Cozumel ATM warning

[Duke Dive Medicine]

... from the VP of National Baromedical Services who's vacationing in Coz right now. This info is dated 6/6/13 and probably won't be valid for long, but for what it's worth:

Beware tourists In Cozumel the ATM on the main street adjacent to the cruise ship dock will skim your card! Somebody just depleted my entire checking account yesterday from another ATM in Cancun owned by Banco Azteca! Thankfully BoA should refund my money in a few days but for now sorry bill collectors for bounced checks

 

[deeper thoughts]

thnx.

 

[diverokc]

Never use the stand alone atms- i either go to chedraui or mega. The stand alone ATM's that dispense US dollars are a total ripoff. You pay the exchange rate twice. I had a freind use on and to get out $300 US it charged $60 dollars in fees.

 

[Ron Lee]

What was the name on the ATM?

I also have a separate "travel" account, with its own ATM card, that has limited funds in it.

 

[Christi]

Anyone that uses those stand alone ATM's, especially not associated with a bank, especially across from the cruise ship dock is asking for trouble! I didn't say they deserve it - but it's just not a good idea and I wouldn't use those with or without a warning! These are targeting unsuspecting tourists! Even without a skimmer, the fees they charge are reprehensible and would never be legal anywhere else!

Sorry this happened to him!

 

[Mossman]

I simply don't get it about Cozumel. Sure, I know that in general, Mexican law enforcement is lax and corrupt. But you'd think in Cozumel, with such dependency on tourism for the island economy, that the police don't get their act together. Stop taxi fraud. Stop PEMEX fraud. Stop ATM fraud. How hard could it be? They get one report of stolen money at an ATM and they tear it out. Reports of taxi driver ripoffs? Pull their license, I'm sure there are plenty of wannabe drivers to take their place. But no, nada. Crime pays.

With all the "legalized" crime that abounds on the island, I can only believe that violent crime against tourists is next. After all, it's not like that would be punishable anymore than the financial crimes.

 

[TCDiver1]

Too bad. Coz used to be such low crime place to visit. Cash and travelers checks were king and Cozumelians took great pride in being honest and helpful to us divers. I miss the old Cozumel.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Only in banks! I was hit several times by the ATMs at Mega and Chedraui so don't trust them either

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[Mossman]

Only in banks! I was hit several times by the ATMs at Mega and Chedraui so don't trust them either

That's even lamer. Why would Mega and Chedraui participate in the fraud? What's keeping the banks honest?

 

[blue steal]

Hey Mossman, I was burned once at Chedraui at the ATM. It never gave out any money, but said that it had. Called my bank back home and got it cleared up right away. So when I go now, I have a friend who lives in East LA and he just gets me all the pesos I need and at a good rate.