WARNING!!! Using ATM Machines in Ajijic

johninajijic wrote:The following I received from a very good friend of mine. Please be careful…...

I wanted to send a warning out to all who use ATM cards in Ajijic. Several people have been taken for quiet (sic) a bit of money using the ATM machines at the Farmacia Guadalajara and Bancomer and other machines as well. There is a skimmer that is in the slot where you insert your card. It captures your information and pass code. Several people have had their accounts compromised and money has been stolen from the accounts. This has happened all within the last week. Please check your accounts if you have used these machines. The amounts stolen have been anywhere between 300 pesos to 2,700 pesos each time. This has happened to several people that we know of personally.

I don´t doubt the veracity or importance of this warning but, I must say that we have lived in Ajijic and Chiapas for a decade and have used ATM machines extensively in all sorts of banks and merchants in both of those places and all over Mexico and France and never had our accounts compromised or money stolen from our accounts. While fraud of this nature is, no doubt, a problem, it has never been for us and I wouldn´t lose sleep over this eventuality if I were you. I would, however, shade my PIN with my palm when entering it if I were you and I would also check my bank balances on line almost daily as a precaution.

When we moved here in 2001, the primary bank for Geezers was that Lloyd investment house, now Actinver. They took advantage of all the Goobers and they penny-pinched me for years. I haven´t darkened their doorstep in at least six years and never will again. Live and learn.

Just because it hasn't happened to you, doesn't mean it has never happened. My HSBC debit card has been compromised twice in the last year and a half that I have been here. Early last year I had 16,000 pesos withdrawn over a 3-day period after using both the HSBC ATM near El Torito and in Walmart. I was reimbursed within 48 hours. The last time was in October, I had close to 10,000 pesos of charges from a Walmart in Mexico City after using the HSBC ATM in Superlake. That took several phone calls, but I was finally reimbursed after 3 weeks. At that time we were on vacation and had no access to a safe internet connection in order for me to check my account. When we got back, HSBC had UPS'd a new card before I had even known that they had blocked my card due to the unusual activity.
I always cover the keypad when I enter my PIN. And now I only use the ATM in the bank lobby.
So all you nay-sayers out there......believe me....it does happen.

We didn't say it doesn't happen. We said it hadn't happened to us.

martygraw wrote:We have been using ATM's in the area for 7 years now, (including the Bancomer and Farmacia Guadalajara ones0, with no problem at all, so, If John has any proof of theese machines being compromized, then he should produce it. Otherwise take it with a grain of salt.

I think when someone writes "Otherwise take it with a grain of salt", then they don't believe that it has happened.

You can take that up with the person who wrote it.

Giovanna, the quote was not to be taken that this has never happened, as pointed out by others it hasen't happened to me or them. And most of what johninajijic say's on this and other boards is "taken with a grain of salt" I also find it very hard to believe that an internet cafe could not be found, no matter where you are traveling.

Giovanna, the quote was not to be taken that this has never happened, as pointed out by others it hasen't happened to me or them. And most of what johninajijic say's on this and other boards is "taken with a grain of salt" I also find it very hard to believe that an internet cafe could not be found, no matter where you are traveling.

OK, I just got the feeling that no one thought that this ever happened here.....even Pedro is ranting on his board about how this is just a rumour (snork). When it has happened twice to me and I had the hassle of dealing with the bank, well, I get a bit sensitive about the whole thing.
As for internet cafes.....I never log on to my bank account in them for security reasons. You may disagree with my reason but that's just the way it is. Anyways, the damage was already done on the first day we were away. At least HSBC was savvy enough to block the card on the day the charges were made. All ten charges were under 1000 pesos since Walmart does not ask for ID for charges over 1000 pesos. Since I only use my debit card for withdrawing cash and not making purchases, the bank knew something was up.
And I also agree with you that most of what johninajijic says should be taken lightly, except in this case.

I have never had a problem anywhere in Mexico but in Vancouver, within the last 4 years, I have had my card compromised twice and my son has had his compromised 3 times. In all cases the banks were the first to notice and notify us. In only 1 case were any funds taken. I guess the perps either had problems making the fake cards work or were busted before they could use them. I have learned to always shield my PIN when I enter it in.

Also, I went and looked and the rant on TOB was about somebody claiming that their PIN was ripped off at an ATM by a guy who could detect your PIN from far away with an electronic device. That is BS. The closet I have heard about this is that account information on both ATM and charge cards that contain an RFID chip can be detected from a distance with an RFID reader. This is true and in fact banks are now rethinking this whole ID chip thing. However your PIN is not contained in your chip. The only way they can get your PIN is to visually observe it. Usually via a hidden pin hole camera.

Here is an article on the concept:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/how-to/4206464

martygraw wrote:Giovanna, the quote was not to be taken that this has never happened, as pointed out by others it hasen't happened to me or them. And most of what johninajijic say's on this and other boards is "taken with a grain of salt" I also find it very hard to believe that an internet cafe could not be found, no matter where you are traveling.

Martygraw - You can say that most of what I say is "taken as a grain of salt", but that's just your opinion, not everyone elses, until it happens to you and you can see it's happened to Giovanna. When you post that it's happened to you, I'll post "I TOLD YOU SO". Go back and stick your head in the sand in Joco. We're happy you don't live in Ajijic.

John, If you're going to bash people then please take it to the Octagon.

It's just not worth it David

My husband just used the machine at Farmacia Guad. in Ajijic. As is his usual habit, he felt around first for "stuff" that shouldn't be there, then used his wallet to cover the hand entering the PIN. So far, we've never been ripped off at these machines. Be suspicious. and careful.

I went to the TD machine in beautiful downtown B'ville. I made a deposit, a transfer, changed a pin, withdrew a $100 bucks, printed a receipt, took my card and receipt and left. Realized about an hour later that I had left that hundred hangin' there. No I didn't go back. No Pedro, it has nothing to do with Mexico. Just an amusing anecdote that cost me $100 to tell

BC Bud?

That plus naturally numb!