Mexico launches hotline to combat World Cup-related business extortion

Mexican authorities have launched a joint initiative to protect businesses from extortion and fraudulent inspections during the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services, and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur), and the National Assembly of Family Businesses G32 have created a communication channel to handle complaints.

Concanaco and the G32 Assembly will collect reports from affected establishments and forward them directly to the IMPI Director General's team. This process aims to verify the legitimacy of inspections, prevent abuses, and ensure institutional follow-up on each case. Businesses are strongly encouraged to report any instances of extortion, improper charges, threats of closure, sham inspections, or visits by individuals falsely representing the IMPI.

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Both institutions call for reporting any attempt at extortion, undue collection, threat of closure, simulated review, or visit by individuals who claim to act falsely in the name of IMPI. Anyone who presents themselves without official identification, without institutional uniform, without a clear object of the visit, or soliciting payments should be considered irregular and reported immediately.

Authorities stressed that any person appearing without official identification, institutional uniform, a clear purpose for the visit, or soliciting payments should be considered irregular and reported immediately. The IMPI clarified that it does not conduct random closures or inspections. Visits are strictly based on applicable legal frameworks and only upon request from parties affected by potential infringements. No public servant is authorized to request payments, transfers, cash, informal agreements, or undue benefits.

For businesses to verify legitimacy, inspectors must wear official shirts and vests with the logos of the Ministry of Economy and IMPI, along with an official badge containing a photograph. They must also operate within the stated purpose of the visit and present a corresponding official document. Octavio de la Torre, president of Concanaco Servytur, stated that the World Cup presents a historic opportunity for Mexico, and they want the economic benefits to reach family businesses, but this opportunity should not be tarnished by extortion or misuse of authority.

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the World Cup 2026 represents a historic opportunity for Mexico. We want the economic benefits to reach family businesses: restaurants, hotels, shops, and tourist services that generate employment every day. But that opportunity cannot be tarnished by extortion, simulations, or people who improperly use the name of an authority.