It is very important to remember while traveling abroad that United States citizens are often targeted by foreigners for malicious acts. This is no different in Mexico. If you are planning a trip to Mexico, I strongly recommend that you look over these facts so that you can be one more step closer to being prepared for traveling outside our great country.
The United States Embassy urges you to always be aware of your surrounding while in Mexico. Women traveling alone are especially warned to keep an eye on their surroundings. Make sure that there is no one following you or keeping an especially close eye on you. Women who have been unaccompanied have been raped, robbed, and even abducted and help captive while their credit cards were being used at varied businesses or Automatic Teller Machines. Women are not the only ones who have been victimized by being held captive, however, while their credit cards were taken from ATM to ATM. Any traveler who is by themselves is urged to only travel in the day light and to stay in well populated areas. Even Mexican citizens are subjected to this kind of treatment. Travelers beware!
Kidnapping is also a big problem in Mexico. Nearly all the kidnapping cases that are reported victimize travelers. The crime rate for kidnapping is raising at an alarming rate. So, once again, if you are an American citizen abroad, you are urged to keep your travel to the day time and keep yourself in well populated areas. Kidnapping of this nature have occurred in nearly all major Mexican cities and are being coined express kidnappings for their nature. A traveler is kidnapped, but only for short times for their money, more directly, money on their credit cards that must be gotten from ATMs. Crimes of this nature are not only targeting the wealthy, but the middle class as well.
Crime does not only occur on the streets but also on the highways! Travelers need to exercise extreme caution at all times, even when they are driving. The United States Embassy would like travelers to know that avoiding night travel is one of the smartest things you can do while on a vacation or business trip to Mexico. Everything that can be done during the day should be done that way. If you must travel at night then you are advised to use the toll roads as opposed to the free highways that anyone may travel on. It is said that keeping your doors locked and your windows up it a precaution you definitely want to take. It doesn't matter if you're on the highway or in town, remember to take these preventative steps for your own safety. The Embassy also would like American travelers that are stopped in traffic or in heavy traffic to leave themselves enough room to maneuver out of it to escape if need be. Above all else on the road, do not hitchhike! It is better to be safe than sorry while traveling outside of our country.
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