14 Year Old Boy Scams the Banco de Costa Rica
The Banco de Costa Rica (BCR), a state bank, that has advertised that it is the most secure bank in Costa Rica in face of competition from the private banks. appears to have been taught a lesson in security by a group of youths led by a 14 year old boy.

According to confirmed reports by the judicial authorities, the 14 year old boy whose identity is not being released, transferred funds from one account to another from his home computer. And with several other youths, they were able to relieve the Banco de Costa Rica branch in Cañas (Guanacaste) of ¢13 million colones (us$27.500).

Authorities say that they have four youths in custody.

Details are sketchy, but what authorities have been able to piece together and telling the press, is that the 14 year old, who is the ring leader in the group, was able to obtain "cedula" numbers of BCR customers and would open account at the BCR branch.  ( "Cedula" numbers are issued to all Costa Ricans when they reach the age of majority (18) and is maintained in a database maintained by the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE).

The "cedula"  is similar to the United States Social Security Number or the Canadian Social Insurance Number.

The youths, using their computers and the BCR's "Oficina Virtual" - virtual office, the online banking system maintained by the BCR - transferred funds from other customer accounts to theirs.

The "break-in" was so easy that, according to the authorities the group had been planning to repeat the same at the Límon branch on the Atlantic coast.

Judicial and bank officials are keeping quiet as to how they discovered the work of the youths.

The four are being held in preventive detention for six months as ordered by the Juzgado Penal de Cañas.