Tourists Warned Of Growing Scam In This Popular Destination Near Los Cabos

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Last Updated 9 months ago

La Paz and Los Cabos are surely among the most popular travel destinations in Baja California Sur. 

With hundreds of thousands of tourists choosing this place for their holidays every year, this city has now become a renowned spot for all Americans wanting to enjoy the warm Mexican weather. 

Similarly to Los Cabos, La Paz is characterized by high safety levels, especially if compared to other areas in the country. However, from time to time, local authorities have to warn tourists to watch out for new local scams. 

This is exactly what happened a few days ago when several unauthorized taxi drivers started to offer their services in the city. So, what happened exactly?

Unauthorized taxi drivers 

Some unauthorized taxi drivers have been spotted parked outside popular tourist sites in La Paz, such as shopping centers and other areas where tourists tend to gather. Here, they offer their service to foreign tourists who are unaware of their illegality.

Talking about this alarming issue, the Director of the Transportation and Mobility Unit, Martín Guadalupe Salinas Ceseña, stated that the local authorities are already working on this problem. 

He declared that more inspectors have recently been hired to check whether all people offering their driving services to tourists are in possession of a legal license.  

“Anyone who does not show the travel certificate is subject to a sanction,” said Martín Guadalupe Salinas Ceseña. He later added: “They have occurred here in La Paz and Los Cabos. This week, there were several arrests.”

According to him, drivers who are unable to provide the needed documentation to the inspectors are subject to sanctions ranging from the removal of their license plates to the arrest. 

This problem was first raised by authorized taxi drivers who suddenly had to face unfair competition and have therefore decided to involve the local government. 

BeelTaxi

Apart from adding new inspectors, in order to keep tourists safe, the local authorities of Baja California Sur have devised an app. 

Known as BeelTaxi, this platform allows tourists to book a taxi with the absolute certainty that they will be paying for a legal service instead of financing unauthorized drivers.

In order to use this app, taxi drivers are requested to show their documentation and must also pay a small fee. 

BeelTaxi does not only work in La Paz but can also be used in Cabo San Lucas as well as San José del Cabo. 

All tourists heading to Baja California Sur soon and planning to travel by taxi are advised to download this app in advance to be able to use these services in all safety from the very beginning of their trip. 

Is Baja California Sur safe?

Considering this recent announcement, tourists heading to La Paz or Los Cabos within the next few days may now be wondering whether these areas are safe. 

The truth is that despite some local scams, often taking place during high season, these remain some of the safest regions in Mexico. 

This is mostly due to the fact that the vast majority of the people living here earn their living thanks to tourism, meaning that if safety levels were ever to drop, fewer people would choose these municipalities for their vacation, leading to an economic crisis in the area. 

That’s one of the main reasons why the local authorities have made it their number one priority to keep tourists and locals alike safe at all times, thanks to several initiatives whose aim is to increase the already high safety levels of this Mexican state. 

Whenever new scams are detected in these areas, competent authorities immediately warn tourists, giving specific indications on how to avoid fraud. 

This happened recently when unauthorized vendors were spotted selling fake services, such as exclusive deals for boat cruises on the Los Cabos beaches.

On average, tourists heading to the most popular cities of Baja California Sur, such as La Paz, Los Cabos, and Todos Santos, can simply relax and enjoy their holidays, knowing that police here are always working to maintain high safety levels in these areas.