Atm card compromised in cozumel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zeagle Eagle]

Lol....

 

[ccannon707]

I did the get a BOA account and then use Santander ATM for FREE. Now that has stopped, so back to the drawing board.

I'm in the same boat re BofA and Santander. I toyed with opening a Charles Schwab account (free ATM card, no fee, they refund all fees from foreign ATM transactions) and still might. For my trip in June I took more dollars than usual and went to Santander 1x for pesos & 1x to a Casa de Cambio. Santander and BofA still have a "relationship" in that you avoid the non BofA ATM usage fee by going there. You are charged the 3% International Transaction fee.... sigh. It's the pits but not fatal to a visitor.... though mighty pricey if you spends months &/or live there. Scotia Bank is also on the "approved" list for BofA but I didn't try there. My hotel gives me a better rate if I pay in dollars. For some of my diving I use a credit card. I pay in pesos for my many small purchases. All in all it worked for me.

 

[lthomas132]

My dive buddy had the same problem last year in Cozumel. I tried warning.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/463152-atm-warning.html

 

[cvchief]

I'm in the same boat re BofA and Santander. I toyed with opening a Charles Schwab account (free ATM card, no fee, they refund all fees from foreign ATM transactions) and still might.

I heard about the Schawb thing, but I have not researched it.

For my trip in June I took more dollars than usual and went to Santander 1x for pesos & 1x to a Casa de Cambio.

The cambio thing though seems like not that good? I used Xoom to send money to Electra for a friend to pick up and I got 13.00 and paid a 4.99 fee. The cambio was only giving like 12.45. With the amount I sent, I saved like 1,000 pesos. I think I am going to try to Xoom myself some money when I am there next month and see how that works. Of course the 4.99 fee is set, so you have to sent enough at a time to overcome that.

Watch the centavos and the pesos will take care of themselves!!

 

[Christi]

My experiences in Cozumel I've NEVER had to use pesos, their economy is centered on tourism (especially American tourists) so the US $ is highly valued/used there. When I spend US dollars there, the vendors give me change back in PESOS !!! (I'd rather have my change back in US $ !!! ) The locals prefer US $ !!! The only reason I'd use pesos in Cozumel is to get a better exchange rate, as typically it's about a 13:1 ratio (pesos to dollars) but if you pay for anything in US $ they round it to 10:1 (pesos to dollars)

I haven't been back since 2010, so I hadn't heard about that new law on having to give change back to the customer in exactly the same currency the purchase was made in. (which I prefer anyway)

A lot has changed in 4 years. No one but the taxis really use 10:1 anymore - that really has become the exception to the rule. True, most vendors will work the exchange rate to their benefit - but even then, most are using 11.5 - 12.5 now as a general rule. If you pay in dollars, you get dollars back at any of the large stores like Mega, Chedraui, etc.

It is not necessarily better for us to accept USD all the time because we have to pay a special tax on anything over $1500usd per month that we deposit - which has to be done to cover business expenses as most now have to be paid through a bank account. Of course most of us will still welcome dollars or pesos.

---------- Post added August 24th, 2014 at 09:41 AM ----------

That is good. A lot of banks seem to use the fee and a percentage.

Yep - BOA and Wells Fargo charge a 3% fee - no more flat fees.

---------- Post added August 24th, 2014 at 09:47 AM ----------

Jeez, lighten up. I never said it was exclusive to COZ. One would have to be an idiot to think that. ATM security is an issue all over the world.

I have been diving COZ for over 25 years and I love the place. I am not trying to paint it with a tainted brush. I am probably going back next week. I am merely reporting the facts as I see them. It's important that our fellow divers know about the hazards of using the ATM's especially the one's I mentioned. Even the ones connected to a Bank. I had two bogus withdrawals by a Scotia Bank which I am protesting. I also ended up with a few charges from Juarez where I have never been. It occurred on the same day my card was comprised.

Some how reading your post you think it was my fault. Somehow because I didn't read any warning it's my fault. It's not. If the cashola machines are such a rip off why don't the Police shut them down? Would you rather me not say anything at all. Please don't try to paint Cozumel with a rainbow brush because it has it's problems too.

Hmmm - "Watch your cards in COZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I was being polite and trying to help - not blaming you, simply pointing out that too bad you hadn't seen all of the warnings - clearly this is your issue, I was only trying to help. Sorry you are having a bad day - I hope it gets better.

 

[Mossman]

I'm in the same boat re BofA and Santander. I toyed with opening a Charles Schwab account (free ATM card, no fee, they refund all fees from foreign ATM transactions) and still might. For my trip in June I took more dollars than usual and went to Santander 1x for pesos & 1x to a Casa de Cambio. Santander and BofA still have a "relationship" in that you avoid the non BofA ATM usage fee by going there. You are charged the 3% International Transaction fee.... sigh. It's the pits but not fatal to a visitor.... though mighty pricey if you spends months &/or live there. Scotia Bank is also on the "approved" list for BofA but I didn't try there. My hotel gives me a better rate if I pay in dollars. For some of my diving I use a credit card. I pay in pesos for my many small purchases. All in all it worked for me.

Scotiabank is only "approved" for "Canada, Peru, Chile, and the Caribbean countries". In Mexico, apparently it's Santander only. I used Scotiabank because the Santander machine at Mega was down and ended up with a $4.66 fee.

My 2,000 peso withdrawal cost me $155.22 + $4.66, effectively netting me 12.51/dollar. At the same time, Chase was giving me 12.96/dollar for my charges, no international transaction fee.

 

[Zeagle Eagle]

A lot has changed in 4 years. No one but the taxis really use 10:1 anymore - that really has become the exception to the rule. True, most vendors will work the exchange rate to their benefit - but even then, most are using 11.5 - 12.5 now as a general rule. If you pay in dollars, you get dollars back at any of the large stores like Mega, Chedraui, etc.

It is not necessarily better for us to accept USD all the time because we have to pay a special tax on anything over $1500usd per month that we deposit - which has to be done to cover business expenses as most now have to be paid through a bank account. Of course most of us will still welcome dollars or pesos.

---------- Post added August 24th, 2014 at 09:41 AM ----------



Yep - BOA and Wells Fargo charge a 3% fee - no more flat fees.

---------- Post added August 24th, 2014 at 09:47 AM ----------



Hmmm - "Watch your cards in COZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I was being polite and trying to help - not blaming you, simply pointing out that too bad you hadn't seen all of the warnings - clearly this is your issue, I was only trying to help. Sorry you are having a bad day - I hope it gets better.

I accept your apology.

 

[Pearlman]

Some tips for my fellow Divers - STOP using ATM cards in Cozumel or Cancun or anywhere in Mexico. Even ATM machines in hotel lobbies are compromised.

See: Tracking a Bluetooth Skimmer Gang in Mexico

Pearlman

 

[mediumone]

Some tips for my fellow Divers - STOP using ATM cards in Cozumel or Cancun or anywhere in Mexico. Even ATM machines in hotel lobbies are compromised.

See: Tracking a Bluetooth Skimmer Gang in Mexico

Pearlman

What a load of crap article.

Worse, I think you know it.

 

[DandyDon]

Some tips for my fellow Divers - STOP using ATM cards in Cozumel or Cancun or anywhere in Mexico. Even ATM machines in hotel lobbies are compromised.

See: Tracking a Bluetooth Skimmer Gang in Mexico

Pearlman

Thank you for that warning from India. Have you ever been to Mexico?

Regardless, the bank ATMs are relatively safe to use. Sadly, Mexico does allow ATMs not associated with banks, and those are risky - expensive even when not stealing otherwise. Besides, ATM cardholders in the US at least are protected by their banks. Maybe not so over there...???