Major ATM Fraud! Report It

More than 27 frauds at Lake Chapala after using ATM card in less than one month

If you know of a fraud report it to: www.Lakesidecrime.com

Check on line to see which machines were used and later unauthorized debits were made at lakesidecrime.com

Were any of the atm machines located at the banks? For instance, the cubicle attached to Bancomer on the AJijic plaza, on Colon. Or, the atm inside the ....what is the new name? the bank on the carretera next to farmacia guadalajara...having a blank out...

So, should a person not use an ATM anywhere? You go inside to a teller and ask to get money out of your account?

At this link on lakesidecrime.com is a list of the ATM where the frauds have occurred - at this link - http://lakesidecrime.com/reported%20crimes.php. Yes, the cubicle attached to Bancomer in Ajiic, the cubicle attached to Banamex in Chapala, and more have been reported.

Some friends are starting to deposit money in their Mexican bank accounts and withdraw money in person at the bank. Some still use their debit cards but use machines that are not on the list.

Don't see the good old Scocia bank one by walmart/dominoes. Maybe that guard
24 hours a day helps keep it safe. Swipe machine also.

Z

Lakesidecrime.com has been to Bancomer. I don't know if they reimburse any of their clients - don't know Mexican banking policy, some people say not on TOB. Most people who are being reimbursed are done so by US and Canadian banks (presuming Canadian banks do so). So if the Mexican bank is not out the money, even though their name is on the ATM - why do anything about it. Only one I can tell is doing anything is Lakesidecrime.com and the article in the Guadalajara Reporter Nov. 11 issue. By the way I know at least one person who cancelled their Bancomer debit card (as a precaution), and my Mexican gardener cancelled his Banamex charge card (after erroneous charges of several thousand pesos).

Guadalajara Reporter
Quote: Foreign residents stung by Chapala ATM scams
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11 2011 11:17 DALE HOYT PALFREY

Expatriates in the Chapala area are reporting a rash of fraudulent access to U.S., Canadian and Mexican bank accounts within minutes of making withdrawals at local automatic teller machines (ATMs).

More than 20 cases have been registered at www.lakesidecrime.com since mid-October, with several victims reporting that their accounts were gutted.

Incidents include bank clients using both debit and credit cards, with most involving plastic issued abroad. The scams have occurred after use of ATMs installed at different public locations pertaining to HSBC and Banamex, as well as the Bancomer machine located outside the bank’s Ajijic branch. Five of the account owners were unsure of the last place they withdrew money before funds disappeared.

A half-dozen similar cases go back as far as last February, among them four scams in which Mexican citizens were hit.

Most of the foreign victims appear to have detected the losses quickly and reported the problem to the issuing institution in order to lock down their accounts and appeal for reimbursement. However, few have filed complaints with the banks that own the ATMs or Mexican authorities.

In interviews with the Reporter this week, branch managers at three area banks indicated they were not aware of the gravity of the local problem. Nonetheless, all concurred that ATM scams happen frequently all across the country, citing employment of “skimmers” superimposed on the card slots and placement of miniature video cameras as the usual modus operandi of fraudsters. They suggest that machines housed on the premises of branch offices are far more secure than those located in public places. Banks are making every effort to continually upgrade technology to stay ahead of the criminal curve.

Banamex manager Edgar Barron stated that a new and less vulnerable card slot has just been installed at the bank’s ATM booth, noting that machines at Walmart and Farmacias Guadalajara will be fitted with the same type of blue plastic cover in the near future.

Bancomer manager Alfredo Sosa said he has not personally received any fraud complaints, but was aware of an email currently in circulation that warns bank customers of such problems. He pointed out that all ATMs are under the eye of video surveillance equipment, adding that those placed at commercial outlets are normally situated near the entrance and in clear view of store guards.

At HSBC, manager Jesus Guerrero pointed out that ATMs are not managed directly by bank or store personnel, but rather by private security outfits such as Sepsa that are responsible for machine maintenance and repairs and stocking them with cash.

Recommendations

The bank officials warn ATM users to avoid accepting help from unknown persons and exercise extreme caution when other individuals may be close enough to watch as they type in PIN numbers. Bank clients are advised to keep close tabs on their standing account balances and immediately report bogus withdrawals to the card issuer. Most cards have a toll -free contact number printed on the back side.

Incident reports posted on the crime watch website are helpful in boosting community awareness of the spots where automatic teller theft is most frequent, as well as the extent of all types of local criminal activity. Those willing to go the full mile can help Mexican authorities put a check on the bad guys by filling official complaints at the Ministerio Publico (public prosecutor’s) office, Calle Juarez 573, Chapala. Victims need to present identification documents and those not fluent in Spanish will require the services of a competent translator.

Open an account at MULTIVA and use their machine. You'll never have a problem. We NEVER have had a problem. And unlike other machines, this one gives you various denominations of bills.

johninajijic wrote:Open an account at MULTIVA and use their machine. You'll never have a problem. We NEVER have had a problem. And unlike other machines, this one gives you various denominations of bills.

Now, hold on a minute. We have accounts at Bancomer in Ajijic and Banamex in San Cristóbal de Las Casas as well as a U.S. bank in Pennsylvania and, in ten years of banking in Mexico, we´ve never had a problem with fraud or anything else. We closed our accounts at Multiva and what was then called Lloyd several years ago and would not do business with them again for a number of reasons which may not apply to you so go about your business your way and good luck to you.

Tell me, John, where else have you banked in Mexico so we can compare your experiences there with Multiva. My bet is nowhere. Don´t compare financial institutons unless you have broad experience with at least two financial institutions over a number of years. I await your response without presumption.

[quote="CanuckBob"]It would seem to me, based on that report above, that the banks involved are trying to wash their hands of it. THEY should be the ones resolving the issues and reporting it to the MP when it is reported to them. Perhaps if all the local gringos close their accounts they will get the message.[/quote]

"Gringo" accounts are as important as dog turds on the carretera. Don´t take yourselves too seriously.

Dawg - There you go with your assumptions again. We first had an account with Banamex for about 6 years. They were in Chapala, nowhere to park and always too busy. No one was bilingual. They sucked so we closed the account.

Then we opened an account with Bancomer on the Plaza. Nice people and biligual. Nowhere to park. We had a checkbook and didn't use the ATM or the bank much. At the same time we had an account at Multivalores, now called MULTIVA. Very nice efficient people. We like them. We'll stay with MULTIVA.

So that's our story.

CanuckBob wrote:I am sure they mean something to the local branches Mr. Dawg. As an ex-banker you should remember that some "bonuses" could be based on deposits and loans. No? Aren't they the same banks that have the special "elite customer" accounts for the gringo community?

That "elite gringo customer" bullshit is just that. There are no special accounts for gringos. Forget what hound dog or the others say. Bancomer has a "cliente preferente" policy (not a special account) for depositors that carry a balance of over a certain amount. The local Chapala area banks may promote this amongst the foreign community knowing that they in all probability will hold an account of the required amount in a local bank.

As far as reimbursing funds from cloned cards, Bancomer returned over 30,000 pesos to one of our accounts after our card was cloned in Europe several years ago. It took less than 2 weeks.

There is a Bancomer office in Plaza Interlago that "caters" to the foreign population. They have English speaking managers working there and profess to provide services to the foreign community. When questioned about the ATM problem they said they are changing their debit cards to make them more secure (this from a friend who is a customer). But the friend cancelled their debit card any way. The problem is as John stated, the Plaza Interlago branch does not carry cash - you have to use the cash machine. And the Chapala and Ajijic offices have no parking to get in and use the branch bank.

I know many of the offices work (or at least keep your job) based on keeping customers. But I really don't know how important that is in Mexico. I've had an account at Actinver which used to be Lloyd that was dormant - no money in it. But the other week I needed a Mexican peso check and deposited enough cash to get one and the branch manager jumped through hoops to update my account, and when I came in for the check, led me to her office. And this was for a 6,000 peso check.

57 chevy: your correct, but thats too easy. yes, "going into the bank" is the answer. these people prefer the drama. i used an ATM 2 xs many years ago when visiting. its something i am not comfortable doing. the solution is a no brainer. why spend time thinking about this? it is what is it is. end of case.

The lack of you're grammar skills are something up with which I will not put.

Now before someone points out the obvious, please be informed it was done on purpose.

hueco_negro wrote:The lack of you're grammar skills are something up with which I will not put.

Now before someone points out the obvious, please be informed it was done on purpose.

TROLL ....??? As a newbie....aren't you a little off topic?

BTW....Been using HSBC @ Soriano for 6 years....had 2 issues...money not dispenced...resolved easily...use this atm 5-6 times per month...never an issue

Now Jim W if I'm a newbie according to the forum rules you're supposed to be nice to me.

The forum rules only say "try to stay on topic" so that is not an absolute. If the owner wants to make it such let him state that in the rules and start moderating to that effect.

For the record, I registered on the forum a few days before you did. Now can you honestly say that you've never posted anything off topic?

BTW if I make any spelling or grammar errors in my posts please feel free to point them out. I don't mind.

I will post nothing more in this topic.

I don't spel sew good either Just not OCD when it comes spellin....getting off topic....guilty as charged

only idiots will talk spelling & office skills. or "challenged" this & "challenged that". or dirty talk, or curse words, or stupid teen words. they cant stay on or near topic, or have the skills to debate. they get bent out of shape if someone else is not exactly like them, all the time, every moment. "negro_h", you can use the ATMs, no one said you cant. think for yourself. zillions of people here have been victims of something or another. i have not, but i know they are not lying. 27 incidents convince me. its free choice, whats the problem. if they keep on using ATMs in spite of the reports then they choose drama. it is safer to go into the bank. anyway this is the inter-net in a EDITED BY MOD town, not a dossier for a PHD.

TROLL ALERT

Oh my, the TROLL is at it again trying to conTROLL the situation... Probably TROLLing for the unwary newbie, and perhaps those of us who are a little short on sleep.
Ever notice that the COMMON TROLL ( and this one is definitely "common" in the way my very proper Mum would have used the word) has exceedingly bad manners.

Now... let's see... if said TROLL is of the female persuasion, her rudeness seems to indicate that we might better refer to her by ye olde English word... TROLLOP... (don't you just love the way it TROLLS off the tongue).
Such a rich language... so wonderfully subtle in its many meanings.

Now if we are dealing with a TROLL sporting masculine equipment... he must be extremely ill-equipped ... only an extreme case of inferiority complex can explain the need to inflate his own ego by denigrating all and sundry. Lizzy

Solovino wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:I am sure they mean something to the local branches Mr. Dawg. As an ex-banker you should remember that some "bonuses" could be based on deposits and loans. No? Aren't they the same banks that have the special "elite customer" accounts for the gringo community?

That "elite gringo customer" bullshit is just that. There are no special accounts for gringos. Forget what hound dog or the others say....

Just what do you mean by that, Solovino? Dawg never even once in any post ever indicated that I did not fully comprehend the marketing gimmick that is the [i]"Preferred Customer Unit" [/i]service at Bancomer. When you boil it down to its essence, the "Preferred Customer Unit " designation simply means that they have endeavored in areas with large English speaking residents to make sure that there are personnel on premise that speak English. Places like Chapala, Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel dÁllende Well, my wife is French and Dawg ain´t seen no French speaking personnel in Ajijic at either branch so this service really means "English Speaking Embeciles Catering Branch in Mexico for Clients Who Can´t Negotiate Business in The Language of Their Chosen Alternate Homeland". In no way does that preferred customer designation imply a higher standard of service in any way except that there are English speaking people to help serve you if you speak English and are deficient in your Spanish language comprehension.

Why the hell, Solovino, do you accuse the Dawg of not understanding this elementary concept as an ex-banker when the banker bullsh*it is flowing to the point of absurdity?

Let me give the readers an example of what I am saying. We have been Bancomer customers in Ajijic for almost ten years. Since we live in San Cristóbal de Las Casas for several months a year, we often bank at their main office in that city. There are very few English speaking foreigners in that city and any English speaking foreigners they may have are mostly conversant in Spanish so there is no such thing as a "Preferred Customer Unit" there. When we first moved there in 2006, we stood in the "Preferential Client" line and were practically laughed out of the bank.

By the way, all this "Preferred Customer Unit" crap no doubt started in BBVA Bancomer´s original home headquarters in Bilbao, Spain as there were so many Brits living in Spain and spread subsequently to places like Mexico as a cheap marketing ploy. Wake up folks. You can also find English speaking personnel in the Banamex branch in Chapala. Well, duh!