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Costa Rica Sees Ongoing Spike in Digital Fraud Tied to Travel and Payments

Costa Rica’s fraud problem is moving fast online, and travel is one of the clearest targets. What used to look like isolated scams now forms part of a wider pattern built around fake booking platforms, cloned websites, false promotions, and digital payment traps aimed at residents and tourists alike. The scale of the broader problem keeps rising as Costa Rica recorded 10,027 online fraud cases in 2025, up 41% from the previous year, while losses tied to cyber fraud reached about ₡6 billion. Investigators have also warned that cloned websites remain one of the most common tools used to steal personal and banking data, often by copying the look of legitimate institutions and changing only a few letters in a web address. In one recent case, judicial authorities dismantled a fake travel agency that changed names and locations every two months while selling nonexistent vacation packages. The group allegedly stole ¢165 million from 112 victims and used card details collected during the bo...
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Expomóvil 2026 Opens in Belén with 350 Models

Costa Rica’s biggest auto fair of the year is in full swing, and this edition is one for the record books. Expomóvil 2026 started Thursday, and runs through Sunday at the Centro de Eventos Pedregal in Belén, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Association of Vehicle and Machinery Importers (AIVEMA), the trade group that organizes the event each year. This year’s edition brings together 79 brands and roughly 350 different models in one space, ranging from basic urban vehicles to extreme-luxury offerings. The fair spans more than 33,000 square meters of exhibition space. A market in transition Costa Rica now has 115 registered vehicle brands — a 35% jump from pre-pandemic levels, driven primarily by the aggressive entry of Chinese manufacturers and an accelerated transition toward electric and hybrid models. The shift is visible throughout the fair, where traditional brands share the floor with newer arrivals. Brands on display include Toyota, Lexus, Subaru, Mercedes Benz, BY...
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Top Postdoc Positions at KTH Royal Institute Sweden (Updated)

Last Updated on April 17, 2026 by Scholar Idea Apply for Postdoc Positions at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. Salaried Postdoctoral positions at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. ✅ Leading research in Engineering and Computer Science. ❌ Start your Postdoctoral journey! Looking for PhD, postdoc research or academic careers?. KTH Royal Institute of ... Read more
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The History of Pirate Raids Along Costa Rica’s Coast

Long before Costa Rica became synonymous with cloud forests and wildlife reserves, its coastlines were contested territory in one of history’s most dramatic power struggles. During the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, the country’s remote bays, dense jungles, and exposed river mouths made it both a target and a thoroughfare for pirates, corsairs, and privateers operating under the flags of, or in defiance of, Europe’s rival empires. The roots of piracy along Costa Rica’s shores run directly back to the geopolitics of the Old World. When Protestant England squared off against Catholic Spain over colonial dominance, the English crown recruited experienced sailors as corsairs, essentially licensed agents of terror against Spanish ships and settlements throughout the Americas. Costa Rica, known as the Rich Coast, sat squarely in the path of Spanish trade routes linking South America and Panama to the broader empire. That made it an inevitable destination for those looking...
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10 Latest PhD Scholarships at Twente University (NL)

Explore 10 Latest PhD Scholarships at Twente University in Netherlands. View the full list of academic vacancies, eligibility, and application deadlines for international researchers. PhD Scholarships at Twente University PhD Position – Developing methods for multi-disease test evaluationAcademic staff PhD Master BMS38 – 40 hr.€ 3,059 – € 3,881Challenging workPublished: 15 Apr 2026Deadline: 5 Jul 2026View position  PhD position Domain Explanation to Support Citizens’ ... Read more
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Costa Rica Confirms Fourth Chikungunya Case of 2026

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health said that the country has confirmed its fourth positive case of chikungunya so far this year, based on results issued by INCIENSA. The latest case involves a 52-year-old Costa Rican woman from Heredia who recently traveled to Nicaragua. Health officials said she entered Costa Rica during the virus’s incubation period, so the case is being classified as imported. The ministry said she is not currently experiencing complications. With this new case, Costa Rica has now confirmed four chikungunya infections in 2026. The ministry said the three earlier cases were two in Esparza, Puntarenas, and one in Carrillo, Guanacaste. Officials also said Costa Rica had not registered circulation of the virus since 2017 before these cases appeared this year. Chikungunya is a viral disease spread by mosquito bites. The Ministry of Health says common symptoms include high fever, joint pain and swelling, headache, nausea, and general discomfort. Authorities said epidemio...
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Costa Rica Real Estate Escrow Rules Explained for Foreign Buyers

There is a big difference between an escrow contract and a trust contract. In the escrow contract one party places certain funds in the hands of the escrow company for a variety of purposes, such as: a means to show good faith and real intent to purchase a property or some other important item. Those funds can be an initial earnest money deposit, which is a small portion of the total price, with the purpose of locking in the price of the transaction and having a privileged position to purchase. The initial deposit can be anywhere from 3% (the usual custom in the USA) to 10% (the usual custom here in Costa Rica, but still just a custom that can be negotiated). This type of contract can have an important practical use in places where there is a large demand for property and the buyer must lock the price in before it increases or he loses the property to another buyer. Escrow contracts can be used for many different purposes, not only property purchases. A contract of trust is also the ...
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