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If you have a bank account at Bancomer read this


berto

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Wallet was stolen. Thief took my Bancomer debit card and spent 11,000 pesos at Walmart, Pharmacia Guadalajara and Oxxo within a few hours of the theft.

It was a Saturday afternoon on a holiday weekend when I noticed it was gone. Bancomer already closed. I looked for a number online.... sorry, only Spanish.

Sunday, Monday bank closed. I went in Tuesday morning, reported the theft. Adalbeto canceled the card and issued a new card on the spot. That's when I noticed that there is NO NAME on the card. How simple for the holder to use it without the need for any kind of ID!

Adalbeto said they would refund the 11,000 pesos no problem.

Well, they didn't. They said the theft wasn't reported timely. No amount of explanation about holiday weekend, etc. etc. could get them to change their minds.

I guess it could have been worse. The thief could have kept spending on the card till the account was bled dry.

So the message is - if you have a Mexican debit card... keep it in a safe place. Your American and Canadian credit cards have your name on them. Not so Mexican (at least Bancomer) debit cards.

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I have a separate money market acct with them where I keep the bulk of my money, I never have more than maybe $4K in the debit card acct so worst case, that's the most they can get and it's usually less. I transfer money online if I'm going to be buying at Costco etc.

And, having a NOB card is almost worse, if you remember a year or two ago when all the cards were being hijacked at ATM's almost all were NOB cards. I had mine compromised either at WalMart or Soriana and they got away with $800USD in electronics in Guad. I have a daily limit on my NOB card of $250 for the same reason with no overdraft.

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I know there is a government agency that specifically handles consumer complaints, especially those against banks. Of course the banks don't tell you this.

I cannot remember the name of the agency, but have direct knowledge that a friend who filed with the agency some 90 days after trying with her banks to get the some 40/50,000 pesos stolen from her pick pocketed credit and debit cards, got all her money back. On her Bancomer credit card the Sam Clubs charges were credited back to her, then 30 days later were charged back to her account. I learned through my Bancomer rep at the time that Sam's Club is a big client, so go guess why the charge-back. They said it was her signature on the charge slip, but they refused to give her a copy. The pick pockets were a professional gang that hit a big mall in Mexico City during one weekend and started using her accounts within less than an hour.

As this agency is of the Mexican Federal Government, they will likely have an office in Guadalajara.

Do not take the word of the bank that the reporting was not soon enough. Not sure what my credit card contract states, but is it not that case that throughout the world banks who use Visa and Mastercard are required to adhere to their standards, not what the Bank states? My cards from Canada give me more time to report they were lost or stolen. Plus I know from experience they monitor transactions closely and will stop the use if they see too many transactions all within a short time frame. Not the case here, that is for sure.

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My cards from Canada give me more time to report they were lost or stolen. Plus I know from experience they monitor transactions closely and will stop the use if they see too many transactions all within a short time frame. Not the case here, that is for sure.

I don't follow, are we supposed to move to Canada, or what? How does this help us? Thanks, but I'm afraid NOB comparisons are of zero benefit here. :(

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Wallet was stolen. Thief took my Bancomer debit card and spent 11,000 pesos at Walmart, Pharmacia Guadalajara and Oxxo within a few hours of the theft.

It was a Saturday afternoon on a holiday weekend when I noticed it was gone. Bancomer already closed. I looked for a number online.... sorry, only Spanish.

Sunday, Monday bank closed. I went in Tuesday morning, reported the theft. Adalbeto canceled the card and issued a new card on the spot. That's when I noticed that there is NO NAME on the card. How simple for the holder to use it without the need for any kind of ID!

Adalbeto said they would refund the 11,000 pesos no problem.

Well, they didn't. They said the theft wasn't reported timely. No amount of explanation about holiday weekend, etc. etc. could get them to change their minds.

I guess it could have been worse. The thief could have kept spending on the card till the account was bled dry.

So the message is - if you have a Mexican debit card... keep it in a safe place. Your American and Canadian credit cards have your name on them. Not so Mexican (at least Bancomer) debit cards.

Too bad you didn't ask a Spanish-speaking friend to make the report to Bancomer for you, the same day you lost the card.

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I had my card compromised at an ATM about a year ago. Called my US bank and the card was cancelled. I received a new card and they never charged the bogus charges to me. Somehow the charges were made in Leon and Mexico City within hours of them cloning my card. So Bank of Americas works for me. Inconvenient but I didn't lose any money.

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Berto...I don't understand, how did they get your pin number?

When making purchases, no PIN is required--just a signature. However, on the rare occasions that I have used a Mexican debit card, I have always been asked for official ID to confirm that the signatures match. It's possible that the person who used the OP's card bought items from pals at the stores mentioned by the OP. Or no one at the stores bothered to check.

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I don't follow, are we supposed to move to Canada, or what? How does this help us? Thanks, but I'm afraid NOB comparisons are of zero benefit here. :(

Perhaps this was a comment directed at other Canadians to hold onto their Canadian credit cards for use in Mexico? Not every ex-pat is an American right??

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Scotiabank debit cards do not have a name on them and haven't for some years. This is apparently a security requirement and quite common among all Canadian Banking Institutions. I can go back 10 or more years with several Canadian Banks since Canadian Debit cards have had a name on them.

Your comment about Bancomer is unfair in that they have a Mexico City direct line (01 800 228 2728) press "1" and you can talk to a person in ENGLISH. If you set up your account at the now defunct office on the Libremiento, Phoebe would have given you that number with instructions. They will give you assistance with your account 24/7.

One really needs to be careful about libel, "a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt". In Mexico and elswhere such statements can result in jail time. I am not suggesting that any statements made here are libellous but a Bank may consider that differently if they consider it affects their reputation. Please be careful when making sweeping statements. Reputation means a great deal to Mexicans.

BTW why do most Americans assume that they are the only people Lakeside? There may be more Canadians here now than Americans.

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After talking with my bank manager four weeks ago, and posting on the webboard about checking account .

I canceled my checking account and ATM

My bank manager stated to me that at her bank, they do not reimburse you for ATM theft for a Mexican ATM card issued by the bank,

she did mention the incident where a residents Mexican ATM bank debit Card was stolen out of a pocket book and ID,

and within several days over 40,000 pesos was charged to the card.

Question; What are the rules here regarding Mexican ATM cards IF stolen and someone wipes out your bank debit account.

The question is on Mexican bank issued debit card theft protection?

Do banks here in Mexico have special telephone number to call immediately to call and let them know your card was stolen?

I could not get the above number for bancomer to work on land line or cell phone

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I love the no-name/numbered debit cards! They help prevent identity theft in so many ways, especially when travelling abroad (which it is a little like that for many of us living here.)

I bank at both MultiValores and Bancomer. I also keep more than one account at each bank, but I keep my accounts with debit cards associated at low-risk/low-balance levels. It is very easy to transfer money as needed, if needed, into those accounts.

One of my US banks offers me identity theft and debit./credit card protection w/$10K life insurance policy ($100K if commercial transport) for $4.95/mo. I have zero liability and most of a Mexican funeral expense covered.

While not specific to debit/credit card loss, some of the services shown at the following link may be desirable for some:

Identity theft protection reviews

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"Do banks here in Mexico have special telephone number to call immediately to call and let them know your card was stolen?"

If you read my post above yours you will see that indeed Bancomer has such a number and you can get answers in English.

I really wish people would read and understand all posts before they publish their own.

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Scotiabank debit cards do not have a name on them and haven't for some years. This is apparently a security requirement and quite common among all Canadian Banking Institutions. I can go back 10 or more years with several Canadian Banks since Canadian Debit cards have had a name on them.

Your comment about Bancomer is unfair in that they have a Mexico City direct line (01 800 228 2728) press "1" and you can talk to a person in ENGLISH. If you set up your account at the now defunct office on the Libremiento, Phoebe would have given you that number with instructions. They will give you assistance with your account 24/7.

One really needs to be careful about libel, "a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt". In Mexico and elswhere such statements can result in jail time. I am not suggesting that any statements made here are libellous but a Bank may consider that differently if they consider it affects their reputation. Please be careful when making sweeping statements. Reputation means a great deal to Mexicans.

BTW why do most Americans assume that they are the only people Lakeside? There may be more Canadians here now than Americans.

Interesting that you know most Americans & how they think & what they assume. ;)

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The secret here, at least for us, is: when ask for a new credit card in México, do not show off all the money you have when they ask for "background info", just show a little for them to give you only $6000 or $10,000 pesos as credit. And we never accept the increase of the credit!. When I had other cards I showed my American Express as background and all my bank statements, so they gave me cards with $50000 or more credit, now what I do is just to show a little of money and they give me cards with just enough money to spend....if I am going to travel outside Mx I will ask for the credit increase and then when I am back, I will cancel the card in order to have here one with small credit....

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I love the no-name/numbered debit cards! They help prevent identity theft in so many ways, especially when travelling abroad (which it is a little like that for many of us living here.)

I bank at both MultiValores and Bancomer. I also keep more than one account at each bank, but I keep my accounts with debit cards associated at low-risk/low-balance levels. It is very easy to transfer money as needed, if needed, into those accounts.

One of my US banks offers me identity theft and debit./credit card protection w/$10K life insurance policy ($100K if commercial transport) for $4.95/mo. I have zero liability and most of a Mexican funeral expense covered.

While not specific to debit/credit card loss, some of the services shown at the following link may be desirable for some:

Identity theft protection reviews

I believe your life ins. is for accidental death only.

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BTW why do most Americans assume that they are the only people Lakeside? There may be more Canadians here now than Americans.

1- all the people from Argentina to Canada, are AMERICANS.

3- BTW now Canadians are the well off here, their Economy did not have a crash!...

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I am sorry to hear that!

the next time, just call INTERCASA he speaks spanish, he could help you! Never wait too much to report this kind of things. Get help immediately!

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Wallet was stolen. Thief took my Bancomer debit card and spent 11,000 pesos at Walmart, Pharmacia Guadalajara and Oxxo within a few hours of the theft.

It was a Saturday afternoon on a holiday weekend when I noticed it was gone. Bancomer already closed. I looked for a number online.... sorry, only Spanish.

Sunday, Monday bank closed. I went in Tuesday morning, reported the theft. Adalbeto canceled the card and issued a new card on the spot. That's when I noticed that there is NO NAME on the card. How simple for the holder to use it without the need for any kind of ID!

Adalbeto said they would refund the 11,000 pesos no problem.

Well, they didn't. They said the theft wasn't reported timely. No amount of explanation about holiday weekend, etc. etc. could get them to change their minds.

I guess it could have been worse. The thief could have kept spending on the card till the account was bled dry.

So the message is - if you have a Mexican debit card... keep it in a safe place. Your American and Canadian credit cards have your name on them. Not so Mexican (at least Bancomer) debit cards.

You have brought something to my attention. I am at this moment making a list of everything in my wallet and scanning some and writing down 800#s with notes and numbers of all my cards and other important papers. Thanks.

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So the message is - if you have a Mexican debit card... keep it in a safe place. Your American and Canadian credit cards have your name on them. Not so Mexican (at least Bancomer) debit cards.

I was told at Banamex and Bancomer that I could get a Debit card with my name on it, if I wanted. Was planning to use it for my TIP, as they said I could if it had my name (so they quit getting $20 extra every time they give me back my TIP deposit). Haven't pursued it yet.

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Bancomers website page has listed in English PREFERRED CUSTOMERS Unit you can call them toll free at the number listed by a previous poster 01800 228 8728- ask for a supervisor --- clarify time frame for reporting a stolen card when bank is closed for a 3 day holiday

You should be talking to the new Branch Manager in Ajijic not a clerk-

These kind of problems point out the necessity of Speaking and reading at least rudimentary Spanish before you decide to live in a foreign country..

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If you go to http://www.bancomer.com and click PREFERRED CUSTOMERS....which all English speaking clients automatically are...

it takes you to a page that is all in English...and says CONTACT US. Click CONTACT US, and another page comes up in English, with "For additional information about our products and services, please call our toll-free line: 01 800 BBVA PCU 01 800 2282 728"

Sometimes you have to think a little bit like the 21st century, folks. Just waiting for a bank to open and going in to talk to someone is not always the answer like it was 50 years ago. Get on the internet and find out how to talk to the call center, 24/7. If you don't speak any Spanish at all, learn the phrase "Ingles por favor?" and they will transfer you to someone who will speak in English.

BTW, on the back of the card is a contact number. When you call it there is always a menu option to select for "robo" (robbery or theft). When you get a card from any bank, you should have that number written down somewhere that you can find it in an emergergency.

You have a computer and they have a website. Use it~!

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You have brought something to my attention. I am at this moment making a list of everything in my wallet and scanning some and writing down 800#s with notes and numbers of all my cards and other important papers. Thanks.

Good point. If your card is stolen or lost, you don't have the 800 number to call to cancel unless you have written it down or kept the paper jacket in which the card was mailed to you. Those are important numbers to have.
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