You have your Christmas bonus and although it is a reason to be happy, criminals know it, so they always look for ways to rip you off and leave you with nothing.
Therefore, the Costa Rican Banking Association (ABC) urged the public to be cautious and avoid becoming a victim of theft or fraud.
As in previous years, officers dress up like civilians and visit bank agencies. They watch customers and ATMs before the risk that a device is installed to retain and clone cards.
According to data from the Fraud Section of the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), until September 2016, 362 people were scammed through phone calls. It occurs as follows:
The victim is selling any property, the alleged buyer contacts the person over the phone, and tells him/her that he/she is interested in the product and asks for the account number to make the payment.
Then the person claims to have problems or that the account does not work and contacts a bank official to help with the transfer (tripartite call). The apparent bank employee asks for account number, ask the victim his/her password, the security token and the Bingo Card to make it faster, once that information is provided, the person has access to the victim’s account and can get the money.
Never, under any circumstances, a bank will ask customers personal or security information by email or phone calls, so you should be aware and understand that if someone requests them , although it is identified as a bank employee, it is a scam.
It was also informed that victims are also chosen at banks: an unscrupulous person monitors the withdrawal that the user performs, then gives notice and the victim’s characteristics and another person, who is outside the financial institution, robs the money when the person leaves the bank.
Older adults are often the target of many scams so authorities recommend them not to be alone when withdrawing their pension or performing other procedures.