BajaNomad - Camera Scam at East Crossing to Mexicali?

Camera Scam at East Crossing to Mexicali?

psmith - 12-16-2009 at 09:54 PM

A close friend of ours hit a camera at the crossing as he entered Mexico. It appears the camera is positioned so it's very hard for some RVs to avoid it.

Before my friend could even get out of his pickup a truck rolled up with a new camera to repair the damage. $1,000US and 8 hours later they were on their way to San Felipe. They are aware of other incidents.

Anyone here familiar with this?

best, paul

surfer jim - 12-16-2009 at 10:12 PM

Was this on U.S. side or Mexico?

psmith - 12-16-2009 at 10:14 PM

Mexico.

best, paul

Santiago - 12-16-2009 at 10:40 PM

Did he pay or his insurance company? Probably had a $1000 deductible anyway.

Dave - 12-16-2009 at 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by psmith
Before my friend could even get out of his pickup a truck rolled up with a new camera to repair the damage.

Think there was anything inside the camera case?

psmith - 12-17-2009 at 09:30 AM

My friend paid. They didn't mention insurance. Plus, it happened in Mexico. Don't know what, if any, of THEIR insurance applies in Mexico.

An elderly couple from Iowa had their RV and auto confiscated until they could pay. They went back to the US to get the money. When they returned their RV and auto could not be found.

best, paul

"Did he pay or his insurance company? "

Santiago - 12-17-2009 at 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by psmith
My friend paid. They didn't mention insurance. Plus, it happened in Mexico. Don't know what, if any, of THEIR insurance applies in Mexico.

Surely they bought, at the very least, a Mexican liability policy? I just checked with Lewis&Lewis and the deductible only applies to Comp/Collision so if they had a Mexican policy they could have filed a claim.

[Edited on 12-17-2009 by Santiago]

DENNIS - 12-17-2009 at 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by psmith

An elderly couple from Iowa had their RV and auto confiscated until they could pay. They went back to the US to get the money. When they returned their RV and auto could not be found.

Appreciate your input, Paul. Is this fact or hearsay? If it's fact, do you have any more details? It's storys such as this that need to be brought to the attention of everybody and there's no better way than through BajaNomad.

David K - 12-17-2009 at 09:46 AM

Some pretty wild stories...

Camera at the border entering Mexico, so this is a Mexican government installed camera, designed to get hit and replaced on the spot? A federal government scam that would put an end to tourist going to Mexico real quick if true.

So, someone goes to Mexico and doesn't have Mexican auto insurance for their RV? They just happen to have $1,000 dollars 'extra' to pay the immigration officers at the border (they aren't even allowed to take $20 for an FM-T).... unless they had to go to a bank to pay!

What if they only had $100 extra dollars? I sure can't imaging anyone with that much extra cash... to lose it, then STILL go on to San Felipe for vacation!?

Since he is a "close friend", would you please invite him to Baja Nomad to tell us himself... ? Since this was a robbery/ scam operated by federal officers, he can get lot's of assisitance from us on both sides of the border to stop the crime, get his money back, have the officers arrested... So, let's get it done. I still can't get over he would still go on to San Felipe after 8 hours of harassment at the border and losing $1,000!!! ???

Where did you hear about the Iowa couple... ?

Bajajorge - 12-17-2009 at 09:51 AM

Could be a scam. I cross into Mexico at Calexico East. Back in November I was towing my 34' RV. Instead of directing me to go straight out of the crossing, they directed me to go around the back of the building that sits just past where they inspect the RVs. The turns are very tight going through and they had a PT Cruiser parked jutting out several feet into the first 90 degree turn lane. Cleared by about half to one inch. If I had not been paying attention I would have been buying a PT Cruiser.

DENNIS - 12-17-2009 at 10:00 AM

It would certainly be good advice to have one's insurance policy at hand.

wilderone - 12-17-2009 at 10:16 AM

"a truck rolled up with a new camera to repair the damage."

Such Mexican efficiency would certainly suggest something fishy.

Woooosh - 12-17-2009 at 12:07 PM

How about not sending people too old or feeble to steer their motorhomes down to see us in Mexcio? Geesh. When you are too old to keep what you are driving in the lane- park it forever and be a burden to your children at home- not us in Meixco.

DENNIS - 12-17-2009 at 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
How about not sending people too old or feeble to steer their motorhomes down to see us in Mexcio? Geesh. When you are too old to keep what you are driving in the lane- park it forever and be a burden to your children at home- not us in Meixco.

yeah

although, I'd prefer that they rip the camera out at the roots and keep on goin'.

toneart - 12-17-2009 at 12:18 PM

Quote:

Whoa! Woooosh! :no:

Barry A. - 12-17-2009 at 12:24 PM

Double Whoa, Woooosh!!!!! Being a little hard on a "newby", don yu think???? :rolleyes:

Barry

mtgoat666 - 12-17-2009 at 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by psmith
A close friend of ours hit a camera at the crossing as he entered Mexico. It appears the camera is positioned so it's very hard for some RVs to avoid it.

another 3rd hand story,... I wonder why people believe 3rd hand stories breathlessly posted here as fact???

appearances are in the eye of the beholder. perhaps your friend should quit driving if he/she cannot avoid obstacles. is your friend named Mr. Magoo?

now, if this was a real scam, he/she should have insisted on inspecting/keeping camera before paying, insisted on not paying until owner got 3 bids for repair/replacement, or better yet, should have called insurer and let scamster try to scam insurance adjuster.

i suspect your friend payed up because he/she knows he/she is a bad driver.

DENNIS - 12-17-2009 at 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.
Double Whoa, Woooosh!!!!! Being a little hard on a "newby", don yu think???? :rolleyes:

Well, that didn't sound like the Whooosh we all know. Either he was kidding or just having a bad day.
Anyway, Paul may have a noob label but, he's been around here for going on five years and I'm sure he understands. :biggrin:

Only So People Can Speculate

Bajahowodd - 12-17-2009 at 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666

another 3rd hand story,... I wonder why people believe 3rd hand stories breathlessly posted here as fact???

rts551 - 12-17-2009 at 05:19 PM

like so much on this board, gotta have something to grab on to.

psmith - 12-18-2009 at 11:45 AM

My close friend who lost the $1,000US has spent Winters in San Felipe for more than 20 years, and we spent a few Winters with them at Kiki's. So I'd say they've been around the Mexico block. Since I've known them a while I happen to believe they lost the $1000US just as I described.

The RV park they are staying in now in San Felipe does not have Internet. They do go elsewhere for Internet from time to time so I'll email them and invite them to post their recent border crossing experience here.

best, paul

DENNIS - 12-18-2009 at 11:52 AM

Thanks, Paul. Try to get the other stories you mentioned as well.

psmith - 12-18-2009 at 11:56 AM

"I still can't get over he would still go on to San Felipe after 8 hours of harassment at the border and losing $1,000!!! ???"

They've spent Winters in San Felipe for more than 20 years. Why would they not continue on? The bite was more than common, but it's not like bites are unheard of. I would have continued on, too. Are you saying you would not have?

"Where did you hear about the Iowa couple... ? "

From my close friends.

best, paul

psmith - 12-18-2009 at 12:14 PM

"How about not sending people too old or feeble to steer their motorhomes down to see us in Mexcio? Geesh. When you are too old to keep what you are driving in the lane- park it forever and be a burden to your children at home- not us in Meixco. "

My close friends are hardly old or feeble. And they've been pulling trailers for many years without incidents like they had in the recent crossing.

As far as me being a newby, I've driven the entire length of Baja - Cabo to Tecate in a motor home, and quite a bit of mainland Mexico in a 26ft Lazy Daze motor home towing a Honda as far as Palenque. See:

http://www.lazydazers.com/index.cfm?fa=ShowItem&ID=1883

for example. Also drove in Mexico with a 36ft Foretravel DP towing the Honda. No accidents yet.

best, paul

psmith - 12-18-2009 at 12:23 PM

'another 3rd hand story,... I wonder why people believe 3rd hand stories breathlessly posted here as fact???"

3rd hand? Let's see. It happened to a close friend I've known for years. They told me and I told you. How does that count as 3rd hand?

Breathlessly? How does my original posting you quoted even come close to "breathlessly?" I've been an engineer for many years and the last thing I've ever been accused of is "breathlessly." Quite the contrary, actually. To my wife's chagrin....

best, paul

Woooosh - 12-18-2009 at 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry A.
Double Whoa, Woooosh!!!!! Being a little hard on a "newby", don yu think???? :rolleyes:

Barry

yeah- maybe. Sorry. It's time to burn my AARP card. But seriously- if you can't navigate your motor home- park it. Or at least have the sense to stop moving forward and ask for help.

Mexico isn't Arizona or south Florida and if they had a problem away from the immediate border- their photo would be on a milk carton and their motor home converted to a narco arsenal on wheels.

Things are going to get very bad, very soon. The US Gov't is apparently putting out new travel warnings- luckily nothing for Baja yet. Now that the USA has been thanked by Calderon for the intel info leading to the death of the "boss of bosses", I'm not so sure gringos won't escape harm in retaliation.

If we thought we weren't part of the narco war and wern't being targeted before- forget that part... it's on.

[Edited on 12-18-2009 by Woooosh]

David K - 12-18-2009 at 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by psmith
"I still can't get over he would still go on to San Felipe after 8 hours of harassment at the border and losing $1,000!!! ???"

They've spent Winters in San Felipe for more than 20 years. Why would they not continue on? The bite was more than common, but it's not like bites are unheard of. I would have continued on, too. Are you saying you would not have?

"Where did you hear about the Iowa couple... ? "

From my close friends.

best, paul

Psmith, first off... welcome to Nomad.

You have to realize that when a 'newbie' begins posting negative stuff like this, some of us old timers get suspicious as to the validity or the reason you start off calling the Mexican officers 'scammers'... Then say someone handed them $1000... but still had their vacation continue.

It is too bad if that really happened for a couple reasons... 1) your friend getting ripped off such a large sum of money. 2) That the 'scammers' got rewarded for the scam... which only perpetuates the scam happening to others.

In the 8 hours of 'negotiations', just who did he talk to... the top afficer or comandante? Was the Department of Tourism notified? Or, was he driving across the border wrecklessly and admitted guilt to hitting the camera, and thus didn't contest the fee. Did he get a receipt and names???

So, he drove in the dark to San Felipe (8 hours later)? Wasn't he affraid of being a mark, and getting hit up down the road??

How does he feel now abouth returning to Mexico? Did he take lots of photos with his cell phone or digital camera?

Does he always go to Mexico with huge amounts of cash?

Man, it is just so hard to believe... I hope he does post this so we can make some sense of it all... We have never heard of this scam before.

Thank you.

psmith - 12-19-2009 at 10:43 AM

"Man, it is just so hard to believe... I hope he does post this so we can make some sense of it all... We have never heard of this scam before. "

Yeah. Me neither. That's why I posted it. Most have missed that my title

"Camera Scam at East Crossing to Mexicali?"

has a question mark at the end, and that I was looking for confirmation by those here. I don't know what EXACTLY went on. All I REALLY know is what I was told.

"How does he feel now about returning to Mexico?"

Not happy about his bad experience at the crossing. But he told me about it in El Centro last week where he came to get a recall item fixed on his pickup.

He returned to San Felipe that day, stopped in Mexicali to pick up a guy who works at his RV Park who he had taken to Mexicali earlier that day (to get some money since he wasn't being paid because things are so bad in San Felipe).

I doubt it will change my friends normal practice of staying in San Felipe for the Winter. Not sure if he'll ever go South thru Calexico East again. I never have. I always found South thru Mexicali to San Felipe pretty easy, driving a Class C or Class A DP.

Some of you may recall my posting here some years ago about how I took 7 cases of wine to Mexico in my RV, and, against everyone's prediction here, planned to pay duty on it, and after kicking back and waiting an hour or so was waved on to Tijuana without paying a cent or leaving any wine at the crossing....

Someone might be a newby here, but that doesn't mean they're a newby in life....

best, paul

[Edited on 12-19-2009 by psmith]

psmith - 12-19-2009 at 11:07 AM

" or the reason you start off calling the Mexican officers 'scammers' "

I didn't write "Mexican officers" at all. I don't know who collected the money.

Now that you bring up the point, I recall they actually paid in pesos, and HAD to pay in pesos, not dollars. I unintentionally "mis-spoke." Had it been me it would have been thru an ATM. But I don't know the circumstances of how they came up with pesos.

best, paul

David K - 12-19-2009 at 11:11 AM

Sorry for the mis-quote... It was at the border... so it was Mexican officers or military... not banditos out in the country... and you called it a scam, so that's why I combined the terminology.

Best if we hear it from the victim himself to really clear it all up.

Thanks again for taking the time to tell us...

Merry Christmas!

elgatoloco - 12-19-2009 at 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by soulpatch
Thanks for the post, Paul.
As we all know there are people here who like to dispute every flockin' thing anybody writes.
I appreciate the input.

Thanks again.

I agree 100%!

Bummer about your friend, Paul.

$1,000 divided by 20 years divided by 365 days = ONLY .14 cents a day! :yes:

Here's hoping he has another 20 scamless years of travel.

psmith - 12-20-2009 at 08:28 PM

"When I am in my little hide away in BOLA I always bring a little money with me."

BOLA's where we headed with our 7 cases of wine, to Docs. Here are some pics before his boat was destroyed by wind, or as a friend opined, "after the termites let go"

http://www.lazydazers.com/index.cfm?fa=ShowItem&ID=1713

Doc was such a gentleman....

best, paul

Sharksbaja - 12-21-2009 at 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by psmith
"Man, it is just so hard to believe... I hope he does post this so we can make some sense of it all... We have never heard of this scam before. "

Yeah. Me neither. That's why I posted it. Most have missed that my title

"Camera Scam at East Crossing to Mexicali?"

has a question mark at the end, and that I was looking for confirmation by those here. I don't know what EXACTLY went on. All I REALLY know is what I was told.

"How does he feel now about returning to Mexico?"

Not happy about his bad experience at the crossing. But he told me about it in El Centro last week where he came to get a recall item fixed on his pickup.

He returned to San Felipe that day, stopped in Mexicali to pick up a guy who works at his RV Park who he had taken to Mexicali earlier that day (to get some money since he wasn't being paid because things are so bad in San Felipe).

I doubt it will change my friends normal practice of staying in San Felipe for the Winter. Not sure if he'll ever go South thru Calexico East again. I never have. I always found South thru Mexicali to San Felipe pretty easy, driving a Class C or Class A DP.

Some of you may recall my posting here some years ago about how I took 7 cases of wine to Mexico in my RV, and, against everyone's prediction here, planned to pay duty on it, and after kicking back and waiting an hour or so was waved on to Tijuana without paying a cent or leaving any wine at the crossing....

Someone might be a newby here, but that doesn't mean they're a newby in life....

best, paul

[Edited on 12-19-2009 by psmith]

Well that explains why you've refrained from posting. Yo comprende y lo siento para insultos de BajaNomads.

WE jaded frequenters(ahem) sometimes are quick to judge, or just plain DON'T READ your words CAREFULLY :!:

Sorry about yer buds Paul. Ats' a lotta dinero! :wow:

Welcome back btw! Corky

Bajahowodd - 12-21-2009 at 12:52 PM

Gotta agree with Sharks. This thread morphed into something that should be titled Nomads v. Paul. As Paul mentioned, if he's able to get in contact with the vics, maybe they can post the details of their "adventure".

mtgoat666 - 12-21-2009 at 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by psmith
'another 3rd hand story,... I wonder why people believe 3rd hand stories breathlessly posted here as fact???"

3rd hand? Let's see. It happened to a close friend I've known for years. They told me and I told you. How does that count as 3rd hand?

well, to us readers your story is 3rd hand info. you just described hearsay or 3rd party info, so that counts as 3rd hand info :tumble:

the fact of the matter is you were not there, and you are repeating a story, then telling us that the original storyteller is not available to testify as to accuracy of your story,... very suspicious :?:

your saying that original "victim/story teller" is unavailable for verification simply casts more doubt on the matter :lol:

[Edited on 12-21-2009 by mtgoat666]

psmith - 12-22-2009 at 01:38 PM

My friend tried to register here and was unable to do so for some reason. He emailed me his posting:

"As I was crossing the boarder from the U.S. to Mexico. The Boarder guards had me drive through the inspection. After I was cleared they had me go a different way because of traffic.The way that I had to go out has a camera set on the curb about 1ft. from the street. I did not see it and the guard did not say any thing. When I made the swing to clear the curb I hit the camera. Before I could get back to see what I had hit there was a man their to fix the camera. It took them 8hr. to make the repairs. They charged me 9,000.00 pesos labor and 4,000.00 for the camera. They would not take American money or not even a credit card. We had to take our green backs to a money exchange and get pesos. I have receipts for everything. Thank you My phone # 775-513-8285"

Bajahowodd - 12-22-2009 at 01:42 PM

Those Mexican boarders can be very demanding.

psmith - 12-22-2009 at 01:46 PM

"then telling us that the original storyteller is not available to testify as to accuracy of your story,... very suspicious"

This place is unbelievable....one mis-representation after another.

Adios

DENNIS - 12-22-2009 at 02:10 PM

The guy's been a Nomad longer than I have and all it took was one short, well meant thread to flush him down the crapper.
Gaaawwwdammmm shameful.