Can you believe this!?!? ✅ SUBSCRIBE: enjoythejourney.life/UA-cam Watch us on the first 24/7 RV TV Network! enjoythejourney.life/RVTV ➡ Subscribe by Email: enjoythejourney.life/newsletter ✅ Click ⬇⬇⬇"READ MORE"⬇⬇⬇ for links to our favorite RV resources, gadgets, gear, & FREE stuff! SHOP Our FAVORITE RV & travel gear on AMAZON www.amazon.com/shop/enjoythejourney.life CHAPTERS/TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 00:07 Scammed Out of $500 At Cancun Mexico Airport 00:16 Mexico Customs Scam Alert! 00:21 Mexico Government Forced Me To Pay $9508mx Pesos 00:32 Took My Passport 00:43 Mexico's "Legal" Airport Scam! 01:09 WARNING! Latest Mexico Tourist Scam! 02:03 Avoid This Costly Mistake When Traveling To Mexico 02:20 The Cancun Mexico Scam You Need To Know About 03:35 Cheap Monthly Beach Rentals In Mexico 03:56 Beware! My Bad Experience In Mexico 04:21 WARNING! Mexico Tourist Passport Trap! 04:29 Random Airport Customs Check Cost Me $500 04:40 WARNING! Mexico Airport Baggage Check Could Cost You 05:05 Warning To Business Travelers Heading To Mexico 05:10 UA-camrs, Content Creators, Digital Nomads Beware Of Traveling To Mexico 05:25 Remote Workers Beware Of This Mexico Scam 05:56 Business Travelers Look Out For This Mexico Fraud 06:10 Want To Fly Your Drone In Mexico? Look Out For This $500 Tax 06:46 Hit With A $500 Tax In Mexico 06:59 Mexico Agents Took My Passport, Laptop & Drone 07:09 Trapped By Mexico Border Customs Agents 07:55 Bringing A Drone Into Mexico? You Will Get Fined 08:14 The $500 Mexico Airport Fraud You Need To Know About 08:51 Traveling To Mexico? Beware Of This 19% Tax 09:25 Trapped By Mexico Airport Agents 09:44 Chase & Capital One Credit Cards Said It Was Fraud 10:37 Beware Of This AI Voice & Video Scam 12:03 The Unexpected Mexico Trip Expense You Need To Know About 12:54 Are All UA-camrs Are Rich? 13:38 The $500 Unexpected Expense When I Traveled To Mexico 14:41 What Are You Allowed To Bring Into Mexico? 17:25 Diabetics Beware Of Traveling To Mexico 19:03 How Much Alcohol Can You Bring Into Mexico? 19:41 How Many Pets Can You Travel Into Mexico With? 19:58 Mexico Airport Travel Tips 20:04 Watch Out For These Scams In Cancun Mexico 20:19 Mexico Car Rental Scams 20:53 Cancun Mexico Airport Taxi Scam 20:54 WARNING! Mexico Taxi Scam 24:18 Cancun Mexico Beach Drone Video 26:01 The Mexico Government Needs To Fix This! 27:56 What Are The Friendliest Countries For Tourists Or Travel? 28:10 Don't Go To Mexico Links: List of what you can bring to Mexico (without having to pay tax) omawww.sat.gob.mx/aduanas/pasajeros/Paginas/Mercancia_ingresar_Mexico.aspx Hotel I stayed at for $53/night (off-season) Bsea Cancun Plaza Hotel (I booked through Priceline) Tom's Beginner's Guide To RVing Course on RV Masterclass! (free with subscription) Best RV Routes, campsites & more! enjoythejourney.life/planning (7 Day FREE Trial & 30% OFF exclusive to subscribers only) FREE OFFICIAL TRAUMA/PTSD TEST! enjoythejourney.life/cheri 🌞 Cheri can help one on one with you over Zoom (94% success treating depression, PTSD, anxiety, shame & more in one 2 hour session) 📶 HOW DO WE GET INTERNET? Save 20% OFF your first month with Homefi Internet with code: EnjoyLiferv enjoythejourney.life/router More about Homefi Internet enjoythejourney.life/homefi ✅ MERCH! T-SHIRTS & MORE! enjoythejourney.life/shirts 👍 Quick Start Guide: How to Make Money & RV & FREE RV Campsite Setup & Breakdown Checklist(s) enjoythejourney.life/newsletter Get all your truck, towing, RV needs & more enjoythejourney.life/Etrailer **** SOCIAL: Follow us & share **** Join the 'Journey Tribe': enjoythejourney.life/join Subscribe to our UA-cam channel: enjoythejourney.life/UA-cam Subscribe to our Podcast: anchor.fm/enjoy-the-journey-life Subscribe to our newsletter for updates: enjoythejourney.life/newsletter Join our Facebook Group: enjoythejourney.life/group Facebook Page: facebook.com/EnjoyTheJourney.Life Instagram: instagram.com/enjoythejourney.life TikTok www.tiktok.com/@enjoythejourney.life Website: enjoythejourney.life/ **** RV PARKING & CAMPSITE FINDERS! **** Get $100 off (or more) a NEW Thousand Trails camping pass/membership at enjoythejourney.life/trails Save on a USED 1000 Trails membership! Contact Kimberly at enjoythejourney.life/TT or 800-272-0401 (mention Tom Kenemore if you call in) RV FREE at wineries, breweries, golf courses & more (save 15% off with code: HHFRIENDS15) enjoythejourney.life/HH **** CONTACT US **** Email: tomandcheri@enjoythejourney.life Mail Bag: Lake Effect Media 14870 Granada Avenue 1037 Apple Valley, MN 55124 Enjoy The Journey . Life, All Rights Reserved Our channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV or travel experts. Some of our links are affiliate links. Thank you! #mexico #cancun #scammer
We have a secret question set up with our son to avoid the AI scam. I would suggest Puerto Rico, affordable, no passport needed, beautiful and filled with culture and history.
I had something similar happen to me and when I refused to pay they threatened to arrest me. As I stood there pondering what to do it dawned on me that I was under duress. So, I signed on the credit card receipt signature line, "Under Duress" rather than my name and they never noticed. I disputed the credit card charge based on the signature and won the dispute and the charge was reversed.
In 1986 I was in MX and they weren’t letting me or my friend off the bus to the airport unless we gave them money. I remember I had $20 left and so I gave it to them. It was scary.
They say stay out of Mexico! Don't you see news? It's a complete risk. Even resorts are reporting attacks, murders.etc. People driving are being shot up. You're lucky your returning with your life.
Tom should know better than to go to Mexico, and even thinking about renting there! Tom, maybe you need a conservator. You simply violated one of the rules of common sense.
I got hit with a tax going across the Canadian border. Charged me tax for my laptop and electrical testing equipment. I explained to the customs agent that this bill would just be charged to the Canadian company that I was going to but he didn't care.
Had you refused to pay the option would have been for you to give them your equipment to hold til you exited the country. If you know the Mexico Drone Laws it was the Drone that was the ultimate red flag. Foreigners cannot fly any drone over 249gr which your drone exceeded so possesion only suggested you were likley to break thier laws. Only Mexican nationals can legally fly a drone larger than 249gr Drones without a special permit. Understand while they may have taken your equipment they would have had to give you a reciept and exiting boarding pass which you could present upon exit to get yourequipment back at the airport. When entering with the proper 249gr drone print the Mexico Drone laws and carry with you wehn entering Mexico as well when yo are flyingto present to law enforcement that says ou you can operate that drone legally in Mexico...
Many countries have the same rules. I live in Peru and you can only bring one laptop, one camera, two cellphones, etc. How do you get around this? You must declare the second laptop and drone. Put the value of what you think it is and you will be taxed on that value since your declaration is a legal signed document. So for your 5 or 6 year old Macbook you could have valued at say $300 and the used drone for $100 or whatever price you think. They can only charge you taxes on the value you declared. In that scenario it would have been $76. However, not declaring these items appears as if you are trying to sneak them through. So, they go for the maximum penalty. Many times, as long as you declare, and they see that you are only passing through, they waive any taxes and fees. Also, for any electronics keep photos of receipts on your cellphone. I travel back and forth about four times per year. You have to be careful even on making connections in other countries, sometimes you have your bags checked and scanned again. Double check before you reach Customs if you need a declaration.
You can find a Forbes article titled “Traveling With A Laptop And An iPad To Mexico? Prepare To Pay Hundreds” It’s not a scam. It’s the law in Mexico. It’s not the agents fault. They were doing their job.
Right, it may not be the agents fault. But with so many remote workers, content creators, business people traveling these days. Their list needs to be updated to catch up with modern times. And what is one good reason to limit people to bringing one computer?
@@EnjoyTheJourneyLife I think the idea is to tax equipment brought in for commercial purposes. The Forbes article is a good thorough analysis. The article mentions Arnold Schwarzenegger having the same problem with an expensive watch in Munich. Duty, tariffs and special taxes don’t always make logical sense but they exist in almost every modern country including the U.S.
Hey Tom, thanks for the heads up to inform others of the scamming. The customs people can be intimidating for sure. When i travel to Mexico the one thing I'm sure to bring is my wife. She's Mexican (became U.S. citizen in '92) and they rarely bother with 'us'. My wife is always respectful with them but we don't get run over by them. I retire in 6-8 months, got the new super duty last Christmas, looking for the right RV now. Thanks for your hard work
Crazy thing I was watching a UA-cam couple in New Orleans targeted in Mexico and they took their camper van, then tried to use scamming local lawyers that took their money and pretend to get it back. You are lucky to get it back.
Baja Peninsula is a good place. If you stay away from the beach area, you could find some really great deals the closer to the beach the more you’re going to pay back in the 90s I stayed at a home that was $300 a month fully furnished, you were able to walk to the store to different parks and venues. They also had a shuttle that went to one of the local beaches. I tried looking up where I stayed for a couple months, but could not find the exact town. But that was a long time ago, and my memory has faded, but the experience has not.
The 3 cellphones thing actually makes more sense than one would think. I have 2 phones that I carry daily. If I was traveling internationally I might take a 3rd unlocked phone to put a local sim in. Even if I didn't take a 3rd phone I also have an iPod touch that might be misinterpreted as another phone so not having to explain the difference between an iPod touch and a cellphone to people that dont speak my language would be nice.
Storytime. Hurricane... Lights go out, but, while there is no internet, no power, NADA, I have my battery charger, DVD and CD USB player, and I am entertained for the whole time until power comes back on while everyone that relies on "everything's digital" were trying to find english books and magazines. Old school won the day. Also, I have three phones, iPhone, Android and a basic emergency flip phone that always stays in my bag. In other words, there are lots of people that do things differently than you do Tom. Quit trying to make it weird. Everyone has different ideas about how to live their lives.
Not a scam. If what you are trying to bring into the country is not on a list (that you cna find online) then you need to pay taxes on it. Lots of countries have similar taxes (US included).
I've gotten scammed in Mexico, too. It was in the shady border town of Tiajuana, by the local police. That was nearly 50 years ago and I've been back only once (for work) even though I live in SoCal, about 150 miles away. Mexico would make a FORTUNE from USA tourists if they would clean up their act. They should be ashamed of themselves. I advise everyone to avoid Mexico. I travel for pleasure and Mexico is getting none of those dollars.
Use a credit card, never debit card. Always notify credit cards u are traveling. The $480 charge on credit card could have been disputed. U may be able to dispute the debit card charge with your bank. But much more difficult and less likely.
I am so sorry to hear this happened to you. I haven't planned on going to Mexico, or any foreign country. But Mexico is not on my list of places to visit. I also have not been on a plane in years and have not missed flying anywhere since 2011. Nice drone video. Hope you get home without any more issues. They sure are finding ways to discourage Americans and others from visiting their country if they keep that non-sense up. Mexico needs to get after these fraudsters who will drive tourists away, not just from the US but from anywhere in the country.
What you were being charged sounds like an import/duty tax - best to know the rules of where you're traveling because the fact that you're a Content creator has no bearing to the Mexican Gov't. High dollar items ALWAYS have an import tax. USA also has import taxes but you need to arm yourself with Knowledge BEFORE ENTERING another country. Their country, Their rules.
I travel with 4 dogs never had issues. Take ADO where ever your going. Or contigo. Some hotels have shuttle services. No need to be rude you can just nod, so they will continue to bother the next person. Don’t look lost . I’m lucky my wife is Mexican. She argues with them about their scams all the time.
Believe it or not, I got cheated in Zürich two weeks ago, it is totally unexpected. When we got to Zurich by train, I got relaxed since I have so much respect for Zurich, so I grabbed a taxi directly instead of calling a Uber. From train station to our Airbnb place, it was about 15 min driving, the taxi meter jumped to 47.5 Swiss francs/CHF (about $55 USD). I was shocked but paid anyway just thinking Zurich is an expensive place. I checked the Uber price afterwards, it is about 18-20 CHF. Uber charged us 15 CHF from Airbnb to train station when we left. $30 overcharge may not be a big deal, but it does tell you something even in Zurich, I don’t think the taxi driver is a Schweitzer, but…. , anyway this kind of practice will hurt taxi driver’s reputation a lot. I will use Uber or Lyft no matter where I go unless I have to use normal taxi. Bad things will hit us one way or the other, we just need to try our best.
First, don’t ever get a bus or taxi at the curb of the airport. Always setup a bus or taxi at the counter in the airport. Also setup your rental at the counter of a known rental company. I did not know this BS about vat! Glad I didn’t get nailed for my tablet that’s not on the list!
Well, that’s illegal for them to charge you for stuff that you’ve already paid for and you travel with, so I would’ve called the consulate and had them investigated because that’s not true if you bought it there yes if you were moving there and bought it yes but they illegally charged you a tax for something that you purchased and you’re not selling in their country so they got the law wrong I would complain to the consulate, also I find it odd that they’re not charging VAT tax for everybody carrying a cell phone?!
The list you read is a pretty common list to travel abroad. Not sure it's Mexicos fault for you not doing your research prior to traveling this ordeal you were put in could of easily been avoided with knowledge prior to traveling. Also, paying taxes on valuables happens all the time thats why they say bring the reciept. The only one person that was in the wrong was you. Lucky they only charged you tax instead of taking the property.
Right, I shared the video as a travel mistake. But with so many remote workers, content creators, business people traveling these days. Their list needs to be updated to catch up with modern times. And what is one good reason to limit people to bringing one computer?
@EnjoyTheJourneyLife it comes down to the value of assets you're traveling with. This is why the documentation of purchases is recommended. The us has an 800.00 dollar limit on those things, I've had to declare and pay us taxes on items brought back in the past just because i didn't have evidence i left the us with them. The two laptops and the drone could very easily be valued over that, and without proof of purchase in the US, you would have paid tax again. You're lucky you didn't get audited on the return trip. You mentioned in the video that due to this situation, you most likely won't travel back and said they basically held you hostage while you were trying to figure it out. It is entirely your fault for not taking the time to provide yourself with the knowledge ahead of time. You were just were the lucky one to be picked for an audit. You placed a lot of blame in the video on Mexicos port of authority for following the rules because they enforce you to follow them. I enjoy watching your videos, and they are informative I just believe you took the wrong approach to this one and placed blame instead of saying hey I screwed up, and to keep from you doing it also make sure you investigate what you can and can't bring into the countries prior to traveling or this bad situation can happen to you as well. I do agree the lists are very reduculous and are not representative to today's world, as a smoker you pointed out my biggest pet peeve while traveling because I have no idea if I'm going to be somewhere for more than a week how my addiction to smoking is going to be handled in cost or avalibility and it's pretty nerve wrecking.
I have traveled extensively and never encountered this Mexican scam. The only thing close was Russia directly following the fall of the Soviet Union where you had to list everything you brought in (including things such as wedding rings) which could be compared to what you have on departure. This is entirely different than importing something to be left in that country or limits on taxed items such as alcohol and tobacco. Shame on Mexico.
@@ChrisCohrs-z6soh please, they have so many scams going on down there. I had never heard of any of this. They seem to pick out who to scam with this.
Again know the Laws you are lucky you were not arrested for flying your drone. I was however I spoke just enough spanish to explain the law and showed then the Drone Laws on my Phone, only after being hauled in to the Police Station. As I said tourist can flay drones under 249-grams like the DJI Mini, the Mavic and bigger is 100% against the law. Clearly you did NOT check or know the Law as you claimed...
It's on the news. You are not supposed to bring two pieces of electronics. It's very unfair but it's on the news. It''s good that you complain. It's very unfair because it's USED equipment. They gave you an invoice. Just do research before you travel man.
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I have a friend who went to Mexico and Baja alternatively each winter. She and her husband were in their 70's. They had a self built primitive milk truck they camped with. (not really built, they used it for carrying camping gear) One time, pretty much the last time they went- they were stopped by the Mexican military and had to pay $500 (must be their favorite number ) to let them go.
We won't go back to Mexico. The last two times, we were stopped at the border coming back and had to drive thru their radiation x-ray machine and wait for over an hour for them to research who we were. I'm done with ever going back. It seems like it'd be easier to cross illegally.
Any border can have this issue, back when SLR film camera were hot technology, we had to get it documented on the way into Canada. If not documented you could be charged a tariff when rentering the US
My husband is Mexican and they tried to do this to us (looks like the same drone, Mavic 2 Pro). Of course we didnt’ have the receipt either, so they tried looking it up. He talked to them fairly sternly and got a supervisor over there. They look for Americans in the lines at these checkpoints. It wasn’t until they saw we were together that they lowered the price. I think I paid maybe $20 in tax or so because we completely told them the prices they were looking up were not true. It has more to do with the total value of the items you have with you than the items themselves. If they total more than your personal allotment, then they tax you beyond that amount. They completely 100% took advantage of you traveling by yourself as an American. That’s horrific! Sorry that happened to you.
This video could have been 5 minutes long and still communicated all the essential info. But instead we have a 30-min boredom fest with 3 minutes of content and 27 minutes of time-wasting garbage. Do better. If this is what all your videos are like you will lose subscribers.
Safeword. Everyone should have a safe word only you and your family know. You'll always know its your loved one. Yours is tax deductible. Who is ours if your by yourself. Honestly the list from 2017 you should've known. Its not hidden free its published. They did nothing wrong you just don't like the policy.
In the 90’s my father would sell commercial washers & dryers to be shipped to Mexico. We were required to ship them to arrive at a certain time so their “guy” at the border could bypass the tax man by paying their guy.
Those transaction where not mark as fraud this is normally happens when a transaction price is high. The bank usually declines it till you say "yes" on the message. It has happened to me when buying gold online and buying a phone off aliexpress since it was a high price item.
I had a bad experience with customs in Aruba. I'll never go back or promote Aruba to anyone. I've also been to Mexico on a cruise. But had issues there, too. I'll never go back. If we stop going and they rely on tourism they will change thier ways.
Tom, I am so sorry this happened to you. Not only you but thousands of Americans. I know several RV-er’s that got caught in their little scam. I appreciate you sharing on what happened to you. ❤️🙏🇺🇸
that's f#$d up. im glad they didn't do more. i was at that airport in april, and the guards with dog's walked up to me, and i simply waved towards the doors on the way out to taxi city, and kept on walking
I had a dozen Laser Discs, I have a couple hundred cd's and Over 100 DVDs LOL I still watch and listen to them. OK, I'm 66 - an Ol'fart LOL This is one reason I stopped international travel about 15 years ago. I got tired of the rip-off routines from the Officials on down in other countries. UK and Europe was still good, but the Middle-east and Asia.. sucked.
Thanks for posting this video. I was just in Cancun this week, I always travel with 2 computers my personal and work computer. This time I only took my personal laptop since I wanted to disconnect some from work otherwise I would have traveled with 2 laptops. I am so sorry for what you went through!
All the blah, blah, blah long before you spoke about the actual issue irritated me. No need to tell me not to watch your videos. I decided that on my own
Wow! You really put fear into a lot of people. Don't allow one person's bad, ill-informed experience stop you from seeing the world. Cancun is awesome, it's relatively safe, and Mexico is a great place to visit. Know immigration and customs laws. Do your research before you travel. Don't go places you shouldn't. Stay in popular areas. Don't wander down empty streets. I would tell you this if you were going to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Miami, Tampa, Baltimore, or Houston. Get it?
Dang! After watching this it leaves a bad vibe for traveling to Mexico. Thanks for sharing this. I hope the Mexican government and taxi operators clean up their act or they could potentially suffer financially.
Another video of people from the USA that visit other countries and complain about the rules established for the visitors. I have travelled the world for work for many years and every time I get a new laptop or ipad, I get the invoice with it so I can prove ownership where ever needed, including borders. This is the same rule in so many countries, however, some countries enforce more because electronics have very high tax rates, which leads to people bringing goods in their tourist luggage to sell at their destination. This happens A LOT and that’s why countries establish a limit towards high tax-rated goods. And yes, the USA does the same with tourists that carry more than the defined limits, especially when they “forget” to declare it. You were actually lucky that the border officers allowed you to keep your computer by paying the duties - in some countries this is not an option when the electronic goods are not declared in the customs declaration form. I’m really sorry, but this video is pure nonsense. Mexico does have its problems, but your video doesn’t illustrate any of them.
And this surprises you how? Every government does this, every day. You got profiled and they were right, so they got their vig. Travel smarter and that wont happen as often.
Im sorry you feel that bag searching is even remotely acceptable. Its apparent how something so simple cost you. As they say never consent to a search even if you believe you are safe. The system is there to take from you not help or protect you. Granted your in another country and are at the whim of their laws. Best bet is to stay away from counties like Mexico. They apparently dont want you there, why go. If they wanted tourists they wouldn't rip them off.
Had you seen the list prior to your travel? You probably could have called one of the bank cards and discussed that your charge was for real... but that would have taken quite a while to do. Also, for any foreign travel, or even domestic travel, alerting yor bank cards prior to travel letting them know where you will be should help with possible charges going through with less hassle. Hope you could enjoy your few days in Mexico.
I traveled to Europe I let my credit and debit card companies know I’d be traveling. One still declined small purchase and required a pin number which I did not have a train ticket. I still need to contact them and complain. Someone needs to d develop a better way, so your purchases are not declined when you’ve informed them where you’re traveling to!!
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CHAPTERS/TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
00:07 Scammed Out of $500 At Cancun Mexico Airport
00:16 Mexico Customs Scam Alert!
00:21 Mexico Government Forced Me To Pay $9508mx Pesos
00:32 Took My Passport
00:43 Mexico's "Legal" Airport Scam!
01:09 WARNING! Latest Mexico Tourist Scam!
02:03 Avoid This Costly Mistake When Traveling To Mexico
02:20 The Cancun Mexico Scam You Need To Know About
03:35 Cheap Monthly Beach Rentals In Mexico
03:56 Beware! My Bad Experience In Mexico
04:21 WARNING! Mexico Tourist Passport Trap!
04:29 Random Airport Customs Check Cost Me $500
04:40 WARNING! Mexico Airport Baggage Check Could Cost You
05:05 Warning To Business Travelers Heading To Mexico
05:10 UA-camrs, Content Creators, Digital Nomads Beware Of Traveling To Mexico
05:25 Remote Workers Beware Of This Mexico Scam
05:56 Business Travelers Look Out For This Mexico Fraud
06:10 Want To Fly Your Drone In Mexico? Look Out For This $500 Tax
06:46 Hit With A $500 Tax In Mexico
06:59 Mexico Agents Took My Passport, Laptop & Drone
07:09 Trapped By Mexico Border Customs Agents
07:55 Bringing A Drone Into Mexico? You Will Get Fined
08:14 The $500 Mexico Airport Fraud You Need To Know About
08:51 Traveling To Mexico? Beware Of This 19% Tax
09:25 Trapped By Mexico Airport Agents
09:44 Chase & Capital One Credit Cards Said It Was Fraud
10:37 Beware Of This AI Voice & Video Scam
12:03 The Unexpected Mexico Trip Expense You Need To Know About
12:54 Are All UA-camrs Are Rich?
13:38 The $500 Unexpected Expense When I Traveled To Mexico
14:41 What Are You Allowed To Bring Into Mexico?
17:25 Diabetics Beware Of Traveling To Mexico
19:03 How Much Alcohol Can You Bring Into Mexico?
19:41 How Many Pets Can You Travel Into Mexico With?
19:58 Mexico Airport Travel Tips
20:04 Watch Out For These Scams In Cancun Mexico
20:19 Mexico Car Rental Scams
20:53 Cancun Mexico Airport Taxi Scam
20:54 WARNING! Mexico Taxi Scam
24:18 Cancun Mexico Beach Drone Video
26:01 The Mexico Government Needs To Fix This!
27:56 What Are The Friendliest Countries For Tourists Or Travel?
28:10 Don't Go To Mexico
Links:
List of what you can bring to Mexico (without having to pay tax) omawww.sat.gob.mx/aduanas/pasajeros/Paginas/Mercancia_ingresar_Mexico.aspx
Hotel I stayed at for $53/night (off-season) Bsea Cancun Plaza Hotel (I booked through Priceline)
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#mexico #cancun #scammer
Avoid Mexico.
Why even go to Mexico??
Other UA-camrs even lost their RV, so we will not cross into Mexico.
Which UA-camrs?
@@rebeccabrown5014 tenaj and tino travels
We have a secret question set up with our son to avoid the AI scam. I would suggest Puerto Rico, affordable, no passport needed, beautiful and filled with culture and history.
I stopped going to Mexico in 2000. I won't step foot in that place again👍🏻🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
Mexicans won't be expected you, don't worry and stay home.
I had something similar happen to me and when I refused to pay they threatened to arrest me. As I stood there pondering what to do it dawned on me that I was under duress. So, I signed on the credit card receipt signature line, "Under Duress" rather than my name and they never noticed. I disputed the credit card charge based on the signature and won the dispute and the charge was reversed.
Excellent! Thanks.
Amazing! 🙂
@@dwightmorrisva smart!!
Good for you!
You need to have a "secret word" with your mother-In-law, then she'll know it's you calling...
they spoke english. what a scam.
Haven’t been to Mexico since the 80’s, no thank you I haven’t even come close to see all the beautiful things the US has to offer
In 1986 I was in MX and they weren’t letting me or my friend off the bus to the airport unless we gave them money. I remember I had $20 left and so I gave it to them. It was scary.
They say stay out of Mexico! Don't you see news? It's a complete risk. Even resorts are reporting attacks, murders.etc. People driving are being shot up. You're lucky your returning with your life.
Tom should know better than to go to Mexico, and even thinking about renting there! Tom, maybe you need a conservator. You simply violated one of the rules of common sense.
STOP going to Mexico Tom!!!! Just asking for trouble
Yes, stop going to Mexico. You don't need Mexico and Mexico does not need you. Divorce!
You need to inform your bank you're going to Mexico for the cards to work
Just another reason to avoid Mexico. I went to Cozemel years ago and did not feel safe at all!
I got hit with a tax going across the Canadian border. Charged me tax for my laptop and electrical testing equipment. I explained to the customs agent that this bill would just be charged to the Canadian company that I was going to but he didn't care.
Oh wow, thanks for sharing
Had you refused to pay the option would have been for you to give them your equipment to hold til you exited the country. If you know the Mexico Drone Laws it was the Drone that was the ultimate red flag. Foreigners cannot fly any drone over 249gr which your drone exceeded so possesion only suggested you were likley to break thier laws. Only Mexican nationals can legally fly a drone larger than 249gr Drones without a special permit. Understand while they may have taken your equipment they would have had to give you a reciept and exiting boarding pass which you could present upon exit to get yourequipment back at the airport. When entering with the proper 249gr drone print the Mexico Drone laws and carry with you wehn entering Mexico as well when yo are flyingto present to law enforcement that says ou you can operate that drone legally in Mexico...
Interesting, thanks for sharing that.
Im not setting foot in Mexico after watching this video.
You sure get into some sticky situations!
What were you thinking..going to mexico is not a option right now..its well known. Stay in the US..its not safe to leave.
Depending where you live in the US Mexico can be alot safer
Many countries have the same rules. I live in Peru and you can only bring one laptop, one camera, two cellphones, etc. How do you get around this? You must declare the second laptop and drone. Put the value of what you think it is and you will be taxed on that value since your declaration is a legal signed document. So for your 5 or 6 year old Macbook you could have valued at say $300 and the used drone for $100 or whatever price you think. They can only charge you taxes on the value you declared. In that scenario it would have been $76. However, not declaring these items appears as if you are trying to sneak them through. So, they go for the maximum penalty. Many times, as long as you declare, and they see that you are only passing through, they waive any taxes and fees.
Also, for any electronics keep photos of receipts on your cellphone.
I travel back and forth about four times per year. You have to be careful even on making connections in other countries, sometimes you have your bags checked and scanned again. Double check before you reach Customs if you need a declaration.
I will not go there.
Thanks for sharing! It's a "no go" zone for me!😳
You can find a Forbes article titled “Traveling With A Laptop And An iPad To Mexico? Prepare To Pay Hundreds”
It’s not a scam. It’s the law in Mexico. It’s not the agents fault. They were doing their job.
Right, it may not be the agents fault. But with so many remote workers, content creators, business people traveling these days. Their list needs to be updated to catch up with modern times. And what is one good reason to limit people to bringing one computer?
@@EnjoyTheJourneyLife I think the idea is to tax equipment brought in for commercial purposes. The Forbes article is a good thorough analysis. The article mentions Arnold Schwarzenegger having the same problem with an expensive watch in Munich. Duty, tariffs and special taxes don’t always make logical sense but they exist in almost every modern country including the U.S.
Hey Tom, thanks for the heads up to inform others of the scamming.
The customs people can be intimidating for sure.
When i travel to Mexico the one thing I'm sure to bring is my wife. She's Mexican (became U.S. citizen in '92) and they rarely bother with 'us'.
My wife is always respectful with them but we don't get run over by them.
I retire in 6-8 months, got the new super duty last Christmas, looking for the right RV now.
Thanks for your hard work
Everyone needs to know the rules governing any country you travel to.
Crazy thing I was watching a UA-cam couple in New Orleans targeted in Mexico and they took their camper van, then tried to use scamming local lawyers that took their money and pretend to get it back. You are lucky to get it back.
Baja Peninsula is a good place. If you stay away from the beach area, you could find some really great deals the closer to the beach the more you’re going to pay back in the 90s I stayed at a home that was $300 a month fully furnished, you were able to walk to the store to different parks and venues. They also had a shuttle that went to one of the local beaches. I tried looking up where I stayed for a couple months, but could not find the exact town. But that was a long time ago, and my memory has faded, but the experience has not.
EVERY FAMILY NEEDS A SAFE WORD!
Setting up a code word or phrase with your family prior to leaving will help fight the scams.
Checking my upcoming cruises. Mexico is a no go at this point.
The 3 cellphones thing actually makes more sense than one would think. I have 2 phones that I carry daily. If I was traveling internationally I might take a 3rd unlocked phone to put a local sim in. Even if I didn't take a 3rd phone I also have an iPod touch that might be misinterpreted as another phone so not having to explain the difference between an iPod touch and a cellphone to people that dont speak my language would be nice.
If that had happened to me, I would never go there again!
Mistake #1, going to Mexico.
Depends
Storytime. Hurricane... Lights go out, but, while there is no internet, no power, NADA, I have my battery charger, DVD and CD USB player, and I am entertained for the whole time until power comes back on while everyone that relies on "everything's digital" were trying to find english books and magazines. Old school won the day. Also, I have three phones, iPhone, Android and a basic emergency flip phone that always stays in my bag. In other words, there are lots of people that do things differently than you do Tom. Quit trying to make it weird. Everyone has different ideas about how to live their lives.
Not a scam. If what you are trying to bring into the country is not on a list (that you cna find online) then you need to pay taxes on it. Lots of countries have similar taxes (US included).
I've gotten scammed in Mexico, too. It was in the shady border town of Tiajuana, by the local police. That was nearly 50 years ago and I've been back only once (for work) even though I live in SoCal, about 150 miles away. Mexico would make a FORTUNE from USA tourists if they would clean up their act. They should be ashamed of themselves. I advise everyone to avoid Mexico. I travel for pleasure and Mexico is getting none of those dollars.
Well, it looks like you paid with a debit card. Call your bank and tell them it was an unauthorized transaction.
Use a credit card, never debit card.
Always notify credit cards u are traveling.
The $480 charge on credit card could have been disputed.
U may be able to dispute the debit card charge with your bank. But much more difficult and less likely.
I am so sorry to hear this happened to you. I haven't planned on going to Mexico, or any foreign country. But Mexico is not on my list of places to visit. I also have not been on a plane in years and have not missed flying anywhere since 2011.
Nice drone video. Hope you get home without any more issues.
They sure are finding ways to discourage Americans and others from visiting their country if they keep that non-sense up.
Mexico needs to get after these fraudsters who will drive tourists away, not just from the US but from anywhere in the country.
I would see if you can get your money back through the bank and tell him that you were scammed
Too dangerous nowadays
What you were being charged sounds like an import/duty tax - best to know the rules of where you're traveling because the fact that you're a Content creator has no bearing to the Mexican Gov't. High dollar items ALWAYS have an import tax. USA also has import taxes but you need to arm yourself with Knowledge BEFORE ENTERING another country. Their country, Their rules.
Yep Mexico used to be nice to go to.
I travel with 4 dogs never had issues. Take ADO where ever your going. Or contigo. Some hotels have shuttle services. No need to be rude you can just nod, so they will continue to bother the next person. Don’t look lost . I’m lucky my wife is Mexican. She argues with them about their scams all the time.
Go too the keys man
You should have a safe word that identifies you.
Believe it or not, I got cheated in Zürich two weeks ago, it is totally unexpected. When we got to Zurich by train, I got relaxed since I have so much respect for Zurich, so I grabbed a taxi directly instead of calling a Uber. From train station to our Airbnb place, it was about 15 min driving, the taxi meter jumped to 47.5 Swiss francs/CHF (about $55 USD). I was shocked but paid anyway just thinking Zurich is an expensive place. I checked the Uber price afterwards, it is about 18-20 CHF. Uber charged us 15 CHF from Airbnb to train station when we left. $30 overcharge may not be a big deal, but it does tell you something even in Zurich, I don’t think the taxi driver is a Schweitzer, but…. , anyway this kind of practice will hurt taxi driver’s reputation a lot. I will use Uber or Lyft no matter where I go unless I have to use normal taxi. Bad things will hit us one way or the other, we just need to try our best.
First, don’t ever get a bus or taxi at the curb of the airport. Always setup a bus or taxi at the counter in the airport. Also setup your rental at the counter of a known rental company.
I did not know this BS about vat! Glad I didn’t get nailed for my tablet that’s not on the list!
Thanks for sharing!
Take it to the Mexican consulate!
Shared!
Keep your hard working job money in the U.S.A forget about other Cartel areas.
Thanks for the reminder why to NOT to go to Mexico.
I will definitely avoid Mexico. But again, never plan on going anyways.
Well, that’s illegal for them to charge you for stuff that you’ve already paid for and you travel with, so I would’ve called the consulate and had them investigated because that’s not true if you bought it there yes if you were moving there and bought it yes but they illegally charged you a tax for something that you purchased and you’re not selling in their country so they got the law wrong I would complain to the consulate, also I find it odd that they’re not charging VAT tax for everybody carrying a cell phone?!
Shark tank is right
The list you read is a pretty common list to travel abroad. Not sure it's Mexicos fault for you not doing your research prior to traveling this ordeal you were put in could of easily been avoided with knowledge prior to traveling. Also, paying taxes on valuables happens all the time thats why they say bring the reciept. The only one person that was in the wrong was you. Lucky they only charged you tax instead of taking the property.
Right, I shared the video as a travel mistake. But with so many remote workers, content creators, business people traveling these days. Their list needs to be updated to catch up with modern times. And what is one good reason to limit people to bringing one computer?
@EnjoyTheJourneyLife it comes down to the value of assets you're traveling with. This is why the documentation of purchases is recommended. The us has an 800.00 dollar limit on those things, I've had to declare and pay us taxes on items brought back in the past just because i didn't have evidence i left the us with them. The two laptops and the drone could very easily be valued over that, and without proof of purchase in the US, you would have paid tax again. You're lucky you didn't get audited on the return trip.
You mentioned in the video that due to this situation, you most likely won't travel back and said they basically held you hostage while you were trying to figure it out. It is entirely your fault for not taking the time to provide yourself with the knowledge ahead of time. You were just were the lucky one to be picked for an audit. You placed a lot of blame in the video on Mexicos port of authority for following the rules because they enforce you to follow them.
I enjoy watching your videos, and they are informative I just believe you took the wrong approach to this one and placed blame instead of saying hey I screwed up, and to keep from you doing it also make sure you investigate what you can and can't bring into the countries prior to traveling or this bad situation can happen to you as well.
I do agree the lists are very reduculous and are not representative to today's world, as a smoker you pointed out my biggest pet peeve while traveling because I have no idea if I'm going to be somewhere for more than a week how my addiction to smoking is going to be handled in cost or avalibility and it's pretty nerve wrecking.
I have traveled extensively and never encountered this Mexican scam. The only thing close was Russia directly following the fall of the Soviet Union where you had to list everything you brought in (including things such as wedding rings) which could be compared to what you have on departure. This is entirely different than importing something to be left in that country or limits on taxed items such as alcohol and tobacco. Shame on Mexico.
@@ChrisCohrs-z6soh please, they have so many scams going on down there.
I had never heard of any of this. They seem to pick out who to scam with this.
Just try to fly a drone in Manhattan. You are so ignorant. Mississippi? Alabama? did you know the ocean before traveling to Cancun?
Again know the Laws you are lucky you were not arrested for flying your drone. I was however I spoke just enough spanish to explain the law and showed then the Drone Laws on my Phone, only after being hauled in to the Police Station. As I said tourist can flay drones under 249-grams like the DJI Mini, the Mavic and bigger is 100% against the law. Clearly you did NOT check or know the Law as you claimed...
Thanks for sharing, that is great information. Definitely will bring a smaller drone next time.
It's on the news. You are not supposed to bring two pieces of electronics. It's very unfair but it's on the news. It''s good that you complain. It's very unfair because it's USED equipment. They gave you an invoice. Just do research before you travel man.
Who are you? You expect people of another country to speak your language. Get off your high horse.
I didn't say I expected them to speak English. If I could have used my phone, I could have used Google Translate and we could communicate.
Waaaayyyy to much talking, long winded. My god.
Looks like the airport is empty and probably will be more empty when I scratch my trip off that bucket list 🫷thanks for the warning
This is a good reminder to check the rules for international travel. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
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I have a friend who went to Mexico and Baja alternatively each winter. She and her husband were in their 70's. They had a self built primitive milk truck they camped with. (not really built, they used it for carrying camping gear) One time, pretty much the last time they went- they were stopped by the Mexican military and had to pay $500 (must be their favorite number ) to let them go.
no mexico visits for us then. thank you for letting us know.
Same here!
@jwmustang1 same with us, never going back. Too much of a Hassel every time.
We won't go back to Mexico. The last two times, we were stopped at the border coming back and had to drive thru their radiation x-ray machine and wait for over an hour for them to research who we were. I'm done with ever going back. It seems like it'd be easier to cross illegally.
Nope, stay away from there! thanks for sharing
That's the plan!
The text you showed from both credit cards ask if it was you or not just type yes and no. The they can rerun the card through and it will pass
350,000,000 visit border USA Mexico 90,000,000 cars trucks one said not going Mexico ???? Call government state help you
Any border can have this issue, back when SLR film camera were hot technology, we had to get it documented on the way into Canada. If not documented you could be charged a tariff when rentering the US
Interesting, thanks for sharing
Please chill a little bit on all the hand movement, stresses me out
My husband is Mexican and they tried to do this to us (looks like the same drone, Mavic 2 Pro). Of course we didnt’ have the receipt either, so they tried looking it up. He talked to them fairly sternly and got a supervisor over there. They look for Americans in the lines at these checkpoints. It wasn’t until they saw we were together that they lowered the price. I think I paid maybe $20 in tax or so because we completely told them the prices they were looking up were not true. It has more to do with the total value of the items you have with you than the items themselves. If they total more than your personal allotment, then they tax you beyond that amount. They completely 100% took advantage of you traveling by yourself as an American. That’s horrific! Sorry that happened to you.
This video could have been 5 minutes long and still communicated all the essential info. But instead we have a 30-min boredom fest with 3 minutes of content and 27 minutes of time-wasting garbage. Do better. If this is what all your videos are like you will lose subscribers.
Safeword. Everyone should have a safe word only you and your family know. You'll always know its your loved one. Yours is tax deductible. Who is ours if your by yourself. Honestly the list from 2017 you should've known. Its not hidden free its published. They did nothing wrong you just don't like the policy.
Thanks for sharing.
In the 90’s my father would sell commercial washers & dryers to be shipped to Mexico. We were required to ship them to arrive at a certain time so their “guy” at the border could bypass the tax man by paying their guy.
Oh wow, thanks for sharing
Those transaction where not mark as fraud this is normally happens when a transaction price is high. The bank usually declines it till you say "yes" on the message. It has happened to me when buying gold online and buying a phone off aliexpress since it was a high price item.
I had a bad experience with customs in Aruba. I'll never go back or promote Aruba to anyone. I've also been to Mexico on a cruise. But had issues there, too. I'll never go back. If we stop going and they rely on tourism they will change thier ways.
Tom, I am so sorry this happened to you. Not only you but thousands of Americans. I know several RV-er’s that got caught in their little scam. I appreciate you sharing on what happened to you. ❤️🙏🇺🇸
that's f#$d up.
im glad they didn't do more. i was at that airport in april, and the guards with dog's walked up to me, and i simply waved towards the doors on the way out to taxi city, and kept on walking
I had a dozen Laser Discs, I have a couple hundred cd's and Over 100 DVDs LOL I still watch and listen to them. OK, I'm 66 - an Ol'fart LOL
This is one reason I stopped international travel about 15 years ago. I got tired of the rip-off routines from the Officials on down in other countries. UK and Europe was still good, but the Middle-east and Asia.. sucked.
Thanks for posting this video. I was just in Cancun this week, I always travel with 2 computers my personal and work computer. This time I only took my personal laptop since I wanted to disconnect some from work otherwise I would have traveled with 2 laptops. I am so sorry for what you went through!
What was the justification for the charge? That I haven’t seen or heard.
All the blah, blah, blah long before you spoke about the actual issue irritated me. No need to tell me not to watch your videos. I decided that on my own
Wow! You really put fear into a lot of people. Don't allow one person's bad, ill-informed experience stop you from seeing the world. Cancun is awesome, it's relatively safe, and Mexico is a great place to visit. Know immigration and customs laws. Do your research before you travel. Don't go places you shouldn't. Stay in popular areas. Don't wander down empty streets. I would tell you this if you were going to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Miami, Tampa, Baltimore, or Houston. Get it?
Dang! After watching this it leaves a bad vibe for traveling to Mexico. Thanks for sharing this. I hope the Mexican government and taxi operators clean up their act or they could potentially suffer financially.
Another video of people from the USA that visit other countries and complain about the rules established for the visitors. I have travelled the world for work for many years and every time I get a new laptop or ipad, I get the invoice with it so I can prove ownership where ever needed, including borders. This is the same rule in so many countries, however, some countries enforce more because electronics have very high tax rates, which leads to people bringing goods in their tourist luggage to sell at their destination. This happens A LOT and that’s why countries establish a limit towards high tax-rated goods. And yes, the USA does the same with tourists that carry more than the defined limits, especially when they “forget” to declare it. You were actually lucky that the border officers allowed you to keep your computer by paying the duties - in some countries this is not an option when the electronic goods are not declared in the customs declaration form. I’m really sorry, but this video is pure nonsense. Mexico does have its problems, but your video doesn’t illustrate any of them.
And this surprises you how? Every government does this, every day. You got profiled and they were right, so they got their vig. Travel smarter and that wont happen as often.
Im sorry you feel that bag searching is even remotely acceptable. Its apparent how something so simple cost you. As they say never consent to a search even if you believe you are safe. The system is there to take from you not help or protect you. Granted your in another country and are at the whim of their laws. Best bet is to stay away from counties like Mexico. They apparently dont want you there, why go. If they wanted tourists they wouldn't rip them off.
You’re nuts to go to Mexico or Canada now days.
Mexico wouldn’t dare treat you this way if President Trump were in office. This needs to stop. This is abuse and I’m so sorry.
I would not ever go to Mexico.. Why go there, just go to L.A. or other saturated Mexican areas like Sacramento, Calif.
I say go back next year, from what i heard there only rasing the price to $650.00 to cover inflation. I'm in El Paso Texas.
The fraud alerts are normal. You reply yes it was you and they rerun the charge and you are good. Happens to me all the time.
I hear Cambodia is nice go for it tell us about it quit Mexico has rules now follow them or do not come back
Mexico is not a destination for my family.
France also sucks big time .
Had you seen the list prior to your travel? You probably could have called one of the bank cards and discussed that your charge was for real... but that would have taken quite a while to do. Also, for any foreign travel, or even domestic travel, alerting yor bank cards prior to travel letting them know where you will be should help with possible charges going through with less hassle. Hope you could enjoy your few days in Mexico.
I traveled to Europe I let my credit and debit card companies know I’d be traveling. One still declined small purchase and required a pin number which I did not have a train ticket. I still need to contact them and complain. Someone needs to d develop a better way, so your purchases are not declined when you’ve informed them where you’re traveling to!!
One more reason not to go to Mexico