If you fear being stuck in Mexico with nothing but a debit card, you have little to worry about because most places will accept your card. The biggest concern for you should be a scam known as debit card "skimming" and extra finance charges for converting dollars in to the local currency. Which bank you use can make the cost possibly hundreds of dollars more than if you used another bank.
Identification
You can use a debit card to make purchases in Mexico as long as the station accepts the payment network used by your issuer. Bring some pesos or dollars just in case you run into a gas station that does not accept credit or debit cards. It can be 100 miles before you run into a gas station in some parts of the country, according to MexAdventure.com.
Costs
Most banks charge a fee for converting dollars into pesos. Some banks, such as Bank of America and HSBC as of 2009, charge 3 percent per purchase. A few, such as Capital One, do not charge a currency conversion fee, according to Ed Perkins of USA Today. Currency conversion rates from ATM cash withdrawals differ from purchases. Some banks, such as Bank of America, do not charge withdrawal fees as long as you use an ATM that belongs to a member of the "Global ATM Alliance." In Mexico, Santander Serfin bank is part of this alliance. Other banks might charge a flat fee of a few dollars or a percent of the transaction total.
Scams
The U.S. State Department warns travelers of a scam in Mexico known as card "skimming," which occurs when a retail outlet or rogue employee steals a person's credit or debit card number. In the case of debit card theft, the fraudster can wipe out your entire bank account, whereas if you used credit the thief could only take out the limit. Also, watch the price on the pump before you start pumping. Some attendants might not reset the price to zero before you fill up.
Tip
If you plan to purchase a lot of gas while in Mexico, it might make sense to take out a large amount of cash from an ATM to pay the flat fee once rather constantly going to an ATM for gas money. Also, review your debit card's policies on foreign transactions before leaving for Mexico. Some banks wave conversion fees for some of their elite customers.
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