Unfortunately, wherever one travels in the world, be it 50 miles to the nearest city or to the other side of the world, exposure to crime remains a threat. The protective measures one may take remain the same virtually regardless of the destination.
Awareness is the first step.
The traveler should be aware of the predominant types of crime native to the proposed destination. Knowing what scams or types of crime are currently popular, we can advise of special precautions specific to a given area. But awareness is also a moment by moment thing. To really enjoy a new setting the traveler must pay attention to surroundings. And surroundings include people.