Cruise Passenger In Costa Maya Warns: Do Not Fall For This $500 Gift Shop Scam

Costa Maya is a cruise port with a lot to offer right within the port area, including a huge pool, shops all over the place, and even some friendly flamingoes to check out.

Outside of the port area, a lot of passengers love walking down to the malecon in Mahahual, grabbing a quick beach chair, and enjoying a few cheap tacos and cold beverages.

But just because you’re on a cruise vacation doesn’t mean you can let your guard down when it comes to getting out your wallet.

A recent warning from a Royal Caribbean cruiser on Radiance of the Seas is now serving as a reminder to look out for scams, even when they appear so innocent.

The passenger recently took to Reddit to share an experience that ended up costing over $500.

It all started after an afternoon at the popular Krazy Lobster beach spot in Mahahual. On the walk back toward the taxi stand, a local shop owner recognized the couple from earlier in the day and invited them inside his new, air-conditioned gift shop.

Inside, the family-run store looked totally normal, filled with the usual silver jewelry, local souvenirs, and pharmacy items you see all over Mexico.

The passenger’s girlfriend picked out a bracelet, and they agreed on a fair cash price of $25. But right as the cash came out, the shop owner threw a curveball and asked for a personal favor.

“As I got the cash out to pay the owner asked if I could please do them a huge favor to help them out since they are a new store trying to establish credit transaction clout with their bank would I please use my CC,” the post read.

Cash or Credit

He politely asked if they would mind paying with a credit card instead of cash just to help the family business out.

Even though the passenger felt a little uneasy about it, he said that he “agreed because they were friendly and seemed reputable.”

But the card reader showed the transaction was denied.

Back to plan A. Since the card transaction failed, the couple paid the $25 in cash like originally planned, took the bracelet, and headed back to their cruise ship.

The next day, “something still did not feel right”.

Double Charge

When the passenger opened up their mobile banking app to check the account, he saw that the shop owner had actually processed a charge for $511.87.

So, what looked like a simple system error was more than likely a deliberate scam operation.

As the passenger later recalled, “They had multiple card reader machines. Should have been my first clue but I was a little out of it that day.”

The merchant inputs a high amount, tells the customer the transaction failed, and then collects the cash anyway.

Cruisers on the thread discussed the incident online and commenter said, “Rule of thumb: if anyone is pushy to do something a certain way, it’s likely for ill intentions.”

Fortunately, because a credit card was used rather than a debit card, the passenger was able to immediately file a fraud report with their bank to dispute the charge.

How to Protect Yourself in Port

The story got a lot of comments relatively quickly. Other cruisers shared their own rules for handling independent shops when in port.

One traveler gave advice that I usually recommend myself. And that is just to use cash for everything if possible. Credit cards are much more convenient, but they can also be convenient for con artists.

There are a few other reasons to bring cash on a cruise, that I wrote about recently. I also talked about how much I like to bring on each sailing.

If you do choose to shop in port, keep these major rules in mind:

• Never do a favor for a merchant. You are a customer, not a business consultant. If a shop owner asks you to use a specific payment method to help their credit, build history, or avoid taxes, stick to your boundaries or walk out.
• Verify the currency terminal. Scammers frequently count on tourists not paying attention to whether the total on the screen is in US Dollars or Mexican Pesos.
• Always request a declined receipt. If a machine says a transaction failed, do not just take their word for it. Demand a physical printed slip that explicitly states the transaction was canceled or declined before you hand over cash.
• Leave the debit card on the ship. If this happens on a debit card, that money is instantly gone from your checking account while the bank spends weeks investigating. Credit cards offer immediate consumer protection for fraud.

As a traveler in a foreign port, scammers often rely on your ignorance of the area and how things are done. So be aware. And if it smells fishy, trust your gut.

Cruise Fever recently wrote about travel scams we’ve encountered and what you can do about them. It’s always good to brush up on recent scams just so you know what to look out for.

Costa Maya is still a great stop with incredible Mayan ruins and beautiful beach clubs, but a few bad actors can ruin the experience.

Keep your wits about you, stick to cash for small purchases, and remember that if a transaction feels weird, it probably is.

But we all make mistakes. As the passenger in this story stated, “Not one of my shining moments.”