My Holiday Hostage Hell on Virgin1

[IainBusby]

Did anyone watch My Holiday Hostage Hell last night on Virgin1 channel. The story was about a woman in her 30's and her mother who, during a minibus journey near La Paz in Bolivia, were both kidnapped. They were forced to give their credit card pin numbers to the kidnappers and their bank accounts were systematically milked for about £3000 or so.

The thing that really both amazed and angered me about the whole story was what happened after they were released by the kidnappers and managed to get to a police station. Having no money and no access to any money through credit cards, cash machines etc, they done what any British person would do, they contacted the British Consulate.

After telling them about the ordeal they had been through and that because of this they had no money and no credit cards, they were told that the office was now closed because it was Friday night and it wouldn't be open again until Monday morning. After pleading with them that they really needed some money urgently for food, a hotel and for travel etc, they were told that the office is now closed, but if you want us to open it up to help you, you will have to pay £70 to which the woman could only reply, BUT WE HAVE NO MONEY.

Fortunately for them, when they were released, a Dutch couple who had also suffered the same ordeal were released along with them and when they contacted their Embassy they were only too willing to help; not only their own Dutch nationals, but the two British women as well.

It just goes to show, we all take it for granted that if we are really in need or if we get into trouble abroad, that the British Embassy or Consulate will be there to help....... don't count on it..... especially if it's after 5pm or over the weekend.

Iain.

[Jay&Zobel]

hehe..
yep we have watched it! so was last week's!
Backpackers beware!

and the British Embassy?!!! hmmm!!!!! grrrrrr!!! that was so unacceptable!!!

Morals:
Do not just ride in an unlicenced vehicles
Avoid backpacking hehe
Plan your trip very well & stick to it (NO DETOURS!!!!)
Inform your bank that you will be going to abroad, use credit cards coz they usually have insurance, so any fraudullent transactions will be refunded or traced.
Take care.

Poop with the kidnappers hehehe (just watch the video) lol

[ginapeterb]

Thats a good story Ian for all of us to be aware of, my advice is also, some of the help that we feel should be given by the British Embassies abroad is absolutely scandalous, my advice is not to rely on them.

Go to the Italian Embassy, the Dutch Embassy and the German Embassy, and say you would like help as a Eurozone Citizen, as you cannot get any response from the British Embassy.

I heard its a far better thing to do, and the Dutch, Belgian, German, and Italian, treat British as EURO ZONE citizens, in some cases offer better help than our own Embassy does, a thought for the future.

[IainBusby]

Thats a good story Ian for all of us to be aware of, my advice is also, some of the help that we feel should be given by the British Embassies abroad is absolutely scandalous, my advice is not to rely on them.

Go to the Italian Embassy, the Dutch Embassy and the German Embassy, and say you would like help as a Eurozone Citizen, as you cannot get any response from the British Embassy.

I heard its a far better thing to do, and the Dutch, Belgian, German, and Italian, treat British as EURO ZONE citizens, in some cases offer better help than our own Embassy does, a thought for the future.

It certainly was a real eye opener for me. As I said, I think that most people would expect that the British Embassy would be there to help at the time of need and the money issue, if there was one, would be sorted out later.
Iain.

[andypaul]

I have little faith in any office or department of the British goverment.

Even less faith after the arrest of the MP, which if it had not been for the great tradegy and loss in Mumbai, headline news.

[baboyako]

I always carry an attache case with 50 gold soverigns hidden in the spine, and a cs gas cannister that goes off if the kidnappers try and open the case with the wrong code

its not let me down yet

[andypaul]

I always carry an attache case with 50 gold soverigns hidden in the spine, and a cs gas cannister that goes off if the kidnappers try and open the case with the wrong code

its not let me down yet

Dont you have a sonic screwdriver and a inflatable aston martin?

[baboyako]

Dont you have a sonic screwdriver and a inflatable aston martin?

her name is not aston

[andypaul]

her name is not aston

My mistake but dont forget the puncture repair kit
One prick in the wrong place and you might have a deflating experience.

[Jay&Zobel]

Go to the Italian Embassy, the Dutch Embassy and the German Embassy, and say you would like help as a Eurozone Citizen, as you cannot get any response from the British Embassy. I heard its a far better thing to do, and the Dutch, Belgian, German, and Italian, treat British as EURO ZONE citizens, in some cases offer better help than our own Embassy does, a thought for the future.

we will put that in mind... maybe save their contacts also before we travel.. better be safe than be sorry..
have you heard about the ICE thing? Numbers In Case of Emenrgency? Pretty clever huh?

It certainly was a real eye opener for me. As I said, Iain.

yep definitely!

I have little faith in any office or department of the British goverment.

Even less faith after the arrest of the MP, which if it had not been for the great tradegy and loss in Mumbai, headline news.

Just sad thinking about these things... what now? to whom shall we rely on when there is a crisis (travels/holidays) the world is not getting safer everyday...

[ccgermany]

Well I am curious. I wasnt able to see the episode. There are several stories about tourists that were kidnapped and then taped up while their credit cards were drained. But sure this doesnt happen often does it? I was thinking about touring south america next year. The scenery and everything must be breathtaking. Is anyone able to talk to me who has seen the episode?

[Alan]

I hope you are reading this thread Gordon 'Useless' Brown!!

Al.