Ripped off by two different banks in Guatemala
Last month (Jan 07), the banks were in bad shape in Guatemala and had been for a month or more already, several banks/financial institutions had already fallen and/or gone out of business.
Around Lake Atitlan the atm’s hardly ever worked so most gringo’s were having to go into the banks and get cash withdrawals and most were only giving Q500 - Q1000 at a time which is about $65 - $130 but at least we could get money most of the time.
But, when I looked at my bank records online it turns out the two different banks in the same month had charged me double for my cash withdrawals basically robbing me. Banco Agromercantil and Banco Industrial. One stole $65 from me and the other stole $130, luckily I had looked at me records. I proceeded to dispute the charges to my card and am now in mid-dispute process.
So now I am much more careful and only use the atm machines when the do work which is not often. The banks here in Guatemala are quite unstable right now and many are falling and failing, messy… many Guatemalans are removing all their money which is making the situation even worse…
more later…
on February 12th, 2007 at 2:45 am
I think is very worry about the situation in Guatemala regarding the Bank. The Country need to act urgent to this as whole country could fall apart. Can it is possible that people who worked hard they lifes will loose they money, we talking about poor people or middle people not the ricos as the reach people they have they account in the States, so this people who loose they money in the Comercial and Bancafe they are not ricos at all.
Come Guatemala you need to sake your self. Also Guatemala can be a prosperous Country we all the beautiful rich Culture have but before that the country needs: Security, Establish the situations, Road repairs. The tourist could the major income for the Guatemalans.
on February 17th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Between and drink a chair for benefit of glorious Guatemalan country and city.
:)
(Sorry, I could not but to write this cheap shot at the fellow Guatemalan who wrote before me…).
on March 6th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Have you heard much about the violence and murders that are being publicized here in the states? It involved some government officials from El Salvador who it turns out may have been involved in the drug trade. I think the guys that killed them were taken out of prison by unknown government officials and were then also killed.
Be safe my friend!
on March 7th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Yea, I have heard a little about this.
In general I gather that the Latin America countries that are slandered as dangerous by the US media are the nicest ones. Colombia, El Savador, Guatemala, Cuba all have great people. The US media is really not to be trusted and in general is more dangerous then all these countries combined. That said, I will be safe, thanks for the heads up, see ya soon.