Airport Extortion: Taxi Driver Arrested After Charging Tourist $1,000 For 2-Minute Ride In Cancun

A Canadian tourist was charged $1,000 to transfer from terminal 4 to terminal 3 at the Cancun airport. He took a taxi, rather than the airport’s free shuttle, and the taxi driver tried to steal his luggage when the passenger protested the fare. Eventually the police got involved.

The Montreal resident was expecting to pay $5, but his credit card was overcharged by 200 times the usual amount. He demanded the driver get the police and naturally the driver refused. With the taxi about to take off with the man’s luggage, he re-entered the vehicle to grab at his bags.

Airport security were unhelpful and, the man though, complicit in the scheme. They won’t get paid unless it works. However police did respond and the driver was taken into custody.

Since viral stories of visitors being taken advantage of are bad for the local tourist economy, the State Attorney General’s Office has charged the driver with extortion, and Mexican state and federal authorities say they are investigating with an aim to end similar practices at the airport.

@calisthenixpro

PART 1 – EXPOSING the SCAMMERS that work at the CANCUN AIRPORT⚠️ FULL STORY BELOW Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am ! I was traveling to the airport going back to Montreal Canada at 2am Wednesday night / Thursday Morning the 18th of April 2024 when I got set up by the taxi company from the airport and the security at Terminal 3. They told me I could not stay there and need to pay another taxi ( from the airport! ) to go to Terminal 4 for 5$ which I did. I was alone with the 2 security and the only taxi available when they start pressuring me to pay via Credit card. I did not want to but I had no other choice and could walk between terminal they told me. After paying with my card and getting back in the Taxi for only 2 minute I Realized the payment that went on my card was over 1000$ . I was still in the car and the situation escalated at the Terminal 4 where I managed to get the attention of the touriste and traveler waiting for they flights. When the taxi saw the security he tried to escape with me and my luggage in the car but I manage to jump in the front of the car and shift the transmission on Park which almost result in a car accident. The airport security arrived just in time before situation got even more crazy. I filled a report number against the driver and the taxi airport , I believe some of the cops and security agent over there where also in the scam because they wanted me to go the police station to press charge against the driver but to only get rid of my story and all the proof I have against the scam system at the airport including Security and the Airport Taxi Company. I believe if I would stop the car in time something even worst was waiting for me. Are these scammers still working at the Cancun Airport?! If yes help stop this corrupted system and DO NOT TRAVEL TO MEXICO!⚠️

♬ original sound – Xavier Cormier

@calisthenixpro

PART 2 – EXPOSING the SCAMMERS that work at the CANCUN AIRPORT⚠️ FULL STORY BELOW Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am ! I was traveling to the airport going back to Montreal Canada at 2am Wednesday night / Thursday Morning the 18th of April 2024 when I got set up by the taxi company from the airport and the security at Terminal 3. They told me I could not stay there and need to pay another taxi ( from the airport! ) to go to Terminal 4 for 5$ which I did. I was alone with the 2 security and the only taxi available when they start pressuring me to pay via Credit card. I did not want to but I had no other choice and could walk between terminal they told me. After paying with my card and getting back in the Taxi for only 2 minute I Realized the payment that went on my card was over 1000$ . I was still in the car and the situation escalated at the Terminal 4 where I managed to get the attention of the touriste and traveler waiting for they flights. When the taxi saw the security he tried to escape with me and my luggage in the car but I manage to jump in the front of the car and shift the transmission on Park which almost result in a car accident. The airport security arrived just in time before situation got even more crazy. I filled a report number against the driver and the taxi airport , I believe some of the cops and security agent over there where also in the scam because they wanted me to go the police station to press charge against the driver but to only get rid of my story and all the proof I have against the scam system at the airport including Security and the Airport Taxi Company. I believe if I would stop the car in time something even worst was waiting for me. Are these scammers still working at the Cancun Airport?! If yes help stop this corrupted system and DO NOT TRAVEL TO MEXICO!⚠️

♬ original sound – Xavier Cormier

@calisthenixpro

PART 3 – Exposing the scammer that work at the Cancun Airport⚠️ Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am EXPOSING the SCAMMERS that work at the CANCUN AIRPORT⚠️ FULL STORY BELOW Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am ! I was traveling to the airport going back to Montreal Canada at 2am Wednesday night / Thursday Morning the 18th of April 2024 when I got set up by the taxi company from the airport and the security at Terminal 3. They told me I could not stay there and need to pay another taxi ( from the airport! ) to go to Terminal 4 for 5$ which I did. I was alone with the 2 security and the only taxi available when they start pressuring me to pay via Credit card. I did not want to but I had no other choice and could walk between terminal they told me. After paying with my card and getting back in the Taxi for only 2 minute I Realized the payment that went on my card was over 1000$ . I was still in the car and the situation escalated at the Terminal 4 where I managed to get the attention of the touriste and traveler waiting for they flights. When the taxi saw the security he tried to escape with me and my luggage in the car but I manage to jump in the front of the car and shift the transmission on Park which almost result in a car accident. The airport security arrived just in time before situation got even more crazy. I filled a report number against the driver and the taxi airport , I believe some of the cops and security agent over there where also in the scam because they wanted me to go the police station to press charge against the driver but to only get rid of my story and all the proof I have against the scam system at the airport including Security and the Airport Taxi Company. I believe if I would stop the car in time something even worst was waiting for me. Are these scammers still working at the Cancun Airport?! If yes help stop this corrupted system and DO NOT TRAVEL TO MEXICO!⚠️

♬ original sound – Xavier Cormier

@calisthenixpro

PART 4 – Exposing the scammer that work at the Cancun Airport⚠️ Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am EXPOSING the SCAMMERS that work at the CANCUN AIRPORT⚠️ FULL STORY BELOW Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am ! I was traveling to the airport going back to Montreal Canada at 2am Wednesday night / Thursday Morning the 18th of April 2024 when I got set up by the taxi company from the airport and the security at Terminal 3. They told me I could not stay there and need to pay another taxi ( from the airport! ) to go to Terminal 4 for 5$ which I did. I was alone with the 2 security and the only taxi available when they start pressuring me to pay via Credit card. I did not want to but I had no other choice and could walk between terminal they told me. After paying with my card and getting back in the Taxi for only 2 minute I Realized the payment that went on my card was over 1000$ . I was still in the car and the situation escalated at the Terminal 4 where I managed to get the attention of the touriste and traveler waiting for they flights. When the taxi saw the security he tried to escape with me and my luggage in the car but I manage to jump in the front of the car and shift the transmission on Park which almost result in a car accident. The airport security arrived just in time before situation got even more crazy. I filled a report number against the driver and the taxi airport , I believe some of the cops and security agent over there where also in the scam because they wanted me to go the police station to press charge against the driver but to only get rid of my story and all the proof I have against the scam system at the airport including Security and the Airport Taxi Company. I believe if I would stop the car in time something even worst was waiting for me. Are these scammers still working at the Cancun Airport?! If yes help stop this corrupted system and DO NOT TRAVEL TO MEXICO!⚠️

♬ original sound – Xavier Cormier

@calisthenixpro

PART 5 – Exposing the scammer that work at the Cancun Airport⚠️ Airport Taxi driver : Cristian Pollo Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am ! I was traveling to the airport going back to Montreal Canada at 2am Wednesday night / Thursday Morning the 18th of April 2024 when I got set up by the taxi company from the airport and the security at Terminal 3. They told me I could not stay there and need to pay another taxi ( from the airport! ) to go to Terminal 4 for 5$ which I did. I was alone with the 2 security and the only taxi available when they start pressuring me to pay via Credit card. I did not want to but I had no other choice and could walk between terminal they told me. After paying with my card and getting back in the Taxi for only 2 minute I Realized the payment that went on my card was over 1000$ . I was still in the car and the situation escalated at the Terminal 4 where I managed to get the attention of the touriste and traveler waiting for they flights. When the taxi saw the security he tried to escape with me and my luggage in the car but I manage to jump in the front of the car and shift the transmission on Park which almost result in a car accident. The airport security arrived just in time before situation got even more crazy. I filled a report number against the driver and the taxi airport , I believe some of the cops and security agent over there where also in the scam because they wanted me to go the police station to press charge against the driver but to only get rid of my story and all the proof I have against the scam system at the airport including Security and the Airport Taxi Company. I believe if I would stop the car in time something even worst was waiting for me. Are these scammers still working at the Cancun Airport?! If yes help stop this corrupted system and DO NOT TRAVEL TO MEXICO!⚠️

♬ original sound – Xavier Cormier

Changing terminals is faster and easier at some airports than others. Plenty of people wind up in cabs rather than terminal buses. London Heathrow has connections buses, as well as the Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line, and London Underground. Still, passengers occasionally find themselves taking cabs between terminals. I’ve done it international to domestic in Manila myself.

Cancun has a free shuttle bus between terminals. They say it runs every 10 minutes. I’ve never personally found that to be the case, and I can see making the decision to take a taxi.

Here’s the thing: regulated fares or no, agreed-upon fares or no, this is a place where you run the risk of being charged an amount other than what you’re quoted. Personally I wouldn’t argue and I’d dispute the charge, “I was quoted 170 pesos, and they charged me 17,000 pesos!”

Calling the police if you have the time works great, just assume that you’ll pay around 1,000 pesos as an on-the-spot fine for their help in the matter.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. I’ve spent a few weeks in the Yucatan the past couple of years and I’m always on guard for scams and hassles. That said, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the general honesty of the people I’ve interacted with. Like everywhere else in the world, I dislike places where I have to negotiate a cab fare. With the exception of Israel, I think the driver has ALWAYS started with a price above the supposedly regulated/customary fare. In Cancun, I started taking Uber last year. It’s had a dangerous reputation there, but the gov’t negotiated with the cab drivers and last I heard there’s been peace. As long as you’re not far from Cancun, Uber seems to work pretty well in the area and is reliably cheap. I heard that the authorities were also going to require the installation of meters in Cancun taxis, but I’m not sure how that’s played out.

  2. Too many issues with Mexico for me to go there now. If you are not getting ripped off, you have the military patrolling your beach with AK47s. No thank you. I don’t need the stress and worry.

    I’m sure most have a great time, just not my cup of tea right now.

  3. Went just pre-pandemic, took a tiny private tour deep inland to climb pyramids in a national park. It was perfect, but I had done my research, and know Latin America. Like anywhere else good judgment is the key, but there are fine parts of Mexico once you get away from the tourist touts. As usual a few give a bad name to the rest.

  4. Unfortunately this is common throughout Mexico in tourist cities. The taxi cartels are as criminal as the drug cartels. I was surprised the taxi driver was really arrested. Usually a 200MXN mordita and a lo sciento gets the taxi driver back on the street and the cop gets the bribe.
    Always pay cash in Mexico and pay in MXN dollars not US dollars.
    Our State dept is impotent in Mexico but it does issue travel advisories.

  5. Cancun has become very dangerous and risky to travel in the last 18 months. I would avoid traveling there. The drug gangs have also become more prominent and violence involving tourists is also up. Same with Tulum. Cheating and swindling is common in that area as well.

  6. @Mike — Cancun is NOT “very dangerous and risky to travel.” More than 500 scheduled flights arrive at CUN every day, discourging tens of thousands of tourists daily. Very, very few run into problems. Unless you’re going there looking for trouble, you’re much more likely to run into a risky or dangerous situation visiting the urban core of a USA city.

  7. Nowhere did I see a mention of those $1000 US in the videos. Might it have been $1000? That’s still crazy, but you can always tell the driver you don’t want to pay that amount. Why didn’t this person check the free airport transport options? @Andrew, you freak out by AK-47’s on the beach? You prefer unlimited concealed weapons worn by citizens on the Florida streets? That is funny.
    To me, Mexico is an amazing country and I love visiting it. Sure, incidents happen like everywhere else on this planet, but it sure won’t stop me from going back before soon!

  8. @chopsticks
    Here’s a CBS headline from February:
    “Arrests made in Cancun after 5 dismembered bodies found in taxi, 3 other victims dumped in shallow grave”

    Yes the USA has its own problems.
    However, I like have all my limbs attached.
    There’s no good reason to vacation in an unsafe place when there are so many better and SAFE travel destinations.

    In addition, Mexico is always downplaying their violent crime problems because they want to keep receiving our massive tourist dollars.

  9. OnePatriot77 I suggest you put on a helmet and stay indoors.
    People get chopped in the US too. 5 dismembered bodies in Mexico would undoubtedly be cartel stuff. Are you planning on messing with cartels in Mexico? If not, there’s not very much chance of ending up in pieces. Did you know they throw acid on your face in downtown London?

  10. I travel to Cancun at least once a year, even during the pandemic. Ironically, the only time I had an issue was during the pandemic, there were zero cabs at the airport and if you did not have a reservation for a transfer, they wanted hundreds to take you. This is where I figured out the greatest trick, The cabs charge zone to zone and the maps with prices in several currencies are posted all over the arrival area. The Cancun Airport Taxis can be booked and double up as transfers sometimes. On the airport website, you can book and pay for your ride, on the spot. You know you won’t be ripped off and the only thing you need to worry about is a tip. You get a discount from the set rates for reserving a ride as well. I will usually land and then grab my stuff, maneuver through the crowds of drivers and sit down for a moment outside and grab a drink. I tell the drivers I am waiting for my friend and they leave you alone. I then book a car on my phone and by the time my glass is empty, the car will be ready.

    As far as crime, yea, there is crime in some parts of these towns but where isn’t that a case? Name a city and I will find you a neighborhood that you don’t want to walk through at night. The cartel stuff is not pretty but it is generally isolated amongst themselves and even they avoid tourists. Cartels do not want an international incident to add foreign attention to them. Same reason that TJ is loaded with crime yet thousands of Americans flock their daily with little to no incident. There is always going to be a pickpocket or the occasional petty crimes, but you will never see a stack of American heads piled up, they are extremely aware the repercussions of that.

    If still afraid, go to Cozumel, stay at a resort, never leave the grounds and live it up!

  11. @Andrew Anyone walking on a Mexican beach carrying AK-47 rifles would be drug cartel members, not police.

  12. “Airport security were unhelpful and, the man though, complicit in the scheme.” What does this mean?

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