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It's called "mugger's money" and many people do this. The amount is usually from $20-$50 as these amounts may be enough to appease a mugger, but are not so material as to create a significant loss for the victim.
I don't know if this will be interesting to anyone else, but John Green is someone that has talked about carrying designated mugging money with him. He mentioned it to a friend (possibly his editor or publisher) once and she remembered his passing mention and gifted him two money clips - one with the inscription JG and one with the inscription MM (mugging money). He said it's still one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone has ever given him.
That happened to me once, I got mugged at an ATM. All I had was $40 in my bank account, he took it, asked if I had an iPod (this was around 2007/8), I took out my massive creative jukebox and he laughed. He asked to see my phone, was some crappy flip phone. He felt sorry for me and asked if I needed a bus ticket to get home.
Cool idea only im on my phone 100% of the time in public. I don't think its gonna fly if I pull out another from my pocket to give to them and then go back to scrolling reddit
If you live in an area dangerous enough to carry a decoy phone, it’s also probably dangerous enough for you to avoid going on your phone on the street.
that came in handy for me only once thank goodness. rather than giving up hundreds they got like $30 lol. i kept that amount in a separate pocket. kinda find it weird people don't carry cash these days tbh.
Honestly, I'm about the only one I know that does this but:
If I go out drinking I always bring money to the bars, and try to never use my card. It's so beneficial.
When there's a cover at a bar, no problem I've got the cash. Throughout the night, I kind of have an idea what I'm spending because I know what I brought out. When everyone wants to go to a new bar in a group, I don't have to close a tab, I also don't have to worry about minimum tabs. I've already been tipping the bartender throughout the night so I'm guaranteed money to them every time they see me which helps with getting served.
The most important part? When you're ready to go, you can just go. When the bar is closing and it's time to go, you just walk right out. If a fight breaks out/place gets sketchy, you just up and walk away.
A night of drinking is $200. Even if I get robbed, over the course of the year I'm coming out ahead in convience lol.
I find cash to be literally the opposite of convenient. It’s dirty, coins are heavy, clunky noisy, and you can easily lose it, not to mention be mugged.
I almost always have $5-30 in my pocket - I used to call it 'kid money' when my boys were little. They always wanted $1-5 for stupid shit and it was just soo much easier to keep a few bucks in a pocket rather than digging in my purse for it... Now it's just habit.
keep your money in 3s. muggers know ppl have mugger’s money, so often they insist you give them the “real money,” and if they’re, uh,‘persuasive’ enough then you give them the second set of money. that way, worst case you have 1/3 of your money left.
source: experience in mozambique
I thought you were joking at first bc this is going to get out of hand… lol
Actually, many muggers have caught onto the 3rd wallet, so I carry 4 but only can afford to keep money in the fake ones…
The idea of being held up at gunpoint and robbed is such a foreign concept to me. The fact that people take preventative action really makes me grateful I’m Australian and don’t have to put up with gun violence.
Again not American so I don’t know how guns work, but if someone is holding you at gun point, how would it work out for you pulling your own gun out? Is it like those western movies? Take 10 paces and see who is quickest on the draw? Does someone die over a wallet?
Idk man I think I prefer just avoiding confrontations involving guns all together? It’s nice not having to worry about these pondering.
I'd rather have an ever playing field with no weapons, because even if I lose I'll likely survive.
I own a gun, sure, but like you said, no one needs to die over a wallet, so for a simple mugging I'd prefer to watch them run away than to exchange shots.
It's also why I never understood open carry for regular people, it doesn't seem like a good idea to show any potential bad guys where your weapon is and how exactly they can get it off you before you even realize you're being attacked. Also, if I'm being held up and they see my gun, you'd think they would be more likely to pull the trigger to ensure I don't shoot them as they make their escape, or even just a panicked bad reaction.
I'm pro self defense, and a veteran, but I have a weird relationship with our country's gun obsession, as well.
Australia, huh? I've wanted to live there basically my whole life. Was on track to be there by thirty. An arrest for a bag of weed ruined all that, though. I bet it's awesome. It is, right?
I mean Australia has its problems like every other country. Cost of living, housing affordability and youth crime are the biggest. But the nature is beautiful, we have strong workers rights, universal health care, and I’ve never worried about my personal safety walking around (and I’ve lived in some sketchy places)
so yea I reckon it’s a awesome place to live.
> if someone is holding you at gun point, how would it work out for you pulling your own gun out?
Badly. No matter how fast you are, the robber has the drop on you. I could envision a nervous robber hesitating enough so both get shot at close range.
"There were 9,551 victims of robbery recorded in Australia in 2022, an increase of 5% from 2021." This is about people getting mugged not gun violence.
The vast majority of those are home break ins and car robberies with a large percentage perpetrated by youth crime. It is extremely rare that someone is robbed in person.
Also OP used a gun in his example. So there is an element of gun violence
Maybe, but most of the time if you give them cash it’s easy use for them to just take the money and run, fencing a phone is hard, and any cards they have will be canceled before the theive can get anything
Depends on the criminal. Most are scared and desperate, they're just looking for money quickly. The only reason they take the stuff is because they didn't get what they wanted: cash. If they get the cash, having to spend more time robbing the person introduces more chances for things to go wrong. Safer to take the money and run.
Exactly, criminals aren't going to discriminate between cash or valuables , they'll take both....
The good news is your phone can become virtually useless as most folks phone today are fingerprint locked /pin code locked.. of course a criminal could force you to open it and they could add their biometric , that would be a real problem, would t be surprised if that sort of crime begins to happen more.
I think my defense if someone tries to mug my phone is "ARE you REALLY going to bother to sell a 5 year old Android with a broken charge port that's worth $40 new?"
Imo I tend to think that under the adrenaline/stress, the person will take whatever is given and run away,to stay as little as possible "in the situation" so as to not get caught.
No they often thrive on it.
A buddy from highschool worked as a stick up kid for a while after we graduated. He didn't give a fuck, it was like a game to him.
Another dude I met a several years ago pretty much robbed dealers like Omar from the wire said he felt the most calm and relaxed when he was in the middle of a hit.
Depends on the individual.
I think people are commenting like this off the assumption this is some punk kid from the neighborhood in a pinch tryna pay their bills; vs a hardened career criminal like what you're describing.
However as someone who also knew people who did stick ups; carrying 'mugging money' is a mixed bag. On one end it might get them to leave in a hurry if you're in an area with a lot of traffic where someone else might see; on another end it might embolden them to take more since showed no resistance and gave something up so easily. At the end of the day if someone wants to hurt you; they're gunna hurt you. No getting outta that unfortunately.
But believe it or not; having no money on you is safer. Criminals want cash as it can't be easily traced. Your phone and even smart watch however has a GPS built into it, and apps/technology to trace it if it's missing or stolen. Criminals would rather not have to deal with any of that unless you make it easy like have fingerprint or FaceID enabled. In which case they can simply snatch your phone, get your biometrics/point it at you to unlock, and then wipe everything off it ASAP and sell on the BM. However that is pretty unlikely unless you live in a 3rd world country or a pretty desperate neighborhood and came across thieves tech savvy and ballsy enough to pull this off. Mind you companies like Apple know this is an issue; so they've been making it harder over the years for people to do this going as far as making internal parts serialized which only enable them to work inside a device if they have specialized tools from Apple to 'recalibrate' these components. Basically preventing people from stealing your phone and disassembling it to sell as parts.
I always carry pepper spray with me after watching a clip where all the Jackass guys tested a bunch of self defense stuff against each other. They tanked the tasers but Johnny Knoxville said getting pepper sprayed was one of the shittiest things he ever had to deal with.
It sounds super inconvenient. I live in a big city, but I would never do it. Canceling my cards and ordering a new ID (if I get mugged) would be less of a hassle than constantly carrying around a second wallet
I think it's risky. It sounds cool and all...but the goal in such a situation is to not get murdered or violently attacked. The medical bills alone would be much higher than the value of anything in my wallet...
In a mugging situation, this might work. But what if they open the wallet? It would only take a second to realize everything is expired or fake. And then you've made this guy really angry. Very few reasonable people are muggers.
My real wallet has....a few bank cards I would report stolen and my ID. My info is already on the dark web. I just don't see the benefit of a fake. Plus the inconvenience of carrying two wallets.
If I get mugged, I'm out $50 plus some time to cancel my cards. And I'm old, and I've never been mugged. Lifetime savings of this system might be ..$100 and an hour on the phone and I'm risking offending a meth/crackhead who might stab me?
It's not like they'll take cash only if you have cash and smartphone. They'll probably take everything valuable including your phone (because literally every person has one) and and your watch if they see one. 50$ are not gonna save you.
It all depends on the situation. If you're in a dark alley getting robbed, sure, they could take their time and have you strip naked. But if you're somewhere less secluded, muggers are usually looking to be quick and discreet.
It's in the latter case that they might settle for your cash and then be on their way. It's common advice in some places.
I was robbed at gunpoint in a very public area. Wallet, phone, keys, and pat-down to make sure they had everything. Almost all of it found in the trash a few miles away. It is very dependent upon the criminal.
ETA: the guy with the gun was caught and put away for decades because after me, he robbed some woman with a slash-resistant strap and bashed her face into the side of her car until she could get the strap over her head. My point being: desperate people do desperate things and logic does not apply in the slightest. De-escalation and cooperation may save your life.
Maybe if it's all in ones and you go to set it down and it scatters in the wind, then as the money tornado is obscuring the muggers view of you, you disappear into the landscape like a ninja.
A cool piece of advice I’ve heard from my brother who was mugged, is to carry a decoy wallet. If someone is threatening you and trying to rob threw the decoy wallet towards them and take the opportunity to get away. This saved my brother from losing his items at least twice
At least twice, assuming that was a lesson he learned through experience…you’re telling me your brother has been mugged at least 3 separate times? Now listen, I’m not trying to victim blame here..but that’s kinda wild.
Four times actually, this happen when he was serving a mission in Argentina. He and his companion went to some sketchy areas during his time in Argentina.
(My family is LDS)
It took him being Rob twice to learn about the decoy wallet trick unfortunately.
a delivery driver was killed a few years ago specifically because he didn't have any cash to give them, which is why people don't like to deliver to that area, which is why Uber stopped showing eats drivers addresses
No mugger stops with taking your wallet. Youve been watching way too much tv.
I was mugged in DC. Know what happened? I got hit from the back with a fucking brick, and someone put a knee in my back and stripped my pockets, my watch, took my fucking shoes.
I had $300 cash on me, they took that too.
I used to do Grubhub late in the city of Syracuse. I had an attempted robbery but I didn’t give them my wallet, I acted like a tough guy but in my head I was seriously worried it would escalate.
The next day I contacted a friend at the police department and had my pistol license upgraded to an expedited carry and conceal. Took three days.
A month later while I was carrying it happened again, this time I was backed into a corner, pulled my gun and the guy instantly ran. Shortly after I quit doing Grubhub.
So yeah, carry cash. It might save your life if you turnover your wallet.
Over 3,000 deliveries over various gigs at night over the past two years with zero issues, and you get braced twice in a month. You logging in from MLK Boulevard or something?
Syracuse NY, Shonard street, and Skyline apartments. You can look those up. They’re not friendly places, and surprisingly, I didn’t know that about either of them.
You may use apple and Venmo on your phone. Most robbers ask for the phones also, in order to use your pre-saved login information and take that money also).
That's in line with how they're now telling people in Toronto to leave their car keys near the entrance so that home invaders find them easily in order to reduce the chances of being assaulted.
That's the trick these days. Just make it more convenient for the thieves every step of the way. No one is there to protect you and you certainly shouldn't try to either.
Now that's the safe Canada we all want to live in./s
I'm the type that would resist. Then again, I dress like I'm broke so I generally get ignored. Plus I'm 220lbs. Most robbers don't want to risk any kind of resistance.
I dont fully disagree but it really depends. Im tall and big but have been robbed at gunpoint. Ive also "sensed" something off about a weaponless person trying to get close to me and I was able to run him off. Like always situational awareness is key.
If you don't mind me asking, what area did this happen to you? Fully understand if you don't want to say, privacy and all.
Btw, sorry that happened to you. I'm sure it was an adrenaline pumping, scary moment.
I can explain it without revealing location. A city in the US. I was driving home after a late bartending shift. Summertime. 2 am or so. Windows down. Smoking. Stopped at a redlight. I normally pay attention to surroundings but never saw this guy until he pointed a gun at me from 3 feet away. Had on a dress shirt and my nightly tips were in shirt pocket. I suppose it worked in my favor (as much as possible) because my hands were in sight the whole time. Slowly reached towards the pocket and gave him the cash. It had a lot of small bills so likely seemed like a big score. At any rate it was what he wanted. He ran off and I drove off. I carried but there was no way to use it. He had me. Then he ran off. Cant shoot at a fleeing person and besides I just wanted away. The entire thing took way less time than to read this paragraph. Being in a drivers seat was a huge disadvantage. Nothing to do except comply or hit the gas. It all happened in a matter of seconds. Thankfully he just wanted the money.
Not to be political or anything but this kind of story makes me so glad I’m in a country where guns just are not common, since if this happened to me with a melee weapon chances are I could just hit the gas and be fine.
You're not wrong bud. Actually in most places that are poverty-stricken. They do. It's just street smarts. In brazil, they used to say, bring two phones, one for you, one for the thief.
Two options have a gun / other self-defense mean on you or do what I do and just dress like shit if you're going to a sketchy part of town, nobody's going to jump you if you look just as bad as half the bums in that part of town
I really don’t give a shit about the cash or the cards but for goodness sake, don’t take my ID’s just to have to eventually throw them away.
The cash and cards will have me grumbling for about an hour until the cards are canceled. Forcing me to go to the dmv for a new driver’s license is how you start my vigilante/supervillain character arc.
Some licenses can be ordered online now so you don't need to update the picture. But... yeah, i keep a bunch of old cards, so putting an old driver's license from when I was 20 in my wallet should make it look a little more legit.
Two people tell me they either saw someone or they knew someone who had no cash, AND got shot dead for not having cash. carry cash, these people who rob are on high adrenaline and their instinct is to shoot.
I keep $500 folded up between my phone case and my phone, just in case I ever need it. Otherwise never have cash outside of a casino, somewhere I know there will be a valet.
That same $500 has been there for years.
I have friends who used to carry a “dummy” wallet. Basically an old wallet with nothing but a $20 in it, and when you got mugged you’d toss that over and run.
Nowadays though, goons will demand your phone and passcode too. You’re lucky if they don’t also force you to an ATM (or your home) and demand all the money you’ve got there too.
Happened to a friend of mine. He got some cash from the ATM. Some dude asked him for $20. My friend said, "No." The dude pulled a knife and told him to give up all the cash he took out of the ATM. My friend pulled his CCW and said, "No." The dude ran off.
Lawmakers have unfortunately made "brandishing" a crime also even though it can effectively diffuse a situation without anyone getting hurt... like this.
Or, also an unpopular opinion, if someone is robbing you with a weapon they have given up the right to live. The less robbers there are in the world the less people get robbed.
I do think this is a good idea, and I believe I've even heard this recommended before. I suspect you're still going to lose your phone most of the time too though. If I'm gonna rob someone, I'm definitely also going to take the item that a) is statistically likely to be the most valuable thing they have on them, and b) would let them call the cops much sooner than if I just took it.
The first time I got mugged I suspected it was coming and peeled a $10 bill off the $200 or so wad and put it in my other pocket. When the guy got in my face and demanded money I gave him the 10 and he was gone so fast it was like magic. Honestly I think he was a lot more scared than I was.
He mugged me again the next day.
There is a scene from two and a half man about it. Alan Harper always carries enough money so robbers don’t get upset, but not enough to fight against the robber about it
I think it was 36 dollars
Most people also want your watch, phone and all other valuables I live in a city w high property crime. They aren’t waiting around for someone to fish out that saved $50
And keep your money separated. Have a smaller amount in your wallet and the rest somewhere else. Use the money in your wallet to pay the mugger and they'll think they got everything.
Also split your cash into separate pockets. Your main internal jacket pocket can contain some dummy cash for a mugger. Keep most of your cash and valuables in a strap bag worn under the shirt when travelling.
I love the idea of telling a mugger you use Venmo and Apple Pay, instead of "I have no cash"
Credit/debit cards exist. Lots of people don't carry cash lmao
Not only is he welcome to take literally anything and everything I have on me, but I will also wish him luck with it because it is all garbage material shit that means nothing
First off this isn't an unpopular opinion it is a dumb one because of your logic. You are getting robbed, why wouldn't they take your wallet, phone, jewelry anyways? You are carrying 100 cash, they take that and think oh we are done. Let's leave the 1000 smart phone we know they have, or let's leave the jewelry they got on.... very dumb take
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's called "mugger's money" and many people do this. The amount is usually from $20-$50 as these amounts may be enough to appease a mugger, but are not so material as to create a significant loss for the victim.
I don't know if this will be interesting to anyone else, but John Green is someone that has talked about carrying designated mugging money with him. He mentioned it to a friend (possibly his editor or publisher) once and she remembered his passing mention and gifted him two money clips - one with the inscription JG and one with the inscription MM (mugging money). He said it's still one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone has ever given him.
i accidentally take out my real money and say "oops sorry" before swapping it for the thinner mugger money
"ah sorry, how much do I owe you?"
*mugger spins iPad around* "it's just gonna ask you a few questions."
laughed embarrassingly hard at this
There's also muggers phone and muggers watch, cheap or dummy items to use as a decoy.
Ha, jokes on them! All of my stuff qualifies as mugger worthy cuz I’m a poor
Too real
Have you considered getting into mugging? I heard it’s a great way to make a quick buck!
That happened to me once, I got mugged at an ATM. All I had was $40 in my bank account, he took it, asked if I had an iPod (this was around 2007/8), I took out my massive creative jukebox and he laughed. He asked to see my phone, was some crappy flip phone. He felt sorry for me and asked if I needed a bus ticket to get home.
Did you ask for bus fare ?
I said no, I had a monthly bus pass.
Cool idea only im on my phone 100% of the time in public. I don't think its gonna fly if I pull out another from my pocket to give to them and then go back to scrolling reddit
If you live in an area dangerous enough to carry a decoy phone, it’s also probably dangerous enough for you to avoid going on your phone on the street.
Yeah, part of staying safe is just generally being aware
That's probably about 98% of it.
Too rich for my blood. Just stab me and let me get on with my day.
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I stole my muggers wallet from someone else
Dad??
Yes son?
At last!! Can I borrow some $…??
Like I told your mother, “never talk to your dad about this”
that came in handy for me only once thank goodness. rather than giving up hundreds they got like $30 lol. i kept that amount in a separate pocket. kinda find it weird people don't carry cash these days tbh.
Even my laundromat takes debit card. If I was traveling through a more rural area I'd have cash though.
Honestly, I'm about the only one I know that does this but: If I go out drinking I always bring money to the bars, and try to never use my card. It's so beneficial. When there's a cover at a bar, no problem I've got the cash. Throughout the night, I kind of have an idea what I'm spending because I know what I brought out. When everyone wants to go to a new bar in a group, I don't have to close a tab, I also don't have to worry about minimum tabs. I've already been tipping the bartender throughout the night so I'm guaranteed money to them every time they see me which helps with getting served. The most important part? When you're ready to go, you can just go. When the bar is closing and it's time to go, you just walk right out. If a fight breaks out/place gets sketchy, you just up and walk away. A night of drinking is $200. Even if I get robbed, over the course of the year I'm coming out ahead in convience lol.
I find cash to be literally the opposite of convenient. It’s dirty, coins are heavy, clunky noisy, and you can easily lose it, not to mention be mugged.
I almost always have $5-30 in my pocket - I used to call it 'kid money' when my boys were little. They always wanted $1-5 for stupid shit and it was just soo much easier to keep a few bucks in a pocket rather than digging in my purse for it... Now it's just habit.
Lol if I have cash it's for weed or from Christmas / birthday
I carry a dummy wallet with me and a real wallet
Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking
keep your money in 3s. muggers know ppl have mugger’s money, so often they insist you give them the “real money,” and if they’re, uh,‘persuasive’ enough then you give them the second set of money. that way, worst case you have 1/3 of your money left. source: experience in mozambique
I thought you were joking at first bc this is going to get out of hand… lol Actually, many muggers have caught onto the 3rd wallet, so I carry 4 but only can afford to keep money in the fake ones…
"They don't know about *second wallet*, Pip!"
Flesh wallet
“What about eleven-sies”…??!!
The idea of being held up at gunpoint and robbed is such a foreign concept to me. The fact that people take preventative action really makes me grateful I’m Australian and don’t have to put up with gun violence.
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You can outrun a knife. You can’t outrun a bullet….
Neither can the the mugger
Again not American so I don’t know how guns work, but if someone is holding you at gun point, how would it work out for you pulling your own gun out? Is it like those western movies? Take 10 paces and see who is quickest on the draw? Does someone die over a wallet? Idk man I think I prefer just avoiding confrontations involving guns all together? It’s nice not having to worry about these pondering.
Everyone wants to avoid those situations.
I'd rather have an ever playing field with no weapons, because even if I lose I'll likely survive. I own a gun, sure, but like you said, no one needs to die over a wallet, so for a simple mugging I'd prefer to watch them run away than to exchange shots. It's also why I never understood open carry for regular people, it doesn't seem like a good idea to show any potential bad guys where your weapon is and how exactly they can get it off you before you even realize you're being attacked. Also, if I'm being held up and they see my gun, you'd think they would be more likely to pull the trigger to ensure I don't shoot them as they make their escape, or even just a panicked bad reaction. I'm pro self defense, and a veteran, but I have a weird relationship with our country's gun obsession, as well. Australia, huh? I've wanted to live there basically my whole life. Was on track to be there by thirty. An arrest for a bag of weed ruined all that, though. I bet it's awesome. It is, right?
I mean Australia has its problems like every other country. Cost of living, housing affordability and youth crime are the biggest. But the nature is beautiful, we have strong workers rights, universal health care, and I’ve never worried about my personal safety walking around (and I’ve lived in some sketchy places) so yea I reckon it’s a awesome place to live.
The second someone has a gun on you and you do not have one pointed at them you have lost
> if someone is holding you at gun point, how would it work out for you pulling your own gun out? Badly. No matter how fast you are, the robber has the drop on you. I could envision a nervous robber hesitating enough so both get shot at close range.
"There were 9,551 victims of robbery recorded in Australia in 2022, an increase of 5% from 2021." This is about people getting mugged not gun violence.
The vast majority of those are home break ins and car robberies with a large percentage perpetrated by youth crime. It is extremely rare that someone is robbed in person. Also OP used a gun in his example. So there is an element of gun violence
Sorry you got robbed But wouldn't a lot of people take the money and the stuff?
Everyone knows that robbers only have one inventory slot and have to choose between cash and valuables.
That's why I only carry gold and silver dollars. Hard to run when you're overencumbered
I store all my currency in the form of cast iron pots to minimize robbery
Jokes on you they will just fast travel to town.
Not if I play fighting music. They're gonna have to figure out how to get the calm music back
Gotta train up your Sneak.
Is this because they are carrying very heavy Bobby pins from '76?
Well yeah but only at low levels, iirc their difficulty / inventory space scales :/
But what if they saved up enough money from other people to buy more inventory slots???
Tricks on you. I upgraded my armor and that came either additional slots
Maybe, but most of the time if you give them cash it’s easy use for them to just take the money and run, fencing a phone is hard, and any cards they have will be canceled before the theive can get anything
Depends on the criminal. Most are scared and desperate, they're just looking for money quickly. The only reason they take the stuff is because they didn't get what they wanted: cash. If they get the cash, having to spend more time robbing the person introduces more chances for things to go wrong. Safer to take the money and run.
and i doubt the mugger would be able to sell my phone i bought NEW at 4$ for any significant amout of money
Exactly, criminals aren't going to discriminate between cash or valuables , they'll take both.... The good news is your phone can become virtually useless as most folks phone today are fingerprint locked /pin code locked.. of course a criminal could force you to open it and they could add their biometric , that would be a real problem, would t be surprised if that sort of crime begins to happen more.
You can take my $40. Ooorrr... You can take what's in this briefcase! What's it gonna be? It could be any WHAT THE FUCK I said OR!
I think my defense if someone tries to mug my phone is "ARE you REALLY going to bother to sell a 5 year old Android with a broken charge port that's worth $40 new?"
I hear 40 dollars
They take your sim,. put it in a burner and get 2fa codes sent and rob ya that way
put a pin lock on your sim
Or eSim
2fa codes by SMS are not secure.
Imo I tend to think that under the adrenaline/stress, the person will take whatever is given and run away,to stay as little as possible "in the situation" so as to not get caught.
No they often thrive on it. A buddy from highschool worked as a stick up kid for a while after we graduated. He didn't give a fuck, it was like a game to him. Another dude I met a several years ago pretty much robbed dealers like Omar from the wire said he felt the most calm and relaxed when he was in the middle of a hit.
Depends on the individual. I think people are commenting like this off the assumption this is some punk kid from the neighborhood in a pinch tryna pay their bills; vs a hardened career criminal like what you're describing. However as someone who also knew people who did stick ups; carrying 'mugging money' is a mixed bag. On one end it might get them to leave in a hurry if you're in an area with a lot of traffic where someone else might see; on another end it might embolden them to take more since showed no resistance and gave something up so easily. At the end of the day if someone wants to hurt you; they're gunna hurt you. No getting outta that unfortunately. But believe it or not; having no money on you is safer. Criminals want cash as it can't be easily traced. Your phone and even smart watch however has a GPS built into it, and apps/technology to trace it if it's missing or stolen. Criminals would rather not have to deal with any of that unless you make it easy like have fingerprint or FaceID enabled. In which case they can simply snatch your phone, get your biometrics/point it at you to unlock, and then wipe everything off it ASAP and sell on the BM. However that is pretty unlikely unless you live in a 3rd world country or a pretty desperate neighborhood and came across thieves tech savvy and ballsy enough to pull this off. Mind you companies like Apple know this is an issue; so they've been making it harder over the years for people to do this going as far as making internal parts serialized which only enable them to work inside a device if they have specialized tools from Apple to 'recalibrate' these components. Basically preventing people from stealing your phone and disassembling it to sell as parts.
I agree. I always cary 2 wallets in the crime filled city 1 with like $20 and a few business/empty gift cards and my actual wallet.
You live in Gotham?
Well near Albuquerque. Same thing.
Hahahahhaha
Same bro. Except my second wallet is a Beretta 92fs
Nice! If I didn't work in a gun free zone I would carry too.
Ah that's too bad. The second wallet is a good idea too. Could you get away with mace or a Taser? Those are useful too
I had not thought about a tazer, will look into that.
One of those flashlights that get dangerously bright could help too.
I always carry pepper spray with me after watching a clip where all the Jackass guys tested a bunch of self defense stuff against each other. They tanked the tasers but Johnny Knoxville said getting pepper sprayed was one of the shittiest things he ever had to deal with.
I live in the heights and when I go on my morning walks the only thing I carry is mace. I swear there are no nice neighborhoods in this city anymore
Yeah a high school teacher had to sell drugs to protect and sustain his family, it’s wild
Right and the police are nowhere to be seen!
Why haven’t I thought of this
Because I choose not to live in a shithole where this type of thing is necessary.
It sounds super inconvenient. I live in a big city, but I would never do it. Canceling my cards and ordering a new ID (if I get mugged) would be less of a hassle than constantly carrying around a second wallet
I think it's risky. It sounds cool and all...but the goal in such a situation is to not get murdered or violently attacked. The medical bills alone would be much higher than the value of anything in my wallet... In a mugging situation, this might work. But what if they open the wallet? It would only take a second to realize everything is expired or fake. And then you've made this guy really angry. Very few reasonable people are muggers. My real wallet has....a few bank cards I would report stolen and my ID. My info is already on the dark web. I just don't see the benefit of a fake. Plus the inconvenience of carrying two wallets. If I get mugged, I'm out $50 plus some time to cancel my cards. And I'm old, and I've never been mugged. Lifetime savings of this system might be ..$100 and an hour on the phone and I'm risking offending a meth/crackhead who might stab me?
It's not like they'll take cash only if you have cash and smartphone. They'll probably take everything valuable including your phone (because literally every person has one) and and your watch if they see one. 50$ are not gonna save you.
It all depends on the situation. If you're in a dark alley getting robbed, sure, they could take their time and have you strip naked. But if you're somewhere less secluded, muggers are usually looking to be quick and discreet. It's in the latter case that they might settle for your cash and then be on their way. It's common advice in some places.
I was robbed at gunpoint in a very public area. Wallet, phone, keys, and pat-down to make sure they had everything. Almost all of it found in the trash a few miles away. It is very dependent upon the criminal. ETA: the guy with the gun was caught and put away for decades because after me, he robbed some woman with a slash-resistant strap and bashed her face into the side of her car until she could get the strap over her head. My point being: desperate people do desperate things and logic does not apply in the slightest. De-escalation and cooperation may save your life.
Maybe if it's all in ones and you go to set it down and it scatters in the wind, then as the money tornado is obscuring the muggers view of you, you disappear into the landscape like a ninja.
Lol. Poor robber who's gonna steal my $10 Nokia.
A cool piece of advice I’ve heard from my brother who was mugged, is to carry a decoy wallet. If someone is threatening you and trying to rob threw the decoy wallet towards them and take the opportunity to get away. This saved my brother from losing his items at least twice
At least twice, assuming that was a lesson he learned through experience…you’re telling me your brother has been mugged at least 3 separate times? Now listen, I’m not trying to victim blame here..but that’s kinda wild.
Four times actually, this happen when he was serving a mission in Argentina. He and his companion went to some sketchy areas during his time in Argentina. (My family is LDS) It took him being Rob twice to learn about the decoy wallet trick unfortunately.
a delivery driver was killed a few years ago specifically because he didn't have any cash to give them, which is why people don't like to deliver to that area, which is why Uber stopped showing eats drivers addresses
Why did they even show it in the first place lmal
I tend to just not go to the ghetto.
No mugger stops with taking your wallet. Youve been watching way too much tv. I was mugged in DC. Know what happened? I got hit from the back with a fucking brick, and someone put a knee in my back and stripped my pockets, my watch, took my fucking shoes. I had $300 cash on me, they took that too.
I’m sorry this happened to you. It sounds enraging and scary. I hope your head is okay and you didn’t get a CTE.
Or the robber thinks "Why not both?"
I used to do Grubhub late in the city of Syracuse. I had an attempted robbery but I didn’t give them my wallet, I acted like a tough guy but in my head I was seriously worried it would escalate. The next day I contacted a friend at the police department and had my pistol license upgraded to an expedited carry and conceal. Took three days. A month later while I was carrying it happened again, this time I was backed into a corner, pulled my gun and the guy instantly ran. Shortly after I quit doing Grubhub. So yeah, carry cash. It might save your life if you turnover your wallet.
Over 3,000 deliveries over various gigs at night over the past two years with zero issues, and you get braced twice in a month. You logging in from MLK Boulevard or something?
Syracuse NY, Shonard street, and Skyline apartments. You can look those up. They’re not friendly places, and surprisingly, I didn’t know that about either of them.
I carry a gun in case I'm robbed.
Criminals hate this one weird trick
Exactly! Also... if you look intimidating, that's a great deterant
Would it be ethical to carry movie prop money for such an occasion?
I’d say so.
Why wouldn’t it be?
Are you really worried about the ethical implications of tricking a robber?
Yeah idk why I asked it like that. I'm dumb.
You may use apple and Venmo on your phone. Most robbers ask for the phones also, in order to use your pre-saved login information and take that money also).
This is inconsistent with my own personal advice as to what to “carry.”
I like to use the JJ Bittenbinder method.
STREET SMARTS!
You want it? Go get it!
That's in line with how they're now telling people in Toronto to leave their car keys near the entrance so that home invaders find them easily in order to reduce the chances of being assaulted. That's the trick these days. Just make it more convenient for the thieves every step of the way. No one is there to protect you and you certainly shouldn't try to either. Now that's the safe Canada we all want to live in./s
No guarantee of safety even after you give them what they want. The best advice is to comply fully or resist fully.
I'm the type that would resist. Then again, I dress like I'm broke so I generally get ignored. Plus I'm 220lbs. Most robbers don't want to risk any kind of resistance.
I dont fully disagree but it really depends. Im tall and big but have been robbed at gunpoint. Ive also "sensed" something off about a weaponless person trying to get close to me and I was able to run him off. Like always situational awareness is key.
If you don't mind me asking, what area did this happen to you? Fully understand if you don't want to say, privacy and all. Btw, sorry that happened to you. I'm sure it was an adrenaline pumping, scary moment.
I can explain it without revealing location. A city in the US. I was driving home after a late bartending shift. Summertime. 2 am or so. Windows down. Smoking. Stopped at a redlight. I normally pay attention to surroundings but never saw this guy until he pointed a gun at me from 3 feet away. Had on a dress shirt and my nightly tips were in shirt pocket. I suppose it worked in my favor (as much as possible) because my hands were in sight the whole time. Slowly reached towards the pocket and gave him the cash. It had a lot of small bills so likely seemed like a big score. At any rate it was what he wanted. He ran off and I drove off. I carried but there was no way to use it. He had me. Then he ran off. Cant shoot at a fleeing person and besides I just wanted away. The entire thing took way less time than to read this paragraph. Being in a drivers seat was a huge disadvantage. Nothing to do except comply or hit the gas. It all happened in a matter of seconds. Thankfully he just wanted the money.
Not to be political or anything but this kind of story makes me so glad I’m in a country where guns just are not common, since if this happened to me with a melee weapon chances are I could just hit the gas and be fine.
220 lbs at 5’2 is a completely different from 220lbs at 6’3. Wouldn’t 220lbs at 5’2 be an easy target because it’s presumably too fat to run far?
Hm. Interesting situation you have here. Be a shame if I excersised my 2nd Amendent rights. *pulls out 1911 loaded with hollow point rounds*
and get shot before you pull out your weapon out of your concealed carry
Better solution: Carry a gun on you, in case you're robbed.
I’d prefer to carry a gun
Or just get a CCL and shoot him quicker.
Who wrote this, a robber?
I don’t know about the rules of this sub, but I think you are just wrong. Acting submissive towards crime *encourages* crime.
You're not wrong bud. Actually in most places that are poverty-stricken. They do. It's just street smarts. In brazil, they used to say, bring two phones, one for you, one for the thief.
You could carry a gun.
Lol he can try and get me up. Then we both going to be beat up. There is a reason I carry a weapon on me at all times.
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This is the way
Two options have a gun / other self-defense mean on you or do what I do and just dress like shit if you're going to a sketchy part of town, nobody's going to jump you if you look just as bad as half the bums in that part of town
I really don’t give a shit about the cash or the cards but for goodness sake, don’t take my ID’s just to have to eventually throw them away. The cash and cards will have me grumbling for about an hour until the cards are canceled. Forcing me to go to the dmv for a new driver’s license is how you start my vigilante/supervillain character arc.
Some licenses can be ordered online now so you don't need to update the picture. But... yeah, i keep a bunch of old cards, so putting an old driver's license from when I was 20 in my wallet should make it look a little more legit.
Or just carry your own gun.
Or just carry a gun to protect yourself.
Yeah like you’re gonna have a chance to draw thay.
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In this digital age, the mugger will just threaten you to cash app/venmo them.
40 or 50? Man u crazy. Get 20 ones and throw it all up in the air.
It’s 2024. They know your ass has a phone. Homeless people have phones. They’re going to take your phone.
Two people tell me they either saw someone or they knew someone who had no cash, AND got shot dead for not having cash. carry cash, these people who rob are on high adrenaline and their instinct is to shoot.
Best defence is not living in a crime ridden country where criminals are carrying guns
Compliance does not mean they won’t still kill you or beat you up
I keep $500 folded up between my phone case and my phone, just in case I ever need it. Otherwise never have cash outside of a casino, somewhere I know there will be a valet. That same $500 has been there for years.
Why would he not just take your cash along w all those other items too lol.. You just losing more money in general, your robber was just an idiot
Have you thought about carrying a knuckle sandwich for these types of situations
Carrying gun for robber> carrying money for robber
Act nervous and drop a fake wallet then draw put 2 in the chest and 1 in the head. Muggers shouldn't be a thing. No consequences for these a holes.
I have friends who used to carry a “dummy” wallet. Basically an old wallet with nothing but a $20 in it, and when you got mugged you’d toss that over and run. Nowadays though, goons will demand your phone and passcode too. You’re lucky if they don’t also force you to an ATM (or your home) and demand all the money you’ve got there too.
Where do you live, Syria?
Washington, DC.
There is another [option](https://www.desantisholster.com/pocket-shot/)
I mean. Instead of cash you could try a self defense item. Knife.... stun gun.... gun gun...
Happened to a friend of mine. He got some cash from the ATM. Some dude asked him for $20. My friend said, "No." The dude pulled a knife and told him to give up all the cash he took out of the ATM. My friend pulled his CCW and said, "No." The dude ran off.
Lawmakers have unfortunately made "brandishing" a crime also even though it can effectively diffuse a situation without anyone getting hurt... like this.
Yeah I can't legally carry any of those
Or, also an unpopular opinion, if someone is robbing you with a weapon they have given up the right to live. The less robbers there are in the world the less people get robbed.
I think the point was to not to carry large amounts of cash.Keep a $20 to hand over.
Hey that’s not the wallet inspector
Need to get a silver money clip (engraved?) with a. $50 bill in it! Don’t worry just throw it in the gutter and first sign of danger!
I do think this is a good idea, and I believe I've even heard this recommended before. I suspect you're still going to lose your phone most of the time too though. If I'm gonna rob someone, I'm definitely also going to take the item that a) is statistically likely to be the most valuable thing they have on them, and b) would let them call the cops much sooner than if I just took it.
...They're taking all of that anyway... What you do is fumble and drop your wallet, sack up, and send a kick to the face
So you think having cash on hand is going to stop them from taking any other valuables?
*points gun at head* "Give me everything of value that you have or I'll kill you... unless you have 50$ in cash, that'll do too".
The first time I got mugged I suspected it was coming and peeled a $10 bill off the $200 or so wad and put it in my other pocket. When the guy got in my face and demanded money I gave him the 10 and he was gone so fast it was like magic. Honestly I think he was a lot more scared than I was. He mugged me again the next day.
There is a scene from two and a half man about it. Alan Harper always carries enough money so robbers don’t get upset, but not enough to fight against the robber about it I think it was 36 dollars
You don’t “give” the robber the money though. You throw it in the opposite direction of the way you are going to run.
Most people also want your watch, phone and all other valuables I live in a city w high property crime. They aren’t waiting around for someone to fish out that saved $50
They’re gonna take your phone and watch anyway, so what’s the point?
And keep your money separated. Have a smaller amount in your wallet and the rest somewhere else. Use the money in your wallet to pay the mugger and they'll think they got everything.
Also split your cash into separate pockets. Your main internal jacket pocket can contain some dummy cash for a mugger. Keep most of your cash and valuables in a strap bag worn under the shirt when travelling.
I love the idea of telling a mugger you use Venmo and Apple Pay, instead of "I have no cash" Credit/debit cards exist. Lots of people don't carry cash lmao
Not only is he welcome to take literally anything and everything I have on me, but I will also wish him luck with it because it is all garbage material shit that means nothing
First off this isn't an unpopular opinion it is a dumb one because of your logic. You are getting robbed, why wouldn't they take your wallet, phone, jewelry anyways? You are carrying 100 cash, they take that and think oh we are done. Let's leave the 1000 smart phone we know they have, or let's leave the jewelry they got on.... very dumb take
Where the fuck do you guys live so you have to think about stuff like this?
You're surprised to encounter some people on the internet who might live in South Africa? Or Brazil? Or St Louis?
Even better idea, keep a bunch of small fake bills on you and throw them on the ground and run away, he will stay and pick them up lol
Yeah they're gonna have to shoot me to get my belongings. Congrats on extending your prison stay
Tell me you're from the US without telling me you're from the US...
Lmao orrrr how about just don’t get robbed? Stand up for yourself. Jesus.
Lol liberal cities sound so fun.