The peak season may well be drawing to a close, but tourists are renting vehicles throughout the year and fresh advice has been issued to help tourists stay safe. The Foreign Office states: “‘Highway pirates’ target foreign-registered and hire cars, especially those towing caravans. They may flag you down, claiming there is something wrong with your car or that you have damaged theirs. If you decide to stop to check the condition of a vehicle, stop in a public area with lights, such as a service station. Be wary of anyone offering help.
“When driving, be wary of approaches from people posing as plainclothes police in unmarked cars. In all traffic-related matters, police officers will usually be in uniform. Unmarked police vehicles have a flashing electronic sign on the rear window saying ‘Policía’ or ‘Guardia Civil’. Genuine police will only ask you to show vehicle documents – not to hand over your bag or wallet.”
And, adding to that, car thieves have developed sophisticated methods for spotting rental cars, making them prime targets for theft and break-ins. Kazimieras Urbonas, an automotive industry expert at Ovoko, one of Europe’s largest online marketplaces for used car parts, has explained how these criminals operate and what travellers can do to protect themselves.
Apparently, criminals have become adept at spotting rental vehicles, and the signs are often obvious to those who know what to look for. The most common giveaways include visible barcodes stuck to windows or windscreens, rental company stickers, and branded keychains left dangling from the ignition, reports the Liverpool Echo. So be careful. There is also the old trick of people getting caught while loading up their hire cars are airports so, as the saying goes, ‘don’t talk to strangers’.