Mexico warns of surge in digital banking and bill‑payment scams

Authorities in Yucatán, Mexico, have issued an alert about a growing wave of phishing messages that claim unauthorized charges of up to 18,000 pesos. The texts, which use urgent language and fake bank numbers, aim to trick recipients into calling fraudulent phone lines or clicking links that harvest banking credentials, passwords, and security tokens. Victims are urged to contact only the official numbers of their banks and to avoid any links sent via SMS.

A separate warning highlights fake websites that replicate public utility payment portals such as Acueducto, Vanti, Enel and other service providers. These counterfeit sites copy the exact layout, fields and even CAPTCHA challenges to steal users' bank account data and drain their balances. The scams often appear among the first search results, making them difficult to spot. Officials recommend paying bills only through verified official portals that require a registered email and password, or using bank apps that store invoice numbers for direct payments, thereby bypassing third‑party pages.

Both alerts stress the importance of remaining calm, refusing to share personal or financial information under pressure, and reporting suspicious activity to the public security hotline (089) or emergency services (911).