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More than 30 ATMs shut down along Playa del Carmen’s Fifth Avenue

Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — The Director of the Restaurant and Food Chamber for Playa del Carmen says the closing of more than 30 ATMs around the city is a positive move, just late.

Manuel García, director of la Cámara Restaurantera y de Alimentos Condimentados (Canirac) said that the closure of 33 ATMs along Fifth Avenue is a positive move, but a late one, noting that historically, the machines have been designated as instruments to clone cards and lack any type of surveillance, having been permitted by municipal authorities until now.

“Fifth Avenue ATMs lend themselves to cloning because there is no one to watch over them. There is no camera, there is absolutely nothing, and many people have lost their resources because of this type of cloning activity. They also do not give good service. Many of them do not operate as they should operate,” he stressed adding that many of the ATMs are not from established banks.

“I believe that both domestic and foreign tourists are aware and prefer to go to get money from a bank that is safer for them to use their card,” García pointed out.

He says their closure is the right move, but he acknowledges that “if they were given a concession again, I think it would be foolish. I do not believe the permits should be reactivated. It would be a great support to withdraw them completely, not just to close them.”