Warning about using anything but CASH

[Gale in KY]

Ok, for years, I have preached about the dangers and lack of wisdom in using ATM's and Credit Cards in Mexico. No, Don't do it..that's what I always say. This time around, I broke my own rules. Used my CC twice. Now, I have several not so nice charges to dispute on my statement. The card cloaners are alive and well in Mexico and working very hard to ensure they can use your credit/debit cards whenever they choose, so use caution when you use your credit card...As for debit cards, all I can say is NO DON"T DO IT!

Credit cards offer some measure of protection, but once money is out of your bank account via debit card, it is a whole ball of worms to get it back and it can literally take months.

If you don't have a credit card, most banks offer Visa or Mastercard "gift cards"..that you load with a certain amount of cash but are afforded the same protections as a regular credit card.

Don't let your guard down. It's very easy to do with a bit of tequilla and good company in paradise...but don't do it...be on guard always.

[AdGuy]

So sorry you received some extra charges. With the exception of Walmart, I've always avoided credit/debit card use and actually only use cash. We split up our USDs into several $200 groups and convert them to pesos in PDC on the way down. Haven't lost a peso yet.

[Gale in KY]

Oddly enough, that is what I ALWAYS DO Lee, but this time I didn't heed my own advice and the charges are racking up..about $400 right now..just called to cancel the card and do the necessary stuff to dispute the charges.

I won't even take a card with me next trip, just cash. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Won't be a second time around.

The same thing happens here at home too, so always be cautious when using credit and/or debit cards and be sure to monitor their activity.

[Julie in PA]

We always call our credit card and bank to let them know that we will be traveling out of the country and we check our transactions on-line as soon as we return home. We have never had a problem (fingers crossed) – but we don’t tend to use our credit card for very much either – just the car rental and maybe at Wal Mart on the way down and the airport on the way home.

[kimba]

I don't take cash with me but I only use my ATM/Debit card at the bank ATM, never in stores or at the hotels or restaurants. Every few days I hit the bank and get enough money to cover me for awhile. The good thing about Mexico is that a little cash can go a long way.

If you do use your ATM/Debit card while you travel, even if only at the bank ATM, you want to make sure that you DON'T have overdraft protection into a savings account. Otherwise 'they' can drain both accounts dry. And yes, you'll likely get it back, eventually, but what a hassle.

[Lynnette]

Do you know where you used your card, Gale? I hope that narrows things down! Mexico has ALWAYS been high on the cc fraud list, but, the more Tulum develops, there will be more crime and scams. I've seen the same thing happen on Isla Mujeres....the % of scams goes up. More tourist, more opportunities.

We rarely have used a cc in Mexico, and luckily the few times we found it necessary, no fraudulent charges. Something else to check for.....some credit cards have a fee for using them in a foreign country. Best advise......listen to Gale and don't use them at all!!! Sorry this happened to you, chica. :(

[lazydog]

I read somewhere that if you do use your debit/atm card the first thing to do when you get back and you should do it regularly at home is to change the pin number. I had the same pin number for over 20 years but this time I changed it after our last trip to Mexico. In Canada we use debit for everything, people use it more than cash. I have noticed that when we go to Bellingham WA, not as many people use it and stores still accept checks, (or cheques). There is no place that I can think of here that would ever accept a cheque except maybe a landlord. Is that the same in other places in the US?

[cobeachgirl]

Wow Gail, that really stinks & you only used it twice. Geez! We stuck with cash only this past trip although I was so neurotic about always checking to make sure I didn't leave it laying around! I guess the extra headache of watching all the cash is maybe worth not dealing with un-doing the credit/debit mess.

[Gale in KY]

Yes, only used it twice, at Copal for a massage and at La Zebra for dinner. It's an aggrevation that I could have avoided if I had just used the cash I was carrying, but as usual, I tend to run low at the end of a visit..lol...and decided to use the card instead. Bad move on my part. I know better. Cash is best in a cash based country like Mexico.

I know what you mean Cobeachgirl, it is a pain in the..well you know, to keep up with cash, especially when you are using small bills..(BR, I can hear you laughing at my $1 bills..heehee)

[cobeachgirl]

Exactly, my DH giggles at me with all my small bills as well; I guess I go a little overboard. We paid our food & drink tab at Zahra w/a cc so I'll have him check it.

[james]

It sucks that you had a problem, for sure, but I must say that I've not had a single issue in 14 years of using debit cards in Mexico, on a daily basis (living there full time for that whole period), so I can't really support a warning against their use entirely, just that they are used safely.

What I do: I use my debit card at the ATM, pay with cash, I use the debit card at the grocery store and other points of sale where the transaction is visible. I don't give my card away and let it wander around in someone else's care.

[Gale in KY]

Good point James, I won't say "don't use them at all"., but I will say if you use them, do so safely by monitoring the activity on your credit card or debit card as the charges post etc. I personally won't risk it again when there's a viable alternative, using cash.

I just have great luck..lol.

[La Luna]

Did you get in touch with La Zebra & Copal??
Where are those extra charges made??
You only used it twice, so you might be able to figure out what/where went wrong!

I never have any problems, I haven't used my CC much and I only use my Debit card at ATM's. The only warning which I can give all of you:
watch out when the atm is not giving you the money, it might still be taken out of your account! It happened 5 times with me here in Tulum, I was trying to get out an certain amount of money, the ATM starts counting, but will not give me the money..... If you go to the bank, they can see that the transaction was canceled, but still it will be taken out of your account... After a few weeks you might automatically receive back the money from your own back... when they are notified about the cancellations I always notify my bank and they will deposit back my money right away, all based on trust.


hasta luego

[benb]

I'm glad you bank was trusting. Did this happen at one particular ATM or different ones?

[La Luna]

I have been using Bancomer most of the time, this is were it happened!

[beachreader]

Oh no, Gale! I'm just checking in for a minute and saw this. Oh, that's so terrible. Is there any way to find out if it was at Copal or La Zebra? I mean, at Copal we were sitting right there and she called it in in front of us, so I'd guess La Zebra on that busy busy night. God that sucks, I'm so sorry.

I'll go and check the cc I used at Copal to make sure nothing's funny there, but other than that, I just used cash. I don't use debit cards for anything other than ATMs, so I don't even know how that works. At least with a credit card, you can dispute the charges before you've actually paid for them!

Your trip was way too short to have to deal with this kind of crapola; I really hope it gets straightened out soon!