Crime, Safety, and the Police

[Ctytek]

You probably just need a Mexican SIM in order for this to work. Might be worth investing into one for this reason.

From https://www.bajanorte.com/en/assistance-078 :

AUTHORITY ABUSE.
If you feel you have been mistreated by any public official or authority applying the law, you can file a complaint with the State Secretariat of Tourism of Baja California. Please be sure to get the name of the person, agency, license and / or identification card number or patrol car as well as the place and time of the incident to report it immediately. To our Toll Free Number Travel Information & Assistance 078 or the following email assistance@baja.gob.mx

If harassed by Tijuana pigs always get their car license plate and badge IDs, and report these fuckers.

Thats a great question. I hope someone has the right answer. I have had to borrow a phone to call the emergency number. On one occasion I started dialing 078 on my phone even though I knew it would not work. But the bluff worked and the policia backed off.

[Artisttyp]

Thats a great question. I hope someone has the right answer. I have had to borrow a phone to call the emergency number. On one occasion I started dialing 078 on my phone even though I knew it would not work. But the bluff worked and the policia backed off.

Unfortunately this site doesn't load up images into the text but here is part of it:

Some Helpful Tips:

078 - Tourist Assistance Hotline.

Línea de Asistencia Turística Estatal.

What does this service provide?

A line that provides information, guidance, advice and support to any situation that the tourist visiting Baja California may need, it operates 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Access is via cell phones, conventional or public phone throughout the whole State.

How does it work?

It is a call center operation, served by bilingual staff, highly qualified that provide a service that supports their performance by using the latest technology in communications.

It consists of 12 call protocols for assistance and 5 protocols for emergency situations. Which guarantee an effective coordination with the command centers 066 (the equivalent of 911 in the USA), with state coverage to attend any emergency situation.

Services provided:

Tourist information through out 8 national and international lines which work 7 days a week from 7:00 AM a 7:00 PM.

CITY.

800 NATIONAL.

800 INTERNATIONAL.

TIJUANA 1-800-028-0888 1-888-775-2417.

ROSARITO 1-800-027-3137 1-800-962-BAJA.

ENSENADA 1-800-025-3991 1-800-310-9687.

MEXICALI 1-800-025-5887 1-888-342-7323.

Assistance during your stay at Baja California dialing 078.

Other emergency numbers.

Emergencias 066 Emergencies - 066 Bomberos de Tijuana Tijuana Firefighters - (664) 685-5556.

Comisióand Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana CESPT - 073 Comisióand Federal de Electricidad CFE - 071.

Procuraduría General de la República PGR - (664) 633-6800 Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor PROFECO - 01 800 468 8722.

Cruz Roja Mexicana Mexican Red Cross - 066 Hospital General de Tijuana Hospital General de Tijuana - (664) 684-0922.

Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social IMSS - (664) 629-6345 al 47 Instituto de Seguridad why Servicios Sociales de LOS Trabajadores del Estado ISSSTE - (664) 681-4741 al 44.

AND:

Mexico Calling: How To Dial To and From Mexico.

Calling Mexico and making calls from Mexico.

BY SUZANNE BARBEZAT.

Updated 07/10/18.

Public pay phone in Mexico.

•••.

If you're planning a trip to Mexico, you may need to make a call in advance to reserve a hotel room or get some information about tours or activities you're planning to do during your trip. Once you're there, you might like to call home to connect with your loved ones, or deal with any issues that come up that may need your attention. Making these calls may require the use of different dialing codes from the ones you're accustomed to. Don't worry, though. We've got you covered. Here's a look at how to dial to and from Mexico.

How to make phone calls to and from Mexico.

•••.

Mexico Country Code.

The country code for Mexico is 52. When calling a Mexican phone number from the USA Or Canada, you should dial 011 + 52 + area code + phone number. If you're calling a cell phone, you'll need to add a 1 after the 52, so you would dial 011 + 52 + 1 + area code + phone number.

Area Codes.

In the three largest cities of Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey), the area code is two digits and phone numbers are eight digits, whereas in the rest of the country, area codes are three digits and phone numbers are seven digits.

These are the area codes for Mexico's three largest cities:

Mexico City 55.

Guadalajara 33.

Monterrey 81.

Long-distance calls from within Mexico.

For national long-distance calls within Mexico, the code is 01 plus the area code and phone number.

For international long-distance calls originating in Mexico, first dial 00, then the country code (for the USA And Canada the country code is 1, so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number).

Country Codes.

USA And Canada 1.

United Kingdom 44.

Australia 61.

New Zealand 64.

South Africa 27.

Calling Cell Phones.

If you're within the area code of the Mexican cell phone number you wish to call, you should dial 044, then the area code, then the phone number. Mexican cell phones are under a plan called "el que llama paga," which means that the person who makes the call pays for it, so calls to cell phones cost more than calls to regular land line phone numbers. Outside of the area code that you're dialing (but still within Mexico) you would first dial 045 and then the 10 digit phone number. To call a Mexican cell phone from outside the country you would dial as if to a land line but adding the 1 after the country code 011-52-1 and then the area code and number.

If you're adding a Mexican cell phone to your Whatsapp contacts, instead of adding 011, you should enter a plus sign before the country code, then a 1 before the area code and phone number.

More information about using a cell phone in Mexico.

Pay Phones and Phone Cards.

Although pay phones are becoming less common in Mexico, as in most places, you should still be able to find them around if you look carefully, and they offer an inexpensive way to contact home (or make a call when your cell phone battery is dead). Many pay phones are located on busy street corners, making it difficult to hear. You can also look in large stores like Sanborns. They'll often have a pay phone near the public restrooms. And they tend to be much quieter.

Phone cards ("tarjetas telefonicas") for use in pay phones can be bought at newstands and in pharmacies in denominations of 30,50 and 100 pesos. Public telephones in Mexico do not accept coins. When buying a phone card for pay phone use, specify that you would like a "tarjeta LADA" or "tarjeta TELMEX" because pre-paid cell phone cards ("TELCEL") are also sold in the same establishments.

Calling from a pay phone is the most economical way to call, though long-distance phone calls tend to be more expensive from Mexico than from most other countries. Other options include calling from a "caseta telefonica," a business that has telephone and fax service, or from your hotel. Hotels often add a surcharge for these calls, so they're not the best option if you're traveling on a budget.

Emergency and Useful Phone Numbers.

Keep these phone numbers close at hand for any emergencies that might occur. You do not need a phone card to call 3-digit emergency numbers from a pay phone. The emergency number used to be 066 but Mexico has switched to 911 so that they are using the same system as the United States and Canada, so for any emergency assistance you can dial 911 to get an emergency operator who will transfer you to the appropriate service. Also see what to do in an emergency in Mexico.

Directory assistance 040.

Tourist protection and information 01 800 903 9200 or 01 800 987 8224, from the USA And Canada 1 800 482 9232 or 1 800 401 3880.

[Baxter Slade]

How does one dial 078 with a US phone. ? What sort of response have people been getting from the tourist info employees. Also do they have any authority and how much good does it do....?

Earlier this year I was in the alley and cops stopped and searched me for no reason. The outrageous thing was that when I tried pulling out my cell phone and wallet they objected. It's unbelievable they use this bogus excuse that they need to search your wallet. The funny part was that they were disappointed when they did not find anything on me.

Thats a great question. I hope someone has the right answer. I have had to borrow a phone to call the emergency number. On one occasion I started dialing 078 on my phone even though I knew it would not work. But the bluff worked and the policia backed off.

[Hargow20]

How does one dial 078 with a US phone. ? What sort of response have people been getting from the tourist info employees. Also do they have any authority and how much good does it do....?

Earlier this year I was in the alley and cops stopped and searched me for no reason. The outrageous thing was that when I tried pulling out my cell phone and wallet they objected. It's unbelievable they use this bogus excuse that they need to search your wallet. The funny part was that they were disappointed when they did not find anything on me.

It was Wednesday night, the weather was nice, and I decided to walk back to Hotel Ticuan and check out the action on Rev.

I was walking up on Constitucion while headed to Primera. There were plenty of other men walking the same sidewalk, but I was the only Gringo.

A monkey car passed me going the opposite direction and I thought to myself, "Fuck me!" Sure as shit, the monkey car stopped. I heard the first monkey yelling, "Sir, sir, sir. " I continued walking.

Then the second monkey starting yelling for me to stop, which I did. This was the conversation:

Monkey: Show me your ID.

Me: Why?

Monkey: Give me your ID now.

Me: OK, but why did you stop me?

Monkey: While looking at my passport card, "What are you doing here?

Me: I'm a tourist and spending money here to support your economy.

Second monkey: Come over to the car, we need to search you.

Me: Why, what did I do wrong?

Second monkey: We need to check you for drugs.

Me: I'm a tourist, old, and don't use or buy drugs.

Second monkey: (Again) Come over to the car, we need to search you.

Me: I'm sorry, I am still confused why you stopped me.

At that point, both of the monkeys and I were frustrated. That is when I pulled out my phone and started dialing 078.

Second monkey: What are you doing?

Me: I'm calling 078 for tourist assistance.

Second monkey: You need to respect my job!

Me: I do respect you and your job, but you also need to respect me.

Second monkey: OK, you can go, but be careful because this area is dangerous.

Me: Thank you sir.

All of the conversation was in English and I was polite the entire time.

These banners are all over Rev.

[Travv]

I've heard some people use their smartphones to photograph their passport cards and passport so as to keep the real ones safe back in your room and just use the passport photo on the smartphone. Once a passport photocopy worked for me at the border. The border agent typed in my passport number from the photocopy in the computer and let me through when I forgot my passport.

For those into Mexican doom porn, see http://mexicovacationawareness.com/mexicostory.html Stories from tourists to Cancun and other Mexican vacation sights with every type of ripoff and shakedown story you can imagine. Standard scam in Cancun apparently is a 5 star all-inclusive hotel, drinks spiked with GHB, then the female tourist is raped by the bartender and the male tourist is robbed of his wallet while unconscious. When they wake up, they then taken to the local Cancun hospital for treatment, which then imprisons them at $5 k per day, watched by armed security, until they pay their hospital bill. With accusations that the hotel gets kickbacks from the hospital. Worth reading because you learn to avoid Mexican hospitals because they will not accept your American health insurance, cash only, which you will not have because you lost your wallet to the local policia, muggers or bartenders with GHB, so you are completely doomed with no way to pay the hospital bill and no way to leave.

Yes either one should be good. I have heard stories of corrupt cops trying to hold on to your ID as a form of ransom. So once I'm settled in I keep my passport card in the safe and carry an expired DL as ID.

[Ctytek]

Interesting. I wonder what dialing that number to complain about police harassment would actually do.

It was Wednesday night, the weather was nice, and I decided to walk back to Hotel Ticuan and check out the action on Rev.

At that point, both of the monkeys and I were frustrated. That is when I pulled out my phone and started dialing 078.

Second monkey: What are you doing?

Me: I'm calling 078 for tourist assistance.

[TomJackin]

Great story on how to handle a shakedown. Did they ever get there clammy hands into your pockets?

No, I was standing on the sidewalk that had an extra high curb. I never stepped down and they never stepped up.

[Baxter Slade]

Great story on how to handle a shakedown. Did they ever get there clammy hands into your pockets?

[TomJackin]

It was Wednesday night, the weather was nice, and I decided to walk back to Hotel Ticuan and check out the action on Rev.

I was walking up on Constitucion while headed to Primera. There were plenty of other men walking the same sidewalk, but I was the only Gringo.

A monkey car passed me going the opposite direction and I thought to myself, "Fuck me!" Sure as shit, the monkey car stopped. I heard the first monkey yelling, "Sir, sir, sir. " I continued walking.

Then the second monkey starting yelling for me to stop, which I did. This was the conversation:

Monkey: Show me your ID.

Me: Why?

Monkey: Give me your ID now.

Me: OK, but why did you stop me?

Monkey: While looking at my passport card, "What are you doing here?

Me: I'm a tourist and spending money here to support your economy.

Second monkey: Come over to the car, we need to search you.

Me: Why, what did I do wrong?

Second monkey: We need to check you for drugs.

Me: I'm a tourist, old, and don't use or buy drugs.

Second monkey: (Again) Come over to the car, we need to search you.

Me: I'm sorry, I am still confused why you stopped me.

At that point, both of the monkeys and I were frustrated. That is when I pulled out my phone and started dialing 078.

Second monkey: What are you doing?

Me: I'm calling 078 for tourist assistance.

Second monkey: You need to respect my job!

Me: I do respect you and your job, but you also need to respect me.

Second monkey: OK, you can go, but be careful because this area is dangerous.

Me: Thank you sir.

All of the conversation was in English and I was polite the entire time.

These banners are all over Rev.

[Baxter Slade]

Us drivers license or passport card count as ID in Mexico?

Yes either one should be good. I have heard stories of corrupt cops trying to hold on to your ID as a form of ransom. So once I'm settled in I keep my passport card in the safe and carry an expired DL as ID.

[CountryMan54]

Agree! And, this is a great reason to get the passport CARD. I never carry my passport into Mexico. I just got stopped while walking last night; more to follow.

You guys are a lot of help on this board thank you!

[TomJackin]

Not necessarily a passport but you must carry ID.

Agree! And, this is a great reason to get the passport CARD. I never carry my passport into Mexico. I just got stopped while walking last night; more to follow.

[CountryMan54]

Not necessarily a passport but you must carry ID.

Us drivers license or passport card count as ID in Mexico?

[Baxter Slade]

Once you have crossed the border do you need to have your passport on you at all times?

Not necessarily a passport but you must carry ID.

[ClamSlammer]

Once you have crossed the border do you need to have your passport on you at all times?

Not specifically your passport but you are required by law to carry government issued identification at all times so carry at least your drivers license. If you are stopped and searched and don't have an ID on you you're definitely going to get threatened with jail unless you can pay a cash fine on the spot.