Major ATM Fraud! Report It

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!

hound dog wrote:

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.

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!

Explain to the readers then, why all of the Bancomer branches in Guadalajara have a "Cliente Preferente" window? Or the Bancomers in Colima? Or the Cihuatlan, Jalisco branch where I visited last week? A regular San Miguel de Allende by the sea. That place sees about as many gringos in August and September as pork chops on a Ramadan dinner table.

pork chops on a Ramadan dinner table.
Now, that is a good one!

[quote="Solovino [/quote]
Explain to the readers then, why all of the Bancomer branches in Guadalajara have a "Cliente Preferente" window? Or the Bancomers in Colima? Or the Cihuatlan, Jalisco branch where I visited last week? A regular San Miguel de Allende by the sea. That place sees about as many gringos in August and September as pork chops on a Ramadan dinner table.[/quote]

The "cliente preferente" window is for guys like you Solovino. Those branches known as "Preferred Customer Units" (note the English vs. Spanish) are come-ons for English speaking foreigners. There is not a single branch of Bancomer in Chiapas that is designated a "Preferred Customer Unit" but there are "cliente preferente" lines which, in San Cristóbal on the principal plaza means mostly merchants and other business clients. Dawg does not bank in Colima or Cihuatlan so can´t speak of those towns.

Since I worked in bank branches for so many years, I try to avoid going into bank branches to do banking business if at all possible and use ATM machines on bank premises almost exclusively or bank electronically at home.

Enough said by me. This is not an issue that keeps me awake at night.

Does that mean my pig skin equipales don't go well with my ramadan dinner table?

Rolly wrote:pork chops on a Ramadan dinner table.
No

w, that is a good one!

hound dog wrote:Enough said by me. This is not an issue that keeps me awake at night.

Glad to hear that Dawgman.

'Tis all too true that in the grand scheme of things there are myriad of otherwise ignored situations that warrant a more comprehensive elucidation than they are getting, you think? Lizzy

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

How many more hours of community service this time?

raqueteer wrote:

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

How many more hours of community service this time?

Raq, This time I was sentenced to 5 hours reading posts on Pedro's bored, board? ,
LOL

bobnliz wrote:

'Tis all too true that in the grand scheme of things there are myriad of otherwise ignored situations that warrant a more comprehensive elucidation than they are getting, you think? Lizzy

Like maids and kippissippi's dogs? Or TOB? That seems to be the theme that garners the most attention.

Not that this is any consolation but this was on the news out of New York City: "More than two dozen current and former waiters and their associates from some of the city's top steakhouses have been arrested in an alleged identity theft ring, accused of stealing credit card numbers from wealthy customers,.......................

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45353793/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/#.TsaLUVvn2qE

And there is even a commercial on the TV in which they point out just how easily it is done.... stands to reason when you think about it. Wonder if they acquired their jobs in said restaurant with the scam in mind?

It would be interesting to know if any folks Lakeside pay at a restaurant with a credit or debit card? Anybody want to weigh in? Lizzy

I have never used either anywhere lakeside. I have always paid cash. Only use the ATM card at the bank machines. I didn't even realize that any of the local restaurants would take a debit card.

I don't know of any restaurants lakeside that take credit cards. I have seen friends pay in Guadalajara by credit card at PF Changs"s - couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't even use a credit card in a restaurant when I lived in NYC - it was already being copied and scammed back then - 14 years ago.

I think you will find that there are a number of restaurants in the area that take credit cards. Two that I can think of are: Tango and the Beer Garden in Chapala. While it isn't our normal procedure, I did use mine at each of these during our last trip. We almost exclusively use American Express when traveling since they provide us a great deal of comfort should fraud happen. Which reminds me, the only case of fraud on our AMEX cards happened as a result of using the card at a Tommy Bahama store/restaurant in Palm Springs, CA. Tommy Bahama was taken to court over this breach of security and recently sent us a $50 gift card as a "mea culpa" for causing their customers problems.

i have used credit cards & debit cards @ "tango"-"chapala reale hotel" floresta- &new posada.

I have been drawing 6000 pesos 6 to 8 times per month @ HSBC @ Soriano's for 7 years.....never an issue.......when I read this thread....does someone have an underlying motive? I use my credit card at Atlas...never an issue....used my CC @ hotel, in Obregon, Navajoa, Tepic.....never had an issue. Were you unlucky, or being dishonest?

My goodness, but you are a suspicious soul!
Just curiousosity. I used a debit card in Guaymas to pay for camping a couple of years ago... no problems there.
Usually we pay cash for everything and either change $$$ or use the ATM at Banamex.

So far, in Mexico the only credit card fraud that I know of has been at ATM's. Apparently it is not yet lucrative enough to bother with setting up a scam at restaurants. Happy Turkey Day. Lizzy

lizzy knows whats "lucrative" in the crime world. a woman of vast knowlege, just ask liz. another one who has all answers all the time. (dont go by me, i am just lazy when dining. i am sure that those card #s are being copied as we speak).

Did anybody hear something? L