Advance-Fee Scams in Costa Rica
Advance-fee fraud targeting Costa Ricans arrives via WhatsApp and email with fake government benefit notifications, lottery winnings, and business partnership offers requiring upfront fees.
Part of: Advance Fee Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Advance-fee scams in Costa Rica frequently exploit the branding of government social programmes — references to IMAS (Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social), CCSS (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social), or BANHVI housing benefits — to make fraudulent benefit-disbursement notifications appear legitimate.
With a growing digital population and many Costa Ricans eligible for genuine government support programmes, a message claiming they are owed a government payment is highly credible. Scammers calibrate the benefit amounts and terminology to match current news about government programmes.
How this scam works on Costa Rica
A WhatsApp message or email announces the recipient has been selected for an IMAS economic support disbursement or a CCSS health subsidy. To receive the funds, a processing fee of CRC 10,000–50,000 must be paid via SINPE Móvil to a listed number. Paying the fee results only in further requests.
Business partnership variants approach Costa Rican entrepreneurs with offshore investment opportunities requiring a good-faith deposit in colones or USD. Some scammers leverage Costa Rica's reputation as a fintech and start-up hub to pitch 'investment accelerator' opportunities.
The inheritance variant tells individuals they are the beneficiaries of a deceased foreigner who lived in Costa Rica, and that claiming the estate requires advance payment of legal and notarial fees.
Common red flags
- Government benefit notification arrives via WhatsApp rather than official IMAS or CCSS correspondence
- Any upfront fee required to receive a government payment or prize
- Business opportunity from an unknown contact requiring a good-faith deposit
- Inheritance claim from a person you have no knowledge of dying in Costa Rica
- SINPE Móvil payment to a personal number requested for an official transaction
- Urgency: benefit expires or offer lapses if not acted upon within hours
How to protect yourself
- Verify any government benefit through official portals: imas.go.cr or ccss.sa.cr
- Call the official institution hotline to confirm any supposed payment owed
- Legitimate government payments are never contingent on an advance fee
- Report IMAS or CCSS impersonation to the respective institution
- Discuss unexpected inheritances with a licensed Costa Rican attorney before paying any fees
- Warn family members who may receive the same message
How to report it
- Report to the OIJ at oij.go.cr
- Report IMAS impersonation directly to IMAS at imas.go.cr
- File a consumer protection complaint with MEIC for commercial fraud
Frequently asked questions
The message references CCSS or a specific health subsidy program I've heard of in the news — does that make it more believable?
No — scammers deliberately reference real, currently-discussed government programmes to sound current and legitimate. Verify any benefit claim directly at imas.go.cr or ccss.sa.cr rather than through the message's own links or numbers.
A 'foreign investor' wants a good-faith deposit to formalize a business partnership in Costa Rica's startup scene — should I proceed?
Not without independent verification — ask for full documentation and have a licensed Costa Rican attorney review the deal before sending any deposit. Genuine investors don't need a good-faith payment from you before conducting their own due diligence.
Does IMAS contact beneficiaries via WhatsApp for payment?
No. IMAS communications are made through its official offices and registered correspondence channels. Any WhatsApp message claiming to be from IMAS and requesting payment is fraudulent. Verify directly at imas.go.cr or visit a local IMAS office.