Comments on: Be on the lookout for this scam, it could cost you thousands of dollars

By: duke ster

duke ster — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 14:24:00 +0000

Isn’t it possible to see this card reader if you look closely at the bank machine? I usually look closely and try to see if anything has been added or looks out of place. I can’t imagine any device, no matter how thin, to be invisible to a close look. But if you have any more information as to what to look for and where, please tell us. I mean if I were to add something to an existing bank withdrawal machine-I would tend to believe it could be detected. Maybe I am wrong-.

By: Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 21:23:00 +0000

No problem. I work for Inside Costa Rica as the executive editor, just for disclosure, if it wasn’t clear from the comment system.

By: Tony Lafayette.

Tony Lafayette. — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 21:20:00 +0000

The bank security should check the ATMs a couple of times a day?

By: duke ster

duke ster — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 20:38:00 +0000

Thanks for the information all around!!!!

By: Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 17:53:00 +0000

Most banks will allow you to have a “colon account” and a “dollar account,” that are technically seperated though under the same general account. They usually link both accounts to the same card (funds coming from your colon account if you take colones out of the ATM, funds coming out of the dollar account if you take dollars out – or given a choice, depending on the ATM), but you can request that only one of the two accounts be linked to the card. Granted, you may lose a bit of money on the exchange rate shuffling money between the two currency accounts all the time, but if you want that degree of safety and your bank won’t give you a totally separate account, it can be done.

By: duke ster

duke ster — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 17:49:00 +0000

Wow-Thanks for this super important information Inside Costa Rica! The skimmer is hard to see in the photos provided by the bank so I personally can’t see the device or tell the difference. But that scares the heck out of me. Now I will have to try to figure out how to be safe using my card. The banks won’t allow you to open a 2nd account so you could put spending money in a separate account so how do we fix this problem? This is why we love “Inside Costa Rica” all the important news…. FAST!