Panama Scams: Tourist, Online & Investment Fraud Guide
Common scams in Panama and how to report them to the National Police, the DIJ, and your bank.
Emergency number: 104 (police), 911 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Panama's position as a major international business and transit hub makes it a target for financial fraud, fake investment schemes, and tourist-targeted scams. The country's banking-centre reputation is itself a scam ingredient: fraudsters dress up fake brokers, 'offshore structures' and residency-investment packages in Panamanian corporate paperwork to reassure foreign victims, while retirees and would-be relocators are pitched beachfront property that is encumbered, misdescribed or not the seller's to sell. Verify any regulated firm with the Superintendency of the Securities Market and any property through a licensed lawyer's title search before money moves.
Day to day, most local payment fraud runs through Yappy, the mobile wallet used across the country: fake payment confirmations shown to small sellers, phishing pages imitating Banco General and other banks, and social-engineering calls that talk victims through approving transfers. WhatsApp account takeovers beg the victim's contacts for loans, delivery-fee smishing impersonates couriers and customs, and task scams recruited over Telegram escalate into deposits. Tourists mainly face overcharging by unofficial taxis around Tocumen airport and the Canal-area attractions, plus card skimming in nightlife zones.
The Panama National Police handles crime reports on the 104 line, and the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ) investigates cybercrime and serious fraud. Acting immediately — especially the bank or wallet call — is the step that decides whether anything comes back.
Common scams
- Fake investment and crypto platform scams
- Romance scams via social media and dating apps
- Fake job offers requiring upfront fees
- Online shopping non-delivery and fake e-commerce sites
Tourist-specific scams
- Unofficial taxi overcharging, especially at Tocumen International Airport
- Distraction theft in busy market and tourist areas
- Fake tour packages and excursion operators
Online shopping scams
- Phishing and smishing impersonating Panamanian banks
- Fake online shops and social media marketplaces
- Crypto and 'AI trading' investment fraud
Job scams
- Fake job offers requiring payment for visa or training documents
- Task scams via WhatsApp or Telegram paying small amounts then demanding deposits
- Bogus crewing and canal-sector job 'agencies' charging placement fees
Romance scams
- Dating-app relationships leading to cryptocurrency investment requests
- Long-distance romance with escalating money demands
- Hijacked WhatsApp accounts asking the victim's own contacts for loans
Investment scams
- Unlicensed forex and crypto broker platforms
- Pyramid and multi-level investment schemes
- Fake 'offshore' structures and residency-investment packages sold to foreigners
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately if money was transferred
- Call the Panama National Police on 104 or 911 for emergencies
- Report criminal matters including cybercrime to the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ)
- Preserve all digital evidence including screenshots, messages, and transaction details
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
The sooner you report, the better the chance of halting or reversing a fraudulent transfer, so contact your bank first, through the number on your card or the bank app rather than a number from the person who contacted you. Explain that you were deceived into paying, ask for the transfer to be stopped and the receiving account reported, and keep the reference number. If the money went by Yappy, report it inside the app as well and give the bank the recipient's handle and timestamp — wallet transfers settle into accounts that can still be flagged before cash-out. Ask about reissuing the card if details were shared, and dispute card payments to fake shops or brokers as chargebacks. Then call the National Police on 104, and report cybercrime to the DIJ; banks generally want that police report before resolving a formal claim.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
What is the DIJ in Panama?
The Dirección de Investigación Judicial (DIJ) is the Judicial Investigation Directorate of the Panama National Police responsible for investigating serious crimes including cybercrime and financial fraud. It is the primary body for formal criminal complaints related to online scams.
What are Yappy scams in Panama?
Yappy is Panama's most-used mobile wallet, and fraud around it includes fake payment-confirmation screenshots shown to sellers, phishing pages imitating bank logins, and calls that talk victims through 'verifying' a transfer. Confirm money has arrived inside your own app before releasing goods, and never approve a transaction a caller narrates to you.
How do offshore and property scams use Panama's reputation?
Fraudsters wrap fake brokers, 'asset protection' structures and pre-construction property deals in Panamanian corporate paperwork because it sounds credible to foreigners. Check any investment firm against the Superintendency of the Securities Market register and have a licensed independent lawyer run the title search before paying anything.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance