Crime, Safety, and the Police

[Captain Solo]

YYZ.

With credit cards, merchants are supposed to check IDs before accepting payments. Pizza Huts did not check IDs for $400 worth of pizzas bought with my AMEX card. So they will have to eat the loss.

Debit cards require PIN to withdraw cash. I checked Caretta's ATMs but found nothing suspicious; the machines looked new and intact. I read some ATMs workers install skimming devices inside the machines to steal cards infos and PINs, then sell them to thieves. When people are hungry, they will do bad things. It's impossible for ATMs companies to secure all their workers who repair and load cash into the machines. I had no problem using my Schwab card to draw cash all over Asia last year, but 2020 is different with CoVid19. After so many problems in the last 3 years, I concluded It's not safe to use cards in any bank anywhere in Mexico.

If you stick to a strict budget, you may be missing out on a lot of hot girls. That's why HK and all bars have ATMs at their doors to help you bag your dream girls. Hehe.

[Captain Solo]

Amcaps,

My Schwab debit card shows $600 taken from the account but it has been blocked. I cannot access card features.

Would be nice to unfreeze the card to withdraw money then freeze it again until next use.

The thieves must have installed cards skimming devices inside the ATMs to steal cards' info and PINs. Insiders with access would have to open the machines up and allow thieves to install them. It would be hard for banks to monitor and control all their workers. With all these card thefts I don't know how banks and card companies can survive.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[Captain Solo]

In 2019 I traveled all over Asia, used the Schwab card to withdraw money everywhere I went, never had a problem. It was impossible to carry lots of cash on long trips, especially where you cannot find banks to exchange money. ATMs are the most convenient means to withdraw local currencies.

This was the fourth time I used it at the ATM in front of La Caretta. Within 2 weeks, thieves hacked the card and withdrew over $600 in Dominican Republic.

Last Wednesday bank exchange rate was 22:1 but most cambios in Tijuana gave only 19:1. For $150 I should have gotten 3,300 pesos but got only 2. 865, lost 435 pesos or about 13% compared to banks. Banks' rate is a lot better. We need to find secured ATMs. Banks on Revo are closed. Will try Sarriano in the plaza on Revo.

[Jinxx]

Sunday before last week I withdrew pesos from the ATM next to La Caretta, the only transaction with that card in months. This morning thieves made 4 withdrawals totaling over $600 in a village somewhere in Europe. Last weekend that machine was out of service. So the ATMs in front of La Caretta's are definitely hacked. I used debit cards in HK and Cascada many years with no problems. The unguarded ATMs are probably all hacked.

Last month I used AMEX in Azul's. A few days later some thieves used it to buy hundreds dollar worth of pizzas at Pizza Huts in Missouri. Not 100% sure because I use it online a lot, but Azul's terminal may also be rigged. I hope instead of chasing hoes and mongers on the streets, LE investigate and prosecute these thieves.

ATMs, debit cards, credit cards are no longer safe anywhere. Don't know how banks and card companies settle these losses. While I am not liable, I hate to see card companies lose money to thieves. Will bring cash and exchange in Tijuana in the future. Safer.

I've had good luck with the ATM's that are west of HK entrance with a glass door entrance and has a guard at night some times. I've used those ATM's several times without issues.

The outdoor ATM's by Adelita's are the dirtiest ones. I tried to pull out 3000 and not only did it not dispense the cash, the next morning I get text message alerts about suspicious charges being made in Mexico City so I had to call my bank and deal with that mess.

[Amcaps]

Amcaps.

It was a Schwab card for withdrawing cash in overseas travel with only a few $K in it. The thieves withdrew over $600 in Altos de CHAVON HIGUEY in the Dominican Republic. The card company said the transactions were denied, but the money was shown as taken from my account. I hope Schwab knows what it's doing. If Schwab cannot protect its cards then I will sue them if they don't refund me.

I have to freeze my cards from now on. Never heard of freezing cards. How do you freeze them?

Hello Captain,

I also have the Schwab card. So what I do to freeze and unfreeze (Schwab calls it Lock and Unlock) is go to mobile app = Press settings (three lines in upper left corner) = Go to Customer Service / Manage cards = Then find the lock / unlock card.

From the website it is almost the same: go to the Service Menu at the top of the website = Click on Debit Cards & Checks = And then find the card and press the lock knob.

Amcaps.

[Artisttyp]

I have to freeze my cards from now on. Never heard of freezing cards. How do you freeze them?

If you suspect fraud call your bank immediately. Write down the Intl customer service number located on a separate sheet of paper that is on the back of your card and keep it somewhere safe and accessible. When you CALL they will freeze your card. No call No freeze unless the fraud dept picks up on it by chance. Usually after repetitive charges. At least that was what happened to me in America from online shopping.

[Captain Solo]

Artiste,

It's a Schwab card with low balance for travel. I travel all over Asia using this cards to draw cash in 2019 without any problem. I used this and other debit cards at the ATMs in HK and Cascada and the Scotia ATM next to Adelita for years, never had problems. But those ATMs are now closed, just like those in the big banks on Revo. I had to use the machines in the alley or I have to go home with blue balls and dick in hand.

I used the AMEX card in Azul's in July this year, the next week thieves bought over $400 worth of pizzas from Pizza Huts. Azul's swiped my card twice for the same bill, so one of the swipes was most likely to clone info. CoVid19 produced millions of hungry thieves and ugly criminals in the last few months. No place is safe anymore.

The last time I had problem with a Visa card 5 years ago, the thieves bought over $5 K worth of appliances before the card company block the card. They told me they would just split the loss in half with the retailers. LEs are too busy chasing hos and jacking off in their squad cars. They won't do any investigation so cannot prosecute.

Last week I brought cash and exchanged for pesos at a booth on Calle 2. The bank exchange rate is 22 pesos to $1, but Tijuana cambios gave me only 19.1. I lost 3 pesos for every 20 so I lost 450 pesos for the 3,000 pesos I exchanged. The cambio bastards ate 15% of my money! You still get much better rates withdrawing money from banks. I have to find safe ways to draw cash in Tijuana or order pesos from my retail banks, but It's a pain in the ass to wait in long distancing lines to get inside the branch to wait some more.

Any bros or CPAs know of good, safe, convenient ways to draw pesos in Tijuana?

[Captain Solo]

Amcaps.

It was a Schwab card for withdrawing cash in overseas travel with only a few $K in it. The thieves withdrew over $600 in Altos de CHAVON HIGUEY in the Dominican Republic. The card company said the transactions were denied, but the money was shown as taken from my account. I hope Schwab knows what it's doing. If Schwab cannot protect its cards then I will sue them if they don't refund me.

I have to freeze my cards from now on. Never heard of freezing cards. How do you freeze them?

[YyzTravel]

Sunday before last week I withdrew pesos from the ATM next to La Caretta, the only transaction with that card in months. This morning thieves made 4 withdrawals totaling over $600 in a village somewhere in Europe. Last weekend that machine was out of service. So the ATMs in front of La Caretta's are definitely hacked. I used debit cards in HK and Cascada many years with no problems. The unguarded ATMs are probably all hacked.

Last month I used AMEX in Azul's. A few days later some thieves used it to buy hundreds dollar worth of pizzas at Pizza Huts in Missouri. Not 100% sure because I use it online a lot, but Azul's terminal may also be rigged. I hope instead of chasing hoes and mongers on the streets, LE investigate and prosecute these thieves.

ATMs, debit cards, credit cards are no longer safe anywhere. Don't know how banks and card companies settle these losses. While I am not liable, I hate to see card companies lose money to thieves. Will bring cash and exchange in Tijuana in the future. Safer.

Sorry to hear it Solo. I only use cash. I have a card on case of me in emergency, but would go to a bank, withdraw cash, and then freeze the card. Helps me stay to a budget to. Really easy to think "I will just withdraw more" when you see the tits on a girl if you don't already have a budget plan.

[Artisttyp]

Sunday before last week I withdrew pesos from the ATM next to La Caretta, the only transaction with that card in months. This morning thieves made 4 withdrawals totaling over $600 in a village somewhere in Europe. Last weekend that machine was out of service. So the ATMs in front of La Caretta's are definitely hacked. I used debit cards in HK and Cascada many years with no problems. The unguarded ATMs are probably all hacked.

Last month I used AMEX in Azul's. A few days later some thieves used it to buy hundreds dollar worth of pizzas at Pizza Huts in Missouri. Not 100% sure because I use it online a lot, but Azul's terminal may also be rigged. I hope instead of chasing hoes and mongers on the streets, LE investigate and prosecute these thieves.

ATMs, debit cards, credit cards are no longer safe anywhere. Don't know how banks and card companies settle these losses. While I am not liable, I hate to see card companies lose money to thieves. Will bring cash and exchange in Tijuana in the future. Safer.

Why would you use an ATM in a red light district which probably has connections to the cartels? At the very least have a separate travel account which you can leave thread bare if need be depending on your travel needs.

[Amcaps]

Sunday before last week I withdrew pesos from the ATM next to La Caretta, the only transaction with that card in months. This morning thieves made 4 withdrawals totaling over $600 in a village somewhere in Europe. Last weekend that machine was out of service. So the ATMs in front of La Caretta's are definitely hacked. I used debit cards in HK and Cascada many years with no problems. The unguarded ATMs are probably all hacked.

Last month I used AMEX in Azul's. A few days later some thieves used it to buy hundreds dollar worth of pizzas at Pizza Huts in Missouri. Not 100% sure because I use it online a lot, but Azul's terminal may also be rigged. I hope instead of chasing hoes and mongers on the streets, LE investigate and prosecute these thieves.

ATMs, debit cards, credit cards are no longer safe anywhere. Don't know how banks and card companies settle these losses. While I am not liable, I hate to see card companies lose money to thieves. Will bring cash and exchange in Tijuana in the future. Safer.

Hi, this is my first post on this forum.

I used my debit card at two different locations. 1 at Sam's club Tijuana and the second at AB ATM. So I'm not sure where my card was cloned from. Bad people tried to withdraw 2 $ 260 transactions from an ATM in Florida, this happened to me yesterday, so I called the bank and canceled the card. The good thing is that I have a habit of freezing my card when it is not in use. This morning it was another attempt but the same result.

[Captain Solo]

Sunday before last week I withdrew pesos from the ATM next to La Caretta, the only transaction with that card in months. This morning thieves made 4 withdrawals totaling over $600 in a village somewhere in Europe. Last weekend that machine was out of service. So the ATMs in front of La Caretta's are definitely hacked. I used debit cards in HK and Cascada many years with no problems. The unguarded ATMs are probably all hacked.

Last month I used AMEX in Azul's. A few days later some thieves used it to buy hundreds dollar worth of pizzas at Pizza Huts in Missouri. Not 100% sure because I use it online a lot, but Azul's terminal may also be rigged. I hope instead of chasing hoes and mongers on the streets, LE investigate and prosecute these thieves.

ATMs, debit cards, credit cards are no longer safe anywhere. Don't know how banks and card companies settle these losses. While I am not liable, I hate to see card companies lose money to thieves. Will bring cash and exchange in Tijuana in the future. Safer.

[Jinxx]

Is the SG scene about the same risk factor as El Centro in Medellin Colombia? Thinking about making my 1st trip to Tijuana since Colombia doesn't appear to be opening anytime soon.

Basically yes. The biggest difference is the police. The Tijuana Zona Norte cops are some mean, dirty, crooked bastards. Colombian cops are kind of dirty too but they're not as mean and aggressive as Tijuana cops. Just stay where the main bars are and don't wonder off the beaten path. Don't walk around with contraband and don't walk around stumbling drunk(basically don't do the stuff that I do jaja), and you'll be just fine.

[Dogers69]

Passport only is fine. Just need to have a "reason" to go. Just cite medical and have a place in mind. (Smile builders was my go to for "dental work".

There's a new us border patrol desk, turnstiles, right before you walk into mexico. 4 employees. It was busy so I didn't get questioned. But looks like they are not satisfied with nexixos crackdown on travelers otherwise why have the new checkpoint. This was San Ysidro pedestrian crossing Saturday. If I traveled far to get here I'd have a medical problem more complex then dental to be sure I can get through.

[Captain Solo]

My post was about testing Americans and residents returning to the US.

Trump may send Exec Order to deny return to people with CoVid symptoms. But how CBP agents will test and how effective are the tests? A large percentage of carriers show no obvious symptoms. Hate to get stuck in Tijuana just because the CBP agents are on the rags and get pissed off at any male.