Quintana Roo Officials Warn of New Phone Scam Targeting Vehicle Theft Victims

Cancún, Quintana Roo — The Quintana Roo State Prosecutor’s Office (FGE) on Tuesday warned the public about a new phone scam in which fraudsters impersonate authorities and claim to have recovered a stolen vehicle belonging to the victim.

Scammers contact people who have reported a vehicle theft, either by phone or via WhatsApp, telling them the car has been found. They then ask for personal documents or request a payment to coordinate the vehicle’s return.

“The Prosecutor’s Office does NOT, through any unofficial means, request personal documentation, bank information, passwords, verification codes, or payments for the return of seized or recovered vehicles,” the agency stated. “All official procedures are completely FREE.”

Authorities urge residents not to share official documents or make deposits based on a phone call. The best course of action, the FGE said, is to verify directly with the agency whether the message is legitimate.

The scam is part of a wave of phishing frauds in the state. Recent examples include fake messages attributed to the Quintana Roo Tax Administration Service (SATQ) about a supposed traffic fine, even though photo-enforced tickets do not yet exist in the state. Government suppliers have also received calls from a fake representative of the Oficialía Mayor requesting billing information. Other common scams involve callers claiming to be from a bank reporting an unrecognized charge or asking for personal data to deliver packages. In all cases, criminals impersonate companies or agencies, sometimes using fake websites, to extract payments or confidential data.