Paying with cash or card
 

Hi all, how would you pay for the radio taxi at GIG, use cash so the cc doesn't get hacked, or use cc so there is a trace of you, if things go seriously wrong, ie carjacked, robbed or similar? These questions only in Rio, lol...

CC cloned, that's an easy fix. What worries me is driving thru the gaza strip.

Do you have cash already? If not then I highly recommend not using the airport ATMs. I don't know about these days but in the past few years they were notorious for skimming your card. So if that's the case then go with credit card. FYI it's very unlikely anything bad will happen in your travel from the airport to your hotel.

After reading the stories I got my BRLs in the US and boy was that a robbery, lol. I did end up using the card anyway for the ride, but not the ATM. Radio taxis seem pretty nice compromise between safety and price. Driver took me to the hotel via the scenic ride along the beach/coast, quite nice.

IMO the only reason to take a radio taxi from the airport is because you don't have cash. (As mentioned, you don't want to use ATMs at GIG.). Otherwise, IMO there is no problem with the regular yellow taxis with their cooperative's name and phone number painted on the back fender.
There is always a small chance that your cc might get hacked----anywhere in the world these days. Know what a rigged ATM might look like (photos online) and check before using. Most people who can carry more than one just in case, and you should keep an eye on the one you use when paying.
Seriously wrong? (As a casual, short-term tourist) You'd have to be seriously unlucky or seriously stupid. (Best to take the Chicken Littles of the forum with a grain of salt-- maybe the whole salt shaker.-- but plan well.)

Good choice, enjoy your stay!

I use my cards all the time (as do Brazilians) and never really worry about it. Obviously you never let them walk away with the card. Any legit place will bring the reader to you and do it right there.

Personally, I'm more worried about the Cielo branded machines trying to do dynamic currency conversion and charging a 5.9% Gringo Tax.

The machines say something like: Press 1 for BRL or 2 For USD/Eur/Home currency(or maybe hte other way around). If the person operating the machine just presses the enter key, it will automatically select the home currency.

The last time I used this card was 3 months ago in Rio...

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