Two Expats Mexico

Latin American ATM Scams/Thefts
Latin American ATM Scams/Thefts 1920 2560 Greg Ellifritz

In my book Choose Adventure: Safe Travels in Dangerous Places, I cautioned tourists to avoid “helpful” locals at the ATM machine and to shield the keypad from view while you are entering your PIN number.  Watch this short video to see real-life examples of ATM scams and thefts.  It’s very well done and you can see how smooth many of these criminals are.

 

Watch Out for Scammers at the ATMs in Mexico

 

Common Mexican Scam
Common Mexican Scam 777 437 Greg Ellifritz

Here is an article by an ex-pat retired American police officer currently living in Mexico.  He describes a common scam that is running rampant in the Cancun area.  Versions of this scam happen everywhere, often to foreign tourists.  It might be one of the most common scams seen worldwide.

 

Riviera Maya: Beware of This Scam

 

How do you stop it?  I like his advice:  “I immediately become suspicious of unsolicited help from strangers. That suspicion level grows exponentially if the person is trying to get me to accompany them to more isolated location, like a bathroom or a parking lot.”

Health Care in Mexico
Health Care in Mexico 748 420 Greg Ellifritz

Mexico is a prime destination for American expats.

 

My favorite Mexican ex-pat blogger recently posted an incredible resource for people living in or visiting Mexico.

 

Great Site to Find Doctors in Mexico, Check Reviews, Compare Prices and Schedule Appointments

 

This will make finding and booking good medical care much easier for those of you spending time in Mexico.

Ex-Pat Tax Issues
Ex-Pat Tax Issues 739 416 Greg Ellifritz

My favorite Mexican expat travel bloggers at Two Expats Mexico recently published a couple of great articles about tax issues for those of you who live in another country.

 

The first covers tax reporting requirements for US citizens who have foreign bank accounts.

What Americans With Foreign Bank Accounts Should Know About Annual Reporting Requirements

 

The second covers the extremely valuable foreign earned income exclusion.  So long as you are an American citizen living full time in another country (defined by being outside the USA 330 days or more in a calandar year) you are exempt from US income tax on the first $107K of your income.

 

What Americans Working Abroad Should Know About Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

Crime Rates in Mexico
Crime Rates in Mexico 777 437 Greg Ellifritz

I’ve vacationed in Mexico almost two dozen  times. I’m going back down there in a few weeks as it is one of the few places that is open unimpeded to American travelers.  Whenever I go, everyone asks me “is it safe?”

 

The answer always depends on where you are staying and what activities you are participating in.

 

Here is a nice interactive crime map that shows which Mexican states have higher than average crime rates and how those rates have changed over time

Useful Site to Research Crime Statistics for Mexico

 

The post is from the Two Expats Mexico website.  I find the site exceptionally useful for information about traveling or living in Mexico from a couple of Americans who moved there.  They also put out additional content on Patreon.

 

I am one of their Patreon supporters and I’d encourage you to check them out.