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I have a Banamex USA account.

I have a Banamex Mexico account in Chapala and their debit card.

To get pesos I have been transferring dollars from Charles Schwab to Banamex USA. I would then call Banamex USA and ask them to change the dollars to pesos and transfer them to the Banamex Mexico in Chapala. That worked well and I was able to use my Banamex Mexico debit card for pesos at any Banamex ATM.

I was informed that my Banamex USA account would be closed 1 September.

I tried to talk to the Banamex Chapala manager to see how I could send USD's from Schwab and have them turn into into pesos at Banamex Chapala. Due to language problems I got nowhere.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? I don't think I can open any new US accounts with corresponding banks without going to the US. I don't want to do that.

Thanks!

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Welcome to the club. You received your notice about two years later then most of us.

I am sorry you have to go through this. For 10 years I was able to use my Banamex USA card in a Banamex ATM machine here at lakeside and g0t all my pesos.

When I received my letter (June 2013) I had my social security routed to my Banamex Chapala account. When I need additional pesos I write a check on my only US account (Wells Fargo), and once the manager signs the ok, the check is processed electronically and the money is instantly in my account.

You should have whatever monies are in your US Banamex account wired directly to your Banamex Chapala account.

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I have a Banamex USA account.

I have a Banamex Mexico account in Chapala and their debit card.

To get pesos I have been transferring dollars from Charles Schwab to Banamex USA. I would then call Banamex USA and ask them to change the dollars to pesos and transfer them to the Banamex Mexico in Chapala. That worked well and I was able to use my Banamex Mexico debit card for pesos at any Banamex ATM.

I was informed that my Banamex USA account would be closed 1 September.

I tried to talk to the Banamex Chapala manager to see how I could send USD's from Schwab and have them turn into into pesos at Banamex Chapala. Due to language problems I got nowhere.

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? I don't think I can open any new US accounts with corresponding banks without going to the US. I don't want to do that.

Thanks!

I was a Banamex client for 24 yrs and got a call asking if I received 'the letter'. I was given 7 days to get another bank.....I got Bank of America which charges 3%, I am in the throes of getting a no fee Schwab account. Be glad you´re not with Banamex....

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i have a schwab account with atm/debit. i was told by schwab they would wire pesos, at very good exchange rate-very near the interbank rate, to my mexican peso account at intercam for 25 USD per wire transfer. sounded good until i talked to intercam and they will ONLY receive the wire in dollars, then exchange to pesos which is not in my favor for sure. taking pesos out of the ATM at no fee and a good rate is a much better deal for me. last thursday i took out 15k pesos from CI banco atm in 2 7500 peso draws, and got a .45 peso per dollar better exchange rate, a nice saving.

with that said i use my schwab card at CI banco, i do not have an account there but i like the atm there and i can change the big bills at the window with no problem. i talked to the lady at CI banco and she said that if i open an account there, that they would receive the wired pesos with no problem. not sure if this is correct but if interested you could explore further.

one other piece of info. when you go to CI banco to use the atm check to see if the AMBER light is lit next to where the money comes out. if it is lit it means you will get a reduced amount because the machine is running low on cash and it seems they load the machine themselves by about 11am. in other words they dont wait for an armoured truck to show up and load the machine.

i hope this will be helpful to some and not end up in a big debate.

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it is across from wings army in the big shopping center across the carretera from walmart.. it apparently is a bank and the atm is next to the small lobby. the atm charges 17.40 pesos per withdrawal and you dont have to leave your card in to maybe get swallowed.

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Where is CI Banco located? Where are their ATMs. What kind of financial institution is it? Similar to Intercam or Multiva? I'd never heard of it. Thanks.

Headed east from Ajijic to Chapala, turn left at the Libermento and then turn right into the shopping center at the last entrance. You will see wings dead ahead. CI Banco is just to the right of Wings. The ATM is to the right of the banks door next to the wall

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Are you a Veteran, related to a Veteran, Etc. Call USAA, find out if you are eligible for a checking account there. You will be able to use their ATM card here in Mexico, No foreign exchange fee, they return your ATM fees to your account. Bring cash to Banamex and deposit it. That is working for me. I did this because of the Bank of America 3% transaction fee that they decided to charge last year. This was also simple, opened the account on the phone and had my cards in a week.

Maybe that will help you

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From the USAA Website: "USAA Bank refunds up to $15 in other United States domestic banks' ATM usage fees each month and does not charge a fee for the first 10 ATM withdrawals. Subsequent transactions will be charged $2.00 each. Transactions at ATMs located outside of the United States may not be eligible for ATM usage fee refunds. A 1% foreign transaction fee applies to withdrawals outside the United States. No ATM usage fees will be charged at USAA Preferred ATMs pursuant to an agreement with the ATM network/owners to not charge an ATM fee for USAA Bank ATM Debit cards."

It is a great bank, however. We've been members for over 30 years.

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Well, I guess that I must be the lucky one, my USAA account, no foreign transaction fee, (none shown, I check , I get a very fair exchange rate when I use Bancomer ATM) (I check) the $15 per month of returned ATM fees could be very true, I have never exceeded that, I would have to withdraw funds 10 times a month to exceed that.

I am happy with USAA, I was also happy with B of A until they screwed everyone living in a foreign country.

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Agree with that last sentence, we closed our BofA account after that deal. I can live with one percent, three percent is a ripoff.

Unfortunately we don't qualify for USAA, as banks go they are one of the very best and most customer friendly.

There is a reason, however, that the term "banksters" was coined. :)

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Well, I guess that I must be the lucky one, my USAA account, no foreign transaction fee, (none shown, I check , I get a very fair exchange rate when I use Bancomer ATM) (I check) the $15 per month of returned ATM fees could be very true, I have never exceeded that, I would have to withdraw funds 10 times a month to exceed that.

I am happy with USAA, I was also happy with B of A until they screwed everyone living in a foreign country.

I think the fee is folded into the withdrawal amount and not listed as a separate item.

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From USAA's web site:

Sorry, we can't open this account for you.

USAA Bank products are only available to military members, veterans who have honorably served and their eligible family members.

USAA's family of companies may have other products available to you. Learn more about:

Investment Products

Life Insurance

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From USAA's web site:

Sorry, we can't open this account for you.

USAA Bank products are only available to military members, veterans who have honorably served and their eligible family members.

USAA's family of companies may have other products available to you. Learn more about:

Investment Products

Life Insurance

I was just on their site. I had it backwards. You don't have to be a veteran for the non-banking account products.

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