A customer on our caravan just found a charge for 8000 pesos for fuel they did not purchase on their credit card. This was an extra charge in addition to the 2000 pesos they did spend. They were not given a receipt. It was at a station in Los Mochis. I am trying to figure out which one. They had headed out on their own to fuel up. They were told the station did not accept cash (That would be a red flag to me, I have never been refused cash payment at any Pemex). I will be strongly advising future customers not to use credit cards for fuel.She has complained to the card company but they are tellingher she needs a mexican police report. Good luck on that when they are in Canada. If I can ID which station, I will get my Mexican partner to go see the police there and at least report them to pemex. I think he will be in Los mochis in a week or 2. Not too hopeful anything will come of it, but I will at least post the station number here if they can ID it off google earth.These folks also say they think there is a charge from a station in Navajoa they did not fuel up at. Its possible both stations are owned by the same owner.I am thinking it's a bad idea to use a credit card anywher ewin Mexico.

OK, got the number, its 2540 on the east side of 15 just north of the interchange at the north end of town.

What a shame that that happened, especially to a newbie.We swear by using our cards at Pemex, and always save the receipt. In 4 years, 3 of using our credit cards exclusively at Pemex, we've had no problems. Admittedly, we aren't newbies, either.

I got a better recommendation. Don't rv or even take your car to Mexico. Horror stories go back 50 years. You are prey down there in more ways than one. I personally know two people with horror stories including vehicle theft, extortion/bribe requests from police 25 years ago, and armed robbery 15 years ago. But do what you want. In Canada I was chased for blocks by someone intent upon returning something i had dropped.. last story not true.

Kavoom wrote:I got a better recommendation. Don't rv or even take your car to Mexico. Horror stories go back 50 years. You are prey down there in more ways than one. I personally know two people with horror stories including vehicle theft, extortion/bribe requests from police 25 years ago, and armed robbery 15 years ago. But do what you want. In Canada I was chased for blocks by someone intent upon returning something i had dropped.. last story not true.I know of people being killed n Kansas and in Canada so I guess I cannot go there. Also someone was murdered in Casa Grande where winter so I cannot go there. MY route takes me through Texas where some people where murdered at a CG so I cannot go there either. I had to bribe the police in Chicago once when I was pulled over for an infraction I did not commit.Guess I find a basement and go into it and close the door.Edit:Oh I had my credit card skimmed while visiting Washington DC so I guess I cannot go there again. Of course I stayed in Maryland and visited Virginia so those are out as I do not really know where the skim happened

Let me figure now. Don't use credit cards for fuel in Mexico. Carry a bundle of cash for fuel in Mexico? No way! I'll just never go to Mexico. ;)

Do not use credit cards for fuel | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

profdant139
Explorer II
May 03, 2016
Why do the "Mexico haters" even bother posting on this forum?? We all just discount what they say, anyway. I recommend that we not even respond to the obvious trolls.

On the other hand, when someone like Tequila says "there may be a specific problem, be aware," that is worth listening to!
Tequila
Explorer
May 03, 2016
darsben wrote:
You know I have been thinking about this since my first post.
The OP bears some of the blame for what happened to the people.They were in his caravan and set out on their own to get fuel.
Tequila; DIDN't you have a meeting before starting and advise people of the scams they may get caught in? Didn't you advise them to always get a receipt? You were aware of the red flag but did not inform your customer.
Have your customer ask the CC company for a copy of the charge. See if your customer signed it. Or was it put into the pump.

Yes they were warned about all the common scams. I told everyone that if they were driving a company truck, even thier own, they needed a permission letter, and guess what? One still showed up without it. I sat at Km 21, whipping one up on my printer. It worked. I also warned those with trailers to bring an extra off road spare. Did they all do it? No.

As far as the red flag was concerned, I was unaware of it and I suspect it was langage barrier. Customers have free time some choose to go top up by themselves. I am not responsible for what they do on their own time. We make regular fuel stops enroute, but some people always want to top off when they get a chance, we were camped right behind this particular Pemex. I was unaware they went there & fueled. Wagon Master does not mean 24 hour babysitter. At least i am doing what I can on my own time to resolve this for them. I doubt many other companies would bother to be quite frank.
darsben
Explorer II
May 03, 2016
You know I have been thinking about this since my first post.
The OP bears some of the blame for what happened to the people.They were in his caravan and set out on their own to get fuel.
Tequila; DIDN't you have a meeting before starting and advise people of the scams they may get caught in? Didn't you advise them to always get a receipt? You were aware of the red flag but did not inform your customer.
Have your customer ask the CC company for a copy of the charge. See if your customer signed it. Or was it put into the pump.
Tequila
Explorer
May 03, 2016
Well i now have a copy of the bill. It shows a 8000 peso charge for los Mochis and a 2050 peso charge in Navajoa. We did not stop in Navajoa. The charge in Navajoa is the staion owned by Redmax. When i go to there website, guess what? They also own Pemex 2450 in Los Mochis. She used 2050 pesos worth of fuel in Los mochis, the same amount as the bill in Navajoa on thre same day. 8000 pesos is about what a semi would take. I am thinking this may be an honest computer glitch. I do have the contact email for Redmax, so i am going to send them a copy of the statement (after the customer tells mastercard to put a stop on any tranactions in mexico for now). I can explain it all in Spanish to them, so i will give them a chance to resolve it before doing anythign else. It is still odd they told her no cash, but that could have been the language barrier.

It is possible if this station is honest, they may discover both charges went through at the same time, an impossibility unless her RV is capable of warp 1.
Talleyho69
Moderator
May 03, 2016
qtla9111, you hit the nail right on the head!!!

Nicely stated, and true.
Kavoom
Explorer
May 03, 2016
To each their own.
dkilley
Explorer
May 03, 2016
Thanks for sharing this information Tequila. It is appreciated and we will make sure not to fuel up there on our way down this fall. I still prefer to use cash when possible over my credit card. I have used credit card about 10 times over past 14 years with no problems so far. Have you seen any ultra low sulfur diesel yet? It is suppose to be coming, but when??
qtla9111
Nomad
May 03, 2016
Too much hype over something that happens millions of times around the world and no country is exempt. This falls into the category of cow manure.

I exclusively use credit and debit cards in Mexico and the U.S. for travel. I've never had an issue. Will I? I'm sure someday it's in the cards.

But listen, if we convince people to carry cash then we'll end up with countless stories of the 50/500 peso bill swap. I've never understood any of this either.

This is promotion for something else. End of story.
rocmoc
Explorer
May 03, 2016
Kavoom wrote:
I got a better recommendation. Don't rv or even take your car to Mexico. Horror stories go back 50 years. You are prey down there in more ways than one. I personally know two people with horror stories including vehicle theft, extortion/bribe requests from police 25 years ago, and armed robbery 15 years ago. But do what you want.

In Canada I was chased for blocks by someone intent upon returning something i had dropped.. last story not true.

I was shook down in Goodland, Kansas by the LOE, "Pay me $ and you won't have to go see the judge" and the ticket never showed on my driving record. Had my credit card over charged at a restaurant in Nevada City, Ca and info stolen at a Chevron station in Tonopah, Nv. Stopped in Alabama by a LOE and told I should go have his buddy work on my trailer when there was not anything the matter with it. Said OK but kept heading West. Guess I better avoid the USA.

rocmoc n AZ/Fld/Baja
DanNJanice
Explorer
May 03, 2016
azdryheat wrote:
My bank does not require a police report for a billing dispute. We always use a credit card primarily because it is NOT your money you're spending but the bank's. Credit card billing errors are easily disputed and the bank will investigate. Using a debit card is much more risky as that IS your money, right out of your checking account. I don't recommend using debit cards for gas (or much of anything else for that matter).

X2!
I had someone get my CC number and use it to buy a $1400 laptop on Newegg. I called Newegg and appraised them of the situation. They said to call my bank and dispute the charge immediately. Bank froze the payment and eventually canceled it completely. I never paid a penny.
I only use CC when purchasing away from home or online.