Scammed in Mexico (LANGUAGE FAIL!)

Going to Mexico? Don't fall for this trick.

I was scammed at Mexico City Airport but it was not as bad as the Cancun Airport scams I've heard about.

Thanks for watching. Videos are often released up to 5 days early to members of the TimTam Cartel (channel members). Membership also comes with longer and alternative cuts of some videos and some other little goodies. Join here:

All of the things listed below can be of benefit to you as well as helping me make better language learning videos. You're cool, thank you.

StoryLearning is a great way to get started in a totally new language!

Learn to comprehend your target language by learning the most relevant vocabulary with these fantastic customised Anki flashcard decks:

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Once Upon a Time in Mexico
04:52 The Taxi
08:02 The Rabbit and the Fox
10:51 Suspicion Arises
12:45 Could this be...?
15:11 The Rabbit Strikes Back
17:28 The Scam... Or...?
19:23 A Sting in the Tail
23:18 Not Sponsored, Sydney Prices
25:12 Be Alert

OK if you've reached the end of the description then you're here for the question.
Where did I say that my card that could pay in any currency was from?

[daysandwords]

Update:
WISE have issued a refund but I take back my recommendation of them. Their fees lately have made them significantly worse than any normal bank. Disappointing.

[catalinauribe]

I'm sorry this happened to you but I'm also glad it wasn't worse. I grew up in Colombia and learned from a very young age to NEVER get a taxi from the street or anywhere that wasn't an official taxi stand. People would get kidnapped by unauthorized drivers and either held for ransom or taken to multiple ATMs and forced to withdraw tons of money, we called it "paseo millonario". A friend of mine was also scammed in a similar way to what you're describing in a train station in Prague. The driver actually made them (unknowingly) pay in some other Eastern European currency and was able to get a few thousand dollars out of them, so your concern and insistence to see how they were charging you was actually very smart

[NomadicVegan]

I was once mugged at knifepoint in a taxi in Namibia by the driver and two fellow passengers, so the whole time you were telling the story my heart was in my throat. It could have been so, sooo much worse. And yes, I also feel stupid in hindsight for getting into a taxi that already had two passengers in it, but at that time and in that context it seemed like a perfectly logical thing to do. I'm so glad you made it out safely. I assume your son wasn't with you on this taxi ride???

[Refold]

LOL I finally got around to watching this 😂 We definitely got our wires crossed about Uber in the airport. What I _meant_ was that there's only a specific spot they're allowed to pick you up. I think I made it sound more serious than it was, and ended up making it more serious than it should have been 😞 Thanks for the Tim Tams though!

- Ben

[ErykKrzeminski]

Excellent story telling, looking forward to more videos about the trip!

[minna]

dfns did NOT shock natives this time 😔
im glad you're safe that's such a scary situation to be in

[te_deum]

I love the way you explained the story unedited and added some personal anecdotes. Thanks for sharing. You're probably going to get a few hate comments for it but it is what it is. It's a valuable lesson for anyone interested in international travel.

[idrovvnchildren]

this happened in your first hour?! honestly that checks out, i visited family there years ago n there was definitely some shady going on n the amount of hustlers tryna bypass regulations is so painfully familiar. well ig it’s a trip you’ll never forget at least

[KatSchlitz]

We went to Cancun recently, and the taxi situation is ridiculous. We were nearly scammed for perhaps about $70 US, but the hotel helped us (we had paid for a service that tried to back out at the last minute for our return ride to the airport). Thankfully the hotel started calling and yelling at them to deliver the service. If we had been in an airbnb or similar, we would have been in a hard spot, perhaps even missing our flights and incurring all that cost.
I will say that all the car services, taxi or other, were very expensive in Mexico (Cancun region), all of them, not just scammers. And I have traveled to Mexico and knew the scams are rampant, people are looking for an easy way to earn money and the ease of crime adds to the issue.
We often travel to Africa, and in various areas / countries the transport scamming is rampant too.
I can see that countries with less than ideal employment, or terrible salary situations (some don't get checks often from their employers, I know of some places where people work even a government job for 6 months without income! But they have no other options so hold out hope for the money to show.).... So the scams exist because people are desperate. And then some scammers see such success that they start a mini-crime ring, and buy expensive SUV's..
Yeah, be on high alert in undeveloped / struggling countries, certainly. Try to confirm with airport employees, the challenge is knowing they are an employee. Not knowing the language makes us easy targets, so learn languages well especially all transportation words phrases, money words, phrases, ear drills to know what you are hearing, all airport vocabulary, etc. This is far more important than hotel or restaurant vocabulary.

[Stephanie-gvrh]

I’m really glad it wasn’t worse, I would have been petrified. What a way to start off your time in another country!

[daysandwords]

Thanks for watching. Join the TimTam Cartel for bonus videos, early releases and more!

[Katiie]

Oh wow! Sorry that happened to you but I'm glad it wasn't worse. I got scammed with something similar in NY. They led us away from the taxi rank to a car in a separate car park.

[majddarc]

Fun fact: the Americans took the symbol of their currency from their southern neighbors. If I recall correctly, $ is P and S from Peso smashed together.

[nicolasmarin]

19:53 I lose count on how many times I haven't been sure if we're talking about pesos or dollars (and from which country), it's just nonsense, it's longer but I guess it'll be clearer to use the USD, EUR, ARS, etc codes

[marleyundangie]

I’m glad you’re fine! Yes it was a scam but thankfully not the most pricey one.
I would never use a taxi elsewhere. I really don’t like getting in a taxi in my home town. Together with friends might be okay but I’m too scared to get in own on my own.

[suzubee]

I'm mexican american and thank you for sharing your experience in mexico because I plan to go to mexico more often and usually when I go since I'm thee more travlled of the group people look to me for info and guidance (eventhough I don't feel like I'm necessarily good at guiding people)
Yeah your story had red flags but i probably would have made the same mistake

[SzczeryPoliglota]

You can still save some more lives.

Firstly, this story was so well-told, it was very engaging. Apart from that, from what I know, the credit card terminal must be registered by its provider. So it means that the card provider who guarantees the security has got the data of the scammer. So it means you could accuse them by their provider. Maybe it will save someone.

[xARKADx]

I havent been to Mexicos City’s airport in a couple of years but as I remember the uber app wont even let you select the pick up point inside airport grounds, dropp off its ok.
theres a booth for the airports taxi service that of course has a premium (probably way less than 1200 MXN lol) but never had a problem with them and you get a quote upfront.

ALWAYS agree on price first

[CouchPolyglot]

Such situations are really crazy, those minutes must have felt like hours 😱

[ashley_smith]

Only two minutes in but I had to say you are not alone. I have never taken an Uber as I don't trust them, and, the one time I tried to get a taxi I waited over 40minutes and they never showed up so I've also never taken a taxi lol

edit: okay, finished video and looking forward to more stories :D