No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaFalse Covid tests used to scam tourists in Costa Rica: report

False Covid tests used to scam tourists in Costa Rica: report

The Costa Rican Hotel Chamber warned that criminal groups are scamming tourists by offering them fake Covid-19 tests and results.

“We have had reports of cases where these people take advantage of the misinformation and ignorance of tourists, offering them false tests and results,” said Javier Pacheco, president of the Hotel Chamber, told La Republica.

Many of Costa Rica’s largest tourism markets, including the United States, require a negative Covid-19 test for entry.

Costa Rican authorities have apprehended 400 passengers on suspicion that they presented falsified coronavirus test results when trying to leave the country, according to an August 30 report from the Public Security Ministry (MSP).

The vast majority of the apprehensions (362) were at Juan Santamaría International Airport near San José. The remaining 38 occurred at Guanacaste International Airport in Liberia.

Travelers who present falsified documents can be referred to the Prosecutor’s Office for charges; in many cases they are allowed to leave the country after paying a fine and taking the corresponding Covid-19 test.

“We must say that there are also cases in which the tourist, to avoid going to a laboratory or saving a little money, prefers to go to the illegal market to buy a test and a false result and presenting it at the time of his departure from the country,” Pacheco added.

The Tourism Board (ICT) maintains a list of hundreds of approved laboratories that offer Covid-19 tests in Costa Rica. Both international airports also offer on-site testing, with antigen test results guaranteed within an hour.

Trending Now

UN Ocean Conference Opens with Push for Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium

The UN Ocean Conference began Monday in France with a call from Secretary-General António Guterres to prevent the ocean floor from becoming the “Wild...

Guatemala and U.S. Strengthen Cooperation on Migration and Transnational Crime

Migration and drug trafficking dominated a meeting on Friday between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, according to...

Costa Rica Continues Investigation into Miller Gardner’s Death

Costa Rican authorities are still investigating the tragic death of Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, nearly...

Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister Dismisses Crime and Currency Concerns

Tourism Minister William Rodríguez López addressed growing concerns about crime and the strengthening colón’s impact on Costa Rica’s tourism industry, asserting that these issues...

Costa Rica’s Ojochal: From Farms to Luxury Tourism Hub

Ojochal, a small town in between the Pacific Ocean and the Fila Costeña in Costa Rica’s Osa, isn’t the sleepy agricultural community it once...

Banana Workers’ Strike Ends in Panama After Pension Agreement

Workers at U.S.-based banana company Chiquita Brands in Panama ended their protests and road blockades on Wednesday after reaching an agreement over pension reforms....
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica