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Police tell hotel owners about new scam - “lost suitcase” |
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 By the A.M. Costa
Rica staff
Agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization have called on hotel owners and reservation employees to increase security measures for the new scam known as "the lost suitcase." Judicial investigator Pamela Fonseca says the scam is run by a man who apparently is an English speaking tourist. The mode of operation of the scam is: - A foreigner who does not speak Spanish calls a hotel or other accommodation to make a room reservation. - The employee in charge of reception makes the reservation with the condition that the payment must be made when the tourist arrives at the hotel. - The tourist asks the receptionist for help because one of his suitcases is supposedly at the airport and he does not understand how to retrieve the suitcase. - The tourist manages to gain the confidence of the employee and asks the employee to call to the airport lost and found which has the suitcase. He gives the employee the phone number and asks his help because of his limitations with the Spanish language. - The phone number is supposedly that of airport office where the suitcase was stored but it actually belongs to the “tourist’s” partner, another scammer. - The employee calls the number and verifies that the version given by the tourist is apparently true. - The other scammer, who identifies himself as an official of the airport, says that to recover the suitcase, the owner must pay a fine of ¢ 60,000 colones (about $ 100) for the suitcase to be sent to the hotel. - The receptionist calls the tourist again and explains about the fine but the tourist says that he is on the road to the hotel and cannot return to the airport. -The fraudster manages to convince the receptionist to pay the fine, saying that he will repay the receptionist when he arrives at the hotel and reward the receptionist for his help. |
 A.M. Costa Rica wire services photo The scammer is asking for $ 100 payment for the suitcase to be sent to the hotel. - The receptionist agrees and pays the alleged fine to an account number received over the phone. - After payment is made, calls from the false tourist stop. - After repeated unanswered calls and when the “tourist” never arrives at the hotel, the receptionist realizes that he was scammed. Agents of the Judicial Investigation Organization are doing an investigation into cases of this type of scam and they are calling on hotels, vocational rentals, B&Bs, among others, to not accept this type of fraud call. If there is any suspicion of fraud, people should make a complaint at the confidential line 800-8000-645. Complaint calls can be taken in both Spanish and English. ---- Have you ever heard a scam like this? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com *Link to reach the place on map. |
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