Other Tourist Scams in Cozumel, Mexico

How it works

Rental operators near the cruise piers and along Avenida Rafael Melgar rent scooters, golf carts, and jeeps to tourists, then claim pre-existing scratches or dents were caused during the rental upon return. Some operators withhold passports, cruise ship key cards, or hotel room keys until inflated repair bills are paid. In documented cases, local police have sided with rental operators, leaving tourists in extremely difficult positions.

How it works

Criminals call tourists directly in their hotel rooms posing as police, cartel members, or distressed family members, claiming a relative has been kidnapped and demanding immediate wire transfer of ransom money. The U.S. State Department has specifically documented this tactic in Mexican resort areas including Quintana Roo. The caller instructs the victim to stay on the line and not contact anyone — the "isolation" phase — while an accomplice calls a family member to collect the ransom. In documented cases, no actual kidnapping occurred.

How it works

Municipal police officers in Cozumel have been documented stopping tourists driving rental vehicles — golf carts, scooters, and cars — for minor or fabricated traffic infractions and demanding on-the-spot cash payment rather than directing them to the official police station. A dedicated TripAdvisor thread titled "policia municipal scam" documents multiple independent accounts of this practice. Officers sometimes claim the official fine can be "reduced" if paid directly to them, which is not a legitimate process.