Costa Rica Travel

Travelers should purchase an adequate level of locally valid theft insurance when renting vehicles. One should park in secured lots whenever possible, and should never leave valuables in the vehicle. The U.S. Embassy receives reports daily of valuables, identity documents, and other items stolen from locked vehicles. In many of these cases, the stolen items were hidden under the seat, in the glove compartment, or secured in the trunk. Thefts from parked cars commonly occur in downtown San Jose, at beaches, in the airport and bus station parking lots, and at national parks and other tourist attractions.

Money changers on the street have been known to pass off counterfeit U.S. dollars and local currency. Credit card fraud (either using stolen credit cards or the account number alone following copying of the number) is on the rise. Travelers should retain all their credit card receipts and check their accounts regularly to help prevent unauthorized use of their credit cards. Avoid using debit cards for point-of-sale purchases, as a skimmed number can be used to clean out an account.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy. If the police will not accept the report, as sometimes happens when only the passport is stolen, the traveler should in any case report the theft to the U.S. Embassy to help avoid use by criminals or other identity theft.

U.S. citizens can refer to the Department of State's pamphlet, A Safe Trip Abroad , for ways to promote trouble-free travel. The pamphlet is available by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402; via the Internet at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/, or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov.