Question 1

What is the "Express Kidnapping in Unofficial Cabs" scam in Puebla?

Accepted Answer

As elsewhere in Mexico, the most serious taxi risk in Puebla is 'secuestro express': a street-hailed or unlicensed cab drives the passenger to a series of ATMs and forces them to withdraw their daily limit, sometimes holding them overnight to hit two calendar days. It is uncommon in Puebla but follows the classic pattern, and using unmarked or hailed cabs raises the odds sharply. Never hail an unmarked or random taxi off the street, particularly at night or alone. Book through Uber/DiDi or a hotel-arranged sitio, share your trip and live location with someone, and keep ATM cards with low daily limits.

Question 2

What is the "Street-Hailed Taxi Fare Gouging" scam in Puebla?

Accepted Answer

Taxis in Puebla do not use meters, so drivers quote a price after seeing a foreign face and routinely demand two to three times the fair rate, especially for rides between the Zocalo, CAPU and the Angelopolis mall district. They may also claim a 'night surcharge' or take a longer route. Because there is no meter, there is nothing to dispute once you are moving. Use Uber, DiDi or Cabify, which show a fixed price up front. If you must take a street cab, agree the full fare in pesos before getting in and have your hotel call a sitio (radio taxi) instead.

Taxi & Transport Scams in Puebla

Express Kidnapping in Unofficial Cabs

Street-Hailed Taxi Fare Gouging

Experienced a scam here?