I've lived in Mexico my whole life. With the World Cup hitting CDMX, Guadalajara, and Monterrey in June, scammers are already gearing up. Here's what I see every time there's a major event:

1. Fake airport taxis.

You land at MEX, walk outside, and a guy in a "taxi" vest offers you a ride. Don't. These aren't licensed and the price will be 3-5x what it should be — or worse. Fix: Use ONLY the official taxi booth inside the terminal (look for "Taxi Autorizado") or order an Uber/Didi from the designated pickup zone.

2. The ATM swap.

Standalone ATMs in tourist areas have been tampered with (card skimmers, hidden cameras). Fix: Only use ATMs inside actual banks (Banorte, BBVA, Citibanamex). Never use one on the street at night.

3. The "friendly" currency exchange.

Street money changers and small exchange booths near tourist zones offer terrible rates and sometimes count wrong "by accident." Fix: Withdraw pesos from bank ATMs. If you must exchange cash, use a casa de cambio inside a mall or airport.

4. Restaurant overcharges.

Some restaurants in tourist zones add items you didn't order, double-charge drinks, or include a "service charge" that's really just extra profit. Fix: Always check the menu prices before ordering. Ask "¿la propina está incluida?" (is tip included?) before paying. Count every item on the bill.

5. Fake police shakedowns.

This one's real. Some people wearing police uniforms (or actual police) will stop tourists and claim they did something wrong, then ask for a cash "fine." Fix: Ask for their badge number and station. Say "vamos a la estación" (let's go to the station). Real police following procedure won't demand cash on the spot.

Mexico is incredible — the food, the culture, the energy during a World Cup is unmatched. But you need to know the rules of the game before you land.

I built a complete survival bundle (3 guides) covering all 3 host cities: the main Mexico Survival Guide, an Avoid Scams Playbook, and Match Day Cheat Sheets for every stadium. Written by a local, for people who want to enjoy Mexico without getting burned.