WEBVTT

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(triumphant fanfare)

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(tense synthesizer music)

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- [Narrator] Nowhere to run;

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(smashing)

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nowhere to hide.

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(gunshots)

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Victims of chance.

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Statistics of fate.

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- [Reporter] Baghdad lit up like a Christmas tree.

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- [Reporter] During the chaos, the embassy helped evacuate--

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- Or is there a way to avoid this nightmare?

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It's not always a friendly world out there,

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and as a government employee traveling overseas,

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you may unwillingly find yourself

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in a dangerous situation.

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While overseas duty can present some real hazards,

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there are some simple steps that you can take

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to make yourself less vulnerable.

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Call it defensive travel; an awareness

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of your surroundings and knowing what to do

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in times of an emergency.

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You may think that you're safe; that there's no way

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this could happen to you.

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But it does happen to someone; Americans

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are often ideal targets to promote a cause

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or make a political point, and American government

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personnel are an even greater catch.

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There are four basic threats that could jeopardize

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your safety, or the safety of others.

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Foreign intelligence, war and civil disturbance,

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terrorism, and most common, crime.

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Many people would like to believe that foreign

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intelligence threats are a thing of the past;

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something that dissolved away with the end

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of the Cold War.

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But in fact there is even a greater threat

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of foreign intelligence now, more than ever.

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With modern technology becoming more available

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around the world, government travelers

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are vulnerable to many forms of surveillance tactics

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and methods; certain regions conduct

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highly professional surveillance practices,

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often consisting of a combination of foot

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and vehicle surveillance, traffic cameras

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and stationary surveillance acting

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as observation posts.

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A novice traveler is unlikely to detect

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a professional surveillance effort,

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but if you suspect that you are being observed,

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do not acknowledge, approach, confront,

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photograph or harass the surveillance;

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they most certainly have a network of support,

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perhaps even law enforcement connections.

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Many hotel rooms in the former East Bloc,

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Russia and China, reportedly have video

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and audio surveillance, undetectable

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to the common traveler.

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Always assume that you're under surveillance

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in your room, and don't attempt to search

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for monitoring devices, or the host country

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will think that you have something to hide.

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There are several potential hotspots around the globe

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where war and civil disturbance can erupt unexpectedly.

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If you find yourself caught up in a civil disturbance,

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avoid large gatherings and demonstrations.

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Host governments won't know or care

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whether you were involved.

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- [Reporter] Cobra gunships fired at enemy positions,

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but this battle--

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- In the event of a war, armed insurrection or

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conflict, take whatever actions are necessary

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to protect yourself; try to telephone the US Embassy

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or home, and let them know your location and status.

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If you hear gunfire, take cover

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in a basement or other protected area.

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If nothing else, even taking cover in your room's

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bathtub will protect you from shrapnel and flying debris.

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Knowing how to predict and avoid terrorism is

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practically impossible; sometimes it's just

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a matter of being in the wrong place

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at the wrong time.

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You need to be mentally prepared with a basic

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plan of action if an attack, hijacking

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or kidnapping occurs.

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Be familiar with all emergency escape exits

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in your hotel or on your airplane,

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and know the phone numbers of local emergency

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or police institutions, and your US points of contact

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in the area.

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But the greatest threat in traveling abroad

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is crime; increasingly, US travelers,

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particularly government officials,

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are viewed as targets of opportunity.

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Most of the non-Western world view Americans

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as rich and therefore lucrative targets.

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Remember that in many developing nations, the average

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annual income is less than $100.

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You may be carrying two or three years of wages

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in your pocket.

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(tense music)

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Crime can happen to anyone at any place, at any time.

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Don't draw attention to yourself as an American,

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or let your guard down.

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It only takes a few seconds, and you

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are the latest statistic.

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Defensive countermeasures fall into

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three categories; travel preparation,

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in-transit security, and in-country precautions.

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Take a look at what you can do before you depart

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on your next overseas assignment.

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Educate yourself on the potential threats

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in the region you're traveling to;

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up to date information is available from

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a variety of classified and unclassified sources.

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A good unclassified source is the State Department's

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Bureau of Councilor Affairs.

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When preparing to go overseas, always take the phone numbers

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of the US Embassy or Consulate,

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especially the 24 hour Marine security guard number.

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And be sure to get the home phone number

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of your overseas point of contact.

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Also, it's a good idea to leave copies

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of your itinerary at your office and home,

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in case of an emergency.

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Don't carry a lot of unnecessary credit cards

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or cash with you and try to cut off

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any affiliation with DOD, DIA and USG.

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You ought to only take no more than two credit cards,

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a driver's license and a little money in your wallet.

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The thinner the wallet, the harder it is to spot

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and to steal and if you simply place a thick rubber band

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around your wallet, it makes it harder

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for a would-be pickpocket to lift

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when carried inside a coat or trouser pocket.

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It's a good idea to make copies of your vital

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papers and the contents of your wallet.

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Leave a copy at home, at the office,

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and an extra copy to put in your checked baggage.

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If you lose the originals, you'll have several

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places to retrieve the lost information.

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This is especially important with your passport

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which deserves extra precautions.

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Always keep it with you and memorize the passport

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number and place of issue; this way,

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you won't have to remove it when filling out

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customs forms and you won't draw attention to yourself.

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Once you leave for your trip and become in-transit,

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there are some key defensive strategies to keep in mind.

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Avoid curbside check in; a common scam

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in some countries is for so-called baggage handlers

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to make off with your luggage, and publicly

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accessible areas at the airport are an ideal location

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for a terrorist to plant a bomb.

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Stay to yourself as much as possible

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at the airport; go through security checkpoints

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as soon as possible, then stay in secure areas until your

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flight leaves, always keeping your baggage

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close at hand, and do not discuss business.

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You do not want to give away the fact

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that you are a government employee,

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or that you are traveling on official business.

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Once you arrive, talk to someone who's been

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in-country for a while.

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Learn the local customs and laws and find ways

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to blend in as much as possible.

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While DIA travelers may be vulnerable to multiple

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threats; foreign intelligence, war, civil disturbance

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and terrorism, the most common threat is crime.

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Here are some simple defensive measures to think about.

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Don't leave your valuables in the hotel room.

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Instead, use a safe deposit box provided by the hotel.

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When you're in your room, keep the doors

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locked at all times.

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It's also a good idea to bring a door alarm system

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to hang on the door before you go to sleep,

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or simply leave a chair behind the door.

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When going out at night, leave your room

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lights on and put out the do not disturb sign,

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to give the impression that someone is in the room.

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Carrying a second wallet with just a few dollars

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and a small amount of local currency is also a good idea.

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If confronted by a criminal, the throwaway

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wallet can satisfy his intent and get you out

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of a dangerous situation.

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Worldwide, phony policemen are major

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players in scams; in certain regions,

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the actual police often use their official position

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for personal profit.

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If you find yourself in this situation, ask

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to be taken to the US Embassy or call your local

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US points of contact for their assistance.

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Taxis are another place to exercise caution;

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besides overcharging, cab drivers in some countries

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use violence to commit outright robbery.

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Purse snatchers can be a problem too,

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whether on foot, in a vehicle or a motorcycle, stay alert

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and remember your defensive tips.

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Keep your purse or case on the inside, next

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to the person you're traveling with.

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The possibility of you becoming involved

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in a hostile intelligence operation,

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a war or terrorism is remote, but the greatest

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threat when you travel overseas is from low-level crime.

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Our intent here is to get you to think about

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the possibility that it does happen, and it could

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happen to you; understanding this possibility

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is the best defense against being taken by surprise.

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Be alert; be able to react, maintain a low profile.

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Be a little unpredictable in your movements,

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and follow the defensive travel checklist

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to ensure your safe trip abroad.

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A few extra precautions will make all the difference.

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(tense music)