dark, dead end streets.    

     Another scam to avoid is the one where a cop asks to see your documents - passport and visa, customs declaration, money changing receipts, hotel visitor card, etc  then asks you to show him the money.  I showed mine with my train ticket and a small wad of rubles (which all added up to what I declared and changed) and I was off the hook.

     ATMs can be inconvenient, but I carry less to lose, and traveler's checks can also be a pain, especially if you can't get face value for them (like 5% to 10% surcharges, or flat surcharges per note).

     Also, a decoy wallet is a good idea, if you set it up convincingly.  But don't worry yourself to distraction over it. Chances are, you'll have no incidents, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared. And that goes for all foreign countries, not just FSU.

     Tim

     Two Common Ruses

     Apparently, some con artists discover which apartments are rented to foreigners (who of course are all rich).   .      ;-)

     Today, someone rang the bell at my apartment. My girlfriend went to the door.  She looked through the peep-hole and started talking loudly in Russian (I did not know what was said). She then instructed me to light the burner on the stove. I found everything normal. So she then started talking loudly again to the door.

     In the end, she explained it was someone trying to say there was a gas problem in the apartment, when there was none. My girlfriend suggested that I should not say anything when someone rings the doorbell unless I know them.

     The second incident was later in the evening. I was walking in a very nice mall when one of two  men walking in the opposite direction said "Good Evening". I replied "Good Evening".     

     After walking a little further, I noticed, by looking in reflection of a store window, the same men were now walking behind me. So I turned in the opposite direction that I was going to turn. They followed again. I then stop and turned around going directly at them. They both stopped and tried to look like they were having a conversation.

     Since this was a very nice shopping area, most of the stores had security guards.     

     I walked over to security guards and the  two men quickly left.

     Lesson learned, if someone greats you in some other language than the native one of the country, then be aware you may have just been selected as a mark. 

     Good Luck and Be careful.

     Alan

     Taxis - Warsaw

     One important warning about Warsaw,  beware of the Taxis.  Never take a taxi that does not have a company name and telephone number on it. 

     I made this mistake at the airport, a $10.00 taxi trip cost me $35.00 because I took a gypsy taxi, that had a name and rate posted.  The meter in this taxi was rigged.  Or to be more precise, had multiple rates.  The posted rate on the taxi, is only the base rate, rates change due to how taxi was called, to time of day, or who you are. Even the company cars did this, but this is usually only a small change. 

     In one week, from my hotel, I took at least 10 trips to the city center, usually to the same spot.  Not once were two rates the same, the variance was over 30%. 

     Some taxis also tried to take me to mafia owned bars and brothels 10 km outside of Warsaw.  This is only bad news.  10km out they can rip you off as much as they want. 

     Anything you want can generally be found in the city center.    

     Gale

     Police Traps

     This may sound familiar. I got stopped in downtown Moscow for taking a right hand turn in a right hand turning 

lane. I was told my blinker wasn't working. They wanted $200 for the fine. I asked for a supervisor and pretended 

to call the Embassy. Instead, got my passport tossed back to me and told to leave.  

     A few guys give the money and the rest of us live with the mistakes.  Money is the root of all evil and greed 

will sometimes wear a uniform. These policemen get little pay and are tempted by the quick buck. 

     Also, guys, beware of the police men who are standing outside of your hotels.  They will attempt to get money 

from your ladies. 

     Russia still requires ladies to have permission to be in Moscow.

     I don't see this problem in Ukraine, but Moscow has it everywhere.

     Kevin                           Kherson Girls.com

     Subject: Visa Registration in Moscow, Police traps

     Travelers beware. Two of our customers from Australia were stopped by Russian Police in Moscow this 

afternoon on Arbat street. They are staying at the Ukraina Hotel on Kutuzovski Prospekt and have proper 

hotel registration, but the policemen said their visa registration was invalid and tried to keep their passports.

     They told the guys to come to the police station in the evening to pay the fine and get their passports back. 

What would you guys do in their place?

     Lose your passport or argue with the police and get in a bigger trouble?

     Those two were smart enough to ask for the policemen IDs and they called us from the nearest payphone 

and to the Australian Embassy. While they were talking to the Australian Embassy the policemen returned their 

passport to the guys and disappeared.

      FYI:

             US Embassy emergency phone - 728-5000

             Australian Embassy phone - 956-6070

             British Embassy phone - 956-7200

             French Embassy phone - 937-1500

      Andrei,   Peace Travel Services   

         Travel Safety - The Found Wallet

     Avoid the "Find the Wallet" on the street trick, where Russian men will approach you, ask if the wallet he

just found is yours. He will then state, "Russian Tradition, we split it". 

     I had this one pulled on me in Kiev.  You should simply state ...("Nyet, spasibo") and walk away.   :)

     When I was in Siberia, the (door guard) would allow your Russian date to enter the hotel, but she must vacate by 11:00 PM, but I exceeded that numerous times, and never had a problem. I  think they chose not to harass me about it, as I was a good customer. (Usually a large "tip" solves the problem).

     Travel Safety - Personal Observations

      The safest place is where normal middle class families live, in good apartment houses.  Hotels are where you will find the most prostitutes and hoods, where else are they going to find a lot of "customers" concentrated in a small controlled area?

     This is an area that really promotes apartments.  Most hotels will not let women come up to your room unless she is registered in the hotel. They don't want competition from local amateurs.  It can be very embarrassing to the woman to be assumed to be and treated like a hooker.

     The police are not going to be your best ally in staying away from trouble.  Hire a guide/helper.  They will steer you away from obvious (to them) trouble. I wrote suggesting my friend Julia at http://www.alpha-agency.net just for these reasons.  She will save you lots of money and take care of your travel needs for guides, interpreter, low cost apartments (see apartments on her web site) and experienced help in understanding the customs and getting by in Ukraine.

     The hotels in any city in the world are the most likely places to have your things stolen.  Your possessions are available to every maid, security person, handyman or hotel staff and you have no recourse. 

     In your apartment, you have control.

     Good luck and have fun.

     From Kevin Hayes

     Taxis

     Restaurants

     It took another 10 minutes to get my change and my friend still didn't get his. This is the third time this trick has happened to me so be sure to ask for your change.

     Here are two more tricks I've seen in the Ukraine. "Computer is broken" we can't print you a receipt. This is a scam the attendants use when they are trying to pocket your money. Again it was a newsier in town that was getting scammed and we assisted in his rescue. It seem that the computer could only print a receipt for the food and a single drink, all extra draft beer and wine had to be hand written.  We only bought this one until I asked for my check and the computer was working. Again, we checked the prices of the drinks against the menu and for some unknown reason the hand written receipt prices were 30 Grivna higher then the computer printed ones.

     I didn't tell my friend that he had a 5 Grivna charge on his bill for his candle on the table as I found this out later from my wife...

     And finally for those who are going to Yalta, beware of the "weight" Scam that is going on. If you select a nice steak or pork chops on the menu, be sure to write down or make a note of the size, normally 100 or 200 grams in size. When you get the bill, check the prices and size again. I had ordered a 20 Grivna pork chop and got a 60

Grivna bill. They staff explain that my pork chop with three times bigger then the one on the menu.  I would like to see someone try that back home.

     Well, as always, I hope this helps.

     Thanks.     

     Kevin Hayes   -  Be sure to check out www.khersongirls.com    ICQ#: 60845644