‘Run, just . . . run!’
Aholidaying Kiwi couple say they thought they were going to die after getting caught up in a medical scam and then chased out of their hotel by three men who they believe were members of a Mexican drug cartel.
Their insurance company, Southern Cross Travel Insurance, has now put the medical centre involved in the scam on an alert list after the Cambridge couple’s disastrous holiday in Los Cabos, which was this week the subject of a travel alert by the US Government.
Belinda Gelston and Peter Varcoe were holidaying with friends in Los Angeles last month and decided to pop down to Los Cabos to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
They picked out the Royal Decameron hotel — a luxurious, sprawling, beachside four-star resort with multiple pools and bars.
As the day went on, Gelston began to feel unwell and by the following day was so sick she couldn’t drink water.
She slept on it again but woke up worse and Varcoe rang reception to ask for a doctor.
One arrived and told her she had the signs of pneumonia and needed urgent treatment. He drove them down to a local medical centre where Gelston was given IV fluids.
They were surprised to be told the treatment would cost US$5100 ($7080) but the cost was approved by their insurers. However, by the time Gelston went to discharge herself the next day, the staff wouldn’t let them leave as they hadn’t paid. They were then told the bill had been “revised” and was now US$9700.
After the couple reluctantly agreed to guarantee payment, they went back to their hotel but their room key wouldn’t work.
An “angry-looking big man” told them “you . . . aren’t paying your bills and you need to pay them”, she said.
They explained payment was guaranteed by their insurer, but staff threatened jail.
“So we went to the room and were sitting there thinking this is very odd and why is the hotel involved in this, and the next thing the phone rang and it was him again.”
He said medical centre staff would be at reception in an hour to collect the money in cash.
“Just by the way they were talking to us and the tone, it was hard to put yourself in that situation, but we were starting to get really concerned about what the heck was going on.”
The “harassing phone calls” continued into the night.
By 10.30pm, Southern Cross realised they were no longer safe and arranged for them to be moved to the neighbouring Hyatt Hotel at 2am when it was quiet.
“But when we got down to the lobby there was someone there and he picked up the phone immediately, and there was an older guy and he was starting to close these great big doors . . . and outside there was another guy walking up.
“So there was three of them and I don’t know why, but I could see that things were not right and we were in
danger and I said to Pete, ‘run, f***ing run’.”
Gelston said she took off and her bewildered husband sprinted after her with the three angry men in tow.
“They were yelling at us and chasing us.
“We got near the Hyatt and the security guys were running down the driveway towards us, they knew what was happening.”
Sweaty and stressed, the couple said it was the longest 100m they’ve ever run in their lives.
Staff at the Hyatt — which is American owned — reassured them they were safe, but Varcoe started experiencing chest pains due to the stress.
When they arrived at the airport, more trouble began.
The American Airlines attendant told them, “we’ve got a problem” and came back with his boss and armed police.
“He translated that we owed money in Mexico and we weren’t getting on the flight until we paid it and if we didn’t pay it, we would be taken to jail until it was paid.”
However, after an hour of negotiations and contacting the embassy and Southern Cross, the matter was sorted. Gelston said she believed the scam was linked to a Mexican drug cartel, which appeared to have influence throughout the town.
Southern Cross Travel Insurance CEO Chris White confirmed the company had not paid the quoted prices as it was “unreasonable for the treatment provided”.
“We are currently working via a third party to negotiate a [fair] payment,” White said.
“In addition, we have notified our associated global provider networks to list the clinic . . . as unsuitable for medical treatment and one that charges inflated prices.”