# Using bank card at Pemex.



## Orfin (Sep 26, 2016)

First time using my US bank card to buy gas. I used it at a hotel, Vehicle import deposit and then decided to use it at Pemex when i was short on cash. 
Out in the open bay at the pumps, i hand the attendant my card after fill up and he immediately walks off to attend to other customer. He goes through all customers and sees them off and then there appeared a guy on a bicycle at the pump and side of the bay most out of view from me. The attendant and him exchanged hands and the guy on the bicycle started to write something down. He was going on and on and double checking and i have a long difficult name too. I began to think the attendant handed him my card to write down all the info. He took all kinds of time to see to everyone else once he got my card and just ignored me until the guy on the bicycle was done and they exchanged hands again and my card was seen in the attendant's hand right after that. 
Then he decides to finally go and swipe my card and goes way over to the opposite end of the bay rather than the card machine on my side of the bay. 
Last time i saw anyone act like that after getting their hands on my money was the money changers on the streets. They ask me to hand over the money after showing me theirs and then immediately walk off to find others to get the money from even though they had the money in hand before getting mine in hand. They do a baton exchange routine with the money until enough confusion is set in that i might distract enough to overlook being short changed. I changed money like that a dozen times and was never robbed but that baton exchange routine was fishy until the last time it happened in Peru. There they shorted me almost half the money and worked at pick pocketing me and used kids up the street to try pick pocketing again after i left knowing what they had done. They didn't get my pockets cause i could feel them there and turned to see them. Even when they shorted me, i told them and the 2nd time they shorted me even worse. 
Rather than fight them for the right amount while they were trying to pick pocket, i told them to remember my face well to never call at me again cause i will never look at them for anything except for aversion from their..... 

So never again do i change money on the streets.
Pemex seems like a safe place to use a card but that side track routine he did with a guy on a bicycle with no fuel tank to fill and exchanging hands with what looked like my card was involved. Hmmm.... 
Only transaction showing is the Pemex transaction so far and i am impressed with the exchange rate the bank is doing. 
But..... I still wonder if my card details are going to end up some day on some card cloning scheme on the international Market. They need my address to use the card to buy online but i hope they do not have any other way to use it with just notes of my name, card number, CVC code and expiration date. 
I kept the reciept from Pemex in case i have to back track to the adress on the receipt to contest any strange transactions i didn't make or authorize. 

I read somewhere before that some places take info from international cards in case they have to follow up on a transaction that was later refused. I hope that is the case and i am all for them covering their backs. 
But if thats what he was doing, it sure looked shady and like a deliberate act to fool me.
I will have to wait for what happens, be prepared. Now i want to keep minimal amounts in that account to minimize any impending onslaught. 
Maybe check my security settings and card use settings to minimize amounts that can be accessed away from direct ATM.
I now feel safer walking around with cash rather than swinging around my card. At least i know the risk level stops at what i have on me at any time.
There are international cartels that specialize in gathering card info to sell and/or use in cloning to fake cards, so i don't take it lightly in a land of cartels always looking for new avenues of money exploits. 
Only cash for me now. Only place i will stick my card in Mexico again is in an ATM.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

You could have named the station so other expats do not do what you did......
The only thing I use my banking card for is the deposit and fee for the TIP......
Do not be surprised if you get a charge form Florida in a couple of weeks.......


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*chip technology vs "non-chip" cards...?*

Hmmmm... Orfin - that's a different tale, for sure. My frustration is I can use the same card for almost anything where a card is accepted - but it's a crap-shoot when it comes to using it at a Pemex. I'll often get it back with them saying that it was "refused" or "not accepted"; then I'll have them try digitally entering the data in case their swiper is dirty (which it usually is). If that doesn't work, I make sure to have enough cash on hand to take care of it.

Another thing they've pointed out to me as a possible excuse is that it didn't have the "chip" in it that most cards do down there. My banks have finally changed over to the new chip technology - which is supposedly more secure - so I'll find out if it makes a difference when I go back in February.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Orfin said:


> First time using my US bank card to buy gas. I used it at a hotel, Vehicle import deposit and then decided to use it at Pemex when i was short on cash.
> …


Certainly sounds fishy to me. I have been warned not to use cards at Pemex and also to check that the pump is reset before they start to pump gas. So I always pay in cash.

I did have someone put some charges on a Mexican debit card. I rarely pay for anything in person with the debit card, but one month I paid my Megacable bill at one of their outlets instead of online. It was shortly after that the the expenses showed up. Since them, I never pay for anything in person with a debit card. I go to an ATM and get cash first. I do use the card for online purchases occasionally, mostly utility bills.


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## Orfin (Sep 26, 2016)

Sounds like others have learned not to trust attendants with their cards in Mexico. I never trusted in any place in central america and not sure why i broke that rule.
My card has the chip but i am not sure how that works to be more secure because my card works in chip readers and regular old swipe machines. I heard the chip isolates the magnetic strip data from being cloned, but thats only if you use it in a chip reader machine. I use chip reader when i can but the places that want to rip you off will not offer the chip reading part. 

Anyway, they don't have enough info to use it online because that always requires a complete billing address. They may try to look up the address ,but i am keeping an eye on it all -waiting to see what charges come if any. Maybe i should change the adress to one that cannot be searched out. 
My account sends email alerts when activity happens. I can set the minimum balance alert threshold every day to whatever my daily balance is and change it when i make a transaction. That way i will have one day notice whenever my account gets a stray charge. It takes a few days for charges to pass "pending" phase and that gives me time to stop or dispute charges. 
I wish i could change my daily transaction limit to be safe, but maybe if i call the bank, they can work something out for me. 

The drive across the US to Mexican border had me stopped in New Mexico. I had just changed my oil the day before setting out and checked it every morning while on the road. 3 days of driving to the border and 3 mornings of checking my oil. New Mexico stop on route 66 is where 2 quarts of oil was gone. It took 2 quarts to fill it back up. No burning oil, tail pipe was clean way up into the pipe. I looked with a strong flashlight at night, had the head gaskets done a few weeks ago and no sign of oil in the coolant. Not a single drop of oil on the ground in the mornings either.
Took it to the oil change specilaist and they went all around and under the engine like i already did and there was no sign of how 2 quarts could disappear in just a day of 600 miles driving.
I filled it back up with 2 quarts and have since driven 1200 miles and the oil level is right where i filled it 2 days ago.
As soon as i pulled into the hotel in New Mexico, a guy had come in after me and looked like he was casing me for something, He said a bit of small talk and i just ackowlwdged him with what little i had in me after driving so many days 8 hours a day. I saw him across the street after i had checked in, in an isolated parking lot, sitting on the ground next to a car exactly like mine. It occured to me that he was probably casing me because he saw my car and i thought i may have my car parted out to fix his. It literally crossed my mind and i went over there to case him and he put his head down ,ignored me like a bum minding his own business in the dirt. I looked at the car and acted like i was casing it to know the make, model, color and plates and then went on my way. It was weird how he just absolutely froze like a statue not even looking at me. First it was him coming over as soon as i pulled in, he tried to make small talk. But when i came over to his side, he didn't want to even show his face -buried in his knees when he saw me coming to check him out on his turf. 
I went to bed thinking i may have my car used to fix his while i sleep. Nothing happened, but when i checked the oil, it was hardly registering on the dip stick. I was on slopped ground but there was oil when the engine was running, so i cruised and kept my eye open for oil lights and temperature spikes. 
No issues until i stopped, let the car sit and checked to see just the bottom 2 milimeters of dip stick showing oil. But when the engine was running, the whole stick got covered in oil. I got 3 quarts and it took 2 to fill it up. Exactly 2 quarts, like some one showed up with 2 empty quart bottles and drained the eaxct amount needed to fill them. Natural engine burn or leaks aren't so precise. A container is precise and a person using them will leave their signature behind by way of the precise measure of the quart bottles used. 
No sign of leak or burn even when taken to the shop. Drove 1200 miles after topping off and my added 2 quarts are still there. 
I got my oil robbed in New Mexico USA, route 66 ,by someone who would rather use his money to smoke meth while travelling without a clue or decent plan. 

I have had cars of mine parted out before by people who were obviously casing me before it happend. I have always been worried whenever i pull into parking lots and then come out to see people pulled up next to mine, in a neglected version of my car and they just sit in their car like they didn't park to go in, but just to be in the parking lot in a car that obviously needs parts and just so happens to be the same car type as what they pulled up in. 
I think going to check the guy out in New Mexico, made him decide to just take some oil because lesser chances i would notice and decide to call up on his make, model and license plate. Everything seems to be working fine though. 2 quarts is no big deal and i hope he gets to where he is going and leaves the meth stuff alone. 

I also Hit the first road bump hard after crossing the border. They said the first one always gets you.
I thought i had ruined my car.. All my cargo went tossing around and the car bottom hit the bump very hard and loud. I thought i would be towing it back before getting past the first 50miles in.. :shocked: 

I looked under and all was ok except for a little brace put across the forward exhaust pipes just out back of the engine. Apparently that was bracing there because thats exactly where the road bumps hit when you don't see them and screech down to 40mph while going over 5mph road bump. Car desigenrs were looking out for me. The little brace has a small area curled up where it dug into the road bump and the curled up area still has some asphalt in it, haha. 
Stopped by a road side Llantera and had him look under tha car and i pointed out the brace. He said all looked good. I agreed after inspecting with him. $5-US tip to him for a 5 minute inspection made him look like he was being paid for surgery. But it was all good for me and him. 
Have driven 1000 miles since all of that and no real difference in the car feel or handling. I hate to beat up a new car and thats why i get a reliable used car and fix it up to road trip worthy. I literally drive around feeling smug in the thought of getting dents in the car. It won't feel any worse than when i bought the car with several dents already on the side and back. I knew i would rough it up as a work car and possible road trip car.


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## Gatos (Aug 16, 2016)

Regarding bank cards at Pemex - I do it at least once a week every week. But we are creatures of habit and 99% of the time we gas up at the same Pemex station. I have never really paid much attention to the routine - but now that you mention it - I always stop the car and get out. The attendant ALWAYS resets the pump and has me confirm that it reads 000s. He cleans the windows while the tank is filled. When he is done I show him my US blue Visa rewards card. He walks over to his stand and grabs his hand held card reader. He enters the peso amount into the device and shows it to me to confirm. He then takes the card and completes the transaction. He then hands me back the card and I sign his slip. I give him a tip for cleaning the windows.

When we pay with the card at a restaurant they bring the card reader to the table.

Now - we do have friends who swear that some gas pumps are fairer than others. Also - for some reason I don't quite understand, they will never say 'fill it up' but rather ask for '300 pesos worth'. Their reasoning has something to do with their belief that then you can't be cheated (and these friends are intelligent people).


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Gatos said:


> Regarding bank cards at Pemex - I do it at least once a week every week. But we are creatures of habit and 99% of the time we gas up at the same Pemex station. I have never really paid much attention to the routine - but now that you mention it - I always stop the car and get out. The attendant ALWAYS resets the pump and has me confirm that it reads 000s. He cleans the windows while the tank is filled. When he is done I show him my US blue Visa rewards card. He walks over to his stand and grabs his hand held card reader. He enters the peso amount into the device and shows it to me to confirm. He then takes the card and completes the transaction. He then hands me back the card and I sign his slip. I give him a tip for cleaning the windows.
> 
> When we pay with the card at a restaurant they bring the card reader to the table.
> 
> Now - we do have friends who swear that some gas pumps are fairer than others. Also - for some reason I don't quite understand, they will never say 'fill it up' but rather ask for '300 pesos worth'. Their reasoning has something to do with their belief that then you can't be cheated (and these friends are intelligent people).


Dealing with the same station all the time, like you do, might be different. I have a motorcycle that I never use at home. The only time I ride it is for trips, so I rarely use the same gas station twice. Hence, my preference is to use cash at Pemex.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

*Shortchanging of litres pumped at gas stations*



Gatos said:


> ...
> 
> Now - we do have friends who swear that some gas pumps are fairer than others. Also - for some reason I don't quite understand, they will never say 'fill it up' but rather ask for '300 pesos worth'. Their reasoning has something to do with their belief that then you can't be cheated (and these friends are intelligent people).


It's been well established by PROFECO that there are gas stations which have their gas pumps set to shortchange the consumer, marking 1 litre when it is a little under a litre actually pumped. It may not be a lot, but it adds up.

There is a "Verification Program" across the country to monitor gas pumps for this reason. I know the gas station at the entrance to Tepoztlan had the reputation as one which was not pumping "full litres". When it went through the verification program, the rumour was proved right. For that reason, my husband would only pump small amounts of gas there, enough to get us by until we would be going to Cuautla or Yautepec, as there was a station on the way known to pump "full litres". Lots of locals from Tepoz would do the same. We would see all the weekend tourists from D.F. lined up in the station coming into Tepoz, and would think of how they were being scammed.

The current data base shows the Tepoz station has not been verified recently. I think they had to correct their pumps after the verification showed them shortchanging on litres, but who knows if they will try to get away with changing it back. Hopefully they will have to be re-verified soon.

Here's the website where you can check which gasoline stations in your town are green (passed verification - "no anomalies"), yellow (unverified), red (failed verification - "with anomalies"), or orange, "nego verificacion" (refused verification). 

El Universal | Litros Completos


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## Orfin (Sep 26, 2016)

ojosazules11 said:


> It's been well established by PROFECO that there are gas stations which have their gas pumps set to shortchange the consumer, marking 1 litre when it is a little under a litre actually pumped. It may not be a lot, but it adds up.
> 
> There is a "Verification Program" across the country to monitor gas pumps for this reason. I know the gas station at the entrance to Tepoztlan had the reputation as one which was not pumping "full litres". When it went through the verification program, the rumour was proved right. For that reason, my husband would only pump small amounts of gas there, enough to get us by until we would be going to Cuautla or Yautepec, as there was a station on the way known to pump "full litres". Lots of locals from Tepoz would do the same. We would see all the weekend tourists from D.F. lined up in the station coming into Tepoz, and would think of how they were being scammed.
> 
> ...


 All my stops for gas along the way in the US were consistently the same price to fill up while on the Mexico side it wasn't the same price at any stop. And i always fill up around the same mark. I filled up 4 times on the US side. Two times were $22 each and the other two times were $26 each. Identical pairs of fill up costs and its often like that for me.
Once i got to the mexico side, i did three fill ups along the way and two of them had me thinking my gas gauage was broken after i severely abused my car over a road bump. Not the case though because the third fill up was the most expensive to top it up to full with the guage needle rising to the very top. 
I wasn't sure what was going on as it was no longer consistent on the mexico side but i was already demented from days of driving and just couldn't muster enough thinking capacity to follow closely what was going on.
I am staying under budget still, with the currency exchange advantage going on right now. Food, lodging and ither things are cushioning any blow from potential rip offs at the pump.
No stray charges showing up yet on the card i used at pemex. I set up an alert to reach me if my day's balance falls below my last withdrawal.


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## Gatos (Aug 16, 2016)

Nice link Ojos - thanks - I will point out, however, that that data is a little 'stale'. 

"they are the result of verifications PROFECO conducted from January 2014 to March 2015 ." Yet on the same page it says "LAST UPDATE: 24 November 2015".

The PROFECO site itself is apparently current up to August 2016.
REPORTE GASOLINA | Programa de Verificación de Gasolineras

And just for completeness - it looks like not every 'bad' gas station is cheating - some might have a faulty hose etc.

Turns out at your link OUR gas station is yellow (not verified) and neither YOURS nor OUR seem to be listed on the more recent list.

Finally - I have noticed that where we gas up it seems perhaps 75% (or more) of the cars are taxis - and there is not really any sort of taxi depot in the area. Perhaps that tells something about the quality of the fill


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

The profeco link does explain a lot. My closest station is apparently home to the 1 quart litre.hwell:
As far as credit cards, I use mine sparingly, and never at a Pemex. Given Orfin's experience, I won't try it any time soon.


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