Streetwalker Reports

[Captain Solo]

The MULTIVA, and other machines on the streets, are known to copy your cards' info and passwords and sold to criminals who would withdraw $200 -300 in the US. It happened to me and a wingman at the ATM in the alley next to bar Valentina.

ATMs in HK's and Cascada's lobbies charge 90 pesos terminal fee and have been safe for me. I used them many times, never had problems.

Use your Capital one 360 ATM card. If you are asked to convert via a shitty conversion, press no and you'll still get your withdrawal done only with a better exchange rate. Capital one 360 charges 0% for your currency exchange but it looks like you won't get ATM surcharge fees refunded. Most people will use Charles Schwab to pull money out as they also refund ATM fees. When you pull out with your capital one card, just pull out as much as you can because you'll be charged the same amount no matter how much you pull out. Be careful of converting your pesos at an exchange casa. Make sure the dollars you get from there aren't forgeries.

Wells Fargo: 3% + $5 + whatever the ATM charges you. (if you withdraw $100 usd you are guaranteed to lose at least $8).

Capital one 360:0% + $0 + whatever the ATM charges you.

Charles Schwab: 0% + $0 + $0 (you get charged extra at first but refunded back at the end of the month).

[Jinxx]

Use your Capital one 360 ATM card. If you are asked to convert via a shitty conversion, press no and you'll still get your withdrawal done only with a better exchange rate. Capital one 360 charges 0% for your currency exchange but it looks like you won't get ATM surcharge fees refunded. Most people will use Charles Schwab to pull money out as they also refund ATM fees. When you pull out with your capital one card, just pull out as much as you can because you'll be charged the same amount no matter how much you pull out. Be careful of converting your pesos at an exchange casa. Make sure the dollars you get from there aren't forgeries.

Wells Fargo: 3% + $5 + whatever the ATM charges you. (if you withdraw $100 usd you are guaranteed to lose at least $8).

Capital one 360:0% + $0 + whatever the ATM charges you.

Charles Schwab: 0% + $0 + $0 (you get charged extra at first but refunded back at the end of the month).

How common is it to receive forged bills from the exchange house? Is it worth it to use one of those pens that checks for fake bills?

[Duncan216]

What bank is your ATM card? The other day when this topic first came up I went with my wells fargo card to a citibanamex ATM, a banorte ATM, and 3 bbva atms and none of them showed anything about any exchange rate. It just asked if I was ok with the ATM fee and that was it. But I think I did get a good rate, and not a crappy low rate. Bbva gave the highest fee like 81 pesos and I think citibanamex gave the lowest fee if I remember correctly.

I also have a capital one 360 ATM card but I didn't try it because I currently don't have any money in that account. But I think I do remember using my capital one card at a bbva ATM in Tijuana and it saying something about a shitty lower than usual exchange rate. I never thought to decline the withdrawal since I was in a hurry to get to the zona and get into some tits and ass. When I get a chance I'm going to go back and try again with my capital one card and see what happens.

Another reason that I came to the conclusion that I hate Mexican atms is that I've lost 3 ATM cards by just walking off and leaving my card in the machine. I'm used to American atms where you have to pull your card out of the machine before it will dispense your cash, therefore making it impossible to leave your card. The Mexican ATM's don't do this. They spit out your cash and it's up to you to remember to not leave without your card. Yea I know it's completely my own fault, but it still pissed me off, each time having to call my bank and request a new card.

Use your Capital one 360 ATM card. If you are asked to convert via a shitty conversion, press no and you'll still get your withdrawal done only with a better exchange rate. Capital one 360 charges 0% for your currency exchange but it looks like you won't get ATM surcharge fees refunded. Most people will use Charles Schwab to pull money out as they also refund ATM fees. When you pull out with your capital one card, just pull out as much as you can because you'll be charged the same amount no matter how much you pull out. Be careful of converting your pesos at an exchange casa. Make sure the dollars you get from there aren't forgeries.

Wells Fargo: 3% + $5 + whatever the ATM charges you. (if you withdraw $100 usd you are guaranteed to lose at least $8).

Capital one 360:0% + $0 + whatever the ATM charges you.

Charles Schwab: 0% + $0 + $0 (you get charged extra at first but refunded back at the end of the month).

[Jinxx]

Tried this on a Banorte ATM. Wanted to exchange at 21 and change and I declined. Still spit out money but at 23.80. So far, I've only found Banorte to give an option if to accept exchange rate or not.

What bank is your ATM card? The other day when this topic first came up I went with my wells fargo card to a citibanamex ATM, a banorte ATM, and 3 bbva atms and none of them showed anything about any exchange rate. It just asked if I was ok with the ATM fee and that was it. But I think I did get a good rate, and not a crappy low rate. Bbva gave the highest fee like 81 pesos and I think citibanamex gave the lowest fee if I remember correctly.

I also have a capital one 360 ATM card but I didn't try it because I currently don't have any money in that account. But I think I do remember using my capital one card at a bbva ATM in Tijuana and it saying something about a shitty lower than usual exchange rate. I never thought to decline the withdrawal since I was in a hurry to get to the zona and get into some tits and ass. When I get a chance I'm going to go back and try again with my capital one card and see what happens.

Another reason that I came to the conclusion that I hate Mexican atms is that I've lost 3 ATM cards by just walking off and leaving my card in the machine. I'm used to American atms where you have to pull your card out of the machine before it will dispense your cash, therefore making it impossible to leave your card. The Mexican ATM's don't do this. They spit out your cash and it's up to you to remember to not leave without your card. Yea I know it's completely my own fault, but it still pissed me off, each time having to call my bank and request a new card.

[VitoDerEine]

Tried this on a Banorte ATM. Wanted to exchange at 21 and change and I declined. Still spit out money but at 23.80. So far, I've only found Banorte to give an option if to accept exchange rate or not.

Yes. This is definitely the case. The first time I accepted even though the exchange rate was really bad because I needed the money and thought I wouldn't get it if I didn't accept. Then I heard about this scam and so declined the next time I saw it. Sure enough out pops my money anyway at the favorable rate like I have always had in the past. Don't remember which banks it was at though, but I don't used independent ATMs only bank ATMs.

The exchange rate on ATM withdrawals (when no affected by this scam) have always been better than any rate posted at any casa de cambio. Usually quite close to the interbank rate quoted on the financial services.

[Hargow20]

A friend that lives in Tijuana told me that the police are cracking down on people that are out & the curfew as well. If any happens visit the Zona please post. ?

[Dickus Maximus]

Why bother with the ATM macines in Tijuana. Just take what money you need and go the exhange places. A lot of the ATM's in the Zone will try and scam you. There is a few reliable ATM's by HSBC and across the street. The problem you will pay a surcharge.

I have never had a problem using an ATM in Mexico. Its faster and cheaper than the money exchanges services. I usually go to Zona Rio and any of the major banks there. But I have used ATMs all over Mexico with no problem (save this exchange rate scam). I would not use one of the private ATMs in the clubs though. I always stick with the banks.

[Hargow20]

My guess is that things were so slow that street girls decided to quit early. You are probably better off going before the curfew starts at 6 pm. Driving in Tijuana now makes one target for the police.

Swung by today in the morning around 4 am to see if I could get lucky. No girls were out. Not even the "tall" girls! Saw a cop pulling over cars, and figured I should leave.

[Hargow20]

Why bother with the ATM macines in Tijuana. Just take what money you need and go the exhange places. A lot of the ATM's in the Zone will try and scam you. There is a few reliable ATM's by HSBC and across the street. The problem you will pay a surcharge.

Yes. This is definitely the case. The first time I accepted even though the exchange rate was really bad because I needed the money and thought I wouldn't get it if I didn't accept. Then I heard about this scam and so declined the next time I saw it. Sure enough out pops my money anyway at the favorable rate like I have always had in the past. Don't remember which banks it was at though, but I don't used independent ATMs only bank ATMs.

The exchange rate on ATM withdrawals (when no affected by this scam) have always been better than any rate posted at any casa de cambio. Usually quite close to the interbank rate quoted on the financial services.

[VitoDerEine]

Swung by today in the morning around 4 am to see if I could get lucky. No girls were out. Not even the "tall" girls! Saw a cop pulling over cars, and figured I should leave.

[Hargow20]

I am wondering if there is more SG's / SW's out before 6 pm. I might go down on Saturday to try and find Kayla. My biggest concern is the police could use stay at home order as a excuse to shake people down. If anyone has any more info please post.

Dude! You just blew my mind with this one. So you're saying at the ATM you can choose whether you want to get screwed or not? How come I've never heard of this? Has anyone else seen this at the Mexican ATM's? I want to run out to the ATM right now to test this out, but it's late at night and I don't wan to get pulled over for being out during the lockdown. I'll be checking into this tomorrow for sure. If this turns out to be true I'll be nominating ClamSlammer for the Monger of the Week award, maybe Monger of the Year! Thanks in advance bro!

On another note, I cruised through the zona around 9:30 pm and there were a few chicas out there. Very very few but they were there. The big fancy lights outside HK and AB were still shining bright with the door guys still at the entrances. I saw almost NO cops! I guess those dirty bastards don't bother to patrol since there are no partygoers to shake down. I think I saw one single cop car and I cruised around the whole area, when usually the place is crawling with cops everywhere you look. The alley was blocked off to vehicle traffic.

[LuvMexicanas]

This is for the married and serious girlfriend guys out there. All this ATM talk is fine and dandy (although I prefer talking about the other ATM), but creating an electronic paper trail may not be wise depending on how your accounts and access are set up.

[Dickus Maximus]

Dude! You just blew my mind with this one. So you're saying at the ATM you can choose whether you want to get screwed or not? How come I've never heard of this? Has anyone else seen this at the Mexican ATM's? I want to run out to the ATM right now to test this out, but it's late at night and I don't wan to get pulled over for being out during the lockdown. I'll be checking into this tomorrow for sure. If this turns out to be true I'll be nominating ClamSlammer for the Monger of the Week award, maybe Monger of the Year! Thanks in advance bro!

Yes. This is definitely the case. The first time I accepted even though the exchange rate was really bad because I needed the money and thought I wouldn't get it if I didn't accept. Then I heard about this scam and so declined the next time I saw it. Sure enough out pops my money anyway at the favorable rate like I have always had in the past. Don't remember which banks it was at though, but I don't used independent ATMs only bank ATMs.

The exchange rate on ATM withdrawals (when no affected by this scam) have always been better than any rate posted at any casa de cambio. Usually quite close to the interbank rate quoted on the financial services.

[Duncan216]

Dude! You just blew my mind with this one. So you're saying at the ATM you can choose whether you want to get screwed or not? How come I've never heard of this? Has anyone else seen this at the Mexican ATM's?

On some ATMs when trying to withdraw, I saw a "the conversion rate is 18" when the visa conversion rate was around 20 at the time. When I no I don't want to accept, I figured the transaction would be canceled but the machine still spit out money. I looked on my bank app and I got the visa transaction rate. You can check the rate on the visa "Currency Exchange Calculator" on the visa website. I just put in 0% bank fee because I got the ATM card with 0 fees. I think it was the visa rate from the day before to be more accurate.

I just assumed you knew something I didn't about the exchange places. Mostly because you had a much better experience than me in Venezuela, although it might be because you went in 2017 and I went in 2018 or because my Spanish is bad or I didn't use SA. Also using Eth for exchange cuts down on your transaction costs and the time you have to wait for things to be confirmed. When I went, btc took hours and transfers were like 5-10 bucks, eth was a few minutes and took less than a dollar (sometimes pennies).

[Zman429]

Dude! You just blew my mind with this one. So you're saying at the ATM you can choose whether you want to get screwed or not? How come I've never heard of this? Has anyone else seen this at the Mexican ATM's? I want to run out to the ATM right now to test this out, but it's late at night and I don't wan to get pulled over for being out during the lockdown. I'll be checking into this tomorrow for sure. If this turns out to be true I'll be nominating ClamSlammer for the Monger of the Week award, maybe Monger of the Year! Thanks in advance bro!

On another note, I cruised through the zona around 9:30 pm and there were a few chicas out there. Very very few but they were there. The big fancy lights outside HK and AB were still shining bright with the door guys still at the entrances. I saw almost NO cops! I guess those dirty bastards don't bother to patrol since there are no partygoers to shake down. I think I saw one single cop car and I cruised around the whole area, when usually the place is crawling with cops everywhere you look. The alley was blocked off to vehicle traffic.

This is new they had it in Thailand last time I was there. And if you picked the banks options you were guaranteed to lose $15-$20 haven't tried in Mexico but guessing it's the same deal.