Fake Booking Site Scams in Costa Rica
Fraudulent travel booking sites impersonating Booking.com or creating entirely fictitious Costa Rica tourism portals collect advance payments for tours and accommodation that do not exist.
Part of: Fake Booking Sites
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Costa Rica is one of Latin America's most popular ecotourism destinations, attracting international and domestic visitors who book accommodation and tours online. Fraudulent booking sites exploit this demand by creating convincing portals with professional photography of Costa Rican natural attractions, collecting advance payments before disappearing.
The Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) licences tourism operators; unlicensed operators are a significant fraud risk. Scammers create sites that appear to aggregate ICT-registered businesses while directing payments to their own accounts.
How this scam works on Costa Rica
Tourists searching for Arenal, Manuel Antonio, or Monteverde tours encounter paid search ads leading to a professional-looking booking portal. The site displays real photographs and uses descriptions from legitimate tour operators, but all bookings and payments go to a fraudulent operator. The booking confirmation email looks genuine.
On arrival, the accommodation or tour does not exist, or the legitimate operator has no record of the booking. Attempts to contact the booking site's 'customer service' fail as the website has been taken down. Some victims pay for multiple bookings across several days, amplifying their loss.
Domestic Costa Rican travellers booking budget accommodation through classified sites face the same risk: SINPE Móvil deposits for hostel bookings are collected but the property either does not exist or denies the reservation.
Common red flags
- Booking site URL is slightly different from well-known platforms — extra words or hyphens
- Unusually low prices for peak-season accommodation or popular tours
- Payment required in full upfront via bank transfer or SINPE with no refund policy
- Site cannot be found in the ICT registered operator list at ict.go.cr
- Customer service only via WhatsApp with response delays
- No reviews on TripAdvisor or Google for the specific operator or property
How to protect yourself
- Book through Booking.com, Expedia, or Airbnb using their secure payment systems for chargeback protection
- Verify tour operators at ICT's official registry at ict.go.cr
- Search the operator name on TripAdvisor and Google reviews independently before booking
- Never pay full advance payment via SINPE Móvil to an unknown accommodation or tour operator
- For domestic travel, use established platforms like Airbnb or contact properties directly via their official phone
- Reserve a small portion of payment for on-arrival to maintain leverage
How to report it
- Report fraudulent tourism operators to ICT at ict.go.cr
- File a complaint with OIJ at oij.go.cr for fraud
- Report to MEIC at meic.go.cr for consumer protection violation
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a tour operator is ICT-licensed in Costa Rica?
Visit ict.go.cr and search the Registro de Empresas Turísticas for the operator name or licence number. ICT-licensed operators are legally required to display their licence number. If you cannot find the operator in the registry, do not book.