About 10 years ago I was in the Richmond, Virginia, airport and was caught in the "escalator" scam: when I neared the top, the woman in front of me stumbled off the escalator and fell. As I helped her up, her accomplice unzipped my handbag (it had a long strap, so my handbag was at hip level) and took my wallet. A few weeks earlier I had been told about the scam from a friend and promptly forgot about it, but something must have triggered my memory, as I realized within seconds what had happened. I started yelling very loudly that my wallet was missing. A man came up to me and handed back my wallet and said, "You must have dropped it." They hadn't had time to take any money or credit cards out, so I was very lucky!

Patricia Hilton-Johnson, Cottisford, Oxfordshire,

It is not just first class carriages that get hit. In July coming from Amsterdam Schipol airort with only 4 stops I had my brief case stolen from the overhead rack. I blame myself as train is not an aircraft. People get on and off. Be careful.After the event, so many people told me that this happens regulary, including Dutch Police. They were wonderful and very helpful I must add

Ron Frowd, Bangkok, Thailand

Why do the corporate thieves of the travel world keep ripping the UK public off? As I once again prepare to book a USA holiday next year at peak time the price hikes have to be seen to be believed.WHY?!? It is no more expensive to fly a plane to the USA in July than it is in March. Neither do most US hotels increase their rates at UK school holidays as the UK travel industry does.Can your revered paper not campaign against this theft or is upsetting the big boys (and getting freebies) a no no?

michael hindhaugh, amble, northumberland