Authorities Warn Puerto Vallarta Tourists To Watch Out For This Recent Scam

Last Updated 3 weeks ago

Puerto Vallarta is now fully immersed in its high season, with thousands of tourists flocking to this destination every day. 

But as visitor numbers keep increasing, so does the number of scams in the area. 

Authorities have recently found several fake bills that are now circulating in a city close to Puerto Vallarta. So, how can tourists protect themselves from this fraud? 

Watch out for fake bills 

At the moment, the fake bills have mostly affected small businesses in Mezcales, a city located in Bahía de Banderas in the Mexican state of Nayarit. 

Considering this information, tourists may now be wondering how this fact can affect Puerto Vallarta, considering this city is located in the state of Jalisco.

The truth is even though the two cities are in different states, they are incredibly close and are separated by a quick 25-minute drive. 

This is why there are very high chance the fake bills will soon circulate in Puerto Vallarta as well. These fake banknotes are of the value of 200 and 500 pesos, roughly equal to $11 and $30. 

Unlike authentic Mexican pesos, they are made from common paper and are therefore easy to identify. Despite this, tourists who are not used to this type of currency are advised to pay extra attention. 

In this regard, the Metropolitan Security and Commerce Alliance of Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas (AMESYC) has urged its members to reinforce security measures. 

How to identify the fake bills 

But how can tourists identify these fake bills? This page, on the official Banco de México website, provides visitors and locals alike with all the necessary information to instantly find out whether a banknote is authentic or not.

The parameters are simple. First of all, people are required to touch the surface of the bill to see whether its material complies with the standard. 

Tourists who are not used to this type of bill should get acquainted with their texture to avoid scams. Following this first step, people should check whether the given bill has all the needed characteristics. 

These include a perfect registration, a watermark, a micro-printed thread, and a security thread. All of these can be seen by looking at the bill in front of a bright light. 

Apart from these, tourists should also learn to identify the element that changes color, the 3D thread, the dynamic thread, and the multicolor denomination. All of these can be found on the back of the bill. 

Is Puerto Vallarta safe? 

Following this recent announcement, tourists heading to Puerto Vallarta for the winter season may now be wondering whether this area is safe. Luckily, the answer is yes!

Most people living in Puerto Vallarta work in the tourism industry, meaning that if safety levels were ever to decrease, fewer tourists would choose this destination for their holidays, causing an economic crisis for most of the area’s inhabitants. 

This is one of the main reasons why the local authorities are constantly implementing new measures whose aim is to protect both citizens and visitors. 

For instance, only a few days ago, the Puerto Vallarta government decided to intensify police controls in some of the busiest areas in the municipality.

The decision was taken by Commissioner Rigoberto Flores Parra in coordination with the Deputy Operational Director Carlos Humberto Arce Villaseñor. 

The areas that received extra surveillance include shopping malls, El Pitillal, a traditional neighborhood in the city, as well as some of the most popular beaches. 

It was thanks to these constant efforts that Puerto Vallarta was ranked as one of the safest cities in Mexico.

This study was published at the beginning of December by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography, giving this city one of the highest rankings.

According to the data, only 22% of the people living in Puerto Vallarta considered their city to be dangerous. This number is incredibly low, especially compared to the Mexican national average, which is 65%.