Travel to any international or international destination and find scam artists, robbers and other criminal types who prey on the naive visitor. From London to New Orleans, vacation crime is a reality. Review these popular vacation destinations, and their unique crime, scam attractions: 

Pickpockets are so friendly in Barcelona that they greet tourists with a tight hug and make off with a wallet and all. These hugging techniques are the latest in amicable picket pocketing. Although most attractions in Barcelona are safe, tourists should be leery of strangers who try to reach out hug someone. 

Regardless if a tourist is looking to place a bet or not, a prevalent scam in New Orleans' French Quarter involves a man approaching unsuspecting victims with the following greeting: "Bet you $5 that I can tell you where you got your shoes!"

With or without the person's acceptance of the bet, the confrontation ends in a stick up and the assailant saying, "On your feet on Bourbon Street." Officials advise people to ignore the scam by continuing to walk without responding to the scam artist.

As soon as your GPS gives you the last direction to popular attractions in Philadelphia, be sure to hide all your technology gadgets. At destinations like Liberty Bell, thieves abscond GPS devices, iPods, radar detectors and other items. From the suctioned outline of where the GPS sits on the windshield, to a stray cord dangling out of a storage compartment, Philadelphian authorities report that predators look for any telltale signs of the GPS. As a result, travelers are advised to wipe down the windshield and hide any other traces of the GPS.

Upon arrival in Las Vegas and prior to the hotel check in, the commute from the airport to the strip is a 20-minute ride. Beware of cabs, where the driver takes a scenic route or a long haul to jack up the cab fare. According to Las Vegas police officials,  "long hauls" are an emerging trend in tourist scams.

In the province of Quebec, leaving a door unlocked is a finable offense (up to $30). In Old Montreal, automobiles with unlocked doors are making it easy for thieves to steal iPods, laptops and GPS devices. Tourists are reminded to lock and store gadgets and extra belongings in the trunk.

Robbers are quite rapid in Washington D.C. At gas stations, when tourists fuel up, pay for gas or make a pit stop, thieves snatch and grab any unattended valuables from unlocked car doors. In the nation's capital, these incidents have been on the rise since 2006.

At outdoor cafes, coffeehouses and other crowded public places in Chicago, predators prey on business travelers and other people who use a laptop.  In close proximity to the victim, two thieves will set up operations and wait for the perfect time to make off with a wallet, purse or bag.

While Disney World and Universal Studios offer multi-day passes, they prohibit guests from reselling these passes. Companies not affiliated with the popular tourist attractions scalp tickets from visitors who no longer need the tickets, and resell the same tickets for a reduced rate. Unfortunately, attendees caught with these resold discount tickets run the risk of being turned away from the park.

Jewelry buyers beware of the merchandise in Cancun, and Playa Del Carmen.  On the beach, street peddlers market cheap metal as real silver.  But by the time most people realize the jewelry is faux, it has turned yellow, tarnished and they are back in the United States, Europe or Canada.

 

In London, unlicensed minicabs park outside of restaurants, theaters and taverns. Recent data shows that the drivers have been attacking women. Dating back to 2006, more than 10 victims were assaulted each month. Unlike, the old-fashioned black cabs which are licensed by the city, these "minicabs' are usually authorized to shuttle reserved passengers only.