Making Mealtime Meaningful: Discover how we're giving back with the 12T Cares program →

As smartphones only get more and more expensive, there are more and more people who are going to look to steal them from you.

Thieves are never going to stop and that’s why we have to take the proper steps to protect ourselves. Pickpockets are only getting more resourceful as time passes, which is something that we all have to keep in mind.

Photo: YouTube/EasyGoFar

Brazil is having an especially rough go of it as of late. The pickpockets are no longer content to catch people slipping, they are actively working together to steal smartphones from unsuspecting people. It does not matter how savvy of a traveler you may think you are. This type of theft can and will happen to you if you are not careful.

These words are not meant to send you into a panic. There are ways to avoid these types of occurrences and that is where this video comes into play.

Photo: YouTube/EasyGoFar

It helps to watch the video because it shows how the thieves are teaming up to make life harder for those who wish to use their smartphones while they are out in public. It makes you wonder how often they are practicing these tactics.

After all, it is not like they are coming up with these ideas on the spot. These methods have to be tried out through trial and error. For example, there is one trick that they pull that is particularly galling. There is one clip where they are seen shoving one victim from behind so that the other thief can run up and swipe their phone on the spot.

Photo: YouTube/EasyGoFar

In some instances, the thief will hand their stolen phone off to a different accomplice and then they move on to the next victim. We have to imagine that this is lucrative work if you can get it. That’s why we all need to keep our heads on a swivel and be sure to pay close attention for all of the most common warning signs.

Check out the video below:

As the video explains, it is not in your best interests to take your phone out in areas that are well known for thievery. Otherwise, you could be a sitting duck for any one of these schemes. Sure, you might want to answer that text right now but for the most part? You should be keeping your phone in your pocket until it is safe.